We like Sue Storm and Apples, right?

[New Mutant]

Well how do you like THEM apples?
Amber The Stylist, ladies and gents.  Yeah.

[Wood]

I thought this was going to be a thread about Sue Storm. Where is she? 

[New Mutant]

I thought this was going to be a thread about Sue Storm. Where is she? 

Are you hatin' or do you not see the pic?

[Wood]

Are you hatin' or do you not see the pic?

I see A pic, I just don't see one of Sue Storm. 

[New Mutant]

I see A pic, I just don't see one of Sue Storm. 

Alright, that's enough outta you, "Mr. My Wife's A Perfect Hottie With A Yoga-Instructor Botti."  Try to descend from Mt Olympus every once inna, and mingle with us average folks a little.

But I don't care what you say, Amber's got a killer smile here.  Best I've ever seen her do.

[Wood]

Alright, that's enough outta you, "Mr. My Wife's A Perfect Hottie With A Yoga-Instructor Botti."  Try to descend from Mt Olympus every once inna, and mingle with us average folks a little.

But I don't care what you say, Amber's got a killer smile here.  Best I've ever seen her do.

Sorry Alan but I'm not fan of cosplay. Amber is obviously talented at what she does, but I would be a LOT happier if cosplay were something left to cosplay conventions and not comic-cons. I realize I'm in the minority, but I'm just being honest. And lest you think I'm a glass house throwing stones, I would be equally dismissive of any picture of myself in spandex pretending to be Johnny Storm.

[New Mutant]

Sorry Alan but I'm not fan of cosplay. Amber is obviously talented at what she does, but I would be a LOT happier if cosplay were something left to cosplay conventions and not comic-cons. I realize I'm in the minority, but I'm just being honest. And lest you think I'm a glass house throwing stones, I would be equally dismissive of any picture of myself in spandex pretending to be Johnny Storm.

Okay, fair enough, Woooooode, you like what you like.
But what is a "cosplay convention?"  There's none such.  Comicbook conventions are the arena for it and nowhere else.  But we'll let you come even though you don't like us, because that's how we roll.  Ever striving to protect a world that fears and hates us. 

[Adam Besenyodi]

Sorry Alan but I'm not fan of cosplay. Amber is obviously talented at what she does, but I would be a LOT happier if cosplay were something left to cosplay conventions and not comic-cons. I realize I'm in the minority, but I'm just being honest. And lest you think I'm a glass house throwing stones, I would be equally dismissive of any picture of myself in spandex pretending to be Johnny Storm.

Now THAT would be an avatar for the ages!

[Wood]

Okay, fair enough, Woooooode, you like what you like.
But what is a "cosplay convention?"  There's none such.  Comicbook conventions are the arena for it and nowhere else.  But we'll let you come even though you don't like us, because that's how we roll.  Ever striving to protect a world that fears and hates us. 

Huh? We attended a con together my fine feathered friend and I didn't see you in any costumes.

[Mike Sims]

You mean this isn't your entry into the Windy City Con Cosplay Contest this year?

[New Mutant]

You mean this isn't your entry into the Windy City Con Cosplay Contest this year?

OH.  My. God.

Do you rock, Mike Sims?  Do you FRIKKIN rock????? Why yes, I think you do.
(Good thing you're up and about.  I just included you in a list email.  You're talented pipes are needed again.)

Edit: Mike, I added this to my signature with a clickback to your post for credit.

[New Mutant]

Huh? We attended a con together my fine feathered friend and I didn't see you in any costumes.

So?  Doesn't mean that I never have suited up before.  But if it will help, I'm not really a spandex kind of guy either.  I'd more likely do a modern-day Luke Cage or a Guy Gardner's Green Lantern, or possibly Doctor Voodoo if he gets a nifty billowing cape to adorn the Eye of Agamotto WAY before I'd ever shimmy into a skintight Flash uniform or anything else that might haveta put my boys on display.

What I would really REALLY like to do?  The next time I ever costume up?  Jack of Hearts, classic costume.  And I'd whiten one half of my face rather than darken the other half.  This would duplicate an effort I made back when I was a late teen at one of the earliest of early conventions--Creation Convention at the Penta Hotel.  I forget which year. Had to be the 80's.  And maybe I was older than a teenager. )

[Wood]

So?  Doesn't mean that I never have suited up before.  But if it will help, I'm not really a spandex kind of guy either.  I'd more likely do a modern-day Luke Cage or a Guy Gardner's Green Lantern, or possibly Doctor Voodoo if he gets a nifty billowing cape to adorn the Eye of Agamotto WAY before I'd ever shimmy into a skintight Flash uniform or anything else that might haveta put my boys on display.

What I would really REALLY like to do?  The next time I ever costume up?  Jack of Hearts, classic costume.  And I'd whiten one half of my face rather than darken the other half.  This would duplicate an effort I made back when I was a late teen at one of the earliest of early conventions--Creation Convention at the Penta Hotel.  I forget which year. Had to be the 80's.  And maybe I was older than a teenager. )

Hey, I'll still love ya if you're clad in costume when next we hang, don't get me wrong. It's just not my cup o' tea, and it takes A LOT for me to find someone in costume attractive. I guess my main issue is that spandex is REALLY unforgiving and yet, somehow people seem to forget that when said spandex loosely resembles something draw in the books we read.

[New Mutant]

Hey, I'll still love ya if you're clad in costume when next we hang, don't get me wrong. It's just not my cup o' tea, and it takes A LOT for me to find someone in costume attractive. I guess my main issue is that spandex is REALLY unforgiving and yet, somehow people seem to forget that when said spandex loosely resembles something draw in the books we read.

I dunno, YOU look mighty good in my signature there, hot stuff!   

Honestly, and I mean HONESTLY honestly, my favorite con-goers' costumes are the Jedi Knights, in all their varieties. (black, dk brown, blue, etc).  They look like they could be part of some Earth culture in another country or earlier time. 

[Wood]

I dunno, YOU look mighty good in my signature there, hot stuff!   

Honestly, and I mean HONESTLY honestly, my favorite con-goers' costumes are the Jedi Knights, in all their varieties. (black, dk brown, blue, etc).  They look like they could be part of some Earth culture in another country or earlier time. 

I guess another issue I have with cosplay is this notion that you feel compelled to be complimentary. I mean, I don't accept that someone dresses up and then doesn't expect/want to be seen. And if you WANT to be seen, then you're inviting commentary. Yet, cosplayers (Amber included) are hyper sensitive when anyone questions whether a cosplayer should've worn a certain getup or maybe doesn't look physically ideal. I honestly, in my heart, believe that if you're going to wear a costume, and a skin tight one at that, you're not only opening yourself up to commentary and judgment, but you're inviting it. As long as you're cool with that, more power to you.

[Mike Sims]

Huh? We attended a con together my fine feathered friend and I didn't see you in any costumes.

I think you might have been a little distracted.  He was there alright!

[New Mutant]

I guess another issue I have with cosplay is this notion that you feel compelled to be complimentary. I mean, I don't accept that someone dresses up and then doesn't expect/want to be seen. And if you WANT to be seen, then you're inviting commentary. Yet, cosplayers (Amber included) are hyper sensitive when anyone questions whether a cosplayer should've worn a certain getup or maybe doesn't look physically ideal. I honestly, in my heart, believe that if you're going to wear a costume, and a skin tight one at that, you're not only opening yourself up to commentary and judgment, but you're inviting it. As long as you're cool with that, more power to you.

Ohh, I know what's going on here.  Sibling rivalry.  Y'all have a feud going way back, dontchas?

Seriously, all fair enough, dude, but your argument sounds almost exactly like the one we use for comic art itself.  Most of the time we here at 11 O'Clock comics want to be complimentary on the art we see.  When we don't like it, we tend not to delineate as much, but when we do like it, we gush.  And I'm okay with that.  Why waste time with a bunch of negativity?

But with cosplayers, you aren't paying to see them like you do a comicbook product, so we have even less reason to express a negativity about what they look like.  But yeah, you certainly don't have to give a compliment if you ain't feeling it.

[Wood]

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/comiccon_2009_cosplay_gallery_600_amazing_costumes

I just took a gander at this. Didn't change my mind, in fact it cemented it, but whatever floats your boat.  

[Mike Sims]

If you would have seen Adrianne Curry in her slave Leia outfit at Chicago last week, it might have changed your mind, Wood.  DAMN she was hot!!!

[Wood]

Ohh, I know what's going on here.  Sibling rivalry.  Y'all have a feud going way back, dontchas?

Seriously, all fair enough, dude, but your argument sounds almost exactly like the one we use for comic art itself.  Most of the time we here at 11 O'Clock comics want to be complimentary on the art we see.  When we don't like it, we tend not to delineate as much, but when we do like it, we gush.  And I'm okay with that.  Why waste time with a bunch of negativity?

But with cosplayers, you aren't paying to see them like you do a comicbook product, so we have even less reason to express a negativity about what they look like.  But yeah, you certainly don't have to give a compliment if you ain't feeling it.

A feud? I don't even know Amber personally. I've just seen her react quite emphatically at the CGS forums whenever someone brings up cosplay in a negative light. IIRC, I wasn't involved in any of those particular discussions, but I know she's understandably quite protective of the 'right to cosplay.'

As to your analogy of comics, I don't see it in the same light at all.

When someone creates a comic, they are absolutely inviting criticism and praise. But where we (meaning most of us on this forum) take issue with negativity is when it's pointed and misplaced. You can not dig on someone's effort, but don't say something like "they suck" or "they're not good at their craft" if in fact that's not the case.

But with a cosplayer, again, why are you cosplaying if you aren't inviting people to look at your physical expression? We're mammals. Mammals have a biological tendency to look and observe the species. And when you're cosplaying you're explicitly calling attention to your physical attributes as well as your creativity. So either you're a) totally comfortable in your own skin and don't give two shits what others think of your physical assets or b) think you're physical assets stack up and needn't worry that people will think otherwise.

I just don't like the duplicity I see from cosplayers. It's like going on American Idol and then being mortified when Simon tells you you can't sing. I would NEVER tell someone they shouldn't wear something unless they asked me specifically. But if you're cosplaying at a public convention you are assuredly expecting to be photographed and observed, and with that comes the recognition that you better BRING IT or there will be people who call you out.

Again, to each his own. There are costumes I've seen that I think are really well done and creative. And frankly they're usually not the skin tight superheroes. You see, superheroes are physical ideals. They're drawn in a way that, realistically, almost no one on the REAL Earth can look that way in the same outfits. But we KNOW that. That's why you won't see me in a Deadpool costume. If I did put one on, I would EXPECT the web to be full of people saying, "wow, dude ain't no Ryan Reynolds."

I take issue with those people who stand mouth agape and act as though people don't have a right to express a reaction to how they look. That's just naive. A peacock doesn't spread its feathers to be ignored.