Courtney's Cosplay Confession: Day 1

Day 1: HOW I GOT INTO THIS

I was at the Comic Book Shoppe working on some Capital Geek Girls  stuff with editor/founder Jordan and writers MJ and Jenn.  The topic of cosplay harassment and Cosplay is not Consent came up and I admitted that I had a cosplay I wanted to try, but was scared of the comments I would get.

As some of you may have noticed from my bio, writer’s card, or if you’ve met me in person, I absolutely adore the show Torchwood. It has become one of my go to comfort programming options and I am likely to recommend it at any opportunity. Did I mention my laptop is named Toshiko? Since last year’s Comiccon I’ve thought about what I would cosplay as, if I could, and one character’s name pops into my head more than any other: Gwen Cooper. A former police constable who finds herself chasing aliens with Captain Jack Harkness while trying to hold together some semblance of a normal life with her in-the-dark-for-his-own-good partner Rhys. Gwen’s not the most popular person in Torchwood fandom but I’ve always found something in her story that spoke to me. I also happen to adore the actress that portrays her, Eve Myles.  A butt-kicking brunette with great style who personally inspires me? Why wouldn’t I cosplay  as her?

Because Gwen Cooper looks like this: 

And I look like this: 

This is where that lovely little voice in my head comes to remind me that I’m not going to look like Gwen because unless I go on The Biggest Loser until Comiccon I am not going to magically shrink in half. I see every negative comment I have ever read on a cosplay review board or Facebook group flash before my eyes. If I can’t find a screen accurate biker jacket with zipped pockets in a size 22/24 why should I bother?  If I’m not going to “do it right” should I do it at all? 

According to my fellow CGG’s the answer to that question is a resounding Yes.  With their help, and probably a good dose of caffeine from time to time,  I’m going to attempt to leave my baggage behind and rock this Comiccon, Cardiff-style.

  

66 Days to Go.

[Editor's note: I think Courtney is amazing. The idea that she would have held off trying out cosplay based on snarky comments hurts my heart. I am super excited to support her on this adventure, and I hope you all will, too. -Jordan]

Courtney Lockhart lives in the west end of Ottawa with her husband and step-cat.  She is polishing her skills to pursue one of her dream careers as either a costume drama character, Torchwood operative or executive assistant to a billionaire vigilante. You can follow her daily mission to DFTBA on Twitter @corastacy.

GETTING TO KNOW THE DOCTOR – WHERE TO START AS A NEW DOCTOR WHO FAN

by Marla Desat 

GETTING TO KNOW THE DOCTOR – WHERE TO START AS A NEW DOCTOR WHO FAN

 

Christopher Eccleston Dr Who
photo by Colin Bell, BBC

There are few fandoms as intimidating for a newcomer as Doctor Who. The series is a pillar of British television, and many of its fans grew up watching the show. I grew up loving science fiction television, watching episodes of Star Trek with my father or staying up late to watch The Outer Limits. Recently, I decided it was time to expand my geek knowledge, and finally start watching Doctor Who.

  

For the completely unfamiliar, Doctor Who follows the Doctor, a time-travelling alien, as he rights wrongs and saves civilisations. A human companion usually accompanies the Doctor. The Doctor travels in the TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimensions in Space), a time-travelling spacecraft that resembles a blue police telephone box. The TARDIS is one of the most recognizable elements of the show, featured on the scarves, earrings, and messenger bags of fans.  The Doctor's sonic screwdriver is another iconic element. It is a multifunctional tool that can be used to unlock doors, manipulate computers, or remotely control other devices, among other uses.

  

Deciding where to start is the most important step to becoming a Whovian – what some fans call themselves. The British science fiction drama first aired in 1963, and it has amassed 800 episodes, not to mention spin-offs, made-for-TV movies, audio plays and books. Part of the longevity of the series comes from the concept of regeneration. When the Doctor is old or mortally wounded, he transforms into a new physical form and different personality, but retains his memories. Regeneration has allowed the show to continue, while replacing the lead actor. The latest doctor, played by Peter Capaldi, is the Twelfth Doctor. The number goes up after each time the Doctor regenerates.

  

The Tardis. source: BBC.co.uk

The easiest place to start is with the Ninth Doctor, played by Christoper Eccleston. Eccleston's run in the show is a modern revival of the series, beginning in 2005 after nine years of absence from television. There are two great reasons to start with Eccleston. First, the revival nods to existing fans of the show but also explains enough that new viewers won't feel completely lost. Second, Netflix offers seven seasons worth of Doctor Who, beginning with Eccleston's run in 2005, all of David's Tennant's seasons as the Tenth Doctor, and most of Matt Smith's run as the Eleventh. Netflix does offer some older Doctor Who material to explore, but its collection is much more fragmented.

  

Doctor Who is not a fandom for everyone. The show can be cheesy, and the special effects are good but not great. That said, I found myself enjoying it after "The End of the World", the second episode of the 2005 season, and by the end of episode six, "Dalek", I was hooked. Those episodes offer both emotional range and temporal range of the show, jumping forward in time to when the Sun becomes a red giant or back to the days of Dickens.  If you're on the fence, give the first six episodes of Eccleston's run a chance to convince you.

  

Marla Desat is a recent University of Waterloo grad living and working in Ottawa. When she isn't playing the latest video games, she's geeking out over comic books, board games, tabletop roleplaying games and science. Marla also writes the TheEscapist as a freelance news writer. You can follow her on Twitter @mrdesat.