SATURDAY POST: DragonCon 2012

(I didn't forget about the contest. Midnight! EST! I'll be there!)

I should have posted about DragonCon 2012 much earlier, but I didn't. Next weekend I'll be in Atlanta, so let's do this.

But, since this is a serious video game blog with serious video game art, you probably want to hear about the serious Mass Effect stuff I did, and not, say, Hentai Night, or the time I met a Dr. Who and held the door for him and did not know he was a Dr. Who until my friend ran up to me and shat kittens.

So imagine, if you will, myself and Husbando~ walking through the parking garage of a hotel in Atlanta one fine Labor Day weekend.

(I know I usually draw us naked as stick figures, but the shirt Husbando is wearing figures into this story, like so:)

There was a Mass Effect cosplay photoshoot, kindly hosted by a group on Facebook called the N7 Elite Costume Group. They're good people, go check them out. Actually, if I can run on a tangent here, if you're doing any kind of cosplay, check Cosplay.com's schedule and see if you can get to a photoshoot. They're too fun to miss.

Anyway, I needed a costume. I showed you that one I sewed last year. I actually 100% remade it this year, because last year's was too big. Trivia for you. I didn't want to use my real hair, so I went looking for a wig. I wanted an orange one, like MSPixel orange, but I couldn't find one at all. (Someone's going to say Arda Wigs, but they're all styled a little too animu~ for the Mass Effect universe, I think.)

I finally found a good real-red one and decided to be Default Mass Effect 3 Shepard. You know, New Jane instead of Old Jane?

Not too bad.

... oh, man, I need to get that wig out and brush it, I've got to use it again this year.

HEY, BEFORE WE GO ON: From this point forward, there are Mass Effect 3 spoilers. I figure you all have finished it by now, but you never know, so this is your warning.

The N7 Elite group marches in the DragonCon parade every year. If you EVER go to DragonCon, you get yourself a costume and you hike in that parade, do you understand me? That's the best part of every year. Oh my goodness. However, Husbando~ and I always march in the Star Trek part of the parade, so we'll skip ahead to the actual Mass Effect stuff.

The Bioware panel was right before the shoot, so most of us caught that first. It went exactly as you'd expect a bunch of Bioware nerds in a room to act.

That's the best Isabella I got, kids.

Speaking of, there were some amazing costumes, but this is MSPixel, I can't draw, and so I apologize in advance if I take your costume and make it look crappy.

After, we all decided to meet up and walk together to the shoot. I found some of my Internet friends!

One was dressed as Liara, the other was Alternative Outfit Ashley.

Oh, and also? Mark Meer was there!

... that's supposed to be Mark Meer. You guys know I can't draw, have mercy.

We all figured we'd follow him to the photoshoot, but, uh.

So we followed Zaeed up to the photoshoot area. It was neat, we'd all stand at the sidelines and the lady running it would say, "I NEED ALL THE MERCENARIES, MERCENARIES TO THE STAGING AREA," or "SHEPARDS, I NEED ALL THE SHEPARDS," and if you fit, it was your job to go get your picture taken in the group.

There were amazing aliens there!

The girl that went as Wrex needs a medal.

You might have seen on some websites (I think like 7500 nerd sites carried this story) that a couple dressed up as synthesis ending EDI and Joker and brought their own little Baby EDI.

I got to tickle Baby EDI's toes.

Oh man! That must be your jealous face!

The face model for Samara and Morinth is famous for showing up to this stuff dressed as Samara as well.

Also, she is hilarious. (Say it out loud if you don't get it.)

Being in the Alliance photo was probably my favorite. I met a really nice James Vega and helped him with his mohawk.

The photoshoot was cool in that, for an hour, I got to live in a world where asari and krogans and salarians were real, or at least as real as they're going to be. There's a certain kind of magic to that, you know?

DragonCon does a big Georgia Aquarium party each year, it's really neat. I went in my Shepard costume.

There's also a certain kind of magic to being Shepard around fish as well.

That's ... that's supposed to be Snow and Lightning. I promise.

But, all good stuff has to come to an end, I guess.

Husbando~ went as a Niner because he is a huge nerd.

That's my friend Tracey dressed as Castiel. I don't watch that show, so I don't know if Castiel has wings, I just didn't want you to think Tracey was dressed as a pervert in a trench coat.

Oh, one last thing.

We wanted Mark Meer's autograph, but didn't have anything else for him to sign. Mr. Meer is incredibly sweet, if you were wondering.

Anyway, this time next week? I'll be among krogans and asari again! I can't wait!