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THE BLOG AT THE CROSSROADS
Paul Gravett’s DIY Astro Boy Cosplay!
Posted: October 20, 2011
Men don’t usually make much of an effort when it comes to costume parties, but I decided to have a go for the Institut Français’ Barbarella-inspired, cosmic-comics party on Saturday October 8th, part of their BD & Comics Passion Festival organised in association with Comica Festival. Inspired by watching the Belgian-Moroccan Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s electrifying contemporary dance homage to the God of Manga, Osamu Tezuka, entitled TeZuKa, and finding a pair of red wellington boots going cheap in a supermarket, I set about putting together my own DIY Astro Boy outfit.
You can try this yourself at home, if you also have a white or cream long-sleeved top and long-johns, some black shorts and a buckle belt (it should really be green). I tried buying a black latex swimming cap for the headpiece, but it was much too tight and tore once i tried to trim or loosen it. So with a fair bit of help on the kitchen table, the headpiece was eventually made out of an old black baseball cap by cutting off the peak and slicing it into three triangular sections to form the two points on the top of his head and the V-shape at the front. A mix of black socks for covering and anchoring, glue, staples, black felt pen and paint put this all together and it didn’t look too bad in a low light. Sadly, I didn’t have time to come up with a way to imitate Astro Boy’s jets in his arms and legs, nor the guns deployed from his posterior.
Here are a few blackmailable photos of the night, in the lovely company of Hélène Fiamma, the enthusiastic festival director from the Institut Français in London, and John (Salem Brownstone) Dunning, who was instrumental in getting Comica started back in 2003 at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. To see more mad costumes, including Bauble-rella and Space Cow and the wacky superhero who used aluminium roasting trays under his cape to absurdly widen his shoulders and was the men’s winner, take a look here if you dare!
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