DENVER – One group of kids is gearing up for Denver Comic Con by making their own cosplay costumes.
Pop Culture Classroom’s Camp Comic Con gives 15 kids the opportunity to spend the week leading up to Comic Con in a workshop where they play games, learn about costuming and spend their time crafting their own costumes to wear at the big event.
“We did this curriculum on our own because we love comic con and we love cosplaying. And what could be better than empowering a group of youth to be our future cosplayers,” camp co-creator Katherine Scott said. “I would love in a few years to go to Denver Comic Con 2020 and see one of the kids on the floor making their costume outside of camp.”
A ticket to Denver Comic Con is included in the cost of the camp, so the students can showcase their work on the Con floor.
“We gave the youth the freedom to choose who they want to be for the weekend,” Scott said. “It’s funneled into what your favorite thing is or something that you really love and think the costume would be effective on the Con floor.”
The camp is focused on the cosplay, but participants are able to participate in various activities as well.
“I think it’s a mix of education, a regular summer camp, cosplay, Comic Con,” Scott said.
“We do a lot of hands on games,” participant Amelia Saylor said.
Scott also says she the camp can also help the students grow in their personal lives.
“If you’re relating it back to personal growth it has to do with creativity and confidence and self-expression and identity,” Scott said. “So it’s like coming back to different aspects of the growth of the youth to become more complete and self-actualized people.”
The camp, and Comic Con, are a special place where people can find their inner nerd.
“I think that’s one of the reasons why Comic Con is the most beautiful, joyful places that I know of, because everyone is so excited to be there and if you’ve worked on costumes then you have something that you’re proud of,” Scott said. “It’s this place where nobody is ever going to make fun of you for liking something nerdy because literally everyone there likes something nerdy.
Saylor agreed, and explained how the word nerd is nothing to be ashamed of.
“Being a nerd is great. Truthfully, nerds rule the word,” she said. “A nerd stereotype is portrayed as a weird thing, but I don’t think it should be a weird thing. People can be whoever they want to be.”
