Amber's Fashion Tips for Superheroes

Almost ready to debut the new 52 Wonder Woman

2011-10-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

I'm honestly not sure if I can finish up in time for the annual Women of Wonder Day celebration which is in three days, but I've been trying to make upgrades to my Wonder Woman suit so that it's inspired by the current "new 52" look.

Typically, I'm not fan of Wonder Woman in pants but as a Wonder Woman in New Jersey in October, I can say appreciate the option for costuming. I just don't think it will be recognizable to most people on the street. In fact, I don't think any of them would look at the "pants" version and know who she is.

I had wanted to upgrade my bodice to make it longer. So when I began working on it, I decided to just make the silver accents and save my original bodice as is. I also began toying with alternating fabrics and then the new 52 came out and her bodice has blocked pieces giving it a texture the traditional suit didn't have. Back in September, I finally had something I could consider done.

I hate making accessories and this was no exception. Everything I did required a failed attempt then a final attempt. The tiara is made from a soft headband with Wonderflex glued to it. Sprayed in a chrome spray paint finish and mounted with two stars: one a flat Wonderflex red star and one a glittery foam sticky star.

The choker is made from a foam sheet and glued to metallic spandex that I had leftover. The armbands are also strips of foam and glued to metallic spandex strips. In fact, all the fabric from this project is from my leftover scraps. I have a hard time getting anything to stick to those foam sheets and I use the glue by that brand that says it's for the foam! Needless to say, I have no idea if the fabric will stay when I go to put these things on.

Like the costume, none of the accessories look the same from page to page so I just made up my own designs and have them in silver to show a link to the new 52.

Since my original red and white boots are completely worn out and starting to get holes and lose soles, I had bought a new pair for this year. I was going to get rid of the old ones but I'm going to recycle them instead. If it doesn't rain tomorrow, I'll take that old pair and try spraying the red with black Plastidip so that they resemble Diana's new black and white boots.

SUPERHERO WEEKEND STARTS ON SATURDAY AT COMIC FUSION IN NEW JERSEY!

My Dex-Starr accessory

2011-10-19T15:56:00.000-07:00

I was part of the Classy Lantern Corps as the designated Red Lantern of Rage. The best part was my Dex-Starr accessory. I asked my mother to knit me a scarf that would look like a skinned cat, Cruella DeVille style. Two days and three skeins of fun fur for striped scarves later, I had a bad ass Dex-Starr skin. I added eyes and the ring for the “tail.”

I joined Jill Pantozzi (blue), Ashley Neuhaus (black), Melissa Kay (star sapphire), Ali Coluccio (indigo), Beth Kaboth (green), Lisa-Michelle McMullan (orange), and Josie Kavadoy (yellow).

Jill was responsible for all of the logo necklaces which were made by a company called Sandbox.

Wonder Woman Day through the years

2011-10-11T12:23:00.000-07:00

I created a post at AmberUnmasked showing just a few photo highlights of the past years' Superhero Weekends & Wonder Woman Days.

This year the event kicks off with a new official name globally, WOMEN OF WONDER DAY still headquartered in Portland, OR but at NJ's Comic Fusion our Superhero Weekend continues as a two-day event October 29-30, 2011.

Tutorial: Ms. Marvel / Carol Danvers

2011-10-05T08:48:00.000-07:00

Costume Tutorial: Ms. Marvel / Carol Danvers (Marvel Avengers)
Date: Completed September 9, 2011.
Debut: October 1, 2011 at Superheroes for Hayley fundraiser

The steps on how I made this made this from leftovers and repurposed items is at AmberUnmasked.

Superheroes for Hayley recap

2011-10-03T15:19:00.000-07:00

A flood of spandex-clad heroes from DC, Marvel and Dark Horse descended upon Flemington, NJ October 1, 2011 to help raise money for Hayley’s family.

The event was organized by Flemington’s Hometown Club who has also put together other fundraisers during the year for Hayley’s family. Hayley is 13 now. She was released from a Philadelphia hospital for treatments for malignant pinoblastoma.

We were supported not only by members of the 501st and Rebel Legion but also the Capital City Jedi Knights who gave demonstrations all day long to the local padawan learners. They learned proper fighting techniques for lightsabers on the soggy field in front of the Dutch Market.

The Dutch Market might have seemed like an odd choice for venue but once hungry heroes explored inside, they were in fresh baked heaven surrounded by Amish pastries. Spandex was covered in powered sugar by the end of the day.

Generous costumers came from West Virginia, north Pennsylvania, south Jersey and New York City to donate their time and talents for the day. The craftsmanship of the costumes and the variety of personalities in them makes for a great social networking experience in honest-to-goodness real life instead of online.

The East Coast X-Men seemed to be led by Jubilee (Jackie) rather than Cyclops. She “blasted” Batman among others with her pockets full of gold tinsel. There were a few professional photographers that absolutely loved her. The X-Men and the Avengers playfully sparred all day leaving the Justice League to go about its own business.

Speaking of photographers, many thanks to Black Lab Studios for being the official photographers for the day. They had a portable printer so that anyone making a donation could get a snapshot with any hero and have it printed within minutes. We’ll be doing this for Superhero Weekend too at Comic Fusion on Oct 29-30. Tyrus Flynn and Dawen Huang spent the day snapping pro pics with their fancy looking cameras too. There should be lots of amazing shots hitting facebook soon.

We owe thanks to all the merchants of the strip mall: the Dollar Store and the Pet Store that allowed us use of their bathrooms for changing. Some of us still opted for the parking lot but bathrooms are so appreciated!

Nancy Upton's "Extra Wiggle Room" on the American Apparel plus-size contest

2011-09-23T15:32:00.000-07:00

Quick update from Nancy Upton who had entered a modeling contest with American Apparel, WON based on votes, then told they would not award her the prize for winning.

The American Apparel company was launching XL sizes and were looking for a plus sized model. Nancy was upset about the contest description's wording. Words like "bootylicious" and "needing extra wiggle room" offended her. She entered the contest with over the top pictures of herself covered in food while she was in full beautiful makeup and wardrobe at lovely sets. The responses were overwhelming when she had won. But then AA rescinded or rather denied her The Next Big Thing.

After a huge backlash, AA reached out to Nancy and she was invited to the company.

She has graciously offered to fly Shannon and me out to LA to visit American Apparel and get a look at what it’s really like being inside the company.
I agreed, as long as I could write about what I saw. She said that would be fine.

You can follow the updates about what happens next at American Apparel when Nancy arrives on her blog which now calls EXTRA WIGGLE ROOM.

messing around with a new Wonder Woman design

2011-09-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

Since WordPress constantly pisses me off with its slow performance in the admin panel and its repeated "500 Internal Server Error" bull, I'm slapping up a few of images of my new bodice here. I'm not going to take the time for a full blown set of instructions on this one right now.

I said I'd never make this version, commonly known as the Jim Lee WW or WW600 or New U WW unless someone else contributed to the cost. Well I was bored one day and in the end, it only cost me $6 in a zipper and bias tape because everything else you see in the bodice was leftover from other projects.

UPDATED: http://www.amberunmasked.com/costume-dcnu-52-wonder-woman-variation/

Harley Quinn & Rumor costume for sale

2011-09-19T08:45:00.000-07:00

I have reluctantly posted my HARLEY QUINN costume on etsy. Please read through all of the details about the suit's design, what is included or not included, and it's condition.

I've also relisted my Neon Harley suit that was made as a test for this outfit.

I've just added my UMBRELLA ACADEMY RUMOR costume as well.

Amber- your tutorial is soo helpful! I have a bunch of questions and if you have a minute to answer them- I would be so appreciative! 1- Did you use a standard sewing machine or an overlock/serger? 2- Did you press open the seams afterwards? I know doing

2011-09-18T12:54:00.001-07:00

I guess Formspring cut you off. I answered all the questions at my site: http://www.amberunmasked.com/tutorial-rogue-traditional/

NOTE: Questions that are mass spammed to everyone, rude or have nothing to do with me get DELETED.

Are you still doing commissions? I am desperate to find a good psylocke costume and am having a helluva time finding anything even close online! Thanks!!

2011-09-15T03:46:00.001-07:00

I only do commissions for friends that live nearby because it's too important to have fittings. You can join thesuperherocostumingforum.com and make a post that you're looking for someone.

NOTE: Questions that are mass spammed to everyone, rude or have nothing to do with me get DELETED.

Sign up for the Superhero Charity Weekend at Comic Fusion Oct 29-30

2011-09-03T09:49:00.000-07:00

(908) 788-0599
ComicFusion.com - shop's main site
Art auction gallery - http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150348187395087.397387.745845086
General informaion - http://www.amberunmasked.com/the-all-new-women-of-wonder-day-for-domestic-violence-awareness-oct-30/

Superhero Weekend is a 2-day celebration at Comic Fusion in Flemington, NJ. Oct 29-30, 2011. Activities include the comic art auction, raffles, exclusive purchases, photo opportunities with costumed heroes, and a chance to meet some of our artists.

Sign up to be on our Costumed Character List! We do have some specific guidelines. We ask for the characters to be friendly for all ages - non-violent, non-scary. No horror movie characters, no zombies, no machetes, etc.

The 501st will be there at least one day that we're aware of. They're always a huge hit!

PARKING INFO:
There is a lot behind the stores accessible from Main Street and also Bloomfield Ave. There's usually plenty of street parking. Most spaces are technically 2 or 3 hour spots but they are rarely chalked.

Baltimore Comic Con Costume Winners

2011-08-24T17:47:00.000-07:00

Baltimore Comic-Con Announces Costume Contest Winners

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - August 24, 2011 - The Baltimore Comic-Con is happy to announce the winners of the 3rd annual Costume Contest. The contest took place this past Saturday, August 20, 2011and saw a myriad of incredible and creative costumes. With approximately 200 entries and costumes ranging from classic super-heroes to video game characters, this was by far the best and most successful contest thus far.

The grand prize winner for Best Over-all Costume, and the recipient of the $1,000 cash prize, was Robert Day for his Optimus Prime costume.

Winners for this year's contest include:

Over-13 Category
Best Male Superhero: Wade Brown - MODOK
Best Male Non-Superhero: Vincent Posbic - Master Chief from HALO
Best Female Superhero: Lisa Hissinbothan - Storm
Best Female Non-Superhero: Devin Houser - Joker
Best Group (majority of member over 13): Jay Buechle & Leigh Alexander - Bengali & Cheetara from ThunderCats

Under-13 Category
Best Male Superhero: Michael P. - Two-Face

Best Male Non-Superhero: Jeffery S. - Link from Legend of Zelda
Best Female Superhero: Maria H. - Hitgirl
Best Female Non-Superhero: Ashley L. - Zombie from Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (tie) & R. Hill - The Corpse Bride
Best Group (majority of member under 13): RJ, Peter, and Jayden J. - Luke Skywalker and Mandalorians

Save the Date! Baltimore Comic-Con 2012!
That's right! Mark your calendars now for next year's Baltimore Comic-Con, which will take place the weekend of September 8-9, 2012 at the Baltimore Convention Center, and we'll see YOU in Baltimore!

About The Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Comic-Con just celebrated its 12th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. With a guest list unequaled in the industry, the Baltimore Comic-Con was held August 20-21, 2011. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.

About The Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 6 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.

Sign up to be a hero for Hayley - casting call

2011-08-24T06:40:00.000-07:00

I'm helping rally some costumers to appear at a fundraiser for 12-year-old Hayley. I made a Facebook event specifically for costumers only so that we can see who can definitely appear and as which character. This isn't for RSVP'ing to the event in general.

OCTOBER 1, 2011

FLEMINGTON, NJ

Hayley has malignant pinoblastoma (brain tumor).

*** I don't want to confuse anyone with the costuming roll call for our Superhero Weekend at the comic shop which is a different charity event at the end of October.***

The 501st (Star Wars Empire) contact I have is reaching out to the Event Organizer about having their Garrison formally invited. Someone is also helping to see if we can arrange for one of the 1966 Batmobiles to be there for photo opportunities.

October the weather can be anything from 50-70, sunny or miserable. You just never know. If you have to change your "assignment" at the last minute because of it, that's understandable.

ROLL CALL:
* Ms. Marvel - Amber
* Symbiote Spidey - Peter
* Xavier Student - Janine
* Static Shock - Gregorio
* undecided - Diana
* Supergirl (blue) - Jessica
* Gambit or Superboy - William
* Inspector Gadget or Jay Garrick Flash - Andrew
* Nick Fury - Ray
* Wonder Woman - Carolann

MAYBE:
* Dr. Bruce Banner - Jesse
* Cyclops - Christopher
* Batgirl - Cassie
* Captain America - Rafael Captain Pedragon (needs a ride from Hoboken)
* Storm - Maki Roll
* TDK version Batman - Gareth

EVENT ORGANIZER:
Bill Losey
(732) 873-1056
HomeTown Club USA
PO Box 7292
Somerset, NJ 08875
www.hometownclub.us
bill.losey@hometownclub-nj.com

PLEASE INVITE YOUR COSTUMING FRIENDS. *There will be a bouncy house!

STREET ADDRESS:
19 Commerce Street, Flemington, NJ
(908) 806-8476

Deciding on my costumes for Baltimore Comic Con

2011-08-15T06:41:00.000-07:00

I'm almost certain that I'll wear my Dark & Strange Alice Liddell outfit on Sunday Aug 21 for the Baltimore Comic Con. I can't decide what to wear for Saturday though. I've narrowed it down to three: Rogue, Black Widow and Ace. What do you think? Post your votes. I don't have to pack until Wednesday.

I'll be at the booth of Jake Warrenfeltz most of the time. I hope to circulate a lot more than last year because I think I will know about 80% of the artists at the show and I want to say hello to all of them.

Would a women's (US) size 6 shoe - fit you, be to big or would your feet demolish them if you managed to stretch them on your feet? (fit you, be to big, or be demolished)

2011-08-14T08:26:00.001-07:00

I'm registered at Barney's and there's a lovely pair of Steve Maddens on my list. Knock yourself out trying to find my shoe size, Batman. Let me know how it goes. Anyone have any questions about my career or comics?

NOTE: Questions that are mass spammed to everyone, rude or have nothing to do with me get DELETED.

Ep 27 of GameDames talks about Cosplay Girls and the "Sexy" debate

2011-08-02T06:44:00.000-07:00

The latest episode of the Game Dames podcast features Jill "the Nerdy Bird" as a special guest talking about her San Diego panel Oh You Sexy Geek and her experiences in costume this year at Comic Con International.

‎"We're putting ourselves out there to enjoy the costume and show off the craftsmanship; we're not there to pose for you sexually," Jill Pantozzi explains about an incident where someone tried to photograph her cosplay group's asses.

The Oh You Sexy Geek panel had at least seven panelists plus an impromptu speaker, Seth Green who was in the front row supporting his wife who was on the panel; apparently Seth was given a considerable amount of time to chime in. This led to the ladies of the panel not having as much mic time as expected. The only male panelist actually scheduled was Chris Gore (FilmThreat.com) who didn't even arrive until five minutes before it was over at which point his opening remark caused controversy and seemingly insulted most of the audience. (Full disclosure: Seth and Chris are two of my celebrity crushes.)

The "Sexy Geek" controversy easily spirals. From accusations of pandering to sexualizing female comic/gaming characters to addressing the large issue of women in the media/commercials. Somehow, this has become a bigger issue than DC's relaunch of all their titles. DC has been accused of sexist practices, not hiring women, failing to publicize titles/works that do have female creators and eliminating female characters from solo titles.

Is there a way to be a Sexy Geek and still be part of a supportive community that includes female creators, fans and characters without singling them out as the token sexy female?

Tutorial: Cyclone as debuted at SDCC

2011-07-21T14:00:00.000-07:00

Today Jill Pantozzi debuted her CYCLONE AND FRANKIE costume for the legions of fans at one of her Comic Con International panels.

I created a tutorial of sorts, more like a "how not to do this" blog on AmberUnmasked. I documented BOTH attempts at the dress plus the monkey's outfit. (*as always be warned, the direct page linked is safe but other content on my site might be considered nsfw).

A fun look at what it's like to turn into Slave Leia (@VictoriaCosplay)

2011-07-21T13:08:00.000-07:00

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY did a fun feature on my friend VICTORIA "COSPLAY GIRL" in their San Diego Comic Con International coverage. They shot a gallery of 17 images of Victoria transforming from east coast preschool teacher into Return of the Jedi's Princess Leia.

You can follow along Victoria's other costuming adventures at her facebook fan page and her twitter feed.

photo by Seraphim Images

Odd Things To Do With an Old Wedding Dress - superhero cape

2011-07-20T10:18:00.000-07:00

Sometimes my internet searches turn up the most interesting things. I discovered a website called MyExWifesWeddingDress and Dress Use #48 shows an ex-husband that used it as a cape for his superhero persona. This humorous ex was joined by fellow costumers appearing as the Hulk and others.

Vogue shows Super Hero inspiration in the Fall Fashion lineup

2011-07-20T10:08:00.000-07:00

I don't know that I agree with VOGUE that this fall season is any different in featuring cloaks and capes; in cold weather, we tend to turn to those pieces of our wardrobe. However, it is nice they claim to be seeing the influence of comic books in modern haute couture, real or imaginary.

You may not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound (maybe you never wanted to) or crawl around on all fours like a feline femme fatale (marginally more appealing), but that is no reason to cast a cold eye on the superhero-infused styles set to alight in stores this fall. (Which means, in the alternative-reality universe we actually inhabit, that they are arriving on racks right now.)

Animal prints come and go so any given season one can say Catwoman is an influence. Red is always a popular fall and winter color. As I said, even my off-the-rack shopping mother wears different capes in our New Jersey winters; capes and cloaks are a staple. Tall boots to the knee or over them are always a fall/winter feature on the fashion landscape as well.

Could you say X-MEN movies made it acceptable for non-bikers to wear full leather? Hmmm, maybe. But I don't see people running around in cowls. Did emo-ridden Bella from TWILIGHT make wearing flannel acceptable? I hope people don't believe that. I've been surrounded by flannel and denim since I was born.

Let's not forget the power of spandex/lycra leggings! They come and go in popularity and are best when worn under tunics. They can be worn with high heels, boots or sandals. Maybe we owe the popularity of leggings to Superman and his blue tights; but I don't think it's anything "new" for 2011's Fall lineup.

Some items listed on etsy

2011-07-18T08:53:00.000-07:00

I just listed two costumes on etsy. I'm hoping the PayPal works because I have it routing to someone else's account since I can't use it (FUCK PAYPAL). However, I am extremely desperate for money and need to start selling off my suits.

Please read the descriptions carefully.

The first two are pretty simple and only worn once. A generic X-Men suit that would be fit for Rogue, Kitty or Jean Grey, pretty much any Xavier Institute student. Bodysuit only - not the buckle, belt, leggings, etc.

The second is my classic Star Sapphire / Carol Ferris. It's the suit & headpiece only, not the gloves, mask or ring.

I AM NOT TAKING COMMISSIONS. I am only selling off what I have already made in the sizes specified.

Would you consider dressing up as the "pants" version of Wonder Woman just for a good gag/alternate outfit one day at a con for the people who are familiar with you?

2011-07-15T08:03:00.001-07:00

Only if someone else paid for the materials. It's no as bad w/o the jacket but I wouldn't spend my own money on it. I would love it if the pants were blue & she kept her old boots. Right now, I'm trying to save to make the Adam Hughes white gown version. It's like 12 yards of silk for that.

NOTE: Questions that are mass spammed to everyone, rude or have nothing to do with me get DELETED.

And for Canada Day....SASQUATCH!

2011-07-01T10:03:00.000-07:00

This incredible, award-winning SASQUATCH costume was made and worn by my brother in costuming from The Superhero Costuming Forum, ALLEN HANSARD! I had to use this pic from his gallery so you can get the idea of the scale.

Favorite American cosplays

2011-07-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the July 4th holiday, I pulled out some pics of my favorite costumers and costume designs representing the stars and stripes.

TONY RAY AS PATRIOT

THE BEST LITTLE WONDER WOMAN I'VE EVER SEEN, NYCC 2010
(and she designed the costume with her dad!)

PAIGE IN AN ORIGINAL WONDER WOMAN

AMERICAN MAID SEEN AT BALTIMORE CON 2010

ME AS POWER GIRL AND BRYAN AS SUPERMAN, NYCC 2009

DAVID AS BUCKY CAPTAIN AMERICA
photo by Kathy Napalinga

WWII CAPTAIN AMERICA BY NEW2SITH.NMFORCE
photo by Bryan Humphrey

RIDDLE AS ELSEWORLDS AMAZONIA WONDER WOMAN
HIMEARTS.COM

Entertainment Weekly's 10 sexiest male comic-movie costumes

2011-06-27T10:15:00.000-07:00

Not to be unfair, EW also came up with a list of sexiest men's superhero costumes from the movies. Sadly, bat-nipples are on the list. I'm rather impressed to see Blade and Thor make the cut.

Entertainment Weekly's 10 sexiest female comic-movie costumes

2011-06-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

I am happy to see a couple surprises in the EW list of sexy female costumes from superhero movies, but there are some I quite honestly find cringeworthy. No surprise the prosethic-covered-not-at-all-like-the-comics Mystique was on the list. It's always been one on my "what-were-they-thinking" list. Then I heard the tale from someone who worked on the film explain Bryan Singer's hissy fit wherein he threw everything off the table and yelled, "I WANT HER NUDE!" The concept designers went back to work and came up with this:

When do we get to see some new awesome Amber photo shoots :)?

2011-06-24T08:46:00.001-07:00

Hopefully very soon. A new one was just approved.

NOTE: Questions that are mass spammed to everyone, rude or have nothing to do with me get DELETED.

was that in like PVC or tights / hose? Also whats Comic Fusion

2011-06-24T07:18:00.001-07:00

Comic Fusion is the comic shop where I work in NJ. Are you asking about fabrics because you have a fetish? I'm not about to encourage this conversaton.

NOTE: Questions that are mass spammed to everyone, rude or have nothing to do with me get DELETED.

Hey whats the hottest weather you have worn tights in and where were you?

2011-06-24T07:09:00.001-07:00

I can't remember specifically but one year I dressed up at Comic Fusion for every car show in town and that's during July & August. I'm sure it would have been in that time frame. Masks while sweating are particularly annoying.

NOTE: Questions that are mass spammed to everyone, rude or have nothing to do with me get DELETED.

I recently found your web site and through it Guns of Shadow Valley. I will be writing a review of the web comic on my own blog (Slap Bookleather) and would like to include a note about you. Would you mind if I put up a link?

2011-06-24T07:02:00.001-07:00

I'm ok with it but I think you should ask Dave & Jim too. Since my work is a range from PG-13 to adult, they might not want the association with me.

NOTE: Questions that are mass spammed to everyone, rude or have nothing to do with me get DELETED.

Hi Amber, what do you think of shoot a bondage-cosplay set?

2011-06-24T07:01:00.001-07:00

Not my thing. I have very strong opinions on the subject. My modelmayhem inbox is 90% "photographers" whose portfolios consist of only bondage despite how there's nothing in my own port or profile to indicate I ever would consent to it. I consider it my role as a journalist to present it as a valid form of entertainment and educate people but on my own deeply personal level that should not reflect upon my fellow models, I think the idea of a woman being treated that way is vile. I don't see a single empowering thing about it unless the photoshoot tells the story about her escaping (like the way Princess Leia eventually kills Jabba). I'll never discourage my modeling friends if that's what they want to do but I'll usually chime in that they'll need an escort with them unless they have absolute trust in the photographer.

NOTE: Questions that are mass spammed to everyone, rude or have nothing to do with me get DELETED.

Wizard World Philly Costumes

2011-06-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

I wrote up a couple different recaps about the convention that took place last weekend. Here are the links (remember navigating off those articles may lead to nsfw content):

Costumes

Convention Recap

Tons more pics on facebook.com/amberunmasked too.

Is VOGUE introducing curvy models? Sort of.

2011-06-09T06:10:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the scoop of Natali (@uberdorkgirlie) there's some proof that a select few in the fashion industry recognize not all women are willing to starve themselves for the sake of clothing. Personally, I'm still irked that anyone over 110 pounds is "plus size" and like the author of the article, I wish it didn't require a special issue but rather integrated models of all shapes.

Kristina Uriegas-Reyes wrote this somewhat inspiring piece for bust.com about the Vogue Italia cover featuring three zaftig models looking as elegant and sexy as any stick-thin counterpart. I completely agree with her sentiments here:

"This cover is big, yet conflicting news for me. I’m not sure if it makes me really happy or just want to roll my eyes. It’s a great step by the fashion industry, but the fact that it’s such a big deal is kind of annoying. Someday I’d like to see an integration of plus-size models among normal ones to showcase all body types rather than having a special “Plus-Size Model” issue."

The link to the article is NSFW but there you find the most glorious black and white photos of bigger size fashion models.

Alternate Harley Quinn Gallery - just for con season

2011-05-29T13:11:00.001-07:00

I've been squirrelling away con photos from the internet of alternate versions of Harley Quinn just because I'm fascinated by the fact that she's become so popular. In Batman Animated, she most typically wore what's considered her "traditional" full jester costume with a few rare moments as Dr. Quinnzell, Arkham inmate and bedroom moll.

Had I thought that I'd ever want to use these photos for a blog post, I would have paid better attention to where I found them. I detest when photos are not credited so it bothers me that I don't have all the credits here. If you know who they are or who took the pic, please comment and I'll make the necessary edits.

Without further adieu...

photo by Leonard Jinto

Jessica Nova
photo by Leonard Jinto

Animosity Cosplay

seen at London MCM by Comic Addicts

Riddle by Bryan Humphrey

And I guess to round it out, I'll show my "alt Harley" which was just what I had come up with to practice before making my final traditional suit. This suit is for sale and would make a great jester addition to anyone's Mardi Gras krewe. ($100)

Steampunk Fashion Show

2011-05-28T06:55:00.000-07:00

photo by Janine Mary

My main purpose of attending the Steampunk World's Fair was to model for the incredibly amazing designer, KRISTIN COSTA in the fashion show. My partner in crime, Smashley was coaxed into modeling with me. There was one other woman that was roped into the experience by a friend. Suffice to say, most of the models were experienced whereas some of us were not and we managed to get up onto the catwalk, do our thing and not fall on our asses. Other models chatted away about Fashion Week and the last time they “did runway.” Um, yeah.. unless you count the fashion show I organized in high school and modeled in, I haven’t done runway work, ever. Babs from Event-ography has a magnificent gallery on flickr. One of my favorite photographers to run into at cons is Knightmare6 who uploaded the fashion show pics into a separate gallery from his other SPWF pics. Jessica Lilley's gallery is also up on flickr.

photo by Babs

My recap of the show is at my site but as you know, not all of my site is SFW but that article is.

I met some really nice models in the fashion show, especially Kat (not sure if it's Cat or Kat to be honest) who was guy secure enough to wear women's pantyhose and help me with my outfit.

Aside from the other problems this con had (and apparently there were a great deal behind the scenes), about four or five of the designers bailed on the fashion show! That's not only a disappointment to the attendees coming to watch the show but it put a considerable burden on the organizers. I understand the global attitude of the fashion designers was that this "was just a con" and not Fashion Week but unless there's an emergency, your lack of professionalism is not warranted. It may have been due to losing their vending space (see the linked article at my site) but they could have managed participating in the fashion show itself. It's the denouement of the weekend and for some attendees, it's the whole point in going.

Spandex Guilt - When costuming loses its fun

2011-05-27T10:32:00.000-07:00

While I truly applaud the effort of Viva London for showing the black and white compositions of these models without the use of makeup or retouching, I still feel that the fashion industry is promoting the "heroine chic" look of boney sunken-eyed young women. When, oh when, will a healthy body grace the runway?

Is it possible for some women to be naturally thin? Yes of course. But look around you at any venue: the classroom, the gym, church, the bar scene. Most of the ladies in my own social network are a size 6 (US) or higher. I know that arbitrary number probably means nothing to the men out there who are lucky enough to have measurement equate to their "size" in apparel but for women it's different; it's also different from one designer to the next.

Today I reluctantly stepped on the scale and sure enough, the lax attitude I've had this past year and the over abundance of alcohol have been contributing factors to me falling back into the "unhealthy" range. According to SHAPE magazine's BMI calculator (see image): "Your score indicates you have a unhealthy body fat." My BMI is 25.6 which I really didn't think was that bad.

SHAPE magazine has praised the "fit" look of Kelly Ripa on numerous occasions. I like Ms. Ripa. I find her funny and entertaining. But "fit" I do not. If any ordinary woman confessed to the workout schedule of Ripa, she would be immediately identified as anorexic and then told to medicate and seek therapy for the compulsive behavior.

I used to read SHAPE while I ran on the elliptical (followed by a couple issues of RED SONJA) for what is called "thinspiration." That's when a woman stares at images of bodies that are out of her reach to make her exercise harder and starve. That, plus vicodin had gotten me down to 120 back in 2009. Oh well, 20 pounds are back on after a terribly emotional break up and moving home where Mum cooks every single day and bakes usually once a week. Yeah, I eat now.

Why am I venting now? Because it's Comic-Con season. Everyone that dons the spandex and capes for the con floors are talking about getting into shape. Getting into shape is truly wonderful; I would only promote that. I'm not dissing the benefits of exercise. I do have a problem with the attitude that one should not appear in a costume because they don't look like they just walked off a Hollywood set.

Whether it's a fellow costumer, a fan or a creator, people need to step back and realize why someone puts themselves out there in a costume in the first place. It's supposed to be fun! If you have nothing better to do than call people fat or nitpick if their hair isn't the right shade of red, then you need to re-evaluate the situation. There's such hypocrisy too. There can be a hot blonde as Slave Leia and that's "great" to these shallow d-bags, but show a Rogue with 20 extra pounds and she's not safe from the trolls on the internet.

In a nutshell, if you see a costumer that you find does not meet up to your high standards, just be polite and don't even bother taking a picture. Don't take it just to post and criticize later. In other words, DON'T BE A DOUCHE. Be a fan.

You have unlimited time and money to make (or buy) exactly one costume. What is it?

2011-05-15T05:34:00.001-07:00

I get asked this a million times, Jesse!!! The Terry Dodson design of Circe.

NOTE: Questions that are mass spammed to everyone, rude or have nothing to do with me get DELETED.

Free Comic Book Day costumes

2011-05-08T10:05:00.000-07:00

My full recap is at my site but here are the costumed highlights!

Jessica Collier as Supergirl

Cassandra Kain as Jubilee

Supergirl (Jessica), Black Canary (Ashley) and Power Girl (Amber)

Rogue (Rebecca), Jubilee (Cassandra) and Dr. Strange (Jesse)

Rebecca Walker as Rogue

CGS Supershow Costume Challenge - The Black Widow (Claire Voyant)

2011-05-02T06:46:00.000-07:00

My plan was inspired by 24-Hour Comic Book Day. I’m had a booth where I constructed my Black Widow (from The Twelve) costume right at the booth and hoped to get it finished early enough to actually have some time wearing it. Since I couldn't do 24 hours straight, it was spread across the two days of the show.

I arrived in the nick of time on Friday with five minutes to unload my gear from the car. Ten minutes before the show began on Saturday, I turned on the sewing machine to make sure everything was ok. ERROR MESSAGE! Oh no. I started to panic. I told one of our hosts Bryan Deemer that things weren't working. Luckily, I just had to rethread the machine and it worked. The pre-party at Third & Spruce was great. That of course gave me a bit of a hangover for the project right off the bat so my hashtag on twitter was "#hungovercostume challenge."

First I stitched the interfacing to the collar and stitched the collar closed lengthwise just to get something simple out of the way.

Saturday was all about the bodysuit and the bulk of my day was spent in a frustrated struggle trying to get the spider logo appliquéd to the matte spandex. It seemed like it was centered but when was all was done, it's a little off. I used a ton of straight pins to hold it in place. I zig-zag stitched around the spider with black thread. I hated the way it was coming out. The zig-zags weren't wide enough or tight enough and since the fabric shifted every few stitches there were so many sections that looked pretty awful. But I formulated a plan. I covered the black thread with grey thread and a better embroidery style stitch. At first, I couldn't figure out why the grey stitches were coming out bad; changed the needle and problem solved so one spider in particular is a bit terrible.

I struggled for so many hours with just the spider part that I was sure I wouldn't finish the challenge. At a certain point, I knew that I was at least a few hours behind where I wanted to be. I wanted to have the cape started on Saturday but had to accept that I'd be lucky if the bodysuit was completed.

After the appliqué, I made the sleeves, another easy step to make me feel like I was accomplishing something.

Then I basted the two back pieces together and installed the zipper. The problem this is that once a stitch is placed and then removed, the holes show up in this fabric. I wasn't really concerned since this was the back of the suit and it has a cape. I would have been really annoyed if I had been making this for someone else. I'll have remember to use doublestick tape instead when I do the Huntress costume out of the same material. After the zipper was done, I stitched the remainder of the back bottom together.

The rest of the construction went without any problems: I had to attach the front piece to the back at the shoulders and crotch. Then install the sleeves and collar. The whole bodysuit was completed by 5:30 on Saturday giving me a couple of minutes to walk the show floor.

I was stressed and exhausted. I kept introducing myself to the same people because I was forgetting that I had met them. :/ I was stressed for other personal reasons too but please accept my apologies if I had one of those flake out moments with you.

Saturday night was all about the main party at Third & Spruce in West Reading. I got to be front row to see Kyle of Kirby Krackle sing a few of my nerdy favorites! Woohoo!

Back to the show Sunday. Very hungover. My booth also became the con daycare. I love that some of the kids were actually interested but most of them just wanted to know if I had free stuff; luckily I had leftover tattoos and buttons from Wonder Woman Day.

This particular plan was to make a single layer cape which I'm not a fan of. Capes look better lined because it hides the seams. This character's cape is supposed to be filmy and translucent. The lavender crepe material is also $21/yard. By not lining it, I was able to keep the cost down but then I had to accept that I wouldn't be totally thrilled with the final result.

I hemmed around the hood (which you can't see in any of the pictures). Then had to stitch the four panels together of the cape. This fabric wouldn't work with a clean overlocking stitch; I had to straight stitch the whole thing. The hood was a struggle to attach. I was tired, hungover and stressed. The gathering wasn't going well. I even topstitched the hood to try and make it look a little bit better. The clasp was the last part of sewing and I did it by hand. The length was way too long; I cut it a bit but it was still constantly stepped on and tangled in my boot buckles.

I put on the costume (the suit has a spot where it bunches in the back and should be fixed but I didn't care); donned the wig (another issue as the original long one looked awful so I went with a short one that looks nicer but is way too short); added extra black shadow since mine had been sweat off hours ago. Then toured the floor for a couple minutes before heading to the only panel I saw, the Quick Draw competition.

I think my total construction/sewing time was 10 hours. I'd have to go back and check my notes on how long I spent on the design and cutting/prep stage. The cape fabric was $70; black matte metallic spandex $13/yd * 2 = $26; grey spandex $8; interfacing, zipper, cape closure, etc. was probably around $10; wig $43 (plus the wig I didn't like $45); boots & tights were already in my wardrobe.

HUNTRESS work in progress Day 1

2011-04-24T11:08:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a HUNTRESS: YEAR ONE variation costume for a friend. She's a completely different size than I am so I had to create a new pattern tracing over one of mine and adjusting it. We've looked at different fabric and decided to go with the Matte Metallic in Black for the main part of the suit. For the contrast color which is purple, we'd going with a great shade that's really vibrant in Milliskin Matte Tricot.

Luckily I happen to have the trade paperback of Year One so I compared those images to ones I had found on ComicVine. As it turns out there's a lot of subtle variations.No surprise there. Every artist put his own flare into a character. There are times when the purple looks like a "V" shape in the front but other times when it looks like a separate vest. I'm going with the vest look after consulting with my friend about how she didn't like the style where the purple actually looks like a bathing suit over the bodysuit. We've also decided to go with a black crepe for the cape rather than purple so that it can used for other characters; modifying designs this way is one of my essential tricks. Whether a wig, belt, boots or gloves aren't perfectly accurate don't mean as much to me personally as getting use out them because this stuff is not cheap. It's often labor-intensive if I've built the piece myself and/or expensive for the raw materials. Versatility is key!

Using the Kwik Sew 3052 figure skater pattern as a basis, I traced over the initial pattern onto muslin. I took some time to drape spandex over my dress form (again it's my size but I just needed an idea of the vest shape). Then I sketched on the muslin while referencing that panel above until I came up with lines that I hope will work. I highlighted the final lines in fabric marker. Traced that muslin with a different muslin so that I'd have the one original full-length suit pattern and then use the second to cut up into individual pattern pieces for color blocking.

So far, it's about 3 hours into the project. Time for a nap.

I completed the rest of the documentation at AmberUnmasked.com

Romance Comics making a comeback? I hope so!

2011-04-19T08:26:00.000-07:00

After falling in love with the era that brought us BLACK WIDOW/CLAIRE VOYANT and MODESTY BLAISE, the super spy female counterpart of James Bond, I learned that Titan Books was going to be releasing tributes to more golden age comics, in particular Romance Comics. I hope to be added to the press list for when that comes out.

Jumping ahead of the books, Marvel Comics has been getting some merchandise out on the shelves. I picked up this little purse at Wal-Mart (of all places - I only go in that store about four times a year) and I learned from my twitter & tumblr friend Betty Fellon that there's a matching wallet.

See you in Pittsburgh!

2011-04-15T03:52:00.000-07:00

These are the costumes that I'll be wearing in Pittsburgh: my Dark & Strange Alice in Wonderland and my Susan Storm of the Fantastic Four. You'll be able to find me at the booths of PAUL STORRIE, STORMWATCH COMICS, and JOE SINNOTT. I'll also be taking as much as it allows to walk the floor visiting other great talent like Josh Lyman, Jay Fife & his model Lola Lynn, Andy Harmon, Stauffer, and Ken Haeser.

Thanks for voting! Here are the counts:

ALICE: 24
SUE: 13
FIRESTAR: 12
POWER GIRL: 12
ACE: 7
TWILIGHT GUARDIAN: 1

Help me pack for Pittsburgh Comic Con. Need to choose & pack tonight!

2011-04-14T06:49:00.000-07:00

Help me choose what to wear in Pittsburgh! I need 2 outfits for Sat & Sun at this weekend's Pitt Comic Con. I'm leaning towards the Ace & Alice ones. I'll be working several booths: Paul Storrie (writer), Stormwatch Comics (shop), and Joe Sinnott (legend).

Best Gender Swapped Justice League from WonderCon

2011-04-11T12:49:00.000-07:00

Photo by Lynx Pics

I wish I had seen this in person but sadly I have never been able to attend WonderCon. This costumed entourage is truly one of the only times I have ever seen gender swapping in costuming done well. The characters maintain their integrity and stay within typical comic book design. "Crossplay" just usually comes across as bogus slutted up girl dressed as a male character. This Justice League was definitely high caliber.

Quickie edit: Roxanna clarified for me - "what we're doing is actually neither crossplay (trying to pass as a character of the opposite sex) or even gender bending (playing with gender identity within a character) - we were sex-swapping. So my understanding is then that "crossplay" would essentially be the same as "drag" - meaning if Steven were trying to actually be Power Girl instead of male-inspired variation of the character. Correction duly noted. :)

I know they reworked official identities so that use of "man" and "woman" were switched with "lass" or something to make the gender identity work but I don't have the list so I'm just going to try and explain based on the real characters' names.

Members:

Photo from Tallest Silver's facebook

Little Hotshot as GREEN ARROW
Roxanna Meta as AQUA"MAN"
Steven Meissner as POWER "GIRL"
Tallest Silver as BAT "MAN"
Clyde Max as WONDER "WOMAN"
Tat Zee as PLASTIC "MAN"
Mia Ballistic as GREEN LANTERN
Catherine Pow as THE FLASH
Kit Quinn as SUPER "MAN"
unknown: BLACK CANARY, VIXEN

To learn more about them visit their facebook page, UNITED UNDERWORLD.

CGS SUPERSHOW, Reading, PA - Apr 30-May1, 2011

2011-04-08T08:29:00.000-07:00

If you haven’t heard me talking about the COMIC GEEK SPEAK SUPERSHOW (April 30-May 1) then you haven’t been paying attention. This is my favorite show of the year because of it’s casual atmosphere, great shopping, huge opportunities to learn about indie and mainstream creators and of course, the rocking post parties at Third & Spruce.

My plan is inspired by 24-Hour Comic Book Day. I’m going to have a booth where I will be constructing my Black Widow (from The Twelve) costume right at the booth and hope to get it finished early enough to actually have some time wearing it. Since I can’t do 24 hours straight, it’ll be spread across the two days of the show.

Check out my interview with PETER RIOS from CGS.

Is there a costume that you've done that was more stressful, time consuming and frustrating than you had thought it would be before you started? (Let's not count Amazonia, cuz I know that was a tough one)

2011-03-25T05:14:00.001-07:00

The short answer is: Almost all of them are harder to make than they look. The suits I've made from PVC gave me surprise by ruining my needles. The vinyl would scrape off onto the needle. It made for much slower sewing and a lot of needle replacements; the machine sewing is usually one of the easy steps. Also, I hate making accessories like gloves. You'd think it's just stitching pieces together like anything else, but they are so difficult and I have to hand sew them. I'm terrible at putting in zippers and elastic which are in almost every suit too. Trying to add fur to Black Cat was also a complete bitch of a process and I was never happy with it.

NOTE: Questions that are mass spammed to everyone, rude or have nothing to do with me get DELETED.

Comic book conventions are ripe for spectacle, drama and just plain old good memories... Do you have any great "con stories?"

2011-03-22T15:50:00.001-07:00

I have many great con memories. I prefer not to dwell on the unpleasant times I've had during con weekends (mainly they didn't involve the con at all but personal stuff while I was away). Great moments include: the Geppi Museum in Baltimore where I met the wonderful guys of @DynamicForces; Getting the opportunity to "booth babe" for Joe Sinnott in Pittsburgh and then for @loveandcapes in NYCC; I owe one of the best times of my romantic life to the Pittsburgh con; the CGS Supershow con and after-con hours are equally epic because it's the only place where I felt like I could mingle with the creators and not have that "line" of fan-creator between us.

NOTE: Questions that are mass spammed to everyone, rude or have nothing to do with me get DELETED.

Costume: Modesty Blaise

2011-03-19T13:18:00.000-07:00

I added MODESTY BLAISE to my list after reading a volume of the old strips which was published by Titan Books. The DEATH IN SLOW MOTION oversize paperback was my first exposure to the character which I heard about from my relentless best friend in blogging, Bunche (The Vault of Buncheness).

I have often gushed about my love for the artists at ComicTwart, an exclusive collective of comic book artists that specialize in pulp styles. My favorite artist, Francesco Francavilla, happens to be among the site's members making it easier for me to stal.. I mean monitor, his latest and greatest creations. Recently on his own blog, he posted a picture of Modesty which was all I needed to move my plans for her higher up on my costume To Do List.

Naturally, Modesty Blaise is easily compared to the likes of Emma Peel and Honey West. I describe her as a female James Bond. She has the sex appeal, the connections, the trademark outfit which is enhanced by a vast wardrobe, great secondary characters that back her up, and of course, being British adds to the list of characteristics that make her a legendary super spy. There's no reason any woman in costuming or acting would not want to be Modesty.

Since I already have the pattern designed (a modification of the figure skating pattern I use for most things) it was not long to put this together. There was no color blocking, no special logo, no unusual surprises with the texture of the fabric either; it was one of the easiest suits I've ever made. It was less an hour to cut the fabric and four hours of sewing.

The rubbery spandex is actually not vinyl. It's considered a matte metallic which I got in New York City's Spandex World for $13/yard. For my size, it takes 2.5 yards for this pattern. (Description: Matte metallic coating on black nylon spandex, Care Instruction: Hand Wash in mild detergent, line dry, do not dry clean, do not use bleach or soak in chlorine, Color: Black, Content: 80% Nylon 20% Spandex, Fabric Weight: 6.4 Oz/Sq Yard, Stretch Direction: 4 Way, Usage: Suitable for special occasions and dance costumes,Width: 58-60")

The bullet belt I used just for these test photos came from Hot Topic during a recent shopping trip (around $20). The mock Equestrian boots have been in my wardrobe for a long time. I remember getting them in a boutique in New Hope, PA for around $40. The wig ($44) came from VogueWigs which I don't recommend as a supplier. Their customer service is terrible and they have no refund or exchange policy. The gun in these pics is my Colt Python .357 Magnum which is not at all the style of gun Modesty would carry but it's the only one I have and I felt one was needed even for test photos. I have black gloves somewhere but they're more like evening gloves than what I imagine Modesty wearing while on a mission. You can see how even a very simple costume can become expensive when you add each piece up.

CHEERIOS cereal mascot design contest for kids!

2011-03-16T16:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, so there isn't much time! In fact, you only have until tomorrow!!!

We've heard you share stories about your creative kids and now we want to celebrate their talents! Tell your child to grab their pencils and create a drawing on this subject: "What would the Original Cheerios mascot look like? What would their name be? What superpowers would they have?" Three drawings will be chosen and turned into a comic book poster! [Please submit to our Facebook wall by Thurs. March 17th at 5pm central to participate.]

http://www.facebook.com/Cheerios?sk=wall

New authorized Bettie Page documentary!

2011-03-12T04:46:00.000-08:00

Visit AmberUnmasked.com for the announcement!

She is the original “Seducer of the Innocent” -- my new catchphrase describing women like me who feel it natural and empowering to enjoy our bodies for art and for pleasure. She is a role model. An icon. A legend. A mother to all of us in modeling.

Amber Unmasked is back up

2011-03-03T15:58:00.001-08:00

After paying the blackmail to godaddy my site is back up: http://www.amberunmasked.com/

Will we ever see "real size" models?

2011-03-01T10:17:00.000-08:00

TrésSugar has a small news feature about the possibilities of real size models making their way to the runways and magazines. A study was done that shows that women buy more readily when they relate to the model in the advertisement.

But when exceptionally thin and young women who all resemble each other model clothes, it's almost impossible for an average-sized woman to tell how the look will translate in her closet.

A year ago, and in fact over the past decade, the fashion world has been criticized for its promotion of unhealthy models. The couture houses can claim that they have standards for BMI but there's a clear message on today's runway: Thin Wins.

Then when you think about the inundation of product marketing we are faced with, like snacks and meals and even coffee drinks that supply over a day's worth of calories in one serving, it seems impossible to live in America and meet the fashion world's expectations of beauty.

2009

At my best, 400-800 calories per day and 5 days a week pilates/cardio/kickboxing schedule from two summers ago, I got as low as 120 pounds and never was able to get below it. I had finally reached the medical community's definition of "healthy weight" and BMI. I had more compliments on my photos than ever and my super suits actually fit the way they were supposed to. Now I'm back at a zaftig 137 and struggling every time I hear an art instructor say something about not being able to see this or that muscle/bone on me; mind you they don't mean to say it abrasively but what a preoccupied mind hears is, "You're too fat to be our model."

ALEXA CHUNG

There are countless websites dedicated to the look of Thin Beauty and skeletal models/celebrities. Granted in today's already over-photoshopped world of imagery, anyone could be fooled, but for the most part, the photos are right from the real world. We just celebrated New York's Fashion Week and now it's London's turn. Talk Show host Alexa Chung has legs thinner than pre-pubescent girls.

Can we believe Gweneth Paltrow when she claims to have just downed a cheeseburger before donning her glittery Oscar gown? Um, no. I sure don't unless it also involved her chasing it down with a bottle of laxatives or "making up for it" with a four-hour cardio workout the next day. Most celebs do have to work at it and they have the schedules, nannies, trainers and paychecks to help them get there. It's their job to be "beautiful" after all.

2010 PHOTO BY JAY FIFE

From a more real world perspective, I face this every day. I'm very happy for my friends in costuming that have managed to achieve what I have not in their physical fitness goals. Some have launched into competitive body building even; but most just enjoy the results as seen in thousands of cameras at any comic book convention. Yes, I'm happy for them but I'm also crazy jealous because even back then in 2009, I jiggled and rolled when not sucked into spanx.

2010 NYCC

At some point frustration wins. Five days a week and starving plus the addition of very expensive pills, was still not enough for me to look like "everyone else." I've done the shakes, the pills, the cleanses and the colonics. Underneath the skin may have achieved medical health goals but the package was still never going to fit into the mold of proper costuming or modeling. Because of this, I've been debating about giving up the "superhero" side to my costuming in order to migrate into attire where body flaws can be hidden (like steampunk, pin-up, etc.) but I can't seem to let go just yet. All of the genres simply look better on fit people, like any type of clothing on the market whether custom or off-the-rack.

When it comes to superhero costuming, there's this looming fear of ending up on a Worst Cosplay list. Even if it's a list composed by some pimply-faced virgin that has never talked to a girl, I still don't want to make those lists.

What do you favor more, Comic books or Manga/anime?

2011-02-26T05:32:00.001-08:00

American comics are for me even though all the animation is done overseas. I just don't like "most" of the manga styles I've seen. I prefer the European be-de over Japanese manga/anime. The ones I do like that are not typically "American" in style would be Disney's W.I.T.C.H. (Italian, I think), Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Yu-Gi-Oh but I normally can't stand anything manga/anime. I also find the cosplay "kids" at cons tend to be off-the-chart obnoxious because they're ramped up on sugar and adrenaline and away from their parents. Maybe I'm just old but get me with a group of spandex clad Avengers for some whiskey drinking and I'm in a happy place. As for the comics, I stick with some traditional reading: IDW, DC, Marvel, Image, Dynamite and small press publishers. Since it's the industry I'm in, networking with people already experienced has introduced me to a huge world of indie comics; they're not usually superhero genre and are still American comics.

NOTE: Questions that are mass spammed to everyone, rude or have nothing to do with me get DELETED.

Get a piece of me! The AmberUnmasked Store Launched This Week.

2011-02-25T17:32:00.000-08:00

For some reason, people have expressed interest in seeing AmberUnmasked t-shirts. I’m flattered and still baffled that someone would want to wear a shirt, button, or whatever with my name on it. I was definitely something that I wanted for myself to wear at booths and cons when not in a costume.

When my friend and inker ANDREW HARMON sent me a few logos, all I really planned to do was upload them to cafepress so I could print my own shirts and coffee mugs for myself. See, I’m still finding it unbelievable that fans I’ve never met or even my friends that I love would order an AU stamped product. Well, we’ll just have to see how this goes!

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! Koni Waves creator and fellow Jersyan STEPHEN SISTILLI was equally as bored as Andrew and decided that he would come up with a banging headshot logo for me. He chose to stick with the basics that Andrew harnessed: the striped hair, the goggles and the color pink. I thought what Stephen did was perfect for buttons so I monkeyed with adding some text and hope the final result didn’t ruin Stephen’s image.

As I said, I was just going to make one or two t-shirts, a coffee mug and a button, but cafepress makes bulk adding of products quite easy so there’s a wide array of swag uploaded already. If anyone has a special request, like you really feel the need for an AU mousepad, just let me know and I’ll activate the product.

The direct url is cafepress.com/amberunmasked

HAPPY SHOPPING AND MANY THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

I get introduce art students to superheroes

2011-01-24T16:36:00.000-08:00

I've been having a great time modeling at several art schools and colleges in my region. The instructor of one of the figure study classes was intrigued by my collection of costumes and asked me to bring one for the Tuesday class. This is a big departure from the figure modeling they're used to seeing. The students can use any medium.

Since I want to bring along something where I don't have to pack a ton of accessories, I'm just going to bring a generic suit along with a nice pair of boots. No wigs, belts, gloves, etc. This blue suit was made with the intention of selling it but I don't think a few hours of wear on a stage will degrade it in the least. It makes me think of the Ultimate Fantastic Four and Blue Lantern Corps. I really like it with the white go-go boots. I considered red ones but the white is a great contrast.

If you haven't checked, I've updated what I'm pretty sure is my 2011 convention schedule, http://www.amberunmasked.com/schedule/. I'm hoping that once my short stories are published I'll get to add some appearances at comic shops and book stores if there's any interest.

My Blue Lantern design in DC Comics

2011-01-19T18:47:00.000-08:00

From AMBERUNMASKED.com:

Although I made this costume between 2009 and 2010 for one of my friends in the Who Wants to be a Superhero? fan club, Tech Support, it wasn’t until today that the Blue Lantern transformation became a headline in DC Comics....Dan Didio resumed his DC Nation letter in the back of all DC comic books this week. This time it featured Dan pictured with a large group of costumed fans in the various colored Lantern Corps uniforms. Some were based on existing characters while others, like Blue Lotus, were original.

Comics in the pipeline

2011-01-17T10:17:00.000-08:00

[insert jokes about laying pipe here... aaaaand now continue]

1. First up is TORI BRIN, TEEN DETECTIVE - my comic short story about a quirky freshmen named Tori Brin that sets out to solve the mystery of who stole the answers to the English Literature exam. Hey, it's not rocket science but it's a fun young reader story to be included in the Creative Compassions project which raises money for the homeless. Art by JAY FIFE and ANDREW HARMON (both: Mary Monster). This project is taking quite a bit of time since everyone involved is squeezing in their work around their "real" jobs and actual lives. It will happen. We just don't know when.

2. Next up is HOLYOAK - Vivian Holyoak is a witch in her 20s that has lost her job and is about to lose her family's home if she doesn't figure out how to set things straight. With the help of her familiars and a ghostly grandmother, Vee does whatever it takes to preserve the Holyoak legacy. This is my comic short from the Comics Experience Intro to Comic Book Writing class under the tutelage of Andy Schmidt (IDW editor). Art by LANE MONTOYA. Expected release is April, 2011. (right: character roughs)

3. Finally, it's SLIM & POSH - my science fiction comic short about an overworked yet brilliant research scientist, Dr. Paul David who has to experiment on lab monkeys on a quest to cure obesity. It's science fiction; therefore the experiments yield some unexpected results. I wrote it as part of one of the monthly challenges in a comic writers’ workshop. This is to be included in an anthology project spearheaded by Shawn Atkins of Workshop13. If you’re interested in indie comics, see if you can join us at the Pittsburgh Indy Comic Society on facebook. Art by THOMAS BOATWRIGHT (Cemetery Blues, Zeke Deadwood). Expected release is April, 2011.

New Alice Gallery

2011-01-14T00:50:00.000-08:00

You may have seen the tutorial for my DARK & STRANGE ALICE but now you can see a nice gallery of the finished dress.

Most Epic Costumes for 2010 - it's a Lantern Corps shutout!

2010-12-30T15:49:00.000-08:00

MARGIE COX AS CAROL FERRIS

For a few years I've been a proud member of THE SUPERHERO COSTUMING FORUM (the SCF for short). While I'm not there daily like I used to be, it's still my "home" for my costuming needs, advice, tips and comraderie. *There's an application process because we choose to maintain a level of adult maturity that may not be welcome by youngsters just googling for superhero costumes.

The members of the board got to nominate their favorite Female and Male costume creations for 2010. Winners Margie Cox (Star Sapphire Carol Ferris) and Aaron Rivin (Kilowog of the Green Lantern Corps) deserve a huge round of virtual applause for what they managed to accomplish.

It should be no surprise that with DC Comics' crossover event Blackest Night followed by Brightest Day, that the various Lantern Corps were on everyone's minds. In 2010 the costumers managed to pull off some of the most challenging costumes including Larfleeze, Avarice Lex Luthor, Brother Warth and even little props like Dex-Starr, Xax of Xaos, and Ch'p. It would take days to showcase all of the wonderful Lantern Corps costumes seen in 2010. You can get a really great idea from the sister site, THE LEAGUE OF LANTERNS. Plenty of prop makers were busy sculpting masks, corps rings and power batteries long before DC Direct ever got them to market. These are fierce costumers. Some get hyped by the competition of being first; others of being the best. When I can't answer a question, these are the people I send you to.

AARON RIVIN AS KILOWOG

Margie crafted her Star Sapphire costume on her own. It's hard not to be envious of her. She's a lovely person who is always extremely gracious and generous with her time. She does a ton of charity work to raise money for Base Camp. And to top it off, she has mad skills. Her Star Sapphire costume was made WITH SCRAPS from one of her older projects. Yeah. You want to hate her but you just can't help but be in love with her. If you recall, I was first going to tackle this version of Carol Ferris but after seeing Margie whip this out in a weekend, I went with the more modest Silver Age version.

Aaron's Kilowog costume was a full-blown collaboration. The muscle suit, mask, uniform, and ring were all made by people connected to the SCF. He credits the costume to the following:

Mask by Matt Geuther (maskmasters.com)
Muscle suit and Hands by Brandon Lane (FlexDesigns)
Green Lantern Bodysuit by Brian Parsley (GreenarrowFL)
Green Lantern Ring by Shane Browning (Shane9mm)

CONGRATULATIONS TO MARGIE AND AARON! As always, an unlimited amount of thanks go out to DJ Spider and LoganAllenWolf, our illustrious admins at the SCF. You can also find us on Facebook.

Shameless plug: I designed Dex-Starr's costume for the 2010 Comic-Con International. This Dex-Starr seen with DC's Dan DiDio was co-created with Jill Pantozzi who accompanied Dex as her own Rage Lantern.

Please vote for me for Top Geek

2010-12-22T17:29:00.000-08:00

Please vote for me for iiNet’s Top Geek! I’m sure the competition is tough as I’m not a hardcore gamer but I am your average comic book girl and would love to win this title. Yes, I’m pandering. I’m begging, in fact. I have no problem admitting that. It takes only a couple seconds and no registration process is necessary.

I’ve been reviewing comic books and interviewing creators since 2007 for websites like Dynamic Forces and the Girls’ Entertainment Network until launching my own site AmberUnmasked.com. I started my YouTube channel in 2008 to discuss comics, conventions and bring you interviews with creators and celebrities.

Even though I’ve been writing as long as I’ve been cosplaying, it’s my role as Wonder Woman for NJ’s annual domestic violence awareness fundraiser that most people know me. At Comic Fusion, we spend all year collecting artwork and then auction it for our local domestic abuse shelter. This year we raised $16k with the help of fine comic artists like Adam Hughes and Allison Sohn. I’ve also been modeling for over a year for CosplayDeviants and for prestigious art schools like Joe Kubert’s School for Cartooning & Graphic Arts in NJ.

New Pin-Ups based on vintage styles with modern rockabilly edge

2010-12-17T17:10:00.000-08:00

Ever since I realized there was a resurgence in the vintage pin-ups of the WWII era, I knew that I would eventually find a way to partake in the scene. The pin-up look is more than wardrobe. It’s hair, makeup, and setting. A perfect pin-up shoot embraces all of this like recreations of dark brunettes in diners or red lipsticked blondes saluting the soldiers.

So far, I've only done two retro inspired shoots, one in Pittsburgh and one recently in Ohio. If you go to AmberUnmasked.com and click the top menu for Photo Galleries, follow it to Glamour for both the shoots. All of the details about where I found the dress and shoes are explained there.

The photos by Jay Fife were done specifically for him to use as reference for his pencil/graphite illustrations. If you'd like Jay to create a custom commission piece from one of my photos or any other character you want, he's available for commissions right now. The picture below is one Jay did using one of our other photo sets from Halloween. He created me as the Bride of Frankenstein (that bleached out stripe in my hair is good for more than Rogue!) and he invented a hardcore steampunk scene inside the mad scientist's laboratory. This picture should be available as a print for the 2011 convention circuit.

Don't forget that you can join the AmberUnmasked Facebook Page which is easier than trying to get me to accept friend requests.

Power Girl wishes you a peaceful season!

2010-12-09T12:27:00.000-08:00

On behalf of the Justice Society of America, I send you my very best wishes for a peaceful and happy holiday season! ~Power Girl

Thank you for all the fantastic support in 2010. I've been costuming since 2006 and blogging about it since then. Over the years, I have expanded to reviewing comic books, then interviewing creators, actors, models and costumers. A year ago I started modeling and it's been an incredible experience. I would not have been able to do it without friends and strangers taking time out of their days to read the articles and leave me notes about what you like.

May 2011 be filled with good luck and prosperity!

What is your version of the ultimate nerdvana as a costumer?

2010-11-27T19:42:00.001-08:00

Being asked to appear in a comic or at a booth for a character I love. Definitely an amazing feeling though I've not been in a comic yet but have done a bit of booth work.

Ask me anything but seriously think twice about rude or insulting remarks.

Isn't the term "cosplay" just for the anime folks? Shouldn't superhero costumers have their own term?

2010-11-27T19:41:00.001-08:00

Sort of. A lot of costumers of the mainstream books/shows prefer the term "costumer" exclusively; others don't mind sharing the term "cosplay." I typically don't "get into character" and I don't "do skits" like the anime people but I'm just used to the word cosplay and it makes searches/hits easier.

Ask me anything but seriously think twice about rude or insulting remarks.

Video 1 from The Anachronism

2010-11-26T19:21:00.000-08:00

My very first steampunk event:

Hopefully I'll get the rest of the video edited soon.

Dark & Strange Alice

2010-11-26T14:31:00.000-08:00

I actually finished my Dark & Strange Alice Liddell in time to wear it last weekend to a steampunk event. I hadn't planned on wearing it but figured, what the heck, Alice in Wonderland is from the time period of Victorian literature and the theme was Oz Meets Wonderland; so it worked out. I was one of at least four Alices.

Work in Progress - Alice in Wonderland

2010-11-20T19:38:00.000-08:00

ALICE LIDDELL of Wonderland dress: The “sexy” babydoll dress in my photo gallery was actually the property of my photographer; the long traditional one in my Brooklyn shoot was one my mother made but is so worn and getting shredded. The construction of this Dark and Strange Alice dress is going much faster than I anticipated.

Of course I modified the design slightly from the Simplicity pattern (#4015) so that may have streamlined it a bit. There are so many parts of this that have been frustrating.

All the progress pics with my current notes of the process are at AmberUnmasked.com.

Have you ever done multiple costumes for a single character whose look has changed over the years?

2010-11-20T15:04:00.001-08:00

Not exactly. There's probably only 4 costumes I have that are even close to how they appear in the media (Firestar, Harley Quinn, Ace, and Susan Storm). I've made 2 versions of Wonder Woman only as improvement progress but both were my own versions. All my other suits are usually a bit of my own creative license. I'm just happy they are recognizable at all. My first Rogue was the green/yellow Rogue which I had made but then I made one of my own design and I know it won't be like anyone else's Rogue out there. I wouldn't mind doing some of Rogue's other outfits because I really love most of her wardrobe. I know Firestar has an alternate outfit too with black in it but I really loved her because of the cartoon so that's the one I'm sticking with.

Ask me anything but seriously think twice about rude or insulting remarks.

Out of anyone, who do you think I should cosplay?

2010-11-15T20:42:00.001-08:00

I want you to be the best damn Batgirl out there because I know it's what you want, but I'm working on a plan for it.

Ask me anything but seriously think twice about rude or insulting remarks.

When looking for characters to play, do you look for characters that reflect your personality, ones that run counter to your personality, or does personality not play into it at all?

2010-11-15T20:20:00.001-08:00

The personality has to have something I can relate to but that doesn't mean I'm like it necessarily. I can relate to Wonder Woman being courageous but that doesn't mean I am. I happen to be crazy but I think Harley is the character in my wardrobe I like the least to dress as because other people do it so much better; I look at my issues and they are reflective but Harley but I don't gel with her on a personal level. Even characters I don't know well when I start usually have something in common with me after a while.

Ask me anything but seriously think twice about rude or insulting remarks.

What comic character do you like, but think you could never dress as, and why not?

2010-11-15T16:25:00.001-08:00

Costumes like Vampirella. Basically the way artists paint/color is that they just add color over a naked body; many don't know the first thing about how fabric drapes or specifically how clothing is constructed. Vampi's suit would not cup under her boobs unless you saw stitching there for underwire (like a bra or corset does). If I don't think I can make the costume, then I just wouldn't do it. That's why I've never attempted Circe. There tons of costumes that would be just far too expensive for me also. I've seen them done and envy them but I know I try to keep my stuff under $300. When you have to hire sculptors and moldmakers you're talking about adding big expenses. I've started collecting pieces for Zatanna but it will take years. I don't know how to properly make the elements of her outfit so I'll have to buy them and it will just take a long time. I can like a character plenty but that also doesn't mean I'd feel comfortable in her costume. I wore the most revealing costume of my wardrobe this year and it was very uncomfortable. I didn't have the security of just being alone with an artist or a photographer; I was out there at comic con with hundreds of thousands of fans. I like the Ame-Comi action figures but I don't think I'd ever attempt one of those because of their complexity (here's a tip: less fabric/coverage does not mean easier to make).

Ask me anything but seriously think twice about rude or insulting remarks.

What book are you currently reading ?

2010-11-15T16:05:00.001-08:00

I'm not answering because I know it's one of those general blasts to everyone registered. I blog constantly about my reading. Sorry to be a bitch, but go read my blogs.

Ask me anything but seriously think twice about rude or insulting remarks.

2011 projects

2010-11-14T14:07:00.000-08:00

I’m trying to start my winter projects for the 2011 comic convention season. First up is a new (yes, yet another) ALICE LIDDELL of Wonderland dress. The “sexy” babydoll dress in my photo gallery was actually the property of my photographer; the long traditional one in my Brooklyn shoot was one my mother made but is so worn and getting shredded. Time for a new “twisted Alice” created by me. I’ll be modifying Simplicity Pattern 4015 to suit my needs.

The hardest one I have my sights on is PHYLA VELL from GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. Firstly, I need to read more about her. I’ve only read the first six issues of GotG and I’m sure there’s a lot more to know about who she is and what her personality is like. But the aside from the non-visible, the costume is one that looks easy on the surface but when examining the details like the thigh high boots, the armored gauntlets and the sword, I’m afraid this will be the one to torment me. I’m just not a prop person which means I’d rather hire a friend to do it which means I’d have to be able to afford to outsource part of the project.

Another Marvel creation is BLACK WIDOW but not the one most people would think of. It’s normal to think of the black catsuit-clad Russian-American on theAvengers (which I will get to when I have time to work on the stingers); instead I’m talking about the Black Widow from THE TWELVE which was a Marvel take over of characters that had fallen into public domain. Chris Weston has been the artist and now also the writer on the series (it was yet ANOTHER series started by Straczynski and never finished). The reason I’m looking forward to the Black Widow project is because I will creating while at theComic Geek Speak Supershow! That’s right! I’m crazy. I got the idea from 24-Hour Comic Day where artists and writers make a whole comic in a marathon timespan of 24 hours straight. I can’t work at the convention center for 24 hours (and I wouldn’t miss the Third & Spruce parties anyway) so I’m dividing the project up over the 2 days, April 30-May1, 2011. Hopefully I’ll get it finished. I only wished Chris Weston could fly over to America to be there with me.

Last up is the KIRBY KRACKLE MASCOT. I finally got to meet Jim & Kyle of Kirby Krackle at the NYCC after being online only friends. They had a couple great concerts at NY. I didn’t even have to invade their booth! Jim came over to Love and Capes and stole me away from Thom. I asked them if I could design an original KK costume and they said I could try the super girl that’s on one of their album covers. I studied and reworked it to something I might be able to create better. I only wish I could fly out to Emerald City Comic Con and wear for them since that’s “their” show – literally… Jim owns ECCC. If you missed it, I interviewed Jim & Kyle a while ago.

THE TWELVE'S BLACK WIDOW	GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY'S PHYLA VELL
TWISTED ALICE	KIRBY KRACKLE MASCOT

What's your favourite character costume and why?

2010-11-14T11:47:00.001-08:00

Of the ones that I have? Probably my Susan Storm (F4) outfit because it's the most comfortable and now signed by Joe Sinnott. :) But being Wonder Woman is always the best because people recognize her most. For comic con though, it's Firestar. I get the best reaction from fanboys when I wear that one. Of ones I don't have, I love Terry Dodson's Circe. Wish my skills were good enough to make it (and my bank balance!)

Ask me anything but seriously think twice about rude or insulting remarks.

What comic character do you think has the sexiest costume?

2010-11-09T08:59:00.001-08:00

Julie Newmar's Catwoman

Ask me anything but seriously think twice about rude or insulting remarks.

When did you first decide to get into Cosplay?

2010-11-09T07:51:00.001-08:00

2006

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What activity do you do to relax and wind down from a stressful day?

2010-11-09T06:35:00.001-08:00

Listen to music or podcasts while checking the usual social networking sites. I love certain tv shows and of course reading when my eyes aren't too tired from a computer monitor. I actually don't go out much.

Ask me anything but seriously think twice about rude or insulting remarks.

You're winding down from an absolutely perfect day. What kind of music is playing in the background?

2010-11-09T04:46:00.001-08:00

My music goes through phases. Currently I'm in a bizarre mix of things like Mazzy Star, Norah Jones and Jace Everett. A perfect day with the window down usually calls for dance music though like Madonna.

Ask me anything but seriously think twice about rude or insulting remarks.

Let's go with both!

2010-11-09T04:36:00.001-08:00

"What model would you LOVE to set up a co-operation with for a photoshoot? For cosplay? For art?"
I'd love to work with @AerynNerdy from @CosplayDeviants because I think our bodies types would look great together. She's so magickal in spirit that I could see us doing a magick/fantasy theme like faeries, nymphs or witches. The two of us could make one helluva calendar with different themes each month. I'm really addicted to Alice Liddell/Wonderland so I would love to get her dressed up as those characters. For art - I think what we do IS art but to spin it, I actually think it'd be a neat idea to recreate masterpieces; there was a wonderful time when women were admired for their curves and bellies. We could be really bad and do our versions of some of the religious work by Renaissance masters. The problem is we are literally on opposite sides of the globe.

Ask me anything but seriously think twice about rude or insulting remarks.

What's your alcoholic beverage of choice?

2010-11-08T19:07:00.001-08:00

That changes a lot. I'm usually interested in adding liquor to coffee. That's probably what I do most frequently. I had actually given up alcohol for years because I didn't want to beat up my liver w/o having my gall bladder and because I saw every drink as a cup of calories. I enjoy a really good beer. I'm a little snobby about my beer and coffee.

Ask me anything but seriously think twice about rude or insulting remarks.

Who is your favorite co-cosplayer? (or cosplayers?)

2010-11-08T19:05:00.001-08:00

I have a long list of favorites: Riddle, Belle Chere, Allen Hansard, Brian Parsley, Ana Aesthetic, Jessica Nova, Aeryn Nerdy, Margie Cox, Laban Bolero and DJ Spider.. to literally name just a few. There are tons out there that I couldn't pick one fave because each one does something unique. The great thing is we all know each other and help each other out because of thesuperherocostumingforum.com and League of Heroes, League of Lanterns, etc.

Ask me anything but seriously think twice about rude or insulting remarks.

Are there any original characters cosplay ideas you would like to develop and shoot? Do you ever get asked to model for aspiring creators to promote their original characters?

2010-11-08T06:56:00.001-08:00

Steve Bryant didn't ask me to, but I've spent years trying to acquire the right pieces for ATHENA VOLTAIRE (@stevebryantart). They may have been joking but @KirbyKrackle and I discussed me becoming their mascot which is on my To Do list for January or February. My very first superhero costume is my original character but I've also sketched out original versions for steampunk designs (I just don't have the prop making skills to do them). The character generator in City of Heroes is really the only reason I play the game. I've also worked with @citizenDave and @kfreeman13 to promote their comics but not specifically as their characters. http://amberunmasked.com/?page_id=201

Ask me anything but seriously think twice about rude or insulting remarks.

As for full cosplay I meant getting into a full character (hero or otherwise). I would imagine Wonder Woman since that is the one I have seen you with the most, but would that be part of an ideal shoot?

2010-11-08T06:39:00.001-08:00

I don't have an ultimate superhero shoot per se. Doing a great cheesecake shoot would be tops. Then I'd love to experience the real Hollywood style full blown set shoots for fun characters that I would not normally consider doing like Jungle Girl, Lady Death or Red Sonja (anytime I can play with swords is fun). Just no way would I seriously do them now but Hollywood special f/x go a long way. If I could do an entire series of Wonder Woman, I'd love to be decked in different versions of her costumes like her simple Island dress to armored warrior but it would be great to battle Ares. I've also never gotten to do a shoot with anyone else to play off of (Ooo, bad preposition at the end of a sentence *gasp*) . One of my visions for Ace would be to mentally torture the Joker with Batman in the background. The episode of JLU got pretty dark.

Ask me anything but seriously think twice about rude or insulting remarks.

Marilyn Monroe or Betty Page style pin up? Or would you go to a full cosplay?

2010-11-08T06:21:00.001-08:00

Pin-up cheesecake is both Marilyn and Bettie. Their poses were similar as were their hair and make-up. They're a great balance of fair vs dark. Only differences come up when Bettie gets into bondage. The only way I would even try that would be a photographer that I trust with my life because I just would never do it otherwise. Not sure what you mean about "full cosplay." Donning any persona (hair, makeup, etc) that's not your normal everyday self, is cosplay to me. When I wore suits to work I used to feel like I was acting but not in a good/fun way.

Ask me anything but seriously think twice about rude or insulting remarks.

What would be your dream shoot? Behind or in front of the camera?

2010-11-08T05:51:00.001-08:00

In front of the camera: I'd love to have the perfect hair, makeup and wardrobe for a glamorous pin-up/vintage inspired shoot. I've never experienced the whole works of being made up and I think it makes a big difference in the quality of a shoot. Behind the camera: I'm not a photographer but I always figured I'd end up there since I like directing but I don't have the technical knowledge of how to use a camera to actually do the mechanical elements of a shoot; directing though I'd love to help any woman with low self-esteem about her appearance and prove to her that she's beautiful like they do with "How to Look Good Naked." I think once you have it proven to you, it's a lot easier to accept that we don't have to be perfect and that even celebs/supermodels have been digitally enhanced.

Ask me anything but seriously think twice about rude or insulting remarks.

More Halloween Pin-Up Photos

2010-10-31T18:51:00.000-07:00

I just finished uploading the Rogue and Harley Quinn pin-up photos by Jay Fife. I'm exhausted! I haven't even gotten to resize the Bettie Page inspired ones. That will have to be another day. For now, please Digg my links to AmberUnmasked.com's new pages:

MY DIGG PROFILE

New Catwoman Pics

2010-10-31T16:59:00.000-07:00

This is how I spent my Halloween for 2010. One of my dearest friends Jay Fife came all the way from Ohio to shoot reference pictures for his pin-up art. We did several series from Bettie Page to Harley Quinn and Rogue. It’s this Catwoman set that we did in a better setting which makes for better photos than my living room. Hopefully Jay will get to use them whenever he gets a commission for Catwoman.

This is one of two costumes in my closet that I didn't make myself. I bought it and had to modify it. It still doesn't fit right. The shoulders were always really weird. And I had taken it in so much last summer from losing weight that now I can't zip it because I put the weight back on. Oh well.

AMBERUNMASKED.COM FOR MORE

Great Allentown Comic Con this weekend, Oct. 30th

2010-10-26T07:44:00.000-07:00

I'll be helping judge the Costume Contest at the Great Allentown Comic Con so be nice to me! Bribes help! :)

http://amberunmasked.com/?p=3187

You have had many "adventures". Ever think of writing a book?

2010-10-26T07:34:00.001-07:00

I want to turn my "adventures" into comics or a graphic novel of short stories. Now that I've read other real world comics like "The Alcoholic," I see that there is an audience for things non-supernatural or zombie in the comics market. I have a short story scripted that I'll be expanding now that I've gotten feedback from peers and medical experts to make it a better and longer script. It might take up to a year to get the writing done, then to afford an artist and letterer is a whole 'nother challenge. I still don't know that anyone would want to read it but I won't know until I do it.

Ask me anything

Favorite discovery this year. Can be a book, food, band, local hot spot, whatever. Thing you're glad to have found.

2010-10-26T07:17:00.001-07:00

My new friends from this year's con circuit!

Ask me anything

You are tasked with choosing Indiana Jones or Star Wars, only one can survive, what do you choose? Why?

2010-10-26T07:09:00.001-07:00

Indiana Jones - I just feel a more real connection to the adventures here on Earth than in space. While Han is a sexy bad boy, there's just something that rocks my world about a really intelligent professor in khaki who is capable of rescuing me. Even Dr. Jones, Sr. is hot as hell (as witnessed by my drooling and blushing of the one I saw at NYCC).

Ask me anything

If anyone could grant you one wish right now, for yourself no matter how guilty a pleasure it might be, what would you wish for?

2010-10-26T07:05:00.001-07:00

I don't believe in world peace so that's pointless. Maybe power, happiness or inner peace.

Ask me anything

Any plans for more Cosplay Deviants shoots?

2010-10-26T07:04:00.001-07:00

I have a lot of ideas but I'm now 7 hours from the photographer I loved working with. I'll be starting a series of interviews with my other CosDev family members for my site in the meantime. I have to have a connection to my characters and preferably permission from the creator if it's an indie character. I always have ideas for duo projects but it's hard to find a partner (I really live far from everyone else in CosDev). My suits are also all custom designs by me and the site really prefers accurate to canon so I'd have to figure out which of my suits are as close as possible. I'd love to reshoot the F4 set because it's one of my best. Other than that suit, my new Ace costume is quite accurate. I'd love to have a Joker or Batman to torture with mind control though.

Ask me anything

Best Wonder Woman Day ever

2010-10-25T19:31:00.000-07:00

The 5th Annual Wonder Woman Day auction held during NJ’s Superhero Weekend raised over $16,000 for SAFE in Hunterdon. There is such a long list of people to thank for making this the best fundraiser ever. I certainly would hate to leave anyone out but I do have to throw spotlight on a specific bunch of folks that truly made a difference to our event this year.

READ THE WHOLE STORY

What do you do to stay in shape?

2010-10-24T07:42:00.001-07:00

Nothing at the moment. I used to do pilates 4 days a wk and cardio 5 days a wk. I miss my routine. If I manage 30 minutes I'll do a short yoga routine.

Ask me anything

What would you be looking for in a male Cosplay Deviant set? Any particular character? My first two choices right now are the Crow (from the comic not the movie) and Sepheroth.

2010-10-22T00:32:00.001-07:00

The Lone Ranger, Green Hornet or perhaps Captain Mal Reynolds (Serenity). But if someone actually did The Lone Ranger I'd love be in the shoot as Linda (shh don't tell Tonto) since my Cowgirl set on my personal site is my most popular. There are several others I'd love to duo with like Fantastic 4, Royal Flush Gang or finding an Artemis to do a girl/girl set with my Wonder Woman.

Ask me anything

NEWSARAMA interview

2010-10-21T20:05:00.000-07:00

For those of you that have been sticking around me and my YouTube Channel since my first show on May 22, 2008, you might have noticed that I have some favorite channels I regularly watch. One of them is ComicBookClub featuring three wonderful geeky guys, Justin, Alex and Pete from New York City. For years now I've been hoping to get on their show or at least visit them at the People's Improv Theatre on a Tuesday night. My (irrational) fear of going to NYC on my own and getting back to NJ in one piece has prevented me from actually accomplishing this goal.

However, I went out on a limb and asked Alex if it would be possible to get on the show to talk about Wonder Woman Day while all of us were in NY for Comic Con. I was thrilled that they were willing to accommodate me! When it got to be time to meet up with Pete, I was panicking due to the lack of knowledge of the NYCC volunteer who sent me through the incorrect long line trying to get my press pass for the show. I ended up running to the booth out of breath and sweaty when Pete was ready to roll camera.

Here's the link to the interview. Just fair warning to any observers that Newsarama has pop up ads. Sorry but they have bills to pay too.

As much as your WW costume is great, ever think of upgrading it?

2010-10-21T12:57:00.001-07:00

It's been upgraded once. I have other chars that I want to do first but if I could ever afford a prop-maker then I'd consider it. It's just not a priority. I repair as needed at this point.

Ask me anything

any characters that you would refuse to do if asked? Any villains you'd like to do that you haven't?

2010-10-21T12:25:00.001-07:00

Basically my criteria is that I have like the character. I wouldn't say I'll never do Dawn for example bec if I decided to read up on her I might like her. I have said I'll never do Slave Leia but I said it about Harley & did it as a request for an apearance so you never know. Villains are tough but I know I want to do Circe & Queen (from Royal Flush Gang) if my skills ever develop enough to make them right.

Ask me anything

Do you honestly think you're not taken seriously in conversations? (FWIW: You must be talking to snobs or idiots alot) ;)

2010-10-21T11:20:00.001-07:00

Thanks. But yes, it's true. I'm not an "expert," I'm an enthusiastic fan so when I can't spout through the details of any DC Crisis, I often feel like conversations are beyond my scope when it comes to geekdom. As for things like politics or religion, I pretty much have a zero tolerance policy & won't discuss them since open-minded people are a rare find.

Ask me anything