With New York Comic Con upon us, it is only appropriate that a new book by Kotaku contributors Brian Ashcraft and Luke Plunkett would hit the shelves of awesome bookstores near you. Are you a cosplayer looking for inspiration? Look no further than this beautiful flexi-cover paperback book with 225 color illustrations to get your creative juices going. Not only will you get to see gorgeous photographs of your favorite “cosfamous” cosplayers, but you’ll also get an in-depth look at the history of cosplay and striking interviews that really unravel why cosplayers are driven to dress up like their favorite fictional characters. Cosplay is much more than wearing a ‘costume.’ Cosplayers devote a big portion of their private lives to sewing, learning more about characters, and giving away their time so strangers can photograph them at conventions.
This book will give you a lot more than just inspiration for your next piece. It will open you up to the history of costuming and early forms of cosplay. The authors trace the history of cosplay in Japan and the United States from early costume parties from 200 years ago to Star Trek conventions and the more mainstream reality TV show drama we know today. Readers will be delighted by photographs from conventions that date back to the 1930s and they’ll also be tickled by photographs and interviews of contemporary cosfamous stars like Yaya Han, Crystal Graziano, and Spiral Cats.
Cosplay World is available for purchase at Amazon and Barns & Noble for $29.95.
