New York Comic Con 2012, the east coast celebration of all things geeky, is a week away. Our crew is gearing up for our annual coverage of anime, comics, and of course, video games, but we also have another yearly tradition: chatting with Alyssa, a cosplayer that we met in 2010.
In previous years, we discussed her connection to Mortal Kombat‘s Mileena, nerd tendencies, and the joy that is New York Comic Con. This time out? Well, you’ll see.
We first met each other via Twitter in 2010 where you responded to my comment on your slick Mileena costume. Last year you cosplayed as Mileena again, but in more elaborate garb. What can we expect from you at this NYCC?
For those who missed it last year, I’ll be Mileena again Friday along with my awesome Kitana and Sub-Zero friends. Saturday, I’ll be a Saint, a nun from Hitman Absolution, and Sunday as Vanessa, the human form of Ursula in Little Mermaid.
How long did it take you to create the nun outfit?
The nun headpiece, choker, and headpiece took three days. The stockings, another day. And as for the outfit, if the dress I ordered doesn’t come on time, I’ll have to whip something out of my closet.
Some critics say that such hyper-sexualized characters reinforce one-dimensional view of women, especially in the gaming community. What’s your take on the matter?
That’s a question for the game developers who design the female attire, which I too agree are having the ladies wear less and less in the game. However, as a cosplayer, we try to do our best to resemble the character. We are dedicated to the character and want to look like them. We do not design the game, we only mimic what our character is wearing. If Mileena was wearing sweats, my costume would be the same.
Have you attended NYCC as a non-video game character? Are you into comics, fantasy, or sci-fi?
Yes, I love all categories. I’ve dressed as Molitov Cocktease from Venture Bros. and a Hufflepuff from Harry Potter in the past. I’ve read and own the entire Scott Pilgrim series and watch and play The Walking Dead. I am also a fan of Gargoyles, Star Wars, and most pop culture, but do have a fascination for fantasy as my imagination just goes wild over it.
Who’s your favorite character in The Walking Dead game?
In the game, (diff characters than the comic or show) it would be Lee because you can choose how you want him to act– a brave, compassionate, zombie killer.
How do you go about selecting which characters you cosplay?
I think of all the characters I know, select someone I somewhat resemble, get excited and further research the character, and try my best to cosplay her. Otherwise, if a new game/book/movie comes out, I may choose from there.
I’m not part of the cosplay community, so maybe you can shed some light on the inner workings of it. Is there much competition between cosplayers? Everyone wants their costumes to be the best that it can be do you specifically think, “I’m going to destroy Joe Blow this year”?
As a naturally competitive person, I can’t help but want to look better than A and B, but no. Cosplay is not about competition. It’s about the effort the person made to put it all together in the time they had. Effort is the most important factor as well as acknowledgment and praise for other people’s work. Not everyone can sew or craft, but as log as one tries is all that matters.
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