Anna

July 15, 2010 4:10 pm

I think it has nothing to do with the gender of the character, but with the depth of the personality the creator gives them. If the personality is there and you get a real feeling for them, almost as if you actually knew them as a real person, any character will draw me in. 

I feel that through the years this depth has been sorely lacking for female characters, be they leads in their own books or as back up characters in a male lead title. Gail Simone's birds of prey is a great example of this. Black canary when written by others always came off, to me, as being there solely as "cheesecake". she was never full developed and give a true and deep identity. Until Gail fleshed her out. She became a force unto herself, a fully realized entity. the same with Zinda. There interactions with each other were as true to life as one can ever possibly expect from fiction. 

 As a female reader, I actually shy away from books with a female lead. It is so often that the character is strictly cheesecake and one demential that I don't waste my time. Also, I feel like many times the writers just don't get how women really interact with each other. I think I picked up and issue of marvel Divas, read a few pages and put it right back on the shelf. god awful. we aren't a different species. we are not consumed with shopping and pedicures. Some times I feel as though the writers have never even met a woman, and are using sex and the city and america''s next top model as reference material. 

However, as an aside, I really enjoy "Danger Girl". It's all cheesecake you say? well, yes, but it is also self aware and the women are super competent and kick ass. see? it's all about the characters.

 

May 19, 2010 11:01 am

In my own personal experience, criticism comes mainly from non cosplayers. I cosplayed as the BLack Cat at NYCC last year, for the very first time, and had a blast. I even got a marriage proposal from brian michael bendis at one of the panels. Other cosplayers were super supportive,even in costume contests. The other con goers? not so much. I was lightly harassed, groped, and treated with very little respect as if my wearing a costume made me less then human. I realize that because I fit the standard body type for this character, and the costume was revealing I would get questions about my body. someone actually asked if my breast were real, on the con floor while i was posing with a fan. Also, posing for pictures can get to be...trying, especially if you are trying to have a conversation with a creator or shop. I was approached while eating pizza, obviously resting in the coat room and waiting in line for the ladies room.

I will point out to to anyone that is thinking of going in costume, you really need to be secure with who you are and what you look like. I'm not saying that you have to be a certain body type. you just have to be very o.k. with how you look. I thought I was and had a great time at the con. It was a blast to be Felicia for the weekend. When I got home and searched the web to see if any photos of me were up, I did stumble on one thread where 2 fanboys were arguing over whether or not I was a man. ouch. Most of the "press" was good and I was even asked to do promo work for the discovery channel, but this one negative comment made me question if i ever wanted to cosplay again.  (the answer is yes)

I agree with the advice about not half-assing it. you will have more fun secure in the knowledge that your costume is the best and most accurate it can be. makes all the difference.

 

final advice? you only live once. go for it. dress up and have a great time. be kind to your fellow cosplayers and don't let anyone get away with ass grabbing. 

September 17, 2008 1:30 pm Back in my teenage years, there was no local comic shop near me. once a year or so, my family would make a trip to Cambridge(outside of Boston) and my sister and I would go to million year picnic(now that I work in cambridge, I go almost once a week) and buy back issues of Elfquest. I remember my parents being very supportive of my comics habit, Even though I'm sure it drove them absolutely crazy. Once I was hooked, when ever my family would visit a new city, I would insist that we go to a comics shop there. My sister and I would crack open the hotel yellow pages and search for the comics store with the best add and then badger my folks til they took us to it. To this day, my collection has comics(mainly Robin) that I purchased in Alaska and everywhere else we went. good times.