Cosplayers at comic book conventions are like a visual opinion poll on the popularity of recent movie and video game releases.
In the perennial battle between Marvel and DC Comics, DC is in the ascendancy at this time with their immensely popular anti-hero epic Suicide Squad securing a dominant victory over the Avengers on the convention floor; Will Smith’s Deadshot and Jared Leto’s The Joker inspired an abundance of male cosplayers.
Image © Erin EustaceFor the women, though, there was really only one option.
Harley Quinn hits Rey for a home run
Six months ago, female cosplayers were evenly divided between The Force Awakens’ heroine Rey and Suicide Squad’s Harley Quinn. At the 2016 Supanova there were more baseball bats than Yankee Stadium and more fishnet stockings than a Broadway production of 'A Chorus Line', with Margot Robbie’s anarchistic clown lover clubbing away at Rey’s popularity like Negan from 'The Walking Dead'.
Image © Erin EustaceThere were young Harleys, old Harleys, female Harleys and even one male Harley. The Joker and Harley one-two was the popular choice for couples who cosplay together; nothing creepy about that at all.
Melisandre throws another shrimp on the barbie
Carice Van Houten, the sultry Dutch actress igniting the small screen as Melisandre on 'Game Of Thrones', was an exclusive addition to the Adelaide Supanova programme. She revealed in her panel that her heart burns for Aussie heart-throb and new boyfriend, Guy Pearce; an actor familiar to comic book fans as the villain in 'Iron Man 3'. Dating an Australian makes sense, given her character’s penchant for BBQs.
Image © Erin EustaceThe Red Lady is known to bare all on GoT but the brisk European winter and figure hugging gowns do not mix, prompting her to request a wardrobe re-design to accommodate her need for multiple pairs of thermal underpants.
Image © Erin EustaceBack To The Future
'Game Of Thrones' has perhaps been responsible for a reinvigoration of medieval role-playing and even knightly combat. Pig-tailed and braided combatants clobbered and parried in a make-shift arena in a blast from the past while at the other end of the spectrum, kids affixed Virtual Reality goggles to their faces, exploring nine dimensional artificial sensations using cutting edge technology.
Image © Erin EustaceSupanova offered a diverse array of methods for escaping real life for awhile through costume or computer, comic or collectible.
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