FanX: Cosplay With Crosshairs
We met Crosshairs from “Transformers” on the first day of FanX. Cosplay is a major part of the event. The rapid growth in the number of people participating in cosplay since 1990 has made it a significant aspect of world culture in Japan, other parts of Asia and the western world. For the uninitiated, cosplay is the practice of wearing costumes to represent a specific character or idea, and trying be to true to the persona of that character while in costume.
“I’ve always loved dressing up and doing theater and loved Halloween,” says Ashleigh Keiran, a 24-year-old Murray resident. “So as a family we would make our costumes, and then Comic Con came to Salt Lake and I knew that’s what I wanted to be a part of.”
The emergence of Salt Lake Comic Con in 2013 has certainly taken cosplay into the mainstream here in Utah. The “Cosplay Utah” Facebook group currently has over 3,880 members, and they are all enthusiastically dedicated to their pursuit. “I think it’s brought everyone a little closer together and made cosplay into something much more exciting and fun,” Keiran explained.
The Cosplay Competition is a major part of Comic Con and FanX, and it will be held January 31st. The competition consists of two phases: Pre-judging and the Stage Competition. Those who advance from the pre-judging to the stage portion will compete on stage for trophies, money and prizes. Cosplayers spend months preparing for such competitions.
Jim Stevens, a local film actor who has worked with Oscar Winners like Sir Anthony Hopkins and the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman, is not an easy person to impress, but when he co-hosted the cosplay event at last year’s FanX, he found it to be a delightful experience. “It was awesome. Being in front of 35,000 people definitely keeps you on your toes. It was a really fun environment and everyone really enjoys themselves . The detail in the costumes was amazing.”
For some, cosplay has actually become a way to make a living. Professional cosplayers such as Jessica Nigri, Nicole Marie Jean and LeAnna Vamp have been an attraction at past cons. But professional cosplay tends to focus more on the model than the character, and some feel that they give a false impression of the art form.
Whitney Warnick, a member of a local group that call themselves The Nerds Of Play, says there is too much pressure on women in cosplay to play up the sexy angle. “Sadly a lot of people believe that that the only way to receive attention from cosplay is through sexy costumes. However, I like to believe otherwise. There are plenty of female cosplayers that have non-sexy, incredible cosplays, and they are just as worthy of praise as anyone else. On the flip side, male cosplayers are often cornered into becoming extra buff and in shape for the cosplays.”
Actor Richard Hatch, a guest at the inaugural Salt Lake Comic Con, who is best remembered as Apollo on the original “Battlestar Galactica,” spoke with Gephardt Daily about the cosplay phenomenon and its relation to acting.
“Just like some actors, there are cosplayers who are also self conscious about themselves and feel much more comfortable hiding behind a character.” Hatch says. “I love cosplayers and the very creative characters they play, just as I love the amazing characters actors bring to life. But the truth remains that many, including me, are insecure and feel more comfortable playing a character we connect to.”
Whatever the motivations of the individual cosplayer, the medium has arrived in Salt Lake and looks like it is here to stay, especially with major events such as Comic Con, FanX and FantasyCon giving them ample opportunities to hone their craft.
There is also a heavy charity element to cosplay. Eric Allan Hall, a 46-year-old from Midvale, says that the best experiences he’s had have come through helping people, whether it be fulfilling wishes for sick children through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, collecting toys and donations for Toys For Tots in costume, or helping underprivileged kids get Christmas presents through Operation Santa. “Kids eyes light up,” he says. ” It’s such a great feeling to realize that to them, they just met Superman, or Spider-Man, or Princess Belle, or any other character they love.”
You can expect to see tens of thousands of cosplayers at FanX this year, dressing for success and posing for pictures with excited fans, and there’s no doubt that without the heavy cosplay presence, these conventions would not be the immersive and exciting experience that we have come to expect.
