Tinker. Tailor. Cosplay.
Cosplayers are more than just dedicated and passionate fans. They’re inventors and artists who learn skills such as sewing, 3D modeling, and painting in order to craft the perfect costume.
Comicpalooza 2025 may have come and gone, but it would be an easy bet that many cosplayers are already planning their outfits for next year. While it would be simple to pick up a mass-produced costume, cosplaying isn’t just about wearing an outfit from a fictional character, but the love of making that design tailored to the person wearing it.
Stories are nothing without their characters and for cosplayers, transforming into a different persona has resulted in unexpected benefits such as expanding creativity, learning lost life-skills, and developing friendships and building communities that would not have been possible otherwise.
Several Houston-based cosplayers were kind enough to talk about their love of stepping into the shoes of their favorite characters and what it means to create accurate cosplays by any means necessary.
“I have a background in theatre and modeling, and I'm
a total nerd at heart, so cosplay has been the perfect combination of all of those passions. It challenges me
to be creative, to learn new skills, to expand or deepen my character knowledge, and to know myself on a
whole new level.”
Rebecca, aka @The.Rebecca.Rose. Published Cosplayer, Model, and Actress.
“A video of a Batman cosplayer sent me down a rabbit hole and inspired me to get into cosplaying. My cowl is completely custom made and this passion has introduced me to other cosplayers and even costume designers who have worked on Film and TV. Houston’s cosplay scene is incredible and it’s awesome to watch it grow.”
Possibly Bruce Wayne?, aka @BatmaninHouston. Cosplayer…Vengeance, the Night, Batman!
“This year my cosplay was Vash the Stampede from Trigun. The look is iconic and I fell in love with the design, but realized it would require different skills. I had to learn 3D printing, sewing, and wig work—but I enjoyed the challenge and learning new skills.”
Stephany, aka @MoonlightSews. 2025 Comicpalooza “Best in Show” winner.
“I love studying a character and bringing them to life. To me, it’s like a form of acting. As someone who has been cosplaying for almost 10 years, this experience has helped me make good friends and make connections that I wouldn’t have otherwise.”
David, aka @DavidtheSmileyCosplayer. Cosplayer and Advocate for Diversity in Pop Culture.
“Cosplay has been a creative outlet for me because
my day job can be very stressful. My outfit is custom made and I love how the helmet is intimidating and commanding. This hobby has allowed me to make
online friends and combine my love of art
and photography.”
@Asian_Sith_Mistress. Star Wars Cosplayer and member of The 501st Legion.
“I come from a family of entertainers and crafters, so this year I went with an original cosplay. I mixed and matched pieces and redesigned my helmet to have custom designs and screening because I wanted to cosplay something I could appreciate as being completely my own.”
Andrez, aka @Virusx_Andrez. Cosplayer and Prop Maker.
“My creative expression catapulted in 2020 and I learned to sew and paint to make characters look as accurate as possible. While major characters are exciting, I think the throwbacks are especially fun. I aspire for my cosplays to represent the source material.”
@CoffeetheCosplayer. Cosplayer, Mom, and PhD.
“I got into cosplay because of theatre when I was 15 years old, but I began to take it more seriously as I got older. Cosplay has been meaningful to me because I’ve made friends far from Texas and it’s great to see people happy when their characters are brought to life.”
Nicholas, aka @ElGroovyJefe.Cosplays. Published Cosplayer.
“I started cosplaying in 2018 and at the time the costume
I purchased felt cheap. I ended up learning how to design my own patterns, pick fabrics, and sew more than 20 different suits. Marvel heroes like Spider-Man or
Wolverine mean so much to myself and others, and
I love seeing smile’s on people’s face and making their
day bringing characters to life.”
Liam, aka @ATXSpider. Cosplayer and Comicpalooza Cosplay Contest Judge.
Comicpalooza is Houston’s premier pop culture event that includes celebrities, comic creators, cosplayers, and hundreds of vendors. What began with a small event in 2008 has grown into the best place for fans as more than 40,000 visitors attend annually.
Couldn’t attend this year? Visit https://www.comicpalooza.com to stay up to date on the 2026 event details.
Check out the gallery below to see more cosplays from the 2025 Comicpalooza.
