ZOMG! Our first guy on this site, and well deserved for his dedication to the Riddler. Enjoy
You can find his Facebook page here
Main image and second image by Jon C. Haverstick Photography
Andy: What was the first Convention you went to? What was the most memorable part of that Convention?
Pieced Together Cosplay: I went to Long Beach Comic Con in October 2010 with my best friends, Vincent & Nicole. I immediately thought, “This is what I’ve been missing out on.” It was a smaller con then, so I got to really look around at all the excellent work that other cosplayers were doing & was very inspired to try my hand at it.
Andy: What was the first costume you made or bought? What did you learn from your first costume?
PTC: I went to theatre school & minored in design, so I have made a lot of costumes in my life. But my first outside of theatre, specifically for cosplay was A’shared Hett from Star Wars The Clone Wars comic. I learned that I touch my face a lot so I needed to make something where I wouldn’t smudge the ‘tattoos’ on my face, so I made Flint from G.I. JOE! a few months later.
Andy: One of your best cosplays is the Riddler. Why did you pick him to cosplay? Why did you pick the Riddler? What makes him a menacing villain?
PTC: Thank you, I love the Riddler. He is a great yet under-utilized character. I wanted to do something not done to death, yet instantly recognizable, which is an understatement. The first time I wore it, I got out of my car, took literally 10 steps & people started taking pictures. It was overwhelming.
Riddler is menacing because he is so clever, yet warped by vanity. However, I think that he does have a glimmer of a conscience (somewhere) as he’s not a homicidal maniac.
Andy: How did you feel about Jim Carrey’s portrayal of the Riddler? In the Arkham City game? Do you think the Riddler deserves to be in a movie?
PTC: Jim Carrey presented a version of a character that was popular at the time that film was being made. It’s not how I see The Riddler, but many people thought the same about Jack Nicholson & Heath Ledger as the Joker(s). We don’t all have to like everything, but there is room for it.
I’m not a gamer (don’t hate me), but I really enjoyed the artwork of Arkham City. It’s a perfect example of there being room for different interpretations.
The Riddler absolutely deserves to be in a movie! He would need excellent writers however, as he is a very complex character. Recently there was a fan film made called “Batman: Puppet Master.” I really enjoyed their version of Mr. Nygma- cool, calculating, & elegant, a true opponent for the Bat.
Andy: What is the one thing you try to do when you dress up as a character? What is the best part of being a cosplayer for you?
PTC: I want to do the best job that I can do & keep it fun. It’s fun for me & hopefully for those that see it. I love seeing creative work of all calibers & I want to share that with others. Cosplpay is a hobby that ANYBODY can & should do & it should be fun. I’m not a competitive person, but when I see great work that someone else is doing, it inspires me to compete with myself.
Andy: What is a male cosplayer beside you that everyone should know about?
PTC: There are a lot of really cool guys out there doing some great work, & I would like to share them all, but 1 in particular is The Ridorkulous Cosplay of Eric Cajiuat. He does a LOT of cool stuff, like Jedi Elvis, doing charity concerts for tornado victims, he is also the Penguin from the shoot I recently did of classic Batman villains shot by Eric Anderson.
Andy: What Conventions will you be at in 2013?
PTC: This has been my favourite year of cons so far. I debuted Riddler at Wondercon in Anaheim & had a blast. The next big things coming up are Comikaze Expo & of course Long Beach Comic Con in November. LBCC being my first & favourite, I get to return to the scene of the crime.
