Spiderverse is proof that we want compelling new stories, not just race/genderbent versions of old ones. Miles Morales is not just “black Peter Parker“, he’s his own unique character with his own personality and background. He should not be reduced to or shoved into the mold of an existing character of a different race.
I had never cosplayed before the first time I attended Chicago TARDIS in 2012. At that time I wore a male TARDIS suit, because that seemed a lot less common than the many fantastic TARDIS dresses seen at cons. I made a few variations of that over the years but I began thinking of ways to be able to incorporate something Pakistani into my cosplay, to show not just my love for the show but my own heritage.
With that in mind, on my next visit to Karachi, I went to a tailor to have the coat, shalwar-kameez, turban and khussas (the pointy shoes) made. Amusingly, this is the traditional pattern of a groom’s outfit, but the blue colour is definitely not traditional! I then translated the Police Box wording into Urdu and got it made into custom patches from a vendor on Etsy.
I will confess to some trepidation about wearing an outfit like that with Arabic calligraphy, but the response was very enthusiastic and positive. I’ve worn it for two years and have gotten an amazing amount of positive feedback and appreciation. My friend told me that someone told her it was a very brave thing to wear.. I don’t know if that is necessarily true but it was gratifying to hear.
There was certainly a lot of curiosity as the costume was instantly recognizable for what it was, just in a unique form. In some ways I think that immigrants always remain ambassadors, and this was one of the ways that I tried to be one. I came into cosplay a bit late but have since become an avid cosplayer.. Acting in the theater is one of my pastimes so in some ways it is a pretty natural fit!
Sometimes it’s just basic costumes but sometimes I like to visualize some fusions to mix things up, then I just need to find people who can make them.. I do have some ways to go in embodying the character while cosplaying, rather than just wearing the costume, but I hope to get that knack down. And I hope to keep finding ways to incorporate my heritage and background into the expression of the other things in life that I love!
i feel like counter-trolling is an essential skill that kids online aren’t learning and it’s kinda worrying
like back in my day, the day of online forums, learning how to trick someone in to getting themselves banned was an essential skill. if you could tell someone was a chud, you would ask them short, leading questions and watch them get frustrated and post longer and longer rants until they said something that would catch a mod’s attention and get them banned and/or at least publicly humiliated.
and guess what? that’s the exact same tactics the alt-right use now. these people are exclusively acting in bad faith. every interaction these people post online is done with the intention of getting someone to respond to them so they can screenshot the massive paragraphs of text and laugh
so, what’s the solution?
dare ‘em to post dick pics.
don’t acknowledge the content of the stuff they post. if you see someone trying to engage you in bad faith just dare them to post pictures of their penis until they either get frustrated and leave or get frustrated and do it. either way they lose.
this is the tactic used by the fans of a podcast (that i haven’t listened to) called the Chapo Trap House, and 4chan’s /pol/ users fucking HATE them. they hate Chapo Trap House and think they’re crazy because Chapo Trap House fans refuse to engage in meaningful debate and repeatedly demand dick pics. they get frustrated and leave. it works.
Some of you never used your position as a mod on an a series of unfortunate events forum to get a racist troll to post evidence of their tax fraud and it shows
…that second comment is oddly specific and I’m a little scared
I really really love the play dumb “Who’s Morales?” not that dumb!!! scene from Into the Spider Verse bc it really just proves that Chaotic Dumbass energy is Essential to being a Spider-Person
I’m working with a voice recognition software on my side gig today and transcribing a sermon where the speaker is quoting James 1, “But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man expect he will receive anything from God, being unstable in all his ways.”
Except the voice recognition software translated “that man” as Batman.
For let not Batman expect he will receive anything from God, being unstable in all his ways.
YOU GUYS LOOK AT THIS. LOOK AT IT.
I’m going to have to go buy some goddamn cross-stitch fabric.
Well, with praise like that we kinda got motivated. So in lieu of any other housekeeping, and because we’ve been meaning to release this one for awhile anyways, we went ahead and edited the .pdf for download as a single.
