6 days Ago
Don’t be surprised if Perth looks more like Gotham City this weekend as WA’s most dedicated cos-players and comic fans descend on Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre for Oz Comic-Con. With the immersive worlds of pop culture, gaming, and dance colliding across a supersized Saturday and Sunday, it’ll be more than just a bird or plane looming over the city centre. Veteran cos-players Elspeth Erickson, Jennifer Villalobos, and Jessica Lynne are just a few superfans set to transform into larger-than-life comic book heroes.
Texas-raised Ms Erickson, 37, has been doubling as her favourite fictional figures since “before there was even a word for cosplaying as a hobby” and will embody X-Men’s Rogue and Phoenix characters respectively across the weekend. “I think it lets you become a totally different person to who you are,” she told The West Australian. “I feel like you can explore your own personality through some of these characters and find out things about yourself, find out things that maybe you have in common with them.
” However, just because she blurs the lines between human and immortal, doesn’t mean all Comic-Con attendees need to follow suit. Ms Erickson’s elaborate fits require up to two hours of make up and preparation — and a wardrobe budget of $600 per year — but she suggested most amateur cos-players can simply scan over their closets with a creative lens. “You can wear costumes, but you don’t have to feel pressured,” she said.
“For me, getting a chance to wear a costume and be these characters sort of feeds my inner child, but also I love seeing how happy other people are when they see their favourite character there at a convention.” Meeting fellow American Ms Lynne — a.k.
a Wonder Woman — at conventions in the past, the pair have become close friends. And with such a tight-knit community, Ms Erickson has also recently befriended sidekick Ms Villalobos (Batgirl) through a volunteer costume group. Comic-Con attendees will be able to meet film stars across the weekend including Emilie De Ravin and David Wenham, attend workshops, watch live performances, and score exclusive merchandise.
For parents with kids who spend hours online buried in the Metaverse, Ms Erickson said the event presented a great opportunity for them to transport their imaginations into reality while joining a community..
