Variable Power Cosplay
HOMETOWN: Sydney, Australia
RESIDENCE: Sydney, Australia
HOBBIES: Cosplay, science fiction, video games, movies, Edge Of The Empire, panther-style Southern Shaolin kung fu, comics.
ZODIAC SIGN: Cancerian
CF. How did you get into cosplay, who did you portray first, and why?
VA:That’s always been a really tough question for me to answer. My first “cosplay” was the classic Tomb Raider Starring Lara Croft jungle suit in 1999, but I didn’t know about “cosplay” itself at the time, so I’m never sure if it counts. I was a rebellious gymnast and chronic gamer growing up so she was an instant icon to me.
CF. What’s the best part of cosplay?
VA:Bringing the characters you love to life and making them “real”. I love that tangibility, and how it unites people who’re fans of those same characters and series. It’s a wonderfully welcoming and inclusive thing.
CF. If you could be any super hero or villain who would you be and why?
VA:If we’re choosing just their powers, Molecule Man’s powers would be pretty fantastic, but I don’t like him as a person. If we’re living in their bodies it’d have to be Power Girl, she’s a huge inspiration to me a person, with great powers, a really cool second-life job outside of being a hero, and wonderful friendships. I’d feel very secure being Karen Starr.
CF. If you could meet anyone in the world dead or alive who would it be and what would you say to them?
VA:I automatically want to say “my Dad”, but we all watched the Father’s Day episode of Doctor Who, and know that would be a bad idea. Maybe Walt Disney, and just “thank you”.
CF. What’s your favorite sci-fi movie and what captivates about the plot?
VA:I struggle to even narrow down my top ten sci-fi movies, let alone just choose one, but Blade Runner is probably my favourite film of all time. Even if that film was just Roy Batty’s “tears in rain” soliloquy I’d still adore it. I love its symbolism, the sounds and visuals, and how it questions humanity, emotions, memory, longevity, property, and fatalism.
CF. What’s the craziest thing a fan sent you or requested?
VA:I get strange requests every week, but one of the most memorable was a man who asked my friends and I to do a private shoot with him wrapped in cheese, and us pretending to be giants eating him. I promptly rejected the request.
CF. What sidekick would you hire to be your personal assistant and why?
VA:Chewbacca . Sure, he wouldn’t be able to talk, but it’d be a tonne of fun, I’d never have problems with creepers again, and I don’t need to win at dejarik anyway.
CF. What character intimidates the heck out of you, why, and when will you attempt take the challenge to portray them?
VA:For a long time I’ve wanted to make myself a film-grade scaley suit of Toothless from How To Train Your Dragon, the Borg Queen, and a few things from Monster Hunter. They’re big, time-consuming, expensive builds, and all require having other people helping me to make casts of myself, etc.; but I know if I had the resources, time, and money I could pull them off. Hopefully someday soon I’ll tick one off the list!
CF. Do you know a lot about the series you cosplay?
VA:To a point. I have terrible memory and I’m definitely no encyclopaedia, but I cosplay characters I love to begin with, and I probably wouldn’t have the motivation or interest to cosplay them otherwise.
CF. What’s your favorite comic con to attend and what makes it so special?
VA:I like different conventions for different reasons. Dragon*Con is my favourite for cosplay, but Supanovas and SMASH are my favourite for seeing and spending time with my friends, and so on.
CF. What comic con’s are definitely attending this year?
VA:I’m attending SMASH and working at EBX in Australia, and then possibly working at NYCC in the USA.
CF. What’s one thing you wish fans wouldn’t do?
VA:Be disrespectful, not just to me but also to my friends, other cosplayers, and other fans. It’s awful seeing people cruelly insult each other and making unreasonable expectations. Myself I’ve had everything from a fan who sent me profanity because I wasn’t replying to them when I was at a funeral, to one who called me his girlfriend after meeting me five minutes earlier at the con, to another who flooded me with messages one-minute apart, to fans who’ve touched me at conventions without even asking permission, including two who’ve tackled me (which is both absolutely terrifying as someone who doesn’t like physical contact from strangers, and really upsetting when it’s damaged my costumes).
CF. Who was your favorite character to portray and what rocked about it?
VA:It tends to be whomever I cosplayed most recently, but Gaston was such a blast. I got to be completely out of character from my normal self and the usual characters I cosplay, he’s a deliciously narcissistic villain to begin with so you can be a bit cheeky, and the response from both adults and kids was amazing. Also comfortable shoes! It was a really fun and rewarding cosplay to wear.
CF. How do you keep cosplay fun?
VA:Trying new things often. New characters, new groups, new events, and new skills. If you’ve ever lost the sparkle of cosplay enjoyment, just cosplay for a children’s charity and see the kids’ faces light up, it’ll remind you how magical and inspirational these characters are.
CF. Where can new fans go to follow you?
I’m @variablecosplay pretty much everywhere.
Facebook: http://facebook.com/variablecosplay
Instagram: http://instagram.com/variablecosplay
Twitter: http://twitter.com/variablecosplay
Tumblr: http://variablecosplay.tumblr.com
CF. Other than this interview, what’s the craziest thing you agreed to do?
Catch venomous spiders.
CF. In your opinion what’s the meaning of life?
Betterment.
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