My final Cosplay interview for 2014, the one person who started it all for us at the beginning of the year—we at NERDSociety.com ask you to please enjoy!

NERDSOCIETY: Thanks for taking the time to interview with us at NERDSociety.com, would you be so kind as to state your name? Stage name? Where are you from?

BYRON: You’re welcome and thanks for the opportunity! My name is Byron Huguley, but I go by B.T. I’m originally from Canton, Ohio; currently residing in Columbus, Ohio.

NS: What was it that got you into cosplaying? How did the “light bulb” go off telling you, ‘this is what I want to do?’ Were you introduced into cosplaying by someone?  Do you make your own costumes or do you acquire them from other means?

BT: In 2011, I received an email from Wizard World informing me about Ohio Comic Con. At the time, I had never attended a comic book convention before. I always enjoy trying new things, so I decided to buy tickets for the con. Being a fanboy, I immediately knew I wanted to cosplay for my very first con and the rest is history!

NS: What does cosplaying mean to you? Is it something fun that you do for personal enjoyment? OR is it something that you do for other reasons?

BT: Cosplay gives me the opportunity to become any fictional character I want be. Also, it serves as an outlet for me to express my fandom in public. I cosplay for fun and not for any competitive reasons.

NS: Tell us about Steel; that make-up looks so uncomfortable, but you were the one who experienced it, so what was it like? What went into making the costume? What gave you an interest in Steel?

BT: Steel was my very first cosplay; I wore it for Wizard World Ohio Comic Con 2011. Since I was new to cosplay, I wanted to make a simple costume on a small budget. I made the costume out of a sweat suit, cardboard, fabric, and aluminum foil. All of the painting was done using acrylic paint. Wearing the silver face paint wasn’t uncomfortable, but it took me 30 minutes to apply it to my face, head, and neck. The reason I chose Steel is because I’m a huge Superman fan and wanted to cosplay as an obscure character. Also, he wields a cool hammer too!

NS: In playing Magneto; why did you choose the black costume over his classic red? What does such a prominent character mean to you personally and in the comic universe? What were some of the steps that went into making the costume?

BT: My Magneto costume is mostly based on the one Ian McKellen had worn in the X-Men movies. While the helmet is black, it’s designed in the style of the one Magneto wore in the comics. I wanted to pay tribute to both depictions of the character. I chose Magneto to cosplay as because he’s my favorite comic book character! While his methods are questionable, he’s just trying to protect his race. Making the costume was relatively easy. The main part of the costume is a long Mandarin jacket and piece of fabric which is hand sewn onto it (as a cape). In regards to my helmet, I had taken a latex Spartan helmet and wrapped duct tape all around it. Once the entire helmet was covered with duct tape, I painted it black and gold using acrylic paint. The horn emblem on the helmet is made out of cardboard.

NS: Taskmaster looks amazing; you can tell that your skill level has risen from the first time you cosplayed to the current; it is really an amazing costume—the props, the mask, the outfit. What went into creating this costume? What is your interest in the character that made you want to play Taskmaster?

BT: Thanks for the compliment! Originally, I wasn’t going to cosplay as Taskmaster for Wizard World Ohio Comic Con 2014. I had wanted to do Shredder or “X-Men: Days of Future Past” versions of either Magneto or Bishop. I couldn’t make up my mind, so I harkened back to my very first cosplay; Steel. I thought it would be cool to cosplay again as an obscure character, so I chose Taskmaster (he also happens to be one of my favorite comic book villains). I made the costume by hand sewing various fabrics upon each other and making good use of colored duct tape. My skull mask and sword are both store-bought, but I made the T-Shield myself. The T-Shield is made out of craft foam board, cardboard, and duct tape. Also, I used Angelus Leather Paint to paint my leather boots white.

NS: You met Robert Englund; what is he REALLY like? Who are some other celebrities that you met at conventions and what were they REALLY like?

BT: Robert Englund was very friendly and energetic! When I entered the booth to get my photo with him, he looked at my costume and said, “Wow!” It was a very fun experience meeting him. Other celebrities I’ve met at cons are Patrick Stewart, Billy Dee Williams, Dean Cain, Claudia Christian, Neal Adams, Rob Liefeld, Jarrett Crippen, and Ivy Doomkitty. All nice people!

NS: What was (is) your favorite costume; feel free to tell us your thoughts on it?

BT: Taskmaster, hands down! I put a lot of time, effort, and money into making it. I had so much FUN cosplaying as the character! I couldn’t believe how many people at Wizard World Ohio Comic Con 2014 wanted to take a photo of me. Also, my costume was a hit with the children there; they LOVED it! The best compliment I received on my costume was from a random guy. He told me, “Everyone says that Deathstroke is badass, I think its Taskmaster.” My initial assumption that Taskmaster is an obscure character was proven wrong at the con. For the most part, everyone I encountered knew what character I was. I did meet some people who thought I was either Skeletor or Moon Knight, LOL.

NS: Have you had any thoughts on cosplaying characters from other genres other than comic books?

BT: Sure. My next cosplay is going to be Lightning from the 1986 John Carpenter movie, “Big Trouble in Little China.”

NS: Does it get to you when there are shows that portray “backstabbing and hate” in cosplay instead of focusing on why people do it in the first place? Isn’t it about the creation of the costume and being able to play your favorite characters?

BT: Scripted cosplay reality shows like “Heroes of Cosplay” should be taken with a grain of salt. If anyone wants to see a more positive outlook on cosplay, I’d highly recommend watching the PBS documentary, “Cosplay! Crafting a Secret Identity.” It actually focused on cosplayers creating costumes and why they do it in the first place.

NS:  (In all the years PBS has been on, it seems you can never go wrong with watching what they have to offer)! What advice would you give for aspiring cosplayers?

BT: Use your imagination to the fullest! If you have any questions about creating costumes, there are plenty of online tutorials at your disposal. Also, IGNORE anyone who tries to dissuade you from cosplaying as a certain character because of your race, gender, and body type.

NS: Outside of Cosplaying, what are some interests you have? Music, Movies, Comics, etc…, do you collect anything?

BT: I love watching movies, working out, listening to music, and surfing the web! I’m an avid magazine collector.

NS: Any final words you would like to give to our readers about cosplay?

BT: If you’re going to cosplay; stay gold!

I would like to personally thank Byron for introducing us, the staff of NERDSociety.com to so many great Cosplayers.  With people like him, life is more fun and it keeps the culture/sub-culture going strong!

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