Name: Lorelei AKA QueenofSpace & Joe AKA Darien Spider
City: Austin, TX
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ColonyDropCosplay
What was your first Cosplay Experience?
QueenofSpace: I Started Cosplaying in 1998, I went to Baka-con (which is now called Sakura Con) in Seattle. I was Utena Tenjou from Revolutionary Girl Utena and my best friend, Alice, was Anthy.
Honestly, the whole weekend was really crazy, but truly life changing in more ways than I can count or recall. It still kind of boggles my mind to think how long ago that was and how much the convention scene and cosplay as a whole as evolved.
Darien Spider: My first cosplay experience was Jiang wei from Dynasty Warriors having my partner Queenofspace Cosplaying Wang yi from the same game was my first taste of cosplay.
I did Gumshoe from Phoenix Wright once before that, but it barely counts because we didn’t make anything.
How long have you been Cosplaying?
QueenofSpace:17 years.
Darien Spider: Just over 2 years.
What is your favorite cosplay you have worn/created?
QueenofSpace: It’s hard for me to pick between Seras Victoria from Hellsing Ultimate or Haman Karn’s full Zeon regalia from Gundam ZZ. When ever I put either on, it’s very difficult to get me to take them off at the end of the day.
Darien Spider: That’s very tough question as I mainly make props and armor for our cosplay team. I’m most proud of the Harkkonen cannon for Seras Victoria.
If you had unlimited resources, what Cosplay would you create?
QueenofSpace: Iria from Iria the Animated Zeiram, and Dildandau from Escaflowne. (boy am I show my age or what?) or Yukari’s finale gown from Paradise kiss, all done in dyed silks and hand beaded!
Darien Spider: I would most likely build all of Red vs Blue Spartan suits and I mean ALL of them! Right down Sarge’s shotgun!
What advice would you offer others trying to break into Cosplay?
QueenofSpace: I have two big pieces of advice I like to give. The first is this: When you’re building, or crafting, or sewing It’s ok to get mad! It’s ok to cry into your fabric! It’s ok to put it aside for a while! It’s ok to start completely over! JUST. DON’T. GIVE. UP.
Even the best cosplayers sometimes have to cry, throw it away, and start over.
The second piece of advice comes not in my words, but in the words of Nicki Minja: “Respect your haters, they’re the only ones that think you’re better than them.”
Rise above the drama. Ignore negative people. Be yourself, and be unashamed.
DarienSpider: Don’t let failure stop you. If something doen’t work out the first time learn what you can from it so next time you can do better and keep moving forward to something even greater!
