Cosplay is Fandom Expression to the Nth Degree

The Evergreen Echo

Cosplay has a rich history often overlooked in the mainstream geek/nerd culture. As an artform often seen as ‘cringe’ or ‘embarrassing,’ a lot of people don’t know much about the Cosplay scene or its events, but the truth is that cosplay involves a vibrant community of dedicated fans, crafters, and performers. To separate cosplay from fandom culture is a disservice, as it remains one of the oldest expressions of fan dedication along with fanfiction, conventions, meetups, and fanart. 

Cosplay history is fandom history—beginning all the way back with the very first World Science Fiction Convention in 1939. The World Science Fiction Convention, or WorldCon, is a literary convention designed for people to discuss sci-fi and to present literary awards such as the Hugo Award. At these events, not only did fans come together in community, there were also some pseudo-cosplayers who would dress like characters from their favorite books. But the true fandom experience that we know today began in the late 1900s with the rise of mass media. 

Fandoms rose from four main communities: lovers of science fiction (Star Trek especially), the cult following of The Rocky Horror Picture Show following its release in 1975, comic book fans, and the translation of anime and manga into English that led to a boom of genre fans in America. The dedication of these fans would coalesce into regional meetups (many of which were held on the West Coast and in the PNW!), and regional meetups would turn into the conventions that we all know and love today, like Seattle’s Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC) and Comic-Con International. 

The Star Trek fandom—“Trekkies”—have shaped most of what we know about fandom culture today. Star Trek attracted a lot of sci-fi lovers, especially women, who were glued to each episode as they aired. The fans were ultimately responsible for Star Trek: The Original Series having more than two seasons, and would go on to create fanzines (fan-made magazines), and some of the first fanfiction ever written on largescale media platforms. They also ran Star Trek Lives! and August Party, two of the first fandom-specific conventions in the US. 

Person in Ashe cosplay at PAX West

Serena El-Hajali

But not only were Trekkies writing the first fanfictions and running the first cons, they were also cosplaying. Devout fans would watch episodes over and over to capture details of uniforms and outfits to recreate them by hand. They were also recreating more difficult objects, like phasers and alien tech with things they could find at craft stores and at home.

This cosplay tradition continues today, with folks dressing up as characters from dozens of different fandoms—Marvel Comics, My Hero Academia, The Legend of Zelda, and so many more! There are thousands upon thousands of cosplayers all across America and the globe, each creating costumes to honor their favorite movies, shows, games, and books. Cosplay gear ranges from simple to incredibly detailed, based on the character and on the individual skillset of the cosplayer, with some creators using 3D printing, metalwork, and electrical wiring to achieve certain effects in their costumes. 

As one anonymous cosplayer told me, “Cosplay is like ten different hobbies rolled into one,” and this has become incredibly clear during my research into the PNW’s Cosplay scene. At the Seattle Makerspace in Queen Anne, I listened as different cosplayers described how they made or were intending to make their costumes. One showed a picture of a 3D-printed bow that she had sanded and painted, another explained the wiring on a jacket hood that would create a glow from the inside, and yet another told me where they had found patterns for the armor they created for their Renaissance fair outfit. 

There are many organizations and places where cosplayers can come together and share their work. One such place is the aforementioned Seattle Makerspace, where they host a small cosplayer meetup. There, I met Sarah Martel, a local hobbyist and cosplayer. “I started going to the cosplay meetup right after ECCC, I was feeling the ‘post-con blues’ and was looking for people who I can relate to. I'm glad I went because it makes it so much more fun having other people who share my interest. We give each other ideas and show our work, or some people come to work on their projects.” Local spaces like this exist all over the West coast, though many have moved online, hosted on platforms like Discord. 

The cosplay community at the Seattle Makerspace and elsewhere seems friendly and supportive. When I asked Sarah about the community, she explained, “Everyone has been so positive and appreciative. They want to help out. I entered the cosplay contest at PAX West and everyone was supportive and kind; like we fixed each other's hair and costumes as we anxiously awaited going in.” When asked about her favorite part of the cosplay experience, she told me, “My favorite part is becoming that character; after months of hard work I put everything on and people recognize my character and call her out by name. I love when people are excited to see my character and share that with me, it makes me excited too.” 

If you’re looking for a place to start experimenting with cosplay or learning more about it, locations like Seattle Makers are a great place to begin. The experience was casual and everyone was friendly and willing to share stories about their hobby and favorite nerdy media. I was also directed to the Pacific Northwest Guild of Cosplayers, who host social meetups and workshops in Oregon and Washington for Cosplay enthusiasts. While costuming to this extent may not be everyone’s cup of tea, cosplayers hold a vibrant and skilled community of makers, each trying to share a little bit of love for their favorite games, books, movies, and shows.