Cosplay Confessions is (what used to be a) monthly feature I added to my blog, though I’ve sort of been away from posting for a few months (almost a year, really) due to my job and getting married and other developments. Every month (and maybe twice a month), I tried featuring a different cosplayer and my interview with them, along with photos featuring their cosplays. This will not only be beneficial to the cosplayers themselves – because any publicity is good publicity when it comes to updating your fans on which conventions you’ll be at, and what you’re working on – but it will also be beneficial to those who are interested in cosplay as a hobby. If I can reconnect with enough cosplayers, I hope to make this segment a regular feature of my blog once more. Until then, I will be posting them as I get them.
It’s my great pleasure to introduce a local Maine cosplayer, Mike Lavoie, whom I originally met at Coast City Comicon (which is sadly now defunct). Mike is adept at finding characters he thinks will suit him, and then inhabiting the cosplay with not only looks, but with attitude and a knowledge of the characters. He has cosplayed Batman’s foe The Penguin, as well as Cartman from South Park and even the infamous WWF (WWE nowadays) character, Paul Bearer.
On to the interview!
QUESTION: Hello! Many people reading this may not know much about you. Please tell us a little bit about yourself. How long have you been cosplaying?
Hey. I’ve lived in Lewiston most of my life but I have also lived in Brunswick, Bangor, and now Auburn. I’ve been cosplaying seriously as a hobby since 2011. (Technically, I dabbled in cosplay in 2010 but I don’t think anyone recognized what I was going as and I didnt do a terribly good job on it). I also like to draw anime and take photos of other cosplayers.
My main cosplays I’ve done more than once have been Jake Blues of the Blues Brothers, Super Mario, The Penguin, Jason Voorhees, Leatherface, and Peter Griffin. Sometimes I’m inspired to do something at the last minute. I’ve cosplayed the Nostalgia Critic, Anonymous (V mask version), Paul Bearer (WWE), a Hunter zombie (Left 4 Dead), Milton Waddams (Office Space), Matt Foley Motivational Speaker (Chris Farley SNL), and Fat Bastard (Austin Powers 2).
I even have my own Ghostbusters character and my own hobo clown character I named Sadsack the Tramp. So I have a lot of costumes under my belt as you can tell.
QUESTION: Do you attend many conventions? Which ones are your favorite to attend?
I usually try to attend as many as possible going on in Maine, but I hope to check some out-of-state ones someday. Portcon has been an annual tradition for me to attend every year since I started going back in 2008. I have also attended AniMaine, Coast City Comicon (please come back!), Bangor Comic and Toy Con, and the Portland Comic Expo.
QUESTION: Do you have any pet peeves when it comes to cosplaying?
Wearing makeup can get kind of itchy. Masks can get pretty sweaty. Things that need to stick to your face can fall off when it gets hot or windy out. Walking around a lot can really do a number on your feet, but getting recognition makes it all worth it.
QUESTION: What’s one cosplay project you’d like to do in the future?
I’m planning on doing Dr. Mario, Eric Cartman, Dr. Robotnik, and maybe the Ventriloquist (a Batman villain) if everything works out all right.
QUESTION: Are there any cosplayers (professional or otherwise) who inspire you? If so, why?
Most of my cosplayer friends inspire me. They often have such a work ethic and passion I admire and sometimes envy. I’m not quite at the skill level to make my own clothes and props from scratch yet.
QUESTION: What do you think sets you apart from other cosplayers?
I tend to do mostly bad guys like Wario, for example, since I can pull off the unusual body figures due to my own not-so-heroic figure. But sometimes I challenge myself to do unusual choices that not everyone else would think of to do like Zorro. It still puts a smile on someone’s face when they didn’t expect a particular character to show up.
QUESTION: Any advice for someone wishing to begin cosplaying?
Try to buy quality stuff but don’t go over budget, try to find that balance when looking for a particular item. Make wise decisions on purchases, especially online when you can’t see the item for yourself in person. Dedicate yourself and have fun. Really embody your character! Network with friends you meet through cosplaying, it really helps when you are in a bind.
QUESTION: Last but not least – do you have a website or Facebook page where people can check out your cosplay endeavors?
My Facebook cosplay page is a link you can click right HERE. You can check out my latest cosplay photos and other stuff at my deviantart website HERE.
Away With Words 