Journalist “Slut and Body Shames” Cosplayers at Comic Con Africa

Knowing that the majority of my readers are not South African, I thought I’d bring to your attention a controversial article that has been making the rounds in the South African geek community as of late.

The Baka’s Guide to Surviving Your First Convention

Comic Book Conventions, such as San Diego Comic Con, are one of the many highlights on the geek calendar. This is where you would usually spend your hard earned money on comics, figurines, special drawings and video games, usually at a discounted rate. While this is just one aspect of attending conventions, others attend for the vibe or to show off their latest cosplay creations. While it’s nice to think about the great things you hope to do at the event, it’s always good to be prepared for anything, especially if you are a first time attendee. Here are a few tips to help you survive your first comic book convention, based on my personal experiences.

UCON 2015

So this past weekend I attended a local convention in my area called UCON; a convention organised by the University of Cape Town’s anime club called Genshiken (yes, based on the anime). It was a 2-day event filled with many things you would usually find at a geek convention: gaming, manga, comics, figurines and lots more.

Cosplay with Kuroneko: Ahri Dauntless Tails

Welcome to another edition of Cosplay with Kuroneko. This is a video I recently shot with Kuroneko Cosplay as part of my film course and today she’ll be giving you a DIY tutorial on how she made her Ahri Dauntless Tails from League of Legends. Hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think in the comments below 🙂

Cosplay with Kuroneko: Flemeth

Hey everyone! So today my buddy, Kuroneko Cosplay, will be giving you a lengthy and detailed guide on how to create her recent Flemeth cosplay – it took her under a week to create it. Hope you guys enjoy it and give her a like on her Facebook page to show your support 🙂

Cosplay Tutorial: Super Sonico

For all you cosplay enthusiasts out there, here is a makeup tutorial by Kinpatsu Cosplay on how to look like Super Sonico. Hope you find this tutorial helpful 😀

Wherever I May Roam

[Image via Buzzfeed]

As an introvert being an Otaku can become lonely at times. When most of your friends aren’t Otaku themselves it can become difficult sharing your interest or passion with them. Even when I’m in an area with other Otaku, say at a convention, I find it very difficult to walk up to someone and say that their cosplay looks nice or ask them what their favourite anime is. This is something that I have struggled with for most of my life and this came full circle when I had to shoot my Free Comic Book Day video.

Excelsior!: The Impact of Free Comic Book Day on the Geek Community

If you were walking around the streets of Claremont on 2 May 2015, you may have seen Batman or Spiderman walk right past you. Were your eyes deceiving you? No, they were not. Chances are, they were on their way to attend Free Comic Book Day at Stadium on Main; sometimes referred to as Cape Town’s own Comic Con. Hosted by Cape Town’s local comic book store, Readers Den, the event has attracted many faces over the years, young and old alike.

“Cosplay is Not Consent”: The Dark Reality of Sexual Abuse Against Cosplayers

A New York Comic Con
sign in 2014 warning attendees not to sexually harass cosplayers [Image via Trans Girl Writer]

According to a 2014 study by Janelle Asselin, 59% of comic book fans felt that sexual harassment at conventions is a problem that must be dealt with. Sexual abuse is mostly aimed at female cosplayers and shockingly only 8% reported that they were sexually abused physically. Other results showed that 13% reported sexual comments made towards them at conventions and on social media. While these results apply to American comic book conventions specifically, people should not turn a blind eye to sexual abuse happening in their own community. Although the South African cosplay community is smaller than the American community, sexual abuse against cosplayers is still a reality.

Cosplay 101: Interview with Kuroneko Cosplay

Mikoto Suoh from K Project [Image via Michelle George]

For those, like myself, who have never cosplayed before, the task seems very daunting. The idea of creating an outfit based on your favourite anime or comic book character seems quite laborious and expensive. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to create an outfit if you want to cosplay; there is nothing wrong with buying a pre-made costume at a store. This is what Cape Town cosplayer, Kuroneko Cosplay, did the first time she started cosplaying. She knows from experience how difficult, but rewarding, it can be creating cosplays. Wearing her Dragon Age T-shirt and Assassin’s Creed necklace, I recently sat down with her to discuss the world of cosplay and the processes that are involved when creating an outfit.