[IXI! Digest] Convention of Cosplay - Web Edition 04
Alright so today's interviewee is also from the great province of New Brunswick. He is a cool family man, and will stand up to injustice in the cosplay community. He goes by the name of Kevin, and is Moncton's very own Wolverine.D - How long have you been cosplaying and what inspired you to start?
K - I've been cosplaying since 2010. And I actually started it by fluke! I didn't really know this existed till then. Sure I had heard about San Diego Comic Con and other very large Con's, but I really wasn't sure what cosplaying was, I don't think I had heard about it. My friend, Scott Steven Bell, and I were sitting in a movie theatre, waiting for the premier of 2009's Star Trek reboot when a few costume'd people came in with their Starfleet Uniforms on, and had signs promoting HAL-CON for 2010. I turned to my buddy and stated that we should go, I'd be Wolverine, and he could be Sabretooth. He agreed, and that's how it began.
D - What cosplays have you done since you started cosplaying?
K - I've really been limited to Wolverine mostly. However, I have done teen wolf, and Alan from the Hangover for a smaller Con last summer. As far as Wolverine goes, I've done X-1 leather Jacket, Origins-Bone Claw, X force, Astonishing X-men Wolverine, and this year I've done the brown and gold suit.
D - What would you say was your favourite cosplay you've done?
K - It has to be Wolverine! I've actually purchased a few cowls from SFX prop maker Reevz FX, as well as Malmay industries. Sometimes I use my face, but sometimes I use the cowls.
D - What was the hardest?
K - Honestly, I think the Wolverine has been my hardest; I started an exercise regime in order to slim down to be able to barely pull off wearing spandex. (Spandex is NOT very forgiving) so I do my best to trim up. It's not easy, and I'm my own worst critic. I'll never be Mr. Olympia or anything like that, but dieting and training definitely takes up a lot of my free time, which can be hard to come by when you're a husband, father of two, and a business owner among other things. The easiest, by far, was Alan from the hangover... Just let myself get out of shape for a few months, grew out my beard and hair... It was funny because we always travel the same con circuits, and everyone knows me as Wolverine, so friends that I've met at Con's kept walking past me not saying Hello.
D - Have you gotten any awards for your cosplays and what was the competition or experience like?
K - I'm not big into costume contests, or competitions, I rather do it for fun, but our second year we entered a costume contest as Sabretooth and Wolverine. We actually won first prize. A few people were rather pissed off because we hadn't actually made our costumes... (We were wearing street gear for the most part) but won in the performance category or something like that. It was funny that people could get so bent out of shape over something so trivial, there was no prize for the contest, mostly just bragging rights. So for the most part, winning was neat, but if I ever enter another costume contest, I'll make good and sure I've got a really good costume.
D - There's been a lot of negative views on what Cosplaying is. What does Cosplay mean to you?
K - Cosplay to me, is basically dressing up in a character that you feel passionate about, or like, and it makes you feel good. Makes people smile, and you have fun doing it. To me, it doesn't matter what your body type is. If you love Superman, or Wonder Woman, and you want to dress up like them, even if you're 5'4" or 6'8" tall, doesn't matter what body weight you're at. By all means, PLEASE, bring it on, come one, come all! Have fun! Cons for the most part, only come once a year in our neck of the woods!! I hate seeing people made fun of, whether they have a store bought costume, or something they made themselves. Cosplaying is about having a good time, and enjoying yourself. Acceptance amongst your peers is very important! There was a quote I read once, and it stuck with me, and I live by it. "WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME MY MAKE BELIEVE ISN'T REAL ENOUGH?" Makes sense, eh!? Never make fun of someone else's costume!
D - I see you also have kids what do they think of you cosplaying and have they caught the cosplay fever?
K - Yeah, I've got two great kids. They think it's pretty cool, but haven't gotten the urge to do it themselves. I was really hoping my older daughter would want to dress up in 2014 for our Upcoming East Coast Comic Expo http://www.eastcoastcomicexpo.com/ in Moncton. I would have been BIGDADDY to her HITGIRL. However, it doesn't look like she's ready for the attention that it garners at a Con. It would have been really neat to do also. Maybe someday. I think my son would be more into it, but the attention span and love of the Con, to be able to stand up and walk around all week end long, isn't something he's developed yet. He's only 10, so maybe when he reaches his mid-teens.
D - Finally if people wanted to know more information about your work where would they go to get it?
K - They can find me on FB at https://www.facebook.com/kevin.s.pierre.1
And we have just recently started a little fan page of mostly Maritime based cosplayers, and by no means is this "MY FAN PAGE" it's for everyone who likes Marvel or DC Comics to share a picture of their cosplay. It's a fan site, run by fans, for fans, that's our game plan. That can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maritime-X-Men/671144962918870
