Facing Down The Cosplay Gatekeepers

Hi all,

I just thought I’d share a few thoughts with you.

A few years ago, I first considered putting together a GB costume, but I was put off by the ‘Gatekeepers’, usually self appointed and indeed self important, who seemed to think that it was imperative to slavishly follow a set pattern of kit. Now, let me say that coming from 4 decades of historical reenactment, LARP and more recently this here cosplay thing, I do understand that accuracy is important. However even history shows that the ‘rules’ are not followed once out of the parade ground.

Anyhow, I was turned off, despite being a fan of GB since Summer 84 (there’s an amusing story linked to it in my book, but that as they say…) because authenticity can be encouraged without having to be enforced, and even historical groups have to give newcomers time to adapt and actively help them, because, without new blood a hobby dies, as history has shown.

Instead, I went with a Potterverse Death Eater, looking for descriptions, largely ignoring films (which after all are only interpretations of the original concept) and did so very well if I may say. I started with ‘who am I?’ and I was Damius Darkhart a totally despicable Slytherin, who was always on the move, such was his infamy. I had money, and arrogance and so I would not be in rags. As I travelled a lot, I wore long boots, good leather gloves, and my wand belt was adapted with a silk lining for a fast draw. I wore few trinkets, but did have a few including a ‘Muggle’ timepiece on a chain, kept in the bucket top of my boot.

All perfectly ‘canon’ but also allowing me a personality which could be projected at events.

So, it was not a cheap impression, but it was all ‘real world’ durable, and I had only one of two masks - the mask was important. I also luckily had a friend in the film props industry (the real Hollywood one) who was a master leatherworker, so the wand belt was another focal point.

Now, having seen GBA last week, I was pulled back into the idea, and lo and behold, there’s the Hasbro pack and wand, and they are pretty darned good, and compared to what I pay for wargames figures, a snip - so it was two of each.

The kit built packs are impressive, and I doff my cap to those with the electronic skills to make them come to life. I am a professional model maker by trade for over a decade now, but I am not allowed by act of Parliament near anything with a current - ask my wife. And to be honest, I don’t want to spend my weekends, doing what I do all week. Heck, I don’t even work on my own wargames figures, but send those out to be painted because weekends are for leisure.

So the Hasbro pack works for me. The LC-1 frame is easy enough to find as a former re-enactor and I think I can mount that without power tools, so I am not in breach of the ban.

I am not portraying a film character, so as long as I remain true to a few things, I should be able to have fun, be canon and still express myself through my outfit.

I am going with a Tru-Spec jumpsuit as I want an American image, but were I portraying a UK Ghostbuster, I’d certainly be looking for an 80s British flightsuit, post say, 85 as franchises go worldwide (Mayfair Games, GBI RPG - remembering how Mayfair wrote a lot of game stuff for Star Wars which was then adopted as canon). Army surplus is just that. It’s surplus, often tatty and above all cheap - something costumers forget.

Footwear has to be right.. Many a costume is ruined by plainly wrong footwear. Again, combat boots are readily available, even 80s ones in repro versions from SOF Military etc - the 80s are now becoming a genuine historical period for reenactors, so you’ll see kit become more available. Added to this a lot of third world nations still domestically produce kit that the West has long since done away with.

Packs are a personal item… It’s right there in several design notes. They are modified, personalised and all a bit different. So, as long as you have something roughly the same size, with what appear to be the right major components to get the pack to work in the imaginary world, the exact shape could vary, the straps could differ, you could have a lucky charm hanging from the wand… It’s yours. I know this is where some get sniffy, but this is one of the joys of the GB universe. The characters are flawed individuals with different life experiences. Winston, being ex military in the original write up,  would be less likely to have loads of crap hanging off of him, but would have the best kept and most functional stuff. It would be ingrained into the personality.

My character, will be a little more loosely wrapped, so expect to see him with jumpsuit off to the waist and crumpled, but very shiny boots - he has a thing about shiny boots. Oh and his period Timex ‘Snoopy’ watch (It’s my lucky watch, OK? Saved my life when I got it caught on a hydrant as a kid and it stopped me walking out under a runaway Peterbilt. Worn it ever since.’ Of course that is back story, as I am from the U.K.

Little things give you a story. I remember that a friend and I were so hung over at a WW2 even a few years ago, that we decided that as we had access to free steam train rides all weekend, we’d go up and down the line and sleep it off. So, we removed our caps, folded our outer wear and snoozed. I had a 1940s UK travel guide which I placed on the table in front of me. We were now ‘on leave’. When we felt well enough to rejoin the official weekend, we found that members of the public actually thought we were playing a role, thanks to the book and few little pre-sleep preparations.

You can apply this to a cosplay personality.

Well, I could go on, but I guess what I am saying is that I will not be as put off this time as before by a Gatekeeper mentality, but I will endeavour to have era accurate kit, done my way where appropriate, with a lot of personality thrown in there to make me more than a 2D shop dummy. Kids react to interaction. A few personal props can immerse them deeply in an experience, and who knows, that may be enough to make them dream of growing up to be a Ghostbuster and in turn spread the love of a shared fantasy experience.

Remember a Gatekeeper only has the power you let them have. You can be ‘canon’ whilst still being yourself.