BENDIGO\u2019S own celebration of popular culture, Bendi-Con, is on next week and among the stalls and fanservice will be a spectacular cosplay competition.<\/p>\n
Kara Harris has been running cosplay at the convention since it began and will be one of the five judges of this year\u2019s contest.<\/p>\n
\u201cCosplay helps bring out confidence which is amazing. So, if you\u2019re an introvert normally, you feel \u2018I\u2019m being someone else right now so I\u2019m feeling confident\u2019,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Harris has been cosplaying for 15 years, and despite saying she wasn\u2019t any good at working with textiles in the beginning, and loves to play Loki, Doctor Strange, and Wednesday Addams.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always been into pop culture. I decided one day to try and make a costume for myself,\u201d Ms Harris said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hated textiles in high school, it was terrible, so I am self-taught. The great thing about cosplay is there\u2019s always something to learn.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m definitely more confident than when I first started, like I look back and go \u2018oh that\u2019s how I changed that\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Costumes will be judged on how they have been put together, detail, creativity, and also how the person embraces the character they are playing.<\/p>\n
The judges have backgrounds in working with materials or embroidery, including someone who builds Star Wars droids as a hobby.<\/p>\n
Cosplayer Captain Patch-It, whose real name is a secret, is one of the new addition to this year\u2019s Bendi-Con, and Ms Harris said the organising team is thrilled to have him onboard.<\/p>\n
He is well known across the Australian cosplay scene and has a toolkit he takes to conventions to fix up last-minute wardrobe malfunctions.<\/p>\n
Ms Harris said there are always lots of superheroes represented in the competition, but entrants are welcome any and all kinds of dress-up.<\/p>\n