Jared

Originally published at jaredaxelrod.com. You can comment here or there.

ocal theater group Plays & Players have started a series called Super Heroes Who Are Super, staged readings of comics with costumes, props, and the appropriate combination of respect and silliness. Their first performance was the infamous "Boner Crimes" Batman story, which gives you an idea of the kind of comics they seek out for this series. I've seen two--they also did the first appearance of the Punisher, which proved that played straight, Frank Castle is far more funny than Spider-Man, quips and all--and loved them both. After talking with the organizer, I agreed to help out with the superhero suits for the rest of the series.

This month is the comic of choice is GREEN LANTERN #13 (June 1962): "The Duel of the Super Heroes!" the first meeting of Flash and Green Lantern, and after seeing my GL jacket, they asked if I could make a Flash one to match. So, I did.

There's lots of charges from secret identity to superhero for both characters, so the director wanted something easily removable. I also made a Flash cowl and giant head extension (to mimic the cover). Dress rehearsal was Tuesday, so JR got some fabulous pics of the actors in costume.

Feel the power of the head extension:











I feel I should point out that is not the set they are going to use, but it makes a wonderfully surreal backdrop. More pics here.

It was so great to see the actors in the costumes. Doug Thomas, the actor playing Green Lantern, guy put his on an immediately struck a hero pose The director asked him how he felt in the costume. He said "I feel awesome!" He's apparently been a Green Lantern fan since childhood. And Brian R. Caine, the actor playing Flash, was running all around the stage. The costumes really brought a physicality to their performance that they apparently didn't have in the other rehearsals. Oh, the power of costuming. Performance is this Saturday, the 14th at 10:30 on the 3rd Floor of Plays & Players Theater. Hope to see you there!

Originally published at jaredaxelrod.com. You can comment here or there.

And so does the first 2/3rds of this year’s Halloween Costume Deal come to a close (the third was not actually needed for Halloween, so will be completed in the next few weeks). These costumes forced me to stretch a bit, as one was very complex, while the other was deceptively simple. Both, naturally, look awesome:

Steampunk Spider-Woman

Matt Wagner’s Grendel

I’ll be delivering these in person tomorrow, which has gotten me even more excited about the holiday than usual. I can’t wait to see these costumes worn!

Originally published at jaredaxelrod.com. You can comment here or there.

I’ve been working on an Aquaman costume off and on for years. The appeal of this continually uncool character has a very strong pull to me, so when Rae Winters wanted to do some underwater shots, I lept at the chance to test the in-progress Aquaman costume in it’s proper environment.

I feel like the jacket needs some detailing, and the tights don’t really work. But as you can see, the photos themselves are fantastic. I cannot wait to get back in water.

Originally published at jaredaxelrod.com. You can comment here or there.

I’m sure everyone remembers the epic Halloween Costume Deal of last year, which led to excitement and fist-pumping on the behalf of the young gentleman who received it. Don’t you too wish you could bask in the happiness that this young man possesses?

Of course you do. More than that, I want you feel that happiness as well. Which is why, this year I’m doing it again.

“But wait,” you say. “Jared, it’s August.  That’s way too early to be planning for Halloween.” And for some people, that may indeed be true. However, due the outcropping of hopes and dreams that were unfortunately dashed last year when I only had time for one costume, I am opening up earlier. More time means more costumes.

That’s right, for the low, low prices of $200 a piece, not one, not two, but three people can look as awesome as I do come Halloween. Or Dragon*Con, for that matter, since we’re still in August.

The first three people to email me and pay $200 in advance will get a costume whatever they want* custom made head to toe—props included—done to their specifications. Want to be a pirate? I can do that. An airship pirate? No problem. An airship pirate superhero? Consider it done.

I have an extensive portfolio, should you want to peruse it.

But don’t spend too long looking! This offer is limited to the first three people who pay! Act now!

AND IT’S OVER!!! All three slots are now filled!!!

*Within reason. Some costumes will not be able to completed in the time. A rule of thumb: if it has futuristic armor, it’ll take too long.

Originally published at jaredaxelrod.com. You can comment here or there.

So, I’m in the kitchen making vast amounts of soup and Kyle Cassidy calls up and says “You and JR wanna be in a photo shoot?”

“What would we have to do?” I ask, keenly aware that while my ankle has healed enough for walking, I can’t do much else.

“Just stand there while Trillian hovers in midair. Maybe look like you’re reading something.”

That, we decided, we could do.

After the bus stop fun was concluded, Kyle and Trillian invited us back to their place to watch ONG BAK 2. This sounded like a fine time to us, but we had to get back and finish our soups. We resolved to return for the film. Kyle oft handedly mentioned that he had was trying to figure out the proper lighting rig for taking pictures of con-goers World Con, and since we were going home anyway, if we wanted to bring some costumes back he would try out some lights.

How many could we bring, we ask?

“As many as you like,” Kyle said. “You bring 10, we’ll shoot 10.”

We brought 11.

Something about seeing all these fantastic pictures at once has caused me to reconsider both my costuming and why I do it in the first place. I’ve said that my interest in costuming is mainly sculptural, and I’m going take the next few days to look at these costumes from that perspective, and in doing so, pinpoint where I’m going to go next.

Oh, and if you’re going to World Con, you’re a fool if you pass up a chance to get Kyle to take your picture. He’ll be set up on Saturday, right at the top of the escalators at the 5th floor.

Originally published at jaredaxelrod.com. You can comment here or there.

Sometimes the perfect project just falls into your lap.

For instance, my good friend Rae Winters--of the Arcadia Winters, naturally—came to me and said “Jared, I’m planning a Batman shoot for the “The Golden Age of Comics and Animation” show, at Brave New Worlds Comics. I’ve heard you have Bat-gear.”

Which I do. Scads of the stuff.

But this was such an excellent opportunity, I wanted to do make some new stuff. A big-eared Bob Kane style cowl paired with a more pulpy buttoned shirt. Luckily, time was with me, and was able to finish not only the Batsuit, but a sultry femme-fatale style Poison Ivy as well:

The costumes and the shoot turned out fantastic If you want to see a handful of these photos in person, not to mention work by other members of the Autumn Society, Brave New Worlds Comics is the place to be.

That’s where I’ll be.

Originally published at jaredaxelrod.com. You can comment here or there.

More of the amazing Kyle Cassidy shooting the astounding Miss Liza James and myself. I’ll quit posting these soon, promise.

But when they’re this good, it’s kinda hard to stop.

JR’s been downed with a virus for the past five days or so–and I got conked out on Monday–so little has happened in our life save for the creation of soup (chicken noodle and an industrial-strength chili) and various forms of tidying up.

However, certain plans were set in motion before illness struck. This contraption, for example, was completed the very day before the plague hit:

Also, tiny parcels have continually appeared on our doorstep:

We expect more any day now.

Originally published at jaredaxelrod.com. You can comment here or there.

I spent yesterday morning with Kyle Cassidy and the lovely and talented Miss Liza James, shooting what will be lobby poster for the University of Pennsylvania’s “Performing Science” conference. One of the themes is “Modern Victorians,” so Kyle sent out the call for those with both style and costumery to spare. Liza and I were chosen among the multitudes, no doubt equally for our adventurous nature as our impeccable wardrobes.

The results clearly show Kyle’s faith in us was not misplaced:

Many thanks must go to the Franklin Institute, for letting us climb all over their nearly a century-old steam engine.

Such is the sense of humor of the universe that not long after I write a post about the nature of steampunk, I find myself advertising the Edisonade in the flesh. Clearly I should write something about how multi-book deals dilute the medium, and the last thing anyone should be given is huge amounts of free cash.

That said, I do make contextless, fashion-conscious steampunk look remarkably attractive. Kyle clearly knows how to bring the pulp fantastic.

All photos by Kyle Cassidy.

Originally published at jaredaxelrod.com. You can comment here or there.

Starting The Day With A Proper Adventure, sent from the phone

It’s amazing what three creative people can acomplish with a little time and a steam engine.

Originally published at jaredaxelrod.com. You can comment here or there.

Kelly, over at her awesome site Convention Fans, interviewed me about my various costuming proclivities. As ever, I am full of advice and probably more information than you require.

If you’ve come here from Convention Fans, welcome! There’s more costume pics here and over at my flickr. There’s also a bunch of other stuff that’s not really costume related.  Feel free to poke around!