COSPLAY HOTTIE OF THE MONTH – AUGUST 2011

Welcome to LaserCola’s newest feature, Cosplay Hottie of the Month! Each month, we’ll sit down and interview a gorgeous geek girl who enjoys hand-crafting sexy and awesome costumes from the world of comics, sci-fi, fantasy, video games, anime, and more! Our first Cosplay hottie is the absolutely stunning Nicole Jean, who we discovered cosplaying Baby Doll from Zack Snyder’s Sucker Punch at the recent ConnectiCon in Hartford, CT. Nicole is a beautiful young lady with enormous brown eyes that will melt your icy Hoth-like nerd heart, and is a true geek girl through and through!

August 2011

Name: Nicole Jean

Age: 25

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Blonde

Location: Derry, New Hampshire

LC:  Thanks for sitting down with us, Nicole. How long have you been cosplaying and what (or who) drew you into it?
NJ: My first cosplaying experience was at Granite State Comic Con in Manchester, New Hampshire in May of this year. I had gone the previous year and had met several cosplayers and became completely enthralled by them. I was taken back by their talent and craftsmanship and I felt like my favorite characters had come to life and were standing there in front of me. The cosplayers I had met inspired me to create my own costume this year.

LC: What was the first costume you created?

NJ: I created my first cosplay, Baby Doll from Sucker Punch, a week or so before attending Granite Con and debuted it there.

LC:  How did you decide on Baby Doll for a cosplay? How did you make the costume? How much of the costume was hand-crafted, and how much was purchased?

NJ: I saw the movie Sucker Punch in March of this year and became intrigued by the character Baby Doll. She’s a strong, young woman who finds herself battling one hardship and tragedy after another but never gives up on her hopes. Since I had given myself such little time to create the cosplay, I found myself raiding store after store looking for items to complete the costume. The most interesting piece was the top that happened to be a tiny Baby Gap denim jacket purchased at Good Will. I modified it to take on the look of Baby Doll’s top in the movie and also did the same for the other pieces of the costume. Since that convention the outfit has been redone two other times. The cosplay is now in its final stages and thanks to a good friend, Pat, and friends of his, my cosplay costume and props have been created to look as exact replica as they can be.

LC:  Do you consider yourself a true “Geek Girl”? If so, what are your favorite Movies, Comics, Video Games, TV shows, etc.?

NJ:I have been a geek since the day I was born. I never really fit in with other girls as I wasn’t the typical Barbie doll loving kind of girl. Sure, I liked some things considered “girly”, like My Little Ponies, but only when they were carrying my action figures into battle. When it comes to movies I can easily and proudly say that I am obsessed with the original Star Wars trilogy. I had more Star Wars toys than I knew what to do with and I currently own several Star Wars shirts and carry my lunch in a metal Star Wars lunchbox. I can also do a mean TIE fighter imitation. I have always been a gamer girl, starting with Atari and Nintendo. If I had to choose some of my favorite games I would have to say World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy VII and X, A Link to the Past, Duke Nukem 64, Super Smash Brothers and Halo 2. There isn’t a video game I won’t play.

LC: What’s your opinion on “Poseur” Geek Girls – women that cosplay just because their boyfriends asked them to, or actresses that try to gain “Geek Cred” by going on talk shows and saying they are into Star Wars or comics, etc.? 

NJ: It’s easy to point out the girls that aren’t really what one would consider a geek. It has nothing to do with appearance, but the lack of knowledge of the geek world. You can tell within five minutes of a conversation. It’s too bad that there are female cosplayers that are only doing it to please their boyfriends. I started cosplaying and continue to cosplay without a boyfriend to influence any of it. I started this as my own passion and my own interest.

LC: How do you deal with “unwanted” attention at Cons when you’re cosplaying as Baby Doll or another “sexy” character from sketchy dudes? Is it a problem for you? 

NJ: I have come across unwanted attention, but I actually find it to be more mild than, say, heading out to a club on Saturday night. I have found people to be rather respectful at conventions. A lot of guys do ask for pictures, but it’s never anything perverse.

LC: When you cosplay, do you ever feel like you are that particular character? Do you act like them or pose dramatically as they would? 

NJ: I have an outgoing, bubbly personality which is almost impossible for me to hide so, in that sense, I am never fully in character. However, when I pose for pictures I take on the role of Baby Doll. People have made comments as to why I don’t necessarily smile and I have to explain to them that someone who had a terrible childhood, experienced the deaths of loved ones, has been thrown into a mental hospital, and is only days away from getting a lobotomy doesn’t have much to smile about.

LC: Do your friends and family ever give you crap about the hobby?

NJ: Surprisingly, people are very intrigued and curious about this hobby. I thought that perhaps my co-workers or family would pass some sort of judgment, but everyone I know instead asks for stories and pictures after each convention.

LC: Lastly, what cosplay plans do you have in the future?

NJ: I plan on going to as many conventions as I can afford or get time off for. Each convention is an amazing experience and cosplaying has become some what of an addiction or thrill. My next cosplay I am working on is an Emma Frost cosplay. I have seen this cosplay done many times before and they often look simply like a blond in lingerie. I’ve decided to do a creative twist on it and incorporate Emma Frost’s diamond form, so stay tuned for that next cosplay!

Nicole loves to hear from people who admire her cosplay skills and welcomes new friends to her Facebook Page.

Check out more killer pics of Nicole HERE.