In Your Face Jam - Oct 17, 2012

[CBR News]

This year, Brett White changed his past opinions of cosplayers and urges every other fan with preconceived negative notions to do the same, for the betterment of mankind. Seriously.


Full article here.

[NexusTenebrare]

"expecting this Black Cat to have the same level of obedience as the two-dimensional one the interviewer sees regularly."

He clearly hasn't read many comics with Black Cat in them.

[artiepants]

i think "cosplayers" has to be the most obnoxious and overused term since "bromance", can we please knock it off?

[Time_to_Zap]

i think "cosplayers" has to be the most obnoxious and overused term since "bromance", can we please knock it off?

Like it or not, this is how languages change and involve. Both "cosplay" and "bromance" are words commonly used and accepted as real words, at least among large sub-cultures. I see nothing wrong with them as words.

Awesome article, Brett! :)

[junesdisco]

As glad as I am to see this article, I gotta admit I'm not exactly jumping up and down to congratulate Brett on realizing women are human beings with thoughts other than "must look sexy". We have brains! We like comics! We enjoy dressing up as superheroes and sometimes we like being sexy and powerful! You don't say.

Still, if this helps cut down on the harassment women get as comic fans and as daring to be a woman in a public space, I'm all for it. The first step is admitting you have a problem. :)

[Eric Chang]

did they ever found out who the interviewer was? name and shame

[Xenos]

Wonderful essay. A pleasure to read. Thank you!

[west3man]

I'm trying to consider whether I've been guilty of what the writer describes. I don't think so. I've got a picture of a girl dressed as Impulse who clearly loved the character. I gave her a better deal on the comics I eventually sold her because she was so enthusiastic about the character. (I say "girl" because she looked young but I couldn't place her age very well.) it never occurred to me that she was dressing that way for sexual attention - but maybe that was related to the lack of a sexuality in the costuming.

When I see someone at a Con dressed as Cammy from Street Fighter, complete with insane levels of ass-exposure, I am both, pleased to see someone dressed as a familiar character AND reacting as a heterosexual make to a provocatively dressed female. That's not to say that I'd hit on her, although there's nothing sexist about hitting on every attractive lady you see - just kinda pathetic.

I do, however find myself more likely to take a picture or drool a bit because there is a half naked woman infringing of me - in a costume, a uniform, or street clothes. And THAT's when I'm far more likely to think that the balance between this woman's interest in the character and desire to be ogled is a lil heavy on the latter side. Okay, a LOT heavy.

The more that cosplayer, male or female, looks like an aspiring television actor (extremely well-built, symmetrical, or photogenic) or a "professional cosplayer" (every year the same person is prominently displayed as a different, well-known character in a ton of online photo parades from a big con, (without a hint that they are trying to attend panels, buy merch, or meet an actor or creator) the more I think this person is seeking sexual or professional attention.

If that wasn't too run-on or jumbled for my first post of the morning, or mr know if it makes any sense to you.

[AnarCHris]

Funfact: That's my wife as Black Widow. Yes she reads comics, lol.

Also Brett, those 2 paragraphs that surround my wife's photo are damn good writing, healthy views, and need to be pasted on all corners of the internets.