We are a year-round, geek and pop culture convention in blog form -- spotlighting artists, vendors, cosplayers and geek-themed nonprofits from cons across the country.
Spoiler: This gallery contains absolutely zero photos of The Dynamic Duo (Batman and Robin). But I'd like to think we make up for it with team ups, partnerships and "Come on! I'm not gonna dress up by myself!" moments. So here we go, friends, couples, colleagues and people who just happened to be standing next to each other.
Steampunk cosplay is not dead, not when you
have Watchmen cosplay like this.
Great cosplay happens behind the booth, too.
Accessory designer Fenny (from LittleAsian Sweatshop)
and artist Paigey represent Cobra's finest.
Mary Poppins and Burt. Damnit, thanks a lot for
planting a whole bunch of Disney songs in my head
juts from the sight of you!
Now this would be an interesting
crossover.
Two lovely Bellossom Pokemon!
Also, ladies, I had to ask like 30 people to
figure out who you were! I hope you're happy!
A fantastic Rogue and Gambiiiiiiit!
Silly, but awesome, Scooby and Shaggy.
This is a couple who gets each other.
The cleverness and gory cuteness of
this freshly resurrected Pet Sematary cat and kid
are nonetheless the stuff of nightmares.
I'm not entirely sure what's going on here with our
sorta steampunky, carnival Harley and Zatanna
cosplay. But I like it.
The costuming crew Cosplay 10/6 is quickly
becoming one of my favorite groups. A fantastic
Thor and an awesomely original Captain America.
Speaking of Thor...
Thor, Loki and their Asgardian designer bag.
Thor might be in for more than he can handle
with a daringly dressed Dr. Mrs. The Monarch.
More Avengers, please
I don't think either needed convincing to cosplay
as Spidey and Black Cat.
Assassins. They grow up so fast. First, walking,
then driving, then making that first kill.
A monochromatic Boba Fett (or simply a more
stylish stormtrooper) is accompanied by a
bespectacled comrade. Maybe glasses is
what would help stormtroopers shoot better!
I have a really bad feeling about this team up. We are doomed!
Green Lantern having a blast. Wonder Woman
is all business!
Beetlejuice and Lydia. BTW, if you never saw this cartoon
growing up, i feel sorry for you.
A red-carpet-worthy Belle and Beast.
Always a great couple cosplay, Green Arrow
looks battle worn (with sensible boots), while
Black Canary is fit, inked and oh-so dangerous.
Like they walked off the page of a comic book...
Those sinister smiles lead me to believe that
Selina and Harley teamed up to steal that WW art.
Tall and lovely Hatsune Miku, and a
back-from-the-dead looking Crow so real,
I'm a little proud I didn't pee myself on the
convention floor.
Who said there's no style in Wonderland?
A sunny Kate Bishop and a very intense Winter Soldier.
This what usually what was on my TV on a late Sunday morning.
Channel 43. Mechagodzilla and Mothra!
Having been part of a Calvin and Hobbes
couples costume myself, I have to concede,
they may have done it better!
OK, I lied. Here they are: Batman and Robin. The greatest you'll ever see!
Sidekicks are a classic (sometimes outdated) part of superhero and geek culture, but not all sidekicks are created equal. For that matter, not every superhero is someone you'd want to be a sidekick to. Collateral damage, lame powers and an-above average chance of being killed off, so your superhero pal has a bigger motivation to get the bad guy ("Now it's personal!") all mean that being a sidekick is not nearly as cool as it sounds. And it doesn't sound all that cool. So, we pulled the panel back together and asked "Who would you least want to be a sidekick for?"
We said either use real sidekicks or just imagine what it would be like to be a sidekick for whatever superhero you choose.
Ben:Hulk would suck to be a sidekick for... You
might as well call yourself "Clean-up Kid""HULK SMASH!!!!"....Clean-up Kid
fires up the back-hoe and gets his shovel ready. FML
Pete:Even if you didn't have to be the clean up
guy, it would still suck being half-blamed for Hulk's actions. Headline: Hulk and Pete destroy Brooklyn.
“Come on! I knocked over ONE TRASHCAN!”
Aitch: Batman...they all eventually
die.
Ben: Only the stupid ones.Dick Grayson got along fine because he did
what he was told.
Aitch: but that's what dicks do.
Ben: Good point.
Pete:If some billionaire makes me his 12-year-old
ward, the one thing I am not going to be doing late at night is fight crime in
a red unitard and green panties.I will be playing video
games against Kate Upton in a chair made of foie gras.
Ben: I mean...who would want to be
Elongated Man's sidekick? And don't get me started on Aqua-Lad.
Pete:Also, the Flash. If you're not also super fast, what's the
point. You show up an hour later and
Flash rolls his eyes at you "Glad you could make it, Out-Of-Breath
Boy."
Ben: Kid Flash was a great
side-kick! I love Wally!
Aitch: <----would be Storm's
sidekick... hehehehe
Rosa: I think being Storm's
sidekick would suck if you were another woman--you essentially could never live
up to being as awesome as Storm, so you're the "but she has a nice
personality" sidekick...and anyone who hangs out with Storm has to bring a
friend to entertain her sidekick - but you can tell he's totally not into her.
Shane: I'd hate to be Marc
Spector, Moon Knight's, sidekick because he's a schizophrenic nut ball. That
would get annoying.
Pete:I would hate to be sidekick to anyone named
Moon Knight. Joshu: David Tennant era Dr. Who. (Spoilers:) You travel around under constant mortal danger from things you couldn't possibly understand, fall in love, only to ultimately get dumped in a parallel universe with no hope of ever getting home to your friends and family, having to fight for your life until you die...Give or take.
Rosa: Is the handheld device that
Al in Quantum Leap used (Ziggy) technically a sidekick? Because it would suck
to be Ziggy--you always have the answers, but Al often misinterprets them, hits
you, and then gets the credit for helping out.
"How strange that the computer I made out of Lego is glitchy ..."
Steph:I'd "sidekick" Han Solo all day. He treats his sidekick with respect, and lets him fly the Falcon.
Manny: Stephanie, you'd also smell like wet dog all day.
Steph:I wouldn't have to be a Wookiee.
Manny: What would be the fun in that then?
Steph:If you have to ask... Heh.
"No one invites me to parties anymore."
Shane: This guy too. Ruben, the super powered focus of this new Dark Horse title called BUZZKILL. He is a
'superhero' who gets his powers from drugs. Any drug. Caffeine, nicotine,
alcohol. And the powers are different depending on the drug. It's one of my
favorite books right now. But he's a major alcoholic so when his powers are at
full octane he is also out of control. Being his sidekick would be like trying
to be wingman to an unstoppable spoiled brat frat boy. Anyhow. Great book.
Manny: Would Buzzkill's sidekick be
called Blackout Boy?
Shane: Buzzkill's sidekick
would probably have to be called "The Sponsor."
Steph:I would not like to be the sidekick to the Tick - either Arthur or my own character. Can you imagine trying to handle that guy??
Rosa: I think The Tick addressed the sidekick issue pretty well (in the cartoon, at least). They weren't allowed in the hero bar, and instead had to hang out in the sidekick shack out back...it was kind of sucky to be a sidekick, but then again--most of them were sidekicks because they were lame ("Can I moisten anything for you?").
Steph:Sorry to get you on a technicality, Rosa, but Moist is a henchman, not a sidekick.
Aitch: Moist...giggety. What about being Prof. X sidekick? Gotta push his wheelchair around and close your mind off as you look at Storm's butt.
Aitch: Hmmm what would life be like being Deadpool's sideki---oh wait!
Shane: Ugghhhhh……Deadpool would suck to be partnered with because he is such a jerk off smartass. I swear it would be like side kicking in every episode of all these shows where every line coming out of every single mouth is some snarky wise crack, insult. Jason: Siedkick to Deadpool is a slightly less deadly version of being the Joker's sidekick... death is pretty much guaranteed. Now, The Punisher. Hes one
of the only heroes that can go toe to toe with super villians/heroes, and you
can just sit in the van and feed him intel... pretty cush. I would hate to be
Wolverine's sidekick, because Wolverine only gets in no-win situations... and
he can't get drunk.
Aitch: AHmm how long could one last as Conan's sidekick? LOL
Steph:I guess it all boils down to, what exactly IS
a sidekick? Like, is your job just an assistant, or are you backup? Are you
pushing the wheelchair, or are you out there kicking ass, too? Are you cleaning
up after the main guy, or helping make the mess?
Pete:I think being Cyclop's sidekick would be
horrid. First step to becoming a villain is everyone making fun of you and ignoring your commands.
Steph:I wouldn't want to be anyone's assistant or
caretaker - I want to be a superhero-in-training. A squire, if you will.
Ben: I think sidekicks work best when they are training up to be eventual replacements.... James Rhodes, Wally West and Dick Grayson are examples of guys grew into roles that were a lot more than "rescue fodder". I still think bringing back Barry and Bruce was lazy storytelling because both Grayson and West were growing into or had grown into the mantles they had taken up. That is damn fine storytelling. Rhodes was a little different, but he could have been a great Iron Man if they have developed him into that.
Steph:So who would I want to emulate? Can't be
Spider-Man, because I'd have to get bit by a radioactive spider. Is Bruce Wayne
gonna leave me all his money so I can carry on without him? Scratch Batman.
Although maybe I'd sidekick Selena Kyle - I could learn how to be a sexy ninja
super thief.
Manny: Could you imagine leading a sidekick support group?
Aitch: "My name is Red Robin
and I was a side kick"
Pete & Shane:Hi Red
Manny: Red, the Batman support
group meets on tuesdays and Thursdays in room 215.
Pete:The worst sidekicks are the incompetent ones.
Like Orco from He-Man. Why would I bring an incompetent magician into battle
with me? He could turn me into a sack of flour in the middle of a battle with
Skeletor. This is a terrible plan.
"He-man, I know you're going to be mad I turned you
into a corn stalk. But hear me out ..."
Shane: Christ worst sidekick
off all time. Friigin' C-3P0. Cowardly negative chicken shit. Slow as they
come. Bright friggin gold?!?!? Try to maintain the element of surprise and move
around inconspicuously with a walking oscar award that bitches and moans all
the time next to you. I'd have tossed him out the air lock five minutes into
the first mission. R2 on the other hand. That little dudes got balls. He can
probably project blu ray movies on any surface and as proven in RotJ can be
accessorized to bring you a beer or any variety of cocktail.
Rosa: I think the worst sidekicks
are probably the over-zealous ones--like Harley Quinn or Jinx (the robot from
Space Camp)...they just try so hard and end up making things worse or more
annoying.
Aitch: I believe that Harley is in
an S&M relationship with Joker.
Rosa: Do you think they have to
report that to their HR rep?
Aitch: they killed the HR rep.
Ben: Who would want to be Ghost
Rider's sidekick? How much would that suck. 1) Riding in that sidecar would
suck. 2) Riding is sidecars is inherently wuss 3) Trying to avoid getting
caught on fire.... It sucks all the way around.
Rosa: It would suck worse if it was
Nicholas Cage's Ghost Rider--because then you would constantly be putting out
flaming capes as he tries to dress like Superman and fails.
Pete:I think of someone like Hawkeye and think, sometimes a sidekick doesn't even know he is a sidekick.
Ben: It would suck to be that guy's
sidekick, Pete.... "Fetch...go do your job and get the arrows!"
Pete:"What is taking you so long Fetch?"
Pete: Also, Fetch makes me think of Stiny.
Pete:I think being the Ghostbusters sidekick would
be pretty sweet. At least Louis Tully. Not only is he the only person to hook
up in both the movies (even while possessed still counts), he's good with his
money, practices law and a whole crowd of people watched him blast a shell of
slime off the Manhattan Museum of Art. What can't that little nerd do?
Rosa: I feel like Tully doesn't
turn into a sidekick until the very end of each movie (sidekick for Zuul,
sidekick for the Ghostbusters). I feel like being a sidekick for all of the
Ghostbusters would be hard--so many of them to defend, sometimes giving you
conflicting directions, in-fighting, gossip...I think the only person who
successfully pulled that off was Slimer in the Real Ghostbusters cartoon.
Shane: I'd be embarrassed to be this guy's sidekick. THE RED BEE, he kept his little honey-loving friend in a special pouch on his belt buckle and let him out to frighten very allergic villains. He was in DC's All Star Squadron and was killed. RIP Red Bee!!!
I'm a Bee, I'm a bee, I'm a- I'm a- I'm a Bee.
Rosa: I'm going to go ahead and say
that Jake the Dog from Adventure Time would be the best sidekick...he's strong,
dependable, funny, and he makes
bacon pancaaaaaaaaakes! Ben: And Jake the Dog is an
excellent sidekick.
Pete:Jake is also a good bro; every time Finn
whines about the ladies or gets lost in his own world, Jake brings the tough
love.
We're fans of pinup. Scratch that.
We're a little fanatical about pinup around here.
It's fun when artists can combine pinup art with comic book and geek culture. We've covered artists such as Erica Hesse and the 1800s burlesque pinup of Michael Dooney and we're big fans of Baltimore Comic-Con staple Paigey. Maria Danalakis brings something fresh and cool to the genre. (Is sexy and flirty also allowed to be cute? Looks like it!) She is a designer of children's wear and has an extensive gallery of greeting and birthday cards. She takes that talent for clean, simple and playful design into her pop culture artwork as well.
"I memorized all of these books!"
I got to her table late on the second day of the Baltimore Con, which was a big frickin' mistake! But missing her would have been a bigger one. There was a lot to take in, including pinups and alt looks of some of my favorite comic book characters. I was trying to come to a decision when the PA system announced that I had been employing poor time-management skills and fifteen minutes to wrap it up, because there was still a T-shirt I needed to get. I think that's what the lady literally said - it was an oddly specific PA message.
Luckily for me, among the merchandise was a sticker sheet (seriously, how cool is that?) of my favorite DC ladies - pinup style. Easy decision. And I came away much happier than I did from the T-shirt purchase. Now I have to figure out where to put my stickers ... I don't have a trapper-keeper anymore.
If you don't love 50s pinup cheerleader Supergirl,
I'm not sure I want to know you.
