The cosplayers are back in full force. After over a year of wondering if we would ever get back to enjoying events like this where designers and models can celebrate their fandom in the most flattering and creative way possible. And they didn't disappoint one bit. Major comic conventions are known for bringing the absolute best of the best cosplay talents in the world coming to the biggest ball of them all to highlight their work. I had the pleasure of attending SDCC (San Diego Comic-Con) twice and I saw some high-level creations that I thought went above and beyond. I've been told for many years that New York Comic-Con levels up in every way to that of SDCC and they were right. The level of design, dedication, and commitment to their crafts showed that and more. Of course, there were hundreds of models out there as there is birds in a forest and like bird watchers, we as fans (with cameras) must search for the rare sightings that provide the quality and care not seen anywhere else and capture it. I managed to find some fun and creative concepts to some outstanding works of art from the cream of the crop cosplay artist. I managed to see a fair amount and among those I have FIVE cosplay concepts that I thought was sensational along with some honorable mentions that was worth recognizing. So here we go!
5). ULTRA INSTINCT GOKU
This is always one of the easiest cosplays to pull off.......pending you are as jacked as this model. Part of Goku's cosplay is the ability to have the muscular frame that make it believable. This got has it to a T. Of course, some cosplayers could use a body suit but to really have people suspend their disbelief for even a minute or two it is best to have it as close to the character as possible. Having the ability to create the gear that Goku wears is another and this was well thought of by making his gear look like it was ripped to shreds during a major battle with whoever (most likely Jiren). And to top it off, his wig which is a spot-on replica of Goku's hair when in Ultra Instinct Mode is perfect. It fits so well on his head that it looks like it is his actual hair. What makes his cosplay genuinely great is that it is all about simplicity. He used the minimal of design work and in doing so it spoke volumes. The focus of getting this right was his physique followed by the hair and gear. Although it is not as detailed as others the main goal is to have the look that mimics that character as close as possible and to that mission accomplished.
4). BISHOP
I've come across a lot of Bishop cosplays in my time but this one here is by far the best I've seen to date.
Along with having the right hair style, this cosplayer and designer went all out and with this concept it's all about attention to detail. As I mentioned on the UI Goku cosplay where he relied on simplicity, we have this person go deep with not only creating armor that looks like that of one of our favorite comic book mutants but also giving the armor the look or wear and tear as if it has been through its fair share of battles against many.
Much like your favorite comic book artist cosplay designers want to really engage you into their work. Creating a battle tested armor as opposed to just a clean armor adds more depth and even tells a story to what is going on with the concept.
That is an extra amount of dedication that cannot be ignored. Added to this, the designer also created a beautifully detailed sci-fi gauntlet on his left arm with a computer attached to it. The gauntlet is also painted perfectly giving it a balance of light and shadow that allows the carved line work to stand out more.
The colors of the outfit represent the classic yellow and blue hue that X-Fans are familiar with from the 90's Boom period.
This was exceptional work on this designer's behalf. Everything from gear to his locks was nothing short of phenomenal.
3). VENOM & CARNAGE
Off the cuffs of the recent sequel in theaters now we get these two celebrating VENOM in glorious style.
What makes this so great is now only how awesome the makes are (which they designed themselves) but also how fashionable it looks.
In a lot of ways this comes off like a Couture you would see in Fasion week in NY or Paris. The materials they used to mimic the symbiote conforming around their bodies plays off like a bikini assemble which as well is a smart concept.
To add the proverbial cherry on top the two went extra and posed with one on the other's back making their comic book presence appear both creepy, sexy, and overall awesome.
2). THOR (Jane Foster)
Much like the Bishop cosplay I have seen my fair share of Jane Foster THOR cosplays and all were fantastic. This one is no different. The amount of detail this cosplayer went through to design the helmet, armor, and weapons (Storm Breaker and Mjollnir) are exceptionally detailed and very well painted to give it all that aged look. This concept also has some great light and shadow thanks to her provided the right paint and gradation to the armor and helmet. It's the little things like that which helps overall to give cameras like mine the best images possible. The one thing that is great about high level cosplayers is that they understand how important it is to get every detail down because professional HD cameras captures everything. This cosplayer is a great example of what it means to master that craft.
1). STEAMPUNK BATMAN
Literally, the last cosplayer that I see before I left completely was this guy with what out a doubt the best cosplay concept that I've seen all weekend. You will always see Batman cosplays in conventions big or small. But we have seen them so much now that cosplayers feel the need to step it up and do something different. This guy gets it and as a result he wins the Bat-war. This highly advanced detailed steampunk rendition of the Dark Knight from head to toe was layered with wires, pipes, goggles, and gears most seen in a steampunk outfit. But to assimilate that to Bruce Waynes armor in this way was just pure genius. And speaking of genius, the cosplayer cleverly added a cup holder to the sold which is brilliant as I am sure that suit is both heavy and hot. This cosplayer used a lot of creativity and critical thinking when working on this. I can't even image how long it took him to build this but bravo! The color scheme helps tell a very intriguing story and narrative just by looking at him. This concept without question won the week that was NYCC for me. Just incredible work.
OTHER FUN COSPLAY CONCEPTS
Here are some other great concepts and effective that I ran into during NYCC.