COSPLAY CORNER
How This YouTube Series Brings Cosplayers Together by Marissa DiBartolo, editor-in-chief What happens when Cersei Lannister and Darth Vader sit down for a cup of coffee? A lot less evil scheming than you’d think. Cosplayers Getting Coffee (CGC) is a YouTube series that gives cosplayers a platform to display their unique talents, letting fans get to know the artists behind the handmade masks. In each episode, two cosplayers who don’t know each other meet in a coffee shop to talk nerdy. Fully clad in EVA foam suits of armor, lavish wigs, and spandex jumpsuits,
these dedicated artists show off their creative skills while bonding over their favorite fandoms. Co-Creator and Producer Michael Abdul-Qawi says the show’s purpose is to give a voice to cosplayers. “In the cosplay community, everything comes down to photos. These people put all of this time and energy into their cosplays and wear them to cons and take tons of photos—and fans wanted more. CGC gives people the chance to learn more about these costumes and the people who create them.”
On the show, cosplayers share the inspiration behind their cosplays, details on how they execute the design, and what sparks their creativity. The cosplayers go into the experience as strangers, and quickly learn they have a lot in common. But at the end of the day, every cosplayer is unique. “The cosplayers we feature come from a variety of interesting backgrounds; some are teachers, musicians, and artists,” explains Co-Creator and Creative Director Chris Silva. “CGC allows them to share that part of themselves with the viewers, while also having a lot of fun on set and meeting someone new who shares their passion.” Each episode of CGC features a caffeine-fueled fandom collision that is almost too good to be true. Super Lex and The Flash share their love of the Justice League over espresso, while Deadshot and the Yellow Ranger discuss their favorite Disney princesses and Ninja Turtles as they sip on sweet chai tea lattes. And while life is not all fun and games, this show is. Cosplayers challenge each other to explain different fandoms in 10 seconds, try to recreate each other’s cosplays using Play-Doh, and maybe even dabble in a game of Jenga Pass or Watch Ya Mouth. In the first episode of CGC’s second season earlier this year, Babs Butcher appeared in her Ash Ketchum cosplay from Pokémon. According to Butcher, the cosplay community can be stressful and competitive, but CGC provides a positive, safe space for cosplayers to have fun and get to know each other. “The dynamic that is fostered by the CGC team focuses on the positive. 'What are
Left: Kim Chu (@Kc_cosplay) as Xion and Vann Rivera (@Vsol_cosplay) as Korra. Right: Brandon Drummer (@fire_forged_cosplay) as Heimdall and Rafael Ayala (@raf_bucky_barnes) as the Winter Soldier.
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