Straight off the page!

Arnim Zola

For comic fans, there's very little more thrilling than seeing the improbable and colorful characters we all love come to life in ways that almost defy probability. Some of the costumes you'll see at Dragon*Con look like they leaped straight off the pages of the comics they appear in, or straight off the silver screen. It's not just professionals that produce these costumes, either - many of the most impressive and accurate costumes on the floor come from motivated amateurs who spend their spare-time crafting the perfect look for the con.

Magik and Moonstar

Shore Leave

Photon

The Huntress and The Question

Agent Venom

Mary Marvel

Monster Mash!

Hipster X-Men

One of the most popular trends in cosplay for the past few years has been taking a recognizable character, and adding a twist. Many fans choose to express their creativity by creating their own versions of popular tropes. Steampunk Star Wars characters, gender-swapped superheroes, and deconstructed, conceptual costumes are all the rage, and the results of some of these efforts can be surprising, hilarious, and impressive.

Female Winter Soldier and Captain America

Deconstructed Dalek and Tardis

Pin-Up Style DC Heroines

Male Domino and Rogue

Steampunk Princess Jasmine

Is that a costume?

Tribal costumes

The answer to that question is, usually, yes and no. You'll see hundreds of people in kilts, cyber-punk goggles, hair-falls, steam-punk brass, and vinyl suits, but while most who indulge in these fashions only wear one or two pieces of these fashions, some con-goers go all out, crafting outfits, personas, and costumes that occasionally veer into sculpture or even performance art. Sometimes, the coolest costumes on the floor are the ones you just don't recognize.

An original Cyber-punk design

A group of mime-inspired costumes

An original Steam-punk design

Genre inspired Deadmaus helmets

A massive model of a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton

The last thing you'd expect

Manos: The Hands of Fate

Many cosplayers delight in crafting costumes out of surprising and obscure characters. While they may not get the wide-recognition that some of the more obvious characters receive, those who recognize these costumes usually respond enthusiastically. Sometimes it's less of a matter of obscurity, and more about the unlikely nature of the characters being portrayed, be they from old horror movies, short-lived TV shows, or just the less well-known cast-members of popular media. Sometimes, it's just that the person has chosen a lesser known look for a popular character.

Totoro's cat bus

Cast members from She-Ra: Princess of Power

Captain Planet

Hank Venture is the night!

Enzo from ReBoot

There you have it! While there are as many variations on cosplay as there are cosplayers, these are the major trends to look out for at Dragon*Con, a convention defined by its relationship with fans, and their contribution to the atmosphere through costuming and cosplay.

Bonus Category: D'awwwwww!

The Avengers

Dragon*Con is an all-ages show, and even kids get in on the cosplay! Check out the mean-mug on Nick Fury.