Cosplay needs to stop

[JoeyN]

I live in NYC and one of the things I promised myself after 9/11 was, there is no way in hell I am going to change the way I live my life because of terrorists, or because of  acts like what happened in Colorado. If I did, then they won, or got the best of me/us.  A ban of fake weapons in theaters/cons if fine by me, but there is no reason to stop people from doing cosplay. Is it annoying? Yes  Should they stop doing it because of this? Hell fucking no. 

[Jeppe]

Anything beyond a handgun or hunting rifles should be illegal with minimum jail time for offenders.
People will say there's no difference between owning a 9 mil handgun and an assault rifle, but there is.

Personally I think that both assault weapons and handguns should be illegal. Shotguns and rifles are fine for hunting, owning anything else should be unnecessary in a democratic country based on the rule of law.

But then again, I'm a crazy European, so what do I know.

[BobBretall]

but there is no reason to stop people from doing cosplay. Is it annoying? Yes  Should they stop doing it because of this? Hell fucking no. 

I don't mind the cosplayers.   I don't take many pictures of them, but I enjoy looking at the costumes.  Having to wait 30 seconds here or there to not ruin a picture is not really something that I get upset about.

[Jon O]

Banning costumes is such an infuriatingly stupid way to try and deal with this problem.  I'm not even sure if the tragedy can be identified as a problem we're having.  It seems to me like an isolated act of idiocy. Banning guns won't fix idiots.  Banning costumes won't fix idiots.

I do love the idea of a cosplay corral.

[robomaniac]

I'm not exactly sure where all the cosplay haters came from. For my con experience (and I do attend quite a few a year, but do not dress up) I think the cosplayers are a fun addition to the fandom. I'm always dumbfounded when people go to a convention and then bitch about the different facets of the culture.

[allen]

This whole thing about being willfully rude (i.e. intentionally walking through and ruining people's photos) I don't get behind.  Just because some cosplayers may be inconsiderate is no reason to be inconsiderate yourself.  Politeness does not end with you, it starts with you.  So be nice.  Wait a minute. Take a breath.  Let them have their fun.  Move on.  Everybody's happy.  Was that so hard? 

[steve bryant]

This whole thing about being willfully rude (i.e. intentionally walking through and ruining people's photos) I don't get behind.  Just because some cosplayers may be inconsiderate is no reason to be inconsiderate yourself.  Politeness does not end with you, it starts with you.  So be nice.  Wait a minute. Take a breath.  Let them have their fun.  Move on.  Everybody's happy.  Was that so hard?  

I'm sorry if I appear rude. I haven't been to a convention for pleasure in a decade and the most I've spent at a show, recreationally, has been about $20 (and that's usually for something to bring home to my son). I'm there to work and the money I bring home from each show goes toward paying my mortgage and other bills.

The time I spend on the show floor is limited to the when I schedule a meeting with someone (whose time is also limited) regarding possible employment, or when I'm headed to the restroom. The rest of my time is spent at my table, with the sole intention of not losing money.

I don't have another job. I'm a self-employed freelancer and conventions represent a potential financial swing of plus or minus of up to $1,000 for me.

I don't know if you ever get stressed out at work by people whose dawdling impacts your ability to do your job or not. For me, that 5 minute delay in getting across the 3/4 mile con floor of SDCC can be the difference in whether or not I actually get face time with a particular editor for the next year. And that can impact my income for the next 12 months.

So, again, I'm sorry if I'm brusque about this.

[Julian Lytle]

I'm sorry if I appear rude. I haven't been to a convention for pleasure in a decade and the most I've spent at a show, recreationally, has been about $20 (and that's usually for something to bring home to my son). I'm there to work and the money I bring home from each show goes toward paying my mortgage and other bills.

The time I spend on the show floor is limited to the when I schedule a meeting with someone (whose time is also limited) regarding possible employment, or when I'm headed to the restroom. The rest of my time is spent at my table, with the sole intention of not losing money.

I don't have another job. I'm a self-employed freelancer and conventions represent a potential financial swing of plus or minus of up to $1,000 for me.

I don't know if you ever get stressed out at work by people whose dawdling impacts your ability to do your job or not. For me, that 5 minute delay in getting across the 3/4 mile con floor of SDCC can be the difference in whether or not I actually get face time with a particular editor for the next year. And that can impact my income for the next 12 months.

So, again, I'm sorry if I'm brusque about this.

Man you don't have to defend this. These things are work. I don't think the security people give a damn about pictures either nor anyone else at the show working. Everything is digital now they can just take another.

The want to ban Cosplaying to me had shades of geek superiority and I don't condone that.

[turtleboy8]

The Creativity of cosplay is no longer there. I have seen so many pictures from the 2012 sdcc and the same cosplayers are wearing the same costume they have been wearing for the last 5 years.

I wear my same EOC t-shirt to every con so other listeners can spot me.  Does that mean I should be banned from cons too, or just that I need a new shirt for every con?

[Jon O]

I wear my same EOC t-shirt to every con so other listeners can spot me.  Does that mean I should be banned from cons too, or just that I need a new shirt for every con?

Ha, I wear the same Batman hat every year to help creators recognize me.

[Dean S.]

For cos-players....I'm a libertarian, so I'm not into banning anything.  I do wish we had a little more self-regulation (bullying?  ostracism?) of the BAD cos-players just because the TV crew loves to interview the fat guy in the Catwoman outfit and THAT image isn't useful when we're trying to convince non-comic readers that they'd really enjoy reading these things.

On guns....man...what is up with you people?  This is a group of people who will go down on their swords over the slightest suggestion that we have laws regulating the type of content that can appear in a comic book.  And, no one has even mentioned the extent to which this monster in Colorado was clearly inspired by a comic book character.  Should we ban future depictions of Joker in comics????  

Our 2nd Amendment isn't about the right of people to hunt for food or defend their house against burglars.  That document was written by a bunch of guys who had had their homes forcibly searched by British soldiers without warrants, had been forced to quarter said soldiers in their homes, had been taxed without having the right to be represented.....  They wanted the citizens to be armed to the teeth so that (a) the government and police had to pause for a moment before kicking in the door to someone's home and (b) so that if armed resistance to the government was necessary, that the citizens showed up with weapons that weren't a joke.  George Washington would have LOVED AR-15s and would have passed out guidelines on how to convert them to fully automatic fire.  

Now...I know you can say, "That was 200+ years ago, the founding fathers wouldn't have written the second amendment that way if they'd know about semi-automatic weapons with 100 round magazines....."  THAT may be true, but the fact is that these weapons exist.  The toothpaste is out of the tube.  Even if the law of the land was that these things were wholly illegal and people were required to turn their guns in for destruction, you couldn't get them out of the system.  It's just like the people who blather about how the US should deport 20MM "illegal" immigrants who are in the US which is just insane because there's no practical way to round up 20MM people, nor is there any "fence" to make sure they don't just come back in.

What about a solution to keep track of what people are buying.  This dude bought a lot of stuff in a short period of time.  If a person fits a certain criteria, send a normally uniformed cop to ask him a few questions.  Not some SWAT team dude with a military brushcut and tactical gear.....a dumpy, old cop with a nightstick.  If he's a married guy, with kids, pets, pays his bills, had a decent job......he's probably no problem.  If his home answering machine is a bad Heath Ledger impersonation, his hair is dyed orange, he's behind on his bills, he just dropped out of school, he has no job or source of income and is generally weird....then you keep an eye on him.

I dunno....I'm just a freedom kind of guy.  Or what if we went back to the days when it was expected that gentlemen carried a weapon?  That would stop this mass shooting nonsense instantly.  Not "one guy with a concealed carry permit", but a movie theater where every patron is wearing a pistol.  Then there'd be none of these mass shootings.  And don't give me that there would be shootouts over minor fender benders.  People said that when states started issuing concealed carry permits: MILLIONS of those have been issued and there are no shoot outs.  Most of us live in states that have concealed weapon permits and I guarantee you walk by lots of people every day who are carrying a weapon on a daily basis.

Anyhow....go ahead, accuse me of being a gun nut, or weirdo or whatever.  You're wrong.

[Farrell]

Cosplay: don't mind it, but I've never been to a con for business.  I also don't worry that much about waiting and dodging around every photo op that's in a 20 foot radius around me.  Banning or regulating costumes is a stupid overreaction that won't solve a thing.

Guns: I'm in favor of banning guns that are used for shooting people and pretty much nothing else (automatic rifles).  If you're a target shooter, you can check out a gun from the range, and then return it when you're done.  If you're a hunter, use a gun that's used for hunting.  You could probably protect your house pretty well with a shotgun too, while you're at it.  There are far, FAR too many crazy people out there to make buying a gun like this AR-15 that easy.  I see half a dozen people having angry conversations with the sky just on my way through downtown on any given day.   If they come after me, I want it to be with a pointy stick.

Dean:  He IS a weirdo, but he's also a pretty smart guy.

[allen]

I, too, am a freelance cartoonist.  I also attend conventions as a pro, take up a table in artists alley, and count on the moolah I make selling prints, sketches, commissions and merchandise.  And I have also had crowds of cosplayers and photographers block my table and get in my way when rushing to a meeting or panel or something.  Even so, I prefer to not get angry with cosplayers because THEY (cosplayers, i.e. fans) are why I am there.  That's just the way I look at it- cosplayers are fans, and conventions are for the FANS.  

[BobBretall]

And, no one has even mentioned the extent to which this monster in Colorado was clearly inspired by a comic book character.  Should we ban future depictions of Joker in comics????  

How "clear" is this guy's Joker connection???

During his short court appearance, Holmes showcased a dyed red hairdo, an allusion some have suggested to the Joker character from the Batman series. According to authorities, Holmes told the police that he was the Joker once detained after the Friday morning massacre.

He couldn't have been THAT inspired by the Joker (who has green hair in comics, cartoons, and movies) with red hair.   Who would dye their hair red to be the Joker?

I think it's posturing to make himself candidate for some kind of insanity defense, or deflection to a "comics/media are to blame" defense.

[Farrell]

How "clear" is this guy's Joker connection???

He couldn't have been THAT inspired by the Joker (who has green hair in comics, cartoons, and movies) with red hair.   Who would dye their hair red to be the Joker?

I think it's posturing to make himself candidate for some kind of insanity defense, or deflection to a "comics/media are to blame" defense.

It's the D&D thing from the '80s all over again.  Most of the defendants who claim to be influenced by D&D barely knew what D&D was.

[Farrell]

I, too, am a freelance cartoonist.  I also attend conventions as a pro, take up a table in artists alley, and count on the moolah I make selling prints, sketches, commissions and merchandise.  And I have also had crowds of cosplayers and photographers block my table and get in my way when rushing to a meeting or panel or something.  Even so, I prefer to not get angry with cosplayers because THEY (cosplayers, i.e. fans) are why I am there.  That's just the way I look at it- cosplayers are fans, and conventions are for the FANS.  

Just for discussion's sake (and clarification): A big part of the problem I always hear about cosplayers is that they don't buy anything except a ticket.  If they never buy anything from you and (ostensibly) have no interest in why you're there, are you really there for them?

[RickV]

For cos-players....I'm a libertarian, so I'm not into banning anything.  I do wish we had a little more self-regulation (bullying?  ostracism?) of the BAD cos-players just because the TV crew loves to interview the fat guy in the Catwoman outfit and THAT image isn't useful when we're trying to convince non-comic readers that they'd really enjoy reading these things.

On guns....man...what is up with you people?  This is a group of people who will go down on their swords over the slightest suggestion that we have laws regulating the type of content that can appear in a comic book.  And, no one has even mentioned the extent to which this monster in Colorado was clearly inspired by a comic book character.  Should we ban future depictions of Joker in comics????  

Our 2nd Amendment isn't about the right of people to hunt for food or defend their house against burglars.  That document was written by a bunch of guys who had had their homes forcibly searched by British soldiers without warrants, had been forced to quarter said soldiers in their homes, had been taxed without having the right to be represented.....  They wanted the citizens to be armed to the teeth so that (a) the government and police had to pause for a moment before kicking in the door to someone's home and (b) so that if armed resistance to the government was necessary, that the citizens showed up with weapons that weren't a joke.  George Washington would have LOVED AR-15s and would have passed out guidelines on how to convert them to fully automatic fire.  

Now...I know you can say, "That was 200+ years ago, the founding fathers wouldn't have written the second amendment that way if they'd know about semi-automatic weapons with 100 round magazines....."  THAT may be true, but the fact is that these weapons exist.  The toothpaste is out of the tube.  Even if the law of the land was that these things were wholly illegal and people were required to turn their guns in for destruction, you couldn't get them out of the system.  It's just like the people who blather about how the US should deport 20MM "illegal" immigrants who are in the US which is just insane because there's no practical way to round up 20MM people, nor is there any "fence" to make sure they don't just come back in.

What about a solution to keep track of what people are buying.  This dude bought a lot of stuff in a short period of time.  If a person fits a certain criteria, send a normally uniformed cop to ask him a few questions.  Not some SWAT team dude with a military brushcut and tactical gear.....a dumpy, old cop with a nightstick.  If he's a married guy, with kids, pets, pays his bills, had a decent job......he's probably no problem.  If his home answering machine is a bad Heath Ledger impersonation, his hair is dyed orange, he's behind on his bills, he just dropped out of school, he has no job or source of income and is generally weird....then you keep an eye on him.

I dunno....I'm just a freedom kind of guy.  Or what if we went back to the days when it was expected that gentlemen carried a weapon?  That would stop this mass shooting nonsense instantly.  Not "one guy with a concealed carry permit", but a movie theater where every patron is wearing a pistol.  Then there'd be none of these mass shootings.  And don't give me that there would be shootouts over minor fender benders.  People said that when states started issuing concealed carry permits: MILLIONS of those have been issued and there are no shoot outs.  Most of us live in states that have concealed weapon permits and I guarantee you walk by lots of people every day who are carrying a weapon on a daily basis.

Anyhow....go ahead, accuse me of being a gun nut, or weirdo or whatever.  You're wrong.

Nail on the Head, any laws now would only impede the law abiding citizens.

Great NYTimes piece from some years ago on these kinds of events:
http://www.nytimes.com/2000/04/09/us/they-threaten-seethe-and-unhinge-then-kill-in-quantity.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

[allen]

Am I there for the fans even when they don't buy anything from me? 

Yes.

Conventions bring in a lot of fans, cosplayers and non-cosplayers alike, and I don't sell stuff to each and every one of them (I wish!)  Even so, conventions are not organized so I (freelance cartoonist) can sell stuff.  Conventions are organized so fans can see (and, yes, sometimes purchase) things they like and are interested in.  When I'm at a convention, I am part of the show.  Like in a circus, some people are there for the clowns, come are there for the elephants and some are there for the bearded lady and the worlds strongest man.  I just prefer to take the point of view that I am there for the fans, NOT the other way around.

So yes, emphatically YES.

[BobBretall]

It's the D&D thing from the '80s all over again.  Most of the defendants who claim to be influenced by D&D barely knew what D&D was.

Exactly.  If the media can point their finger at scapegoats, why can't criminals use the same scapegoating technique to deflect blame from themselves.....

[Farrell]

Am I there for the fans even when they don't buy anything from me?  

Yes.

Conventions bring in a lot of fans, cosplayers and non-cosplayers alike, and I don't sell stuff to each and every one of them (I wish!)  Even so, conventions are not organized so I (freelance cartoonist) can sell stuff.  Conventions are organized so fans can see (and, yes, sometimes purchase) things they like and are interested in.  When I'm at a convention, I am part of the show.  Like in a circus, some people are there for the clowns, come are there for the elephants and some are there for the bearded lady and the worlds strongest man.  I just prefer to take the point of view that I am there for the fans, NOT the other way around.

So yes, emphatically YES.

Awesome.  I get ya.  But (with me, there's always a but) those circus performers are paid by the circus to be there and be part of the show.  They're not reliant on every paying customer being interested in them specifically.

On the other hand, as you're obviously well aware, YOU pay for the privilege of being part of the show, and as such, are dependent on some percentage of ticket buyers being interested in your wares.  To the degree that cosplayers are not interested in any wares, and might even deter potential customers from purchasing them, they may impact how likely it is for the show to be profitable for you.  Thus the value in looking for a compromise, like the oft-mentioned designated cosplay areas.