Did ya Blink? Bordin Marsinkul made our Wonder Woman of the Week.

   Our Wonder Woman of the Week comes from speed artist Bordin Marsinkul, AKA Hyperbooster. 
   In addition to having a pretty cool name, he's also got some serious talent.   Born in San Francisco and raised in Thailand, he's the mind behind Hyperbooster Studio, where he combines his love for manga-style artwork with a passion for brushstrokes and calligraphy.  He is a busy man, doing as many as four conventions a month.  In 2009 he created his own convention: Hyper-Con, an Anime, Video Game & Pop Culture Convention in the San Mateo, Calif. area.  
   We met him at Emerald City Comicon where he did commissions for myself, our guy Scott and a couple bazillion other people.  His signature style for commissions at conventions is a "while-you-wait," speed demon flash of pencils, pens, and even white-out.  The result is layered, almost three-dimensional and a shit-ton of fun to watch. 



Elapsed time: something like 11 seconds.  At least, it felt that fast.

Check out his website, Hyperbooster Studios. And Hyperboosters' Facebook.
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Awesome Con is Awesome!

Design by Octopus Tree House
http://petegoestocomiccon.blogspot.com/2012/12/artists-have-you-been-to-octopus.html

Right on the heels of our return from Emerald City Comic-Con, Awesome-Con DC popped up.  Shamefully, we missed their inaugural year in 2013, but we weren't about to miss this year.  In a short time, Awesome-Con has already made a huge name for itself as a pop-culture convention that spills over with an energy and excitement on the floor - gathering love from all corners of the geek community: artists and crafters, cosplayers, vendors and especially activists.  At least half a dozen booths were dedicated to some of the most important issues in the geek community and the people we spoke to were friendly, passionate and informative.  In other words, Awesome. 
I wonder if I'll have to change the name of the blog now ...

 

Ani-Mia, didn't we just see you in Seattle?
http://animia.storenvy.com/

Everyone getting along!  Very un-Joss.

Rod Hannah and Leanne Hanna, the massively friendly creative team behind the
webcomic Blue Milk Special.  How we we love them so!
http://www.bluemilkspecial.com/

Huntress and Black Lantern Wonder Woman.
Somehow those smiles make them scarier, like
they know something you don't.

Everybody loves a happy ending.  Kaylee and Simon from Serenity.

A (very) Red Sonja

Arkham City Robin.  Check the guns!

Picture-perfect Rogue.

This dude looks ... shredded. Heehee.

OK, I need to research my Ninja Turtles characters ...

This explains the rain on my drive home.



Jason and I met some of the minds behind Femmes in the Fridge.
http://femmesinthefridge.com/
Check the link and get involved with this inclusive and
intelligent pack of geeks.

Back to the Blog.

Costumes: Emerald City Comicon Favorites

 There's still lots more to write about from Emerald City Comicon, but I've been sitting on this stack of cosplay long enough.  I admit there may have been some research involved, as well as texting of friends to figure out just who everyone was. Anyway, here's a look at our favorites from Seattle, including my personal Top 5.

Black and white

 

Beetlejuice.  Better than Robin Thicke any day.  And way less creepy.

Black Cat.  Under-represented in Spidey movies.
Someone should remedy this.

I never want to like Zatanna, but she's just
so damned likable!

Bright, Bold and Awesome

Just when I am totally sick of Poison Ivy ...
someone changes it up.

Oh Speed, I have made you look quite derpy. 
But that scarf is effing sweet!

Tank Girl being Tank Girl

This is more or less exactly how I pictured Oracle-era
Barbara Gordon

Livewire braves a fear a water to visit Seattle

'Evil-Lyn? I just thought your name was Evelyn."
Oh Robot Chicken quotes.
Also, this woman is awesome.

Where does he keep his Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator?
 Scared to ask, huh?

Cosplaying Aquaman requires bravery
(That's a lot of orange)
Carrying a trident around all day requires commitment!

Mutants

A quite detailed Pixie. 

A fantastic Jubilee, complete with ... whatever her power is.
ECCC was definitely the convention for me to love cosplay of characters
that I previously despised. 

A bespectacled Magik and a Thousand-yard-stare Psylocke

Can you ever have too much Psylocke?

The ultimate crossover. 
Batman is gonna be piiiiissed!

X-23, ready to eviscerate purse snatchers.

A ferocious Wolfsbane and a very serious M.

Pairs, Groups and Face-offs

What?!  No Jager?! Come on guys, do it right!

Witchblade, Phoenix and ... umm... I am not sure.
#fakegeekguy!

 As with Psylocke, Spidey and the 47 different kinds of Wolverine and Catwoman, it's always interesting to see which version of a character one choses to cosplay.

Before: Ms. Marvel

After: Captain Marvel

 Raven and Robin.  Please notice the device I will
be bringing to next year's Con, a big flag
to wave in the air, so we all stop losing each
other on the floor.

Also Raven. 
Up to no good, based on her expression.

 ... meet actual Loki ...

Actual Thor ...

Storm Shadow and a very committed Destro.  Not just to getting the face right,
but to giving us maximum pimp chest.

 

Miyazaki

There were several great Miyazaki-based characters.  I only managed to capture two.

A quite friendly looking Princess Mononoke

An adventurous Nausicaa.

My Top 5 Favorite Costumes of ECCC14

#5 This Pam Poovey was not an elaborate
costume.  But it is damn perfect.
Dicknuts!

#4 More hardcore than balancing a book for posture,
the Eye of Sauron!

#3 Steampunk Mario Brothers
Not only is every detail - from mustaches to hats, to weapons - a cleverly
re-imagined reference, I really wish this was an actual video game.

#2 That guy sitting in the corner doesn't seem ready for the sheer baddassery
happening right in front of him.  Clearly, Hawkman did not take a Mini to get to the Con.

All the cute!  Ever!  This little Diva from The Fifth Element is so perfect, she
made me forget all the overexposed Leeloos running around (and sadly no Ruby Rods!)
Book your Fhloston Paradise concert now!