Cosplay Family Spotlight: The McInnis Family

Cosplay is becoming more and more popular around the world and at conventions. I’ve personally found a lot of joy and personal confidence doing cosplay at conventions, and the number one reason I started was as an activity with my son. After seeing a great panel about Cosplay Families at Rose City Comic Con a couple of weeks ago, I thought it would be a great opportunity to talk to parents and families who cosplay and spotlight them here on GeekDad!

Cosplay Family Spotlight is a new recurring segment where I interview and spotlight a cosplay family. This week, I interview The McInnis Family.

Interested in participating? Leave a comment here or reach out to me on twitter @billythebrick.

GeekDad:

How many members of your family are involved in cosplay?

McInnis Family:

Family of 4; Mom Jen, Stepdad Carrick, Alice 7, and Aurora 4. We don’t have many pictures of all of use together in our costumes as I’m usually behind the camera getting tons of photos of the kids and Carrick. I love capturing and sharing the pictures with everyone. We have tons of images of the kids cosplays and some progress pictures on our Instagram @alicenaurora.

GeekDad:

How did you and your family get in to cosplay and prop/armor making? Did one particular member start it or did you all jump in together? What was your first cosplay?

McInnis Family:

It all started with our oldest Alice attending her first Comic Expo three years ago with Carrick. She has always been really into all things Batgirl, and Ninja Turtles. So when the time came to attend her first Expo, she really wanted to dress up. I (Mom) threw together her first cosplay costume using what I had around the house. She went as April O’Neil from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The costume was simple to create, and she loved everything about it. After that experience we just jumped in all together after that. Our first cosplay as a family was (Mom): Dark Phoenix, Carrick: Deadpool, Alice and Aurora: Batgirl.

GeekDad:

Do you have a favorite cosplay of yours? A favorite group cosplay you’ve done as a family?

McInnis Family:

Carrick: Deadpool

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Mom: Batgirl

Alice: Harley Quinn

Aurora: Poison Ivy
Our Favorite Group Cosplay would have to be when we went as a “DC Family.” Carrick was Jason Todd Red Hood, I was Batgirl, Alice was Jester Harley Quinn, Aurora was Poison Ivy, AND the girls’ cousin, Mattea, joined in on the fun as Batgirl. We also had the girls’ best friend Havyk, who we consider family, join as the Joker to really complete the “DC Family”. We really love to highlight the kids in all our family cosplays.

GeekDad:

Speaking of group cosplay, do you always try to cosplay together? Or do you all do your own thing?

McInnis Family:

We do a bit of both. Carrick is a huge Marvel fan, myself and the girls are really into DC. However we do really enjoy cosplaying together. It really brings that much more excitement and bonding. The kids love it way more when the whole family dresses as the same theme/universe. Since we have a Marvel, DC mixed family we started a tradition of taking turns picking the theme/universe for that year. 2018 will be Marvel. Carrick is pretty excited for that year.

GeekDad:

Do you have a favorite piece that challenged you?

McInnis Family:

Carrick: The Chest piece for my Red Hood Cosplay. First time creating a chest piece and working with EVA foam.

GeekDad:

What’s your favorite “medium” to work in (sewing, EVA foam, resin casting, etc.)?

McInnis Family:

Carrick: Sewing, Worbla, Prop/Weapon making, and EVA foam. I am currently working on a weapon for our next Gotham By Gaslight Cosplay.
Mom: Sewing and EVA foam.

GeekDad:

It’s been awhile, but I used to do quite a bit of scale model building and I see a lot of similarities in techniques between small scale building and prop and armor building. Have you ever done any scale modeling or smaller scale builds?

McInnis Family:

Carrick: I use to build airplane models as a kid but nothing exciting or intricate.

GeekDad:

Most of our readers are parents and, like me, want to share their geeky interests with their kids. I’ve been doing father and son cosplay with my son since he was born. Do you have any suggestions on how parents can get their kids interested and involved with cosplay and fabrication?

McInnis Family:

Carrick: Show them comic books, TV shows, movies, and any medium that they maybe interested in. Get them to pick their favorite character, and their interest in helping with the costume should come naturally.
Mom: One could always start by bringing their little one to an expo or con and let them see for themselves all the amazing cosplays, the positive atmosphere, and creativity. They may even get to meet their favorite character. Which could really get them into wanting to BE that character. The excitement and experience alone could even inspire them to want to create something for the following year!

GeekDad:

Something along the lines of “Being a geek isn’t about what you love but how you love it,” is sort of the new geek mantra. Do you have anything, besides cosplay, that you consider yourself a geek about?

McInnis Family:

Carrick: Video games, Movies, Comic books, anything Deadpool, and cooking.
Mom: Movies and comic books.
Alice: Comic books and Monster High.
Aurora: Anything Nightmare Before Christmas related.

GeekDad:

What upcoming conventions do you have on your schedule that people could see you at?

McInnis Family:

Being from Calgary, Alberta, we always attend the Calgary Expo, participating in the “Pow Parade,” and then we go the whole weekend, since there is so much to see and do. The girls participate in the “Kids Showcase” that the Calgary Expo has before the Costume Contest. They have so much fun being on stage with their cousin, Mattea, and best friend, Havyk, showing off their costumes with the music and of course the chocolate medals they receive afterwards. It is really cute. We will also be going to the Edmonton Expo and, possibly, the Red Deer Expo this year.