The concept of fans dressing up like their favorite pop culture characters, as they recently did at San Diego Comic-Con, may seem like a new phenomenon, but it’s not.
That’s one of the findings from Andrew Liptak, author, journalist and, yes, cosplayer, in his new Simon & Schuster book: COSPLAY: A HISTORY – The Builders, Fans, and Makers Who Bring Your Favorite Stories to Life.
While the term “cosplay” surfaced in 1984 — a Japanese amalgam of “costume and play” — it’s thought one of the first costumed gatherings happened at the first World Science Fiction Convention held in 1939.
“I looked at the history of conventions and fandom and sort of traced, like, where was the first place people started wearing costumes, like, 1939 in New York City,” Liptak tells ABC Audio.
“And then, you know, what are earlier examples that go further beyond that? So we found examples from the early 1900s, mid 1800s.”
He even learned there was a Roman emperor who’d dress up as Hercules and had busts made of himself in costume.
“At the heart of this is, like, you are trying to find your fellow tribe of fellow fans,” Liptak says of the hobby. “Because, you know, we want community. We want to have things in common with people. We’re tribal species, and we’re a storytelling species.”
Liptak marvels, pun intended, at how mainstream cosplay has become. “One of the fun things about Ms. Marvel [is that] cosplay is central in the plot of a Marvel TV show … I mean, it’s not only Ms. Marvel, but … Taco Bell had a commercial with cosplayers in it, The Big Bang Theory … you know, that was a big mainstream introduction for a lot of people that, you know, this is a thing.”
Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Related Posts
Could a Taylor Swift/Peter Gabriel duet happen? UK paper thinks so
December 7, 2023
Scott Legato/Getty ImagesTaylor Swift has collaborated with a variety of different artists both on…
Tate McRae talks about her onstage alter ego, Tatiana: “She doesn’t really give a s***”
December 7, 2023
Disney/Randy HolmesTate McRae's onstage alter ego, Tatiana, started out as an inside joke among her…
“Proud” Charlie Sheen talks changes, sobriety and the tiger-blooded “alien” version of himself
December 7, 2023
Sheen- and Maniscalco in 'Bookie' -- John Johnson/MaxIn an interview with People, Charlie Sheen —…
‘Barbie’, ‘Oppenheimer’, ‘Abbott Elementary’ and ‘The Bear’ among 2023 titles saluted by American Film Institute
December 7, 2023
Warner Bros. PicturesThe American Film Institute has named its 10 outstanding motion pictures and…
Ginuwine says he doesn’t remember the Justin Timberlake encounter described in Britney Spears’ book
December 7, 2023
Gallery BooksThere are many compelling stories in Britney Spears' memoir, The Woman in Me, but one…
Donald Glover and Maya Erskine navigate espionage, marriage in teaser trailer to ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ series
December 7, 2023
Prime Video/David LeeOn Thursday, Prime Video released the globe-trotting teaser trailer to its…
Ariana Grande’s in the studio; her ‘Wicked’A co-star says “no one is ready” for what’s coming
December 7, 2023
DAMEBK/Bauer-Griffin/GC ImagesAAriana Grande is officially making some music — and her Wicked…
Bradley Cooper spotted in NYC serving hot Philly cheesesteaks from a food truck pop-up, Danny & Coop’s
December 7, 2023
MEGA/GC ImagesCrab cakes and football may be what Maryland does, as famously touted in Wedding…