Nothing Funny About Mika Nicole's Cosplay Cosplay Fanat

Hometown: The tiny town of Warner, Oklahoma

Residence: Austin, Texas

Hobbies: Cosplay (of course), acting, dance, stage combat, video games, comics, movies, going to cons, spending time with the boyfriend and our friends.

Zodiac sign: Leo

CF. How did you get into cosplay, who did you portray first, and why?

Mika: I grew up as the only nerdy girl in a tiny country town. I first got into the convention scene my sophomore year of high school when a new girl arrived wearing a Trigun tshirt. I introduced myself and we became instant friends. She took me to my very first con and I was hooked. I knew I wanted to be part of that world and I knew I wanted to dress up next time. So, my next con I dressed as Temari from Naruto Shippudden. It was a terrible costume, but I had the time of my life and have been addicted to cosplay ever since!

CF. What’s the best part of cosplay?

Mika: For me the best part of cosplay is being at the con with my friends all dressed up having a great time and meeting new people. Sharing this hobby with others is what makes it so special to me.

CF. If you could be any super hero or villain who would you be and why?

Mika: If I could be any super hero or villain.. wow, that’s a really tough question!! I love Harley Quinn and Phoenix but those girls have it rough!! I think I’d go with either Ms Marvel because she’s awesome and from time to time she gets to be the leader of the Avengers, or Pepper Potts (with her Rescue suit).

CF. If you could meet anyone in the world dead or alive who would it be and what would you say to them?

Mika: STAN LEE!! Assuming I was capable of speech around the legendary Stan Lee, I would want to thank him for everything he has given to nerds and for being an amazing person and inspiration to us all. The way he treats people has always really inspired me. Being famous causes a lot of people to change, but I’ve seen him take time out of his busy schedule at comic cons to stop and pose with excited cosplayers and that really shows character to me.

CF. What’s your favorite sci-fi movie and what captivates about the plot?

Mika: It’s hard to pick but I have to go with the Back to the Future series. I watched this movie all the time as a kid. When I was about 12 years old my Mimi (Grandma) took me to Universal Studios and when I saw the clock tower I was so excited I actually got teary-eyed! I love that Marty Mcfly is kind of a dorky character but he just owns it instead of acting ashamed of who he is and he sticks with Doc Brown regardless of what others say about him.

CF. What’s the craziest thing a fan sent you or requested?

Mika: Luckily most of my fans are respectful and amazing people, but I have had a few odd encounters. I think the one that caught me off guard the most was a guy asking if he could get on the floor and kiss my shoe because he thought I looked just like the character. I was so confused and had no idea how to answer so I just smiled and said “I’d really rather you didn’t” and that was that!

CF. What sidekick would you hire to be your personal assistant and why?

Mika: I know there are much cooler answers to this question but I would love to have Launchpad from Darkwing Duck!! He’s an adorable fanboy that builds awesome things. He could help me fight crime AND make cool costumes. It’s a win-win!

CF. What character intimidates the heck out of you, why, and when will you attempt take the challenge to portray them?

Mika: Wonder Woman in her iconic Kingdom Come golden eagle armor. Wonder Woman was and still is a big deal for woman in comics and is commonly cosplayed by incredibly skilled cosplayers. The artist that created her Kingdom Come armor had big things in mind for that design. It has such a larger than life look to it. To push myself and better my skills, I started on this project a week ago. I’m working hard to bring this to life in every way possible. Wish me luck!

CF. Do you know a lot about the series you cosplay?

Mika: Yes! Most of the time I choose characters that I feel a big personal connection to. I almost always pick characters from games I’ve played and loved, or shows I’ve watched religiously. Every once in while I’ll fall in love with a design from something unknown to me. When that happens I’ll start playing the game/watching the show/reading the comics/etc. So, by the time I cosplay the character I do have knowledge about the series.

CF. What’s your favorite comic con to attend and what makes it so special?

Mika: My favorite con changes all the time but right now I have to say akon in Dallas, Texas. There’s a huge outside area where people are having picnics in costume, playing instruments, grilling food, singing/dancing, etc. It reminds of being at a Renaissance Festival but everyone is dressed up as comic book, video game, or anime characters instead.

CF. What comic con’s are definitely attending this year?

Mika: I am constantly adding to it but for now my remaining cons for this year are Capital City Comic con, San Japan, Texarkana comic con, Con of the Living Dead, Realms Con, Wizard World, Alamo City comic con, Izumicon, and the Tulsa Cosplay Celebration.

CF. What’s one thing you wish fans wouldn’t do?

Mika: I sincerely appreciate my fans and wouldn’t be where I am today without them. However, I would appreciate some of the male (and the occasional female) fans being respectful of my relationship status. I know they mean well, but it comes across a bit wrong.

CF. Who was your favorite character to portray and what rocked about it?

Mika: Harley Quinn is my favorite to portray! I adore the character and always have the best interactions as her. I love that I can be overly goofy and it’s still “in character”!

CF. How do you keep cosplay fun?

Mika: I keep cosplay fun by reminding myself why I do this, for fun and because cons feel like home and nerds are my people. I love what I do so when things get stressful I remember how blessed I am to live this life and have these opportunities. I also don’t compare myself to other cosplayers. That can create negative feelings towards others and make me feel bad about my work and that’s not fair to anyone. I want to be better than I was with my last costume, not better than any other artist. It also helps to do a few simple but fun cosplays a year to give myself a bit of a break. Lastly, I cosplay with friends when possible. Harley is fun. Harley with Ivy and Catwoman is even better!

CF. Where can new fans go to follow you?

Mika: I am most active on my facebook page www.facebook.com/MikaNicoleCosplay.You can also find me at these places:

Website- http://www.mikanicole.com/

Twitter- @GingerMika

Instagram- GingerMika

Tumblr- MikaNicoleCosplay

CF. Other than this interview, what’s the craziest thing you agreed to do?

Mika: The craziest thing I’ve agreed to do? I don’t even know how to begin to answer this question. I am constantly planning new shows right before the con, taking on a million projects at once, being ridiculous during performances, climbing onto tall and unstable things for photoshoots, and just generally putting myself in dangerous or stressful situations. I think the craziest thing as of late would be climbing on top of a very old ledge that hangs about 40ft above a river to get a few good photos. I was wearing 6 inch stiletto heels and am known for being incredibly clumsy.

CF. In your opinion what’s the meaning of life?

Mika: 42, right? But seriously, I think the meaning of life is to leave the biggest positive influence you can. Be proud of who you are and your weird quirks and hobbies. Never pass up good times with good people. Be kind to everyone you meet and never ever stop chasing your dreams. Be brave and try new things. Ten seconds of insane courage can be life changing and fun is very rarely had in your comfort zone. No matter how many haters you have, let it roll off your shoulders and remember that you are loved and you are perfect despite whatever flaws you may have. I don’t care how cheesy that is, it’s important.