D20 Girls Magazine - Summer 2014

Matt Blakeley (order #6912604)
Letter from the Editor

Weve come to the end of this era in our
magazines history, and what a wild ride it has
been. As I look back on the past couple years
of work and remember all of the amazing
people who have been along on this journey,
I am grateful. It has been a time of stress and
heartache, joy and success. None of it would
have been possible on my own. And none of
it would have been possible without you, the
readers.
But our time together, at least in this form, is at
an end. I have turned over the reigns to a new set of hands and minds.
My time with this organization is at an end, but there are still tons of
amazingly talented people who are stepping up to continue the work. I
hope youll give them an opportunity to show you their new visions, as
you gave me.
And if you should see me out and about, say hello. I may have moved on
to other projects, but Im still a nerd through and through, and Im sure
weve got plenty in common to chat about.
--GracieBLove
Hello readers, and thank you for your interest in
our magazine. As this is my first issue, I hope to
have an incredibly journey with the organization,
and to bring you all wonderful material to enjoy
and make a connection with. I have been with
the organization for almost two years now and
am so excited to have this opportunity to become
a part of the magazine staff.
I have been a nerd girl as far as I can remember,
whether it was watching Sailor Moon or Dragon
Ball Z, playing the Legend of Zelda or watching
horror movies, I have always found these topics to be my favorite over
my years, and finding a group that takes it all in with pride has been an
amazing thing for myself.
I hope that you enjoy this issue and welcome me in with open arms. I
am very excited to create more issues filled with everything you love and
know in the future.
--Jenave Barrett
D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE www.d20girlsmagazine.com Summer 2014
D20 Girls Contents
22
MAGAZINE
Editor in Chief Jenave Barrett

Content Editor Mandy Noble
Layout Editor Antonya Stevens
Writers
Amanda Baldwin | Arilith
Erika Litherland | J.C. Sales
Jacqueline Arbelo | Jamie Poison
Jenave Barrett | Kacie Henderson
Kandi | Madeline | Mandy Noble
Megan Willis | Nicole Scott | Velynna
Contributors
Amanda | Ashely | Alyse McMiller
Blue | Blue Adept Photography
Caitylyn | Chiki | Courtney Beekman
David Blue | Deanna | Derpstra | Ellie
Jamie Poison | John Dick | Julie
Kacie Henderson
Lance Ridener Studios
Larsons Cosplay Photography
Madeline | Mandy | Mary
Megan Willis | Memphis Muerte
Mercy | Noxi Photography Piper Steel
Rachel | Rone Barton | Samantha Peltz
Sarah | Shones Kishana
Spice Bunny Designs
Spiced Life Photography
Stephanie | TC Photo
D20 Girls From
Alabama | California | Illinois | Kansas
Ohio | Missouri | Tennessee
North Carolina | South Carolina
Virginia
D20 Girls Magazine is published four times per year.
Manufactured and published in the United States of
America. The Editor-in-Chief welcomes submissions
from all sources. Such submissions should be
addressed to EDITOR and sent to submissions@
D20Girls.com. Submissions may be used on print or
web publications. D20 Girls Magazine is a copyright
of Le Nurd Mystique, LLC. Products named in
these pages are trade names or trademarks of their
respective companies. The publisher shall not be
responsible for slight changes or typographical errors
that do not lessen the value of the advertisement.
The publishers liability for other errors or omissions
in connection with an advertisement is limited to
republication of the advertisement in any subsequent
issue or the refund of any monies paid for the
advertisement.
Featured
7 Nerd Goes Mainstream
17 Criminal Costumes
19 Im not Bad,
Im Just Drawn That Way
30
23 DIY Cosplay
31 10 Villains We Sympathize With
45 Video Games & Comic Books
47 Comic vs. Manga
49 Heroes vs. Villains in Anime
53 Heroine Heroin
35
55 Classic Video Game Heroines

57 Shes My Hero
63 Alausis in Eternity
In This Issue
12 Nerd Party: Heroes and Villains
65 Under Cover Review
67 Geeky Flicks
51
70 Ask Cheshire
72 Products We Love
The D20 Girls Project

3 National D20 Day
69 Free Comic Book Day
73 D20 Rocks
52
76 Out and About
61
June 20, 2014
National
D20
Day
Dee from Illinois

GlitterQueen from Illinois
Arlith from California
bi0kitty and Mercy from Illinois
Xyston from Illinois
Why Do You Love D20?
Megan
I love the D20 girls for more reasons that you would care to read
about. I joined the D20s after another member recommended it
to me. At first I was nervous thinking that I would [be] not as good
as the other ladies or that my lack of cosplaying or convention
going would hold me back or make them like me less but that
was not the case. The D20s do not judge you based on your
crafting skill, the amount of manga youve read, the anime youve
seen, they dont pick on you for not being a fulltime or even parttime cosplayer. They accept you for all of your nerdism rather
that being a love for Sci-fi, Cosplaying, Horror, etc. The D20 is
not about picking people apart and only accepting the best. It is
about making friends, enjoying conventions with others who love
& enjoy the same geeky things you do. It is about acceptance
of who you are in all of your nerdy goodness and helping you to
understand that you are not alone and that you do not have to
feel left out. That is why I love D20. Because they have helped
me to step out of the shadows of what if & into the light of loving
me for me
Tennessee D20 Girls
Amanda
To me, being part of the
D20 Girls means getting to
spend time with wonderful
friends, both new and old. It
is a place that I feel safe to
be myself. It is so wonderful
to find others who get as
excited about things as
I do. I also love that part
of our mission is to reach
out to other girls so that
they can see they arent
alone, and that its okay to
be nerdy. I am so thankful
for all that the D20 Girls
have done for me. It is like
having a second family.
Ashley
Ellie
Since I joined the D20 girls

Ive met some really cool
friends. Its given me a lot
of opportunities to go to
conventions and learn new
skills as far as crafting and
maybe possibly fabrication
stuff in the future. The D20s
are just a ton of fun I love
what we stand for and what
were doing. Im glad I get
to be a part of that and
cant wait to see what the
future holds for us.
Ive only been a part of the

group for a short time, but
Ive had what I like to think
of as a D20 mindset for
a while. By that, I mean
that creativity and love for
something should never
be limited by anything
about a persons physical
being- race, gender, size,
whatever. Its being limited
only by your own creativity
and how far you are willing
to take something you love.
Caitlyn
Even though Ive only been a D20 girl for a few months, it already means
the world to me. When I was younger I had a hard time fitting in. I was
shy, insecure, and ashamed of being a geek. I tried my hardest to fit in
with the popular girls but that just wasnt me! My whole life changed
when I joined band. I met so many confident and wonderful geeky girls
that it helped me grow to love myself! Im proud to be a D20 girl so I can
help inspire other young women to be geeky and proud! Also being a
curvy girl I hope to encourage others to cosplay who you want even if
youre not the characters size. As long as you love what youre doing
and how you look, it doesnt matter what others think. Happy D20 day,
puddins!
Rachel
Stephanie
I love the D20 girls because it has provided

me with so many opportunities to go to
conventions, do photo shoots, play games,
but most important meeting other girls like
me. I love the people I have met and new
people I am still meeting. Having friendships
where I could geek out and be myself are the
greatest thing I have gotten out of the D20 girl
experience and it only gets better as time goes
on.
I love D20 because it gives me an outlet to

express who I am and what I love to do. My
favorite thing about D20 is that you can be
YOU and feel totally awesome about it! We
have such a diverse group of girls, which
I love. It doesnt matter if you are an artist,
cosplayer, a Whovian, a horror movie buff,
table top gamer, and every nerdy thing that can
be thought of. D20 celebrates all women who
embrace nerd life. THATS why I love D20!!
Summer 2014 www.d20girlsmagazine.com D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE
Nerd Goes Mainstream
By Jenave Barrett and Mandy Noble
The discussion of nerd

culture being absorbed
into mainstream media has
become heated, and even a
little obvious to those whom
have loved the original material
since the beginning. However,
there is no argument that
many well-known and beloved
characters and franchises
have gone from little-known,
geek-loved collectables to big
hits known by everyone, even
those that have never touched
a comic book.
Blade
Lets start our list with a wellknown name, a vampire with
wicked edge: Blade. Marvel
Comics is known for their
amazing heroes and their
ability to make them known
throughout nerd culture, as
well as mainstream light, and
Blade is no exception. He has
been playing roles in Marvels
Comics many adventures
since his first appearance in
1973 in The Tomb of Dracula.
In 1974, Blade received his
first solo story in the black and
white horror-comics magazine,
Vampire Tales. Due to the
popularity of the character,
he debuted his first full-color
series Blade: The Vampire
Hunter in July of 1994. What
really helped to bring this
character into mainstream
focus was the film series called
Blade, which started in 1998,
and has had two sequels.

He has also starred in two
television series, Blade: The
Series, and Marvel Anime:
Blade.
Alien vs Predator
Dark Horse comics, the
original producers of both the
Alien and Predator lines of
comics, had the idea to do a
crossover storyline between
the two franchises back in
1989. With the popularity of
the franchises, it seemed like a
win-win combination and as far
as the comics were concerned,
it was. However, they decided
to release a movie in 2004,
infamously known as Alien vs.
Predator, and it was critically
panned. The film managed
a sequel in 2007, which was
also critically panned, but
has nonetheless made sure
to cement the series as a
mainstream title, known by
many outside of the nerd
culture realm.
the CBS program Sabrina the

Teenaged Witch, which was an
animated spin-off of The Archie
Comedy Hour. Since then,
the series has seen multiple
reincarnations, including a
1996 made-for-tv movie, a
sitcom, and three animated
series. This series is proof
that you never know the true
origins of any story until a little
digging is done.
Sabrina
Wait, your telling me the most
well-known witch is based off a
comic? Yes, I am. Sabrina the
Teenage Witch was originally
a comic series by Archie
Comics, first appearing in
their Archies Madhouse #22.
Over its 16 year run, it had
106 issues and later became
a manga series. Its most
popular rise came in 1970 with
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

TMNT has to be one of the
most popular comic series not
to come from DC or Marvel
Comics. From 1984 to 2010,
this Mirage Studios comic
ran for 26 years, gaining
popularity the entire time.
Though the series had its
fair share of movies, unlike
our other heroes, this is not
where its leap into mainstream
started. The turtle heroes got
their initial spotlight from the
hit television series started
in 1988 after a request from
the original comic writers
to have toys produced by
Playmate Toys was met with a
requirement that a television
deal be made first. Due to the
darker nature of the comics,
Playmates wanted a more
family friendly version of TMNT
in order to produce a toy line,
and thus the original Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon
was born. Even though the
cartoon was targeted towards
kids, do rest assure the TMNT
team brings in fans of all ages.
Men in Black
We are the Men in Black. Oh
yeah, its time to talk about
everyones favorite alien
busting duo. Shocking as it
may be to a lot of people,
yes, Men in Black is based
on a 1990s comic done by
Lowell Cunningham and
Sandy Carruthers, originally
under Aircel Comicswhich
in the end was bought out by
Marvel Comics. The name
hit mainstream, becoming a
widely known movie in 1997
with the release of Men in
Black, starring Will Smith
and Tommy Lee Jones. The
series continued with the latest
movie, Men in Black 3, in 2012.
Superman
Is that a bird? A plane? No!
Its Superman! Yes, you know
who the next entry on the
top ten list is, just from that
simple sentence. DC Comics
Superman, also known as the
Man of Steel, did not start off
as the Man of Steel, but first
appeared in DC Comics Action
Comics #1 in mid-1938. As
Supermans popularity grew he

became the first superhero to
gain his own self-titled comic
series that premiered in 1939.
Among the two main comic
series, Action Comics and
Superman, the latter has had
over 800 issues produced,
and more when one looks at
other comic one-shots. And
like any popular comic hero, he
had to come out of the dark,
hidden world of nerd culture
and be brought to the eyes
of mainstream crowds. This
was done with the first film,
Superman, in 1978, and the
Man of Steel still has block
buster movies rolling out to this
day.
Batman
The Caped Crusader. Dark
Knight. These are only a
couple of Batmans many
names, and on a solo level,
this hero has to be one of the
most beloved characters to
come from DC Comics. From
crazed fans that own every
comic, to game lovers and
movie enthusiast, everyone
knows the iconic image

that has become a very
mainstream pop icon. But lets
take a look at the beginning
of the Dark Knights creation,
which like DC Comics other
bright star, Superman, did not
debut in his own story, but
rather first appeared in 1939
as part of a DC Comics series
known as Detective Comics.
Seeing how well-received the
character was, it was decided
that he would gain his own
comic, which came out a year
later. The series proved to be
a hit, and has had multiple
storylines and remakes,
which continue to this day.
Even though the series had a
popular start, it hit mainstream
levels with its 1989 film
Batman, the first of seven liveaction movies based on the
franchise. Out of any comic
creation, Batman, without a
doubt, holds strong as one of
the worlds most known and
recognizable nerd icons. Side
note: National Batman Day
was celebrated on July 23
of this year, coinciding with
the 75th anniversary of the

characters release.
X-Men
Another sound example
of comic heroes going
mainstream are the amazing
super-mutants, also known
as the X-Men. The X-Men
are yet another successful
team created by Stan Lee and
Jack Kirby under the name
of Marvel Comics. Just like
many Marvel heroes, they
have made it big on the big
screen. Starting in 1963, the
X-Men comics were one of
Marvel Comics most popular
and loved series. It is based
in X-Mansion, and focuses on
mutants with what is known
as an x-gene, (thats right, no
gamma radiation or accidents
for these guys), that mostly use
their powers for gooda few,
however, use their powers with
a wrath towards the humans
that have outcast them. X-Men
was the start of a new type of
hero for Marvel; they were not
all-powerful or from another
planet, simply normal people
that later came into their

own as they discovered their
powers and that they were
hosts of the x-gene. Outside of
the multiple games and shows
that have come from the
series, what really gave them
a leap into the mass media
was film. The first X-Men
movie came out in 2000 and
stared many famous names,
such as Hugh Jackman, Halle
Berry, Patrick Stewart, and
Ian McKellen. To this day, with
the release of X-Men: Days of
Future Past, the movie series
keeps going strong with an
ever-growing fan base.
The Walking Dead
Theres us, and the dead. We
survive this by pulling together,
not apart. Oh yes, that is a
quote by Rick Grimes from
the very popular tv series,
The Walking Dead. AMCs
hit show is known for its
constant survival of humans
against hordes of zombies,
but in the shows lingo theyre
called Walkers. What many
people dont realize is that
long before the shows

popularity, The Walking
Dead was actually a
graphic novel (comic)
by Robert Kirkman and
Tony Moore, started in
2003. Even though the
comic did not hold as
much popularity as its
television counterpart,
(which won the 2011
Best New Series award
and was nominated
for much more), it did
receive the 2010 Eisner
Award at Comic-Con
International. The novel
holds 22 volumes and
ten books, and is still
going strong. What can
be seen as the funniest
variation, divergent of the
source material, is that
one of the most beloved
characters of the popular
television seriesDaryl
Dixon, along with his
brotherwere never a
part of the original comic
series. This spreading
fact makes many fans
fear that Daryl may be
next to gooh, what a
tragedy that would be!
The Avengers
If any can be considered
the number one
example of a once nerd
culture comic turned
mainstream, its The
Avengers. This Marvel
Comics series first made
its debut in September
1963 in The Avengers
#1, by writer Stan Lee
and artist Jack Kirby. The
development of a super
hero team was Marvels
response to DC Comics
Justice League, created
three years before-hand.
This series has created
over 500 issues, among
five volumes, that still
continue to this date.
After hitting it big in the
comic scene, an arcade
game in their name
was developed in 1987,
followed by two television
shows, and finally, what
made them big; the 2012
The Avengers movie.
This blockbuster sent
the franchise into the
hands of mainstream
love. Everyone from
children to adults fell
in love with the cocky
Iron Man, mean green
Hulk, stoic Captain
America, and Norse god
Thor. What made this
even more grand was
the build-up, with each
character having their
own movie prior to the
release of The Avengers.
Now, everything from
toys, jewelry, cups,
and bed sets can be
found covered with The
Avengers image. This is
definitely a top example
of how nerd culture can
become mainstream
with just a couple of
movies and some smart
marketing.
10
Heroes & Villains Pary
By Megan Willis
Look! There in the sky! Its a

bird! No, its a plane! No, its
SUPERMA--nevermind, its just
a banner for another one of
AlwaysLoveLorns parties. Hey
now, that hurts. Do you know
how much money I spent on
that RC flying man banner?
Nothing quite makes us think
of Heroes and Villains like
the action bubbles from the
good ol days. These easily
made decorations can be
made using colored cardstalk
(or scrapbook paper), precut
action bubbles, a sharpie,
letter cutter/stencil, or cutout
letters/stickers depending on
the route you take. For my
bubbles I was able to find
precut action bubbles at my
local dollar store and sharpied
the actions in. If you would like
to be a little more craft you can
cut a piece of paper into the
shape you wish, then using a
letter cutter or stencil cut out
your action word. Next take
another sheet of paper, trim it
down to fit behind your action
bubble and glue or tape it
together and voil!
nearly any logo or stencil that

you want. Cut out your stencil,
blow up your balloon and tie
it closed, tape the stencil on (I
used masking tape) and trace
the outline or fill in the stencil.
Keep in mind how you plan to
have your balloons hanging to
avoid drawing your Hero/Villain
upside down.
Streamers, streamers
EVERYWHERE! Mwuhahaha!
But seriously streamers are
a fun way to incorporate the
colors of your favorite heros
and villains into your party. The
possibilities are nearly endless.
I grabbed up six colors (red,
yellow, green, blue, purple,
black) at the store for less than
a dollar each and was able to
string together several heros
and villains colors. To make
it a little more fun I asked my
party goers who they thought
each set represented. For
example some said purple

and green was for the Hulk
while another guessed Joker;
black and yellow was guessed
to be Batman, Wasp, and
Wolverine; while red and
yellow was Ironman, the Flash,
and Shazam. It was fun to hear
all of the different responses
I got for the same colored
streamers. If you want to be
a little more creative though
you can always draw on the
streamers with markers or
sharpies to better represent
the hero/villain you have in
mind.
Finally for my Heroes vs.
Villains party I brought out a
few comics and figurines to
show off/play into the theme
more. I highly recommend
taking into consideration the
age range and group that you
will be having at this party
before laying out any prized
Balloons almost always

make for good decorations
but I dont like to pay high
price for themed ones so
instead I purchased a variety
pack of assorted colors and
drew on them with sharpies.
If you dont have a knack for
free-handing you can find
12
possessions. I love my nieces

and nephews but I would not
have my action figures and
comics out and about if they
were there.
There are way too many
options to narrow down movies
to entertain your guests with
for a hero/villain party. For my
own, I had my guests bring
their favorite comic movie and
we took votes on which ones

to play. If youre looking to
step away from the limelight
of Hollywood films I suggest
heading over to Youtube.com
to check out these next two
options. Club Villain by: Your
Favorite Martian is a funny
animated music video that
I recommend checking out
along with HISHEs (How It
Should Have Ended) Super
Caf. Their channel is pretty

humorous and you might
actually be able to pick a few
comic movies that they have
animated with their twist of
how it should have ended.
Finally, let us not forget the
TV series that have our
comic heroes and villains.
A few examples range from
the awesome Batman: the
Animated Series to The Arrow.
HeroClix is a turn-by-turn
miniatures game that uses the
Clix system that center around
the world of superheroes.
Players make their teams
which can have heroes,
villains, or even characters
from a few video games and
battle on a grid maps. Got
more RPG players attending
your shindig, let them have a
try at Marvel: Avenger Alliance.
Finally for your fighters, there
is Marvel vs. Capcom and/
or Mortal Kombat vs. DC
Universe. Setting the table for
snackages for you party guests
can fun if you let it be. Beast
Boys Veggie and Tofu Platter
is pretty straight forward. You
can either buy a premade tray
or put one together yourself
(which I have found to be a
lot cheaper and comes with
more veggies). Some fun was
had with the Captain America
Freedom Cupcakes! With
FREEDOM Independence
Day around the corner it was
easy to find red, white, & blue
desserts in the bakery area
of my local grocery store. And
with the humor of Freedom
Cupcakes comes the lolz of
13
Deadpools Chimichangas. I
almost went with pancakes
but Wade really loves his
Chimichanga so all you need
is to buy a bag of them and
bake them up following the
directions before your guests
arrive.
Not forgetting those with a
sweet tooth I had the Human
Torches FLAME ON Candies
dish for the cinnamon lovers.
In this bowl were redhots, hot
tamales, fire balls, and any
other hot candies you can find.
The Riddlers Taffy provided
some nice punned riddles
with each piece of laffy taffy
they consumed while guests
activated their powers using
the Wonder Twin Ring (Pops).
Wonder Woman Licorice
Lassos of Truth were made
from Twizzlers PullnPeels.
Finally guests can cool off with
Superman Ice Cream if you are
able to find it, if not, no worries
as there are loads of Avengers,
Spiderman, and other super
hero popsicles.
Time for some thirst quenchers
for your guests! Beyond the
21+ beverages, all others were
simply created using a printer
and some tape. Aqua(man)
Bottled Hydration is just bottled
water while The Flash was
an energy drink that came in
a red can. The Jokers Juice
was a large bottle of Mountain
Dew, though green berry rush
Hawaiian Punch, green apple
or grape Kool-aid, or any drink
that has a green or purple
tinted drink you and your party
goers might enjoy. Mr. Freezes
Ice Cold Tea was just a prebought gallon of iced tea that I
poured into a drink dispenser
& then filled the rest of the
way with ice to keep it cold.
Regardless of what drinks you
server have fun with the labels
and be punny if you want.
For those of drinking age (21+)
there are loads of options.
Want some Avengers themed
drinks, TheMoreIArtys Tumblr
has nine for you to choose
from. Hawkeye is a glass of
Strongbow cider, a splash or
two of WKD original vodka
purple and finish it with a
shot glass filled with Deep
Cool After Shock; drink like
a Jager Bomb. The Captain
America is made by pouring
one part grenadine in first,
slowly pour in one part Crme
de Cacao, and top it off with
a steady pour of one part
Blue Curaao to make this
red, white, and blue drink.
These are just two examples
but the rest can be seen on

their tumblr pages. Speaking
of Tumblr, that is where you
can also find DrinkTheXmens
recipes for nearly any and
every X-Men character. Their
latest make was the Scarlet
Witch: 2 oz vodka, 5 oz soda
water or lemonade, and a
dash of grenadine syrup.
Pour the vodka in a tall glass
with ice then add the rest.
14
Some of their creations are

more humorous (Cyclops)
than anything and I highly
recommend checking it out.
I do want to note though that
there is adult language so
yeah... Two other hero themed
drinks that I came across
via the interswebs was The
Incredible Hulk: 2 oz. Cognac
(Hennessy), 2oz. Hpnotiq, mix
and serve; and Spiderman:
oz. Blue Curaao, 1 oz.

Vodka, fill with 7-up, and top
off with oz. Grenadine and
a maraschino cherry.
As your heroes and villains are
heading out, leave them with
a parting gift bag designed
to look like superheroes and
villains. To make these you
will need brown bags, colored
paper, scissors, and a glue
stick (googly eyes optional).

Figure out your design and
make the appropriate cuts,
then glue to your bag. Allow
the glue to dry before filling
them with your party favors.
For my guests I purchased
some fake glasses from a party
store so that my friends could
keep their identities a secret
like Clark Kents Disguise
Glasses. I lucked out on DC/
Marvel Buildable Figures. One
of my local stores had them
in a quarter machine for 75
though you can buy packs
of them on-line from places
like Amazon or even some
party stores. Another cool yet
inexpensive gift was the Grow
Your Own Kryptonite which
was actually just a crystal
growing kit that the dollar store
had in green. I tested one out
to make sure they actually
worked and the answer is
yes, they grew but it took a lot
longer (nearly 4+ days) to grow
them to the size I felt made a
nice chunk of Kryptonite. Other
goodies included a Lantern
Corps Ring (bought from
Amazon), and finally a mask
and cape combo that I picked
up at the dollar store as well
because no superhero/villain is
complete without one...unless
youre Edna then NO CAPES!!
As always, thank you all for
your time! I hope that this
article helped you to discover
your secret power of party
planning! Or not...regardless
make the party uniquely yours
and have fun!
15
Party Favors
Decorations
Drinks
Clark Kents Disguise

Glasses
Action Cutouts
(Pow Boom Zing!)
Aqua(man) Bottled
Hydration
DC/Marvel Buildable
Figures
Balloons (Hero/
Villain)
The Flash
(Energy Drinks)
Grow Your Own

Kryptonite
Comics
The Jokes Juice

(Mountain Dew)
Lantern Corp Ring
Super Hero/Villain
Colored Streamers
Mask & Cape

Superhero bag to
hold it all
Food
Beast Boys Veggie &
Tofu Platter
Captain America
Freedom Cupcakes!
Deadpools
Chimichangas
Figurines
Games
HeroClix
Marvel Alliance
Marvel vs Capcom
Mortal Kombat vs.
DC Universe
Movies/Music
Human Torchs
FLAME ON Candies
Any super hero

movie you want
The Riddlers Taffy
Club Villain by: Your

Favorite Martian
Superman Ice Cream

Wonder Twin Ring
(Pops)
Wonder Woman
Licorice Lassos of
Truth
Super Caf by
HISHE on Youtube
TV series are
another option
Mr. Freezes Ice Cold

Tea
Drinks (21+)
The Avengers
Spiderman
The X-Men
Criminal Costumes
By J.C. Sales
Youve heard the terms

before cosplay doesnt equal
consent and fake geek girl,
why is it that the media still
chooses to portray females
in a hyper-sexualized way
and when women choose
to cosplay as any of these
characters they are shamed?
There have been so many
examples over the internet of
slut shaming and credibility
shaming happening at comic
and gaming conventions
around the country the past
few years.
Last year a bunch of ladies
cosplayed as Lara Croft from
the new Tomb Raider video
game at PAX East (Penny
Arcade Expo East). Crofts
latest outfit, consisting of
a tank top and shorts, is
usually considered tame and
less revealing than other
costumes. And yet, as these

ladies proudly displayed their
costumes, they were harassed
by a member of the press.
Women who part of the Croft
group expressed feeling
victimized and angered, and
overall disappointed that this
still continues to happen.
Thankfully, PAX East stepped
in and did an amazing job of
banning the journalist and
increased their harassment
policy.1
At the opposite end of the
cosplay spectrum is Power
Girl. A notorious comic book
heroine thats mostly known
for her large breasts and
costume with a chest cut-out
that shows them off. Its been
stated that Power Girls chest
region became so large and
disproportionate to her body
size because the artist, Wally
Wood, felt that his art work
wasnt being noticed by his
superiors. So he continued to
enlarge her breasts every time
he submitted a finished issue.
It took about eight issues for
Woods superiors to notice the
breast enlargement.2
Despite Power Girls large
assets many women
purposefully choose to
cosplay her. The sad news is,
whether a woman cosplays
her because she chooses
to embrace her sexuality or
because she admires her
17
Superman-like powers, she

will most likely have some sort
of derogatory commentary
directed at her and slut
shamed.
Journalists like Janelle Asselin
have made it a point to
stand up against the medias
portrayal of hyper-sexualized
women. She recently wrote
an article calling out DCs new
Teen Titans #1 for their cover
representation of Wonder
Girl. Asselin points a few
things wrong and misleading
about the cover art, drawn by
Kenneth Rocafort. Mainly, the
size of a Wonder Girls breasts
being drawn as the breasts
of a young adult woman who
has had implants, and not that
of a young teen who has yet
to develop breasts. Asselin
also noted that Wonder Girls
costume would unrealistically

provide adequate coverage
and support for her breasts.3
Rocafort and many of his
colleagues were quick to
defend him, while Asselin was
barraged with rape threats.4
victimized and scrutinized? Do

we blame society? The media?
Both?
On the other side of slut

shaming ladies are also faced
with credibility shaming. Two of
my favorite cosplayers, Jessica
Nigri and Abby Darkstar, have
several stories where theyve
faced credibility shaming.
Both of these ladies choose
to represent themselves in
sexier cosplay, but in doing
so they are often subjugated
to commentary on whether or
not theyve actually played the
video games they represent.
Abby has frequently pointed
out in panel discussions
about how she constantly has
to defend herself as a real
gamer/geek girl.
Nigri was recently interviewed
by Kaila White at AZ Central,
and mentioned how all the
back lash she received
from her cosplay forced her
to take breaks. Ultimately
she felt validated when she
asked to model Juliet Starling
from Lollipop Chainsaw at
conventions. Nigri state she
felt like the nerd won out
because she was able to bring
the character to life.5
As far as I can tell no one
really has a direct answer as
to why this is still an issue.
Why cant a lady cosplay and
just enjoy the fun of playing a
character? Why must she be
As this article was being

written Ubisoft had just
announced at E3 (Electronic
Entertainment Expo) that
Assassins Creed Unity
wouldnt have any playable
female characters. Creative
Director Alex Amancio stated
it would create too much
extra work to add female
characters,6 even though
statistics and market research
show that almost half of the
gamer/comic book readers are
women.
I do not believe this
maltreatment of women in
the gaming and
comic book
community will
go away any time
soon. However,
I do believe
that as long as
women continue
to push for better
standards, stand
up for themselves
and others, and
continue to speak
out about the
unfairness of
these detestable
attitudes we
will continue to
make strides in
acceptance.
1 http://www.themarysue.com/
pax-tomb-raider-cosplay/
2 http://www.comicsbulletin.com/
interviews/3318/jimmy-palmiottitime-bomb-and-power-girl-thebreast-of-friends/
3 http://www.comicbookresources.
com/?page=article&id=52103
4 http://gimpnelly.tumblr.com/
post/82704464182/lets-talkabout-how-some-men-talk-towomen-in-comics
5 http://www.azcentral.com/story/
entertainment/events/2014/05/31/
two-metro-phoenix-women-makecosplay-career/9738879/
6 http://www.polygon.
com/2014/6/11/5801374/ubisoftresponds-to-assassins-creedunity-women-character-furore
18
Im Not Bad,
Im Just Drawn That Way
~ Jessica Rabbit from Who Framed Roger Rabbit
by Nicole Scott
1. Yubaba from Spirited Away

It is easy to be put off by Yubabas greed for gems and selfish behavior. With her constant abuse
of power and seemingly guiltless persona, and the fact that shes trapping the names and lives
of all her employees, its hard to remember that Yubaba is a mother. Despite her abrasiveness,
she only acts this way to raise her child as she sees best. To her employees, she is a force to be
reckoned with, as a strong businesswoman is expected to be, but she demonstrates compassion
and is willing to be proven wrong when contested.
2. GLaDOS/Caroline from Portal

Even though GLaDOS constantly puts Chell through life-threatening puzzles, it is not her fault
her mind was shoved into software. Cave Johnson forced her against her will to be put into
the mainframe since he was not able to be transferred. She might be bitter against him for her
dehumanization, but everything GLaDOS does is simply for one and only one purpose science.
She isnt behaving this way for revenge, or due to any hate for Chell; she just wants to run
Aperture in the most efficient way possible while dealing with her own predicament, (whether she
remembers it or not.) Can you really blame her for being snarky while she does it?
3. Azula from Avatar: The Last Airbender
Azula may be a sadistic trickster, but being the pride of the Fire Nation comes with some
downsides. She was raised to be bloodthirsty and vicious, even her own mother referred to her
as a monster. Azula is only a product of how she was raised fearing her mother didnt love her,
she was brought up from her high-expectations, affectionless father. This creates an immense
chasm in Azula, birthing both superiority and inferiority complexes inside her fragile psyche. Azula
is in a constant battle with herself, despite her arrogance.
4. Yzma from The Emperors New Groove
It may seem she has nothing saving her, but if you look at Yzmas perspective, its hard not to view
Kuzco as the villain in this story. Yzma is antagonistic and vain, but she has served the kingdom
for generations, adamantly and effectively. Not only is she passionate about her job and knows
how to govern, it might make a person feel fruitless to serve someone even more vain than she,
with additional idiocy, fickleness, and frugal wishes on top.
19
5. Terra from Teen Titans
8. Elphaba from Wicked
Terra is a very complex character, going from

good, to bad, to unsure though her reason
for turning into a villainess is driven from a
motivation that is very relatable. After Beast
Boy reveals her secret, she is unable to control
her powers to the rest of the Titans. Terra is
ashamed and runs to Slade, who promises to
be her mentor. Slowly coming to trust him, Terra
turns those feelings of betrayal into rage when
she goes after the Titans. Understandably, its
hard for her not to feel some bitter emotions
after it seems the only friends she had have now
deserted her, as has everyone else in her life.
All of Elphabas evil actions are in retaliation to

the death of her sister, the Wicked Witch of the
East. Elphaba is only mean and vindictive to
Dorothy because it was Dorothys arrival in Oz
that caused her sisters demiseaka the big
house that fell from the sky and crushed her,
then Dorothys uncouth theft of the ruby slippers.
Elphaba cared for her sister, but was also
curious. She is born in what is considered the
stereotypical witch form deformed face and skin
color. Dealing with her deformities and sisters
death and constant lack of acceptance from her
peers, (depending on if you follow the musical
or the novelization), is what drives her to her
villainous state.
6. Harley Quinn from Batman

Harley is unfortunately trapped in a tourniquet of
commitment. She worked at Arkham Asylum as
a therapist constantly helping so many people
and listening to them about their lives. When the
Joker inadvertently arrives in her life, he begins
to empathize with her and is the first person in
Harleys life that truly connects with her. As she
develops romantic feelings for him, she discovers
a moment when Batman had seriously harmed
him. Her passion for his safety drives her to join
alongside other villains, the people she considers
friends, to fight against the forces that harm the
people she loves. The Joker has just poisoned
her, using her compassion against her to recruit
one more person to his cause.
7. Kaede from Elfen Lied

Kaede lived a rough childhood, feeling the
betrayal of friends, as well as attempting to cope
with the unleashing of her true powers. She was
constantly bullied for her abnormalities, such
as her horns. It is not her fault that her mutation
causes her to have an overwhelming urge to kill;
slaughtering and murdering families upon families
of innocent people. Unfortunately, people viewed
her as a monster when she could not decide for
herself who she was, based on her injuries from
childhood and the fact she was a Dyclonius.
9. Birdo from Mario

Birdo is not misunderstood for the actions she
commits. Depending on the Mario game, she
could be seen as an ally or an enemy shooting
eggs or fire at you. The misunderstanding with
Birdo arrives in her gender even in the game
manuals, it states He thinks hes a girl Hed
rather be called Birdetta. Attempting to attribute
a gender to Birdo is difficult enough, as well as
even recognizing her villainous ways apart from
she attacks just because she is the boss battle.
10. Carmen Sandiego from Where in the

World is Carmen Sandiego?
The problem with Carmen is that she does not
see herself as the top wanted criminal in her
universe. She breaks the law and is wicked
because she views everything as a competition,
even as a game. She thrives on the possibility
of committing the most complex and unfeasible
crimes. She only leaves ACME because she was
bored of catching criminals, as they gave her no
challenge. She just wants self-fulfillment with her
specialty is that so wrong?
20
Samantha Peltz as Disney Princess Harley Quinn Larsons Cosplay Photography
1
2
3
*
3
4
5
5
6
7
8
empty spaces in between

beads. Your next line is going
to be started in those spaces.
Ive marked them on the
pattern with asterisks. It may
help to look at the pattern
sideways to give you a better
idea of the layout. Dont forget,
if you mess up, its not hard to
unthread and try again!
*
*
*
Since we ended with the blue

14, the blue bead beside it is
the next one in the pattern. Put
that bead on the string, and
thread your needle (or string)
10 *
11 11
12 *
13 13
14 *
through the bead it will lay

beside, in this case, the blue
13.
you know it, youll have a near

finished product. It should look
something like this:
Pull through and repeat the

process. Just climb your way
to the right edge of the pattern.
Keep progressing!
Step 6: Tie it off. Use extra

string from one end and
weave it through each bead
as shown. Tie the whole thing
together once you reach the
bottom, and voila!
Step 5: Youve finished one

half. Take the excess string
you should still have on the
other side and repeat step 4.
If your string is getting short,
no worries! Just tie some more
on and keep going. Before
Now you can sport your

Wonder Woman cuff at your
next con, or maybe share it or
trade it with a fellow con-goer!
Good luck!
DIY: Wonder Woman Cuff
By Kandi (with the Peyote Stitch)
If you need to suit up for the

raves and dances at your next
convention, you might as well
go in style!
Materials needed: string (the
more it stretches, the better),
pony beads, scissors
*Optional: thick or large eyed
needles
Step 1: Find/create your
pattern. Find a blank Kandi
Peyote pattern to create your
own variation, or you can use
the one Ive provided on the
opposite page! (Inspired by
MiaLunaSparkles pattern on
kandipatterns.com).
Step 2: Thread your string if
youre using a needle and knot
it. If not, just cut out a very
long string to begin. Its better
23
to overcompensate how much

string you think you need, but if
you end up running short later
on, just tie on another piece
and keep going.
Step 3: Create your first
line. This is the hardest part!
You may have to adjust the
number of beads for the width
depending on the size of your
wrist or how high you want
the cuff to sit on your arm. It
helps to count out how many
beads of each color you are
going to use before you get
started. To start a peyote
stitch, look at a line as a set of
pairs and singles. I will start in
the middle, following the train
down. You can start anywhere,
I just find it easier to see the
pattern and tie it at the end in
two sections.
I will start with the 1s by

putting two blue beads in the
middle of the string.
To thread your number 2, put
both ends of the string into the
hole of the bead, like so.
Pull taut, and add your 3s,
even the 4 if youre feeling
adventurous! Make sure it
keeps tight (example: second
from the right on the bottom on
the next page.)
Continue repeating your way
down the line until you reach
the end, then pull tight and tie
off for security. Pro tip: both
sides of your string should be
equal length at this point.
Step 4: Youve done the hard
part, now add the rest! What
youll be looking at are the
24
DIY: Cosplay Boots
6, and accept my sincerest

condolences.
Step 6:
By Jamie Poison
These will be your base. Make sure they are

relatively comfortable to wear on a convention
floor all day. Nothing is comfortable after six
hours of walking on concrete, but please
humor me, Im not well.
What you will need:
I like using four-way stretch spandex. The

measurements will vary based on how tall
you need your boots to be, but you will need
two panels that are about 12 inches wide for
each boot.
Scissors
Invest in fabric sheers! They will save your

sanity and your precious work time.
Dont be a noob. Match your thread to your
fabric color!
I cosplay several characters

who wear some of the most
ridiculous footwear. I am
talking about the type that
you would never be able to
find outside a drag queen
or superheros personal
collection. For example,
Starfires thigh high purple and
silver boots: where on Gods
green earth are you going
to find something like that?!
The answer... nowhere. She
is an alien, after all. So what
is a poor, terrestrial cosplayer
to do? Simple. Make them
yourself!
I learned this method from
searching online for what
other cosplayers had done,
attempted tutorials, and
through trial and error, came
25
up with a system that worked

for me. This is 90% of what
cosplay creation is, after all-trying out new things until you
find something that works.
So gather your wits and your
materials, and lets get started!
Choosing your shoes:
You dont want to spend a lot
of money on your shoes as
you are going to cover them up
completely. I have used shoes
that I had sitting in the rag bag
waiting to be donated. If youre
not a hoarder like me and
need to buy shoes, check out
Goodwill, the Salvation Army,
consignment shops, Walmart,
(shudder) or Target. Look for
comfort, sole, heel, toe shape,
and of course, fit. Dont worry
about color or fabric, as again,
you will be covering them up.
If you cant find the heel shape
you want you can always
modify it using craft foam and
hot glue (aka cosplay magic).
Fabric
Sewing Maching
Sewing Pins
Fabric Marker or Pen
Fabric Super Glue
Thread
Step 1:
Put on your shoes, and while
sitting on the floor place your
leg on top of one of your fabric
panels with the right side, or in
this case the shiny side, facing
you. Then take a second panel
and place it on top of your leg,
the wrong side, or non-shiny
side facing you. This will allow
the fabric to be pinned right
sides together, meaning you
are now wearing the fabric
inside out. Start by pinning the
fabric pieces together under
the sole of the shoe to hold it in
place as you work.
Step 2:
Pulling the fabric tightly as you
go, carefully start pinning the
top and bottom pieces of fabric
together, starting at the bottom
and working your way up your
leg, alternating between the
front and back of the boot.
Make sure you are pulling
A Pair of Shoes
Step 4:
the fabric tight, and pinning

close to your leg, as this will
create the best fit. When you
finish pinning, go back and
look for places that need to be
tightened, as pins may have
moved, and you may be able
to get better leverage of the
fabric now that it is all pinned
together.
Carefully (I cannot stress that

enough - exercise extreme
caution during this step) slide
your leg out of your now fully
pinned boot. You do not want
to stab yourself with the million
bajillion pins you just put into
your fabric. Believe me, I
know: it is not a fun way to end
the day.
Step 3:
Using a fabric marker or piece
of chalk, trace the pin line on
either side of the fabric to use
as a reference later. I have not
done this, mainly because by
the time I think to get a fabric
marker out, I am usually fully
pinned into my boots, making
movement somewhat perilous.
This drawn guideline will be
really helpful later in case pins
move between removing the
boots and sewing. Do as I say,
not as I do.
Step 5:
Take a close look at your
fabric, adjusting any pins
that fell out of place. Trim off
excess fabric, leaving at least
an inch on either side of your
pins. This will make the fabric a
little easier to maneuver when
sewing.
Now that you have both of

your boots pinned, and have
hopefully removed them
from your body with minimal
bloodshed, you are ready to
sew! Choose a stretch stitch on
your machine -- this is hugely
important. If you dont use
a stretch stitch, your thread
wont allow for any give, and
you will rip your stitches when
you try to wear your boots.
Line up your fabric so you are
sewing right on the pin line.
You want these to be skin tight,
so you dont need a seam
allowance. Sew along the pin
line, following your guideline,
and being careful not to allow
the fabric to bunch. If a bunch
occurs, grab your handy dandy
seam ripper and, being careful
not to slice through your fabric,
rip that sucker out. From here,
place your fabric back on the
machine and re-stitch your
seam. Take your time, as your
seams will be very visible they will run up the center front
and back of your boot. Repeat
this step on the second boot.
Now repeat steps 1 through 5

on your other leg...unless you
only have one leg, in which
case, move directly to step
26
DIY: Cosplay on a Budget
By Madeline
It is summer, which means many of you have more time to

devote to hobbies! Are you planning on making an awesome
cosplay but dont have the money? Awesome cosplay is
doable if you stick to a budget. I decided to make a Starfleet
Officer cosplay using only $50. Here is how you can do it
too:
1. Make a budget and stick to it! I decided to vow to not
spend more than $50 on my cosplay.
2. Try to find a simple cosplay. Misty from Pokmon is great;
Gundams are not so great if you have limited money. I
chose to be a Starfleet Officer from Star Trek because it is
simple and fun.
Step 7:
Take the pins out, and slide
your leg into the boot to check
the fit. Once you are happy
with it trim off any excess
fabric, leaving a few inches
at the bottom to attach to the
shoe. Decide where you want
the top of the boot to fall, and
create a hemline by folding
the fabric over, and pinning.
Sew along the pin line, leaving
about a quarter of an inch of
space between the top of the
boot and the hem. Remove the
pins, trim off the excess fabric,
and flip that bad boy right side
out. Again, repeat on second
boot.
Step 8:
Youre almost there! I swear!
Check the fit one last time.

After you attach the shoes
there is no going back in to
resize. Now grab your fabric
super glue. Applying glue
directly to the edges of the
sole, and right around the
bottom of the shoe, press the
fabric to the shoe, holding it in
place for a moment so the glue
can form a bond. Apply a line
of glue up the back of the heel,
and press the fabric in place.
You can either cut your fabric
to form it to the exact shape
of the shoe, or leave it as is to
create the illusion of a wedge,
as I have done in the example
photos. Slide the boots off, and
let them dry for 12 to 24 hours.
Finally, trim off the excess
fabric and step back and
admire your work.
Put your shoes back on

and slide your leg into your
beautiful, fully sewn boot.
27
3. Look around your house and figure out what materials

you already have. I found the following items: black thread,
azure blue thread, leather, silver acrylic paint, and black
boots.
4. Figure out what items you still need and how much they
will cost. I still needed the following items: azure blue cotton
knit fabric ($15), exacto knife ($5), silver thread ($2), black
cotton knit turtleneck top ($28). This all amounts to exactly
$50.
5. (Optional) If you have a bit more money, you can
incorporate some accessories into the cosplay. I would have
liked to include a tribble and a phase pistol, but I did not
have the funds to do so. A tribble would have cost an extra
$5 in fuzzy fabric and a phase pistol can be bought from
eBay for about $15. This would have driven up the cost of
the cosplay to $70.
To make my dress, I found a skin-tight body-hugging dress
that I already had and used it as the pattern. To make the
badge, I cut the leather using the exacto knife in the shape
of the Starfleet emblem. I painted the badge silver and
then sewed it to the dress using the silver thread. For the
black undershirt, I bought a pre-made cotton knit turtleneck
top from American Apparel and then fixed the turtleneck to
make it into a mock-turtleneck. I also shortened the length of
the top.
28
Shones Kishana as Team Rocket

10 Villains We
Sympathize With
By Megan Willis
I am bad and that is good. I will never be good and

thats not bad. Theres no one Id rather be than me.
~ Wreck-it Ralph
Sometimes we find ourselves
feeling strangely sympathetic
for certain villains and antiheroes in movies and media
we enjoy. These characters,
while being the featured
antagonist, still have very
fleshed out stories that explain
their bad behavior. While our
pangs of sympathy in no way
condone their actions, as
Jessica Rabbit said, Im not
bad, Im just drawn that way.
Forewarning: this list is
comprised of people from
anime, comics, movies, and
video games and may contain
spoilers.
Atrocitus
Red Lantern Corps. (DC
Comics)
Atrocitus wakes up to his
home planet being destroyed,
his wife and child dying in
the commotion. He is able to
escape death with four other
inhabitants: they perform the
ritual Blackest Night, which
allows them to foresee how
all life in the universe will
end, only to be captured and
31
imprisoned. Yeah, the five of

them may have been going
on a killing rampage, which
in turn caused their capture,
but it was brought on by those
responsible for their planets
end. Later, once Atrocitus
escapes to destroy the person
who will bring forth the end of
life as we know it; BOOM he
is stopped and told what he is
doing is wrong. Oh, and it just
so happens that the one who
is going to destroy life is the
same person who killed his
family. Finally, he is filled with
so much rage from all of this
that he becomes the first to
forge a red lantern ring.
Cujo
(Stephen King)
Rabies shot, rabies shot,
rabies shot! Cujo was a gentle
St. Bernard who was abused
by his owner Joe and bitten
by a bat that had rabies.
Joe ignores his oncoming
symptoms, and he eventually

succumbs to the disease. Just
like any animal with rabies,
he becomes violent. The first
two people he killed were the
two characters who beat and
abused him before he was
ever infected. Yes, he kills the
sheriff, but he did not shoot
the deputy! Just kidding about
that last part there was not
deputy. While he does hold a
mother and her young child
hostage in a sweltering car, it
is due to the progression of his
disease, not through any ill will
on his part. The really sad part
of this story? It all could have
been avoided had he been
vaccinated!
Ice King (a.k.a. Simon
Petrikov)
Adventure Time
Ice King is now a supporting
character in Adventure Time,
but prior to the change he was
just a crazy wizard who kept
trying to kidnap princesses
and force them to marry him.
As time goes on, it is revealed
in the show that he was once

a regular man who found a
crown that started making him
crazy. Betty, his fiance, whom
he referred to as his princess,
left, which is why he is looking
for a princess to marry. The
crown, while being the cause
of his mental decline, helped to
save his life after the world was
destroyed by a nuclear bomb.
After the destruction, he meets
a young vampire girl named
Marceline and becomes her
protector/father figure, keeping
her safe and making sure shes
fed, while keeping them both
entertained with silly songs
they write and sing together.
He continues to lose his mind
due to the crowns powers
of influence, and chooses
to leave Marceline in order
to keep her safe. As time
goes on, he loses all of his
memories and becomes even
more insane, which leads to
his kidnapping tendencies. In
the end, all he remembers that
he wants is his princess.
Big Boss
Metal Gear Solid
The quote You either die a
hero or you live long enough
to see yourself become the
villain, stated by Harvey Dent,
(The Dark Knight), can really
be applied to Big Boss. After
killing his mentor, The Boss,
and being used as a pawn for
the government for most of
his life, he wanted to create a
nation where soldiers would
no longer be used as tools

and could instead be free.
At one point, he discovers
that he is incapable of having
children after being exposed
to radiation during one his
missions. Later, he finds out
that hes been cloned and
technically has sons, (think
Jango Fett here), one of which
is Solid Snake, who ends up
fighting him multiple times. In
the end, they finally meet as
father and son with Big Boss
dying on the grave of The
Boss, the woman responsible
for his personal demise. He
wanted Solid Snake to find
peace in life and not waste
his days fighting like he had.
His final words were This is
goodisnt it?
32
Light Yagami (a.k.a. Kira)

Death Note
Light could have used an
Uncle Ben in his life to tell him,
With great power comes great
responsibility. Lights initial
purpose for the Death Note, a
notebook with the power to kill
anyone whose name is written in
it, is to rid the world of criminals.
This was brought on because
he is unhappy with the lack of
justice in world and hoped that he
could have a world with kind and
honest people. However some
people see the deaths of inmates
as murders and begin searching
for the one responsible. From this
point on, his actions sadly start to
become less honorable and more
ruthless as he tries to avoid being
caught. While his intentions started
out as benevolent, in the end
they crumble as he begins killing
innocent people.
Magneto (a.k.a. Max Eisenhardt)
X-Men (Marvel)
Born in the 1920s, Magneto was
often bullied as a child, and, in
years to come, saw his familys
brutal murder by Nazis before
being sent to the Auschwitz death
camp as a teenager. Seriously? Its
no wonder this kid is messed up.
Not only had he spent the majority
of his adolescence as an outcast
for being different, but his family
was murdered for that very reason.
As time went on and his powers
developed, he started traveling a
path of righteousness, using his
powers to track Nazi war criminals.
Eventually, he was caught and
his love interest, Isabelle, was
murdered. As the world began
33
to see mutants as dangerous,

Magneto was once again the
different one, and just as before,
he was being oppressed. This guy
cant catch a break. All he wanted
was to be free and not have to hide
from the world. Most people can
all relate to that on some level. His
methods to conquer the human
race were a little harsh, but after a
life of running, hiding, and seeing
those he loved killed for being
different, is it any wonder that he
has issues?
Red Hood (a.k.a. Robin, Jason
Todd)
DC Comics
Jason was a street orphan found
by Batman after he was trying to
steal the tires off of the Batmobile.
Batman, feeling sympathy for him,
sent him to a school for troubled
youths, which turned out to actually
be the secret headquarters for
a band of thieves. After helping
Batman to round up the band
of thieves, he becomes the new
Robin. Later on, he finds out that
Two-Face is responsible murdering
his father, (which Batman knew
about), and tries to strangle TwoFace until Batman stops him.
After a while, Nightwing, (the
original Robin), returns and Jason
fears that he will be replaced, but
Nightwing calms his worries. Sadly,
most of the comics actual fans
disliked Todd so much they voted
on whether or not to kill him off.
Ouch. The Joker beats, tortures,
and in the end, kills Jason. Ras
al Ghul brings him back to life
years later, but this causes him to
lose his mind. He then discovers
Batman has replaced him with
another Robin and that the Joker
is out and about. Angry with

Batmans way of justice, Jason
become the Red Hood, a vigilante
who believes that sometimes the
best way to deal with criminals
is by ridding the world of their
existence.
Roy Batty (MN N6MAA10816)
Blade Runner
One could say that Roy Batty is
made for destruction, as he is a
combat model replicant. However,
he is trying to learn how to deal
with his developing emotions, while
also hoping to find a way to extend
his own life. Being on the run from
his own demise, Roy goes to his
creator Tyrell to ask that his life
be extended. He is then referred
to by Tyrell as the prodigal son,
and told it is impossible to extend
his life. In the book Do Androids
Dream of Electronic Sheep, Roy
kills his owner so that he could
escape his life of slavery on Mars
with his android wife, Irmgard. In
both the movie and book Roy only
wants to live a life free of being
hunted down for being an android,
with emotions, who is living on
Earth. Can he really be blamed for
wanting that freedom? Regardless,
he saves Deckard, (played by
Harrison Ford), who was killing
androids, and tells Deckard of the
wonderful things he has seen in
his lifetime ending it with, All those
moments will be lost in time... like
tears in rain... Time to die. Roys
battery then runs out.
Syndrome (a.k.a. Incrediboy,
Buddy Pine)
The Incredibles
Syndrome could have grown up to
be another Iron Man, or even quite
possibly a Batman, considering

his intelligence and his abilities
with machines. All he wanted to do
was be a hero like Mr. Incredible.
His adolescence and his lack of
super powers actually make him
different from some of the other
villains in this list, as it was this
normality that set him aside and
caused Mr. Incredible to have the
police escort him home, telling him,
I work alone. Little things like this
can leave a deep scar in children,
and for Syndrome, he covered that
scar by trying to prove that he was
capable of fighting without powers.
While killing off all the super
heroes he can find is not the best
way of establishing recognition for
his talents, if he had just received
a little guidance and recognition as
a child, he might not have become
an evil antagonist.
Zero (Lelouch vi Britannia)
Code Geass
Lelouchs mother was
assassinated when he was young,
which left his sister, Nunnally,
blind. Afterwards, he was sent to
Japan by his father to be a political
hostage: father of the year right
there. He receives the power of the
Geass from a witch, and he begins
a revolution bent on destroying
the twisted system that his father
created. He does this by using
an alter ego, Zero, and the power
of the Geass. He hopes that by
destroying the empire that his
father made he would be able to
become the emperor. To ensure
peace, he sacrifices himself by
having his friend dress as Zero and
assassinate him, bringing his plan
to culmination.
34
Blue as the Joker John Dick



Video Games
and Comic Books
By Jacqueline Arbelo
Comic Books (as we know them now)

have been around since 1937 with DC
Comics premiere of their Detective
Comics series. While home video games
unfortunately, did not came around until
1972 with the very first cartridge console
called the Magnavox Odyssey. The first
game to bring the two together was
Superman for the Atari 2600 released in
1979. Check out the video sometime on
YouTube, its just so bad. Thankfully now
however, whether your platform of choice
is PC, Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo, there
is a plethora of choices of video games
for all you comic book lovers.
Some of the most popular video games
based on comic books range from Marvel
to DC and even include Spawn, Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Judge Dredd.
Of course the ones with big named
characters such as Batman, Spider-Man
and the X-men are the ones who rank
in with the most video games on the
entire spread of video game consoles
over the years. Spider-Man ranking #1
with a whopping 40 video games, not
including arcade and mobile game titles.
The X-Men ranked #2 with 22 titles and
Batsy came in at #3 holding 21 titles, with
the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and
Superman closely on their heels.
The great thing about this Age of the
Nerd as I like to call it, is that not only
do we have comic books inspiring
awesome video games, but we also
have video games inspiring comic books.
Games like Blood Rayne, Infamous,
Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Silent Hill,
Gears of War, Resident Evil and even
Call of Duty. These comics serve as
45
a continuation to the storyline started

in the games and help show in depth
character progression. Or as in the case
of the Mass Effect comics, shine origin
spotlights on side characters that we
love.
In addition to those spin off series, there
are comic books that come out based
specifically on a game title released as
prequels to the game, such as Batman:
Arkham City. Of course being the
Batman fangirl that I am, I just had to
read them. The nice thing about prequel
comics is that it significantly shortens cut
screen interruptions in the game as well
as help build up the hype before release
date. You get to get a little taste of what
the game will be about before playing it
as well as get all the story setup needed
to be able to dive right into playing as
soon as the game loads.
If you are looking to get into some current
video games based on books, here is a
list of some you should look into:
Batman: Arkham Origins (PlayStation 3,
Xbox 360, PC, Wii U)
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
(PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC,
PlayStation Vita, 3DS, Wii, 3DS,)
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
(PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
Injustice: Gods Among Us (PlayStation 3,
Xbox 360, Wii U, PC)
DC Universe Online (PlayStation 3, PC)
Young Justice: Legacy (Nintendo DS,
PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii)
Superman in
Action Comics
Comic vs. Manga
By Jenave Barrett
For those out there who arent in the know about comic
books and manga, it may well seem that they are one in
the same thing. Both have stories, both are based off of
visual images and drawings, and both are worshiped in
nerd culture. But lets get down to the nitty gritty details and
discuss what really sets these two apart.
Astro Boy by
Osamu Tezuka
Batman of DC
Comics
Naruto by
Masashi Kishimoto
The Avengers of
Marvel Comics
Vampire Knight by
Matsuri Hino
Black Bird by
Kanoko Sakurakoji
One of the best ways to see how two things that seem
so similar are really different is by taking a look into their
pastwhere it all began. The history of comics is based
mostly in American and European cultures. The American
versions originally got the idea from a European comic.
This comic was known as The Adventures of Obadiah
Oldbuck by Rodolphe Topffer, and when it was translated
for American culture in 1842, the general idea of comics
took off. What really gave comics support was the invention
of newspapers; this allowed comic strips to grow, and later
on become comic books. The first ever comic book was by
Jeremiah Saddlebags in 1849 and it was called Journey to
the Gold Diggins. Bringing superheroes into the game, such
as Superman, kicked comic books into their golden age,
which shows in their strong use of heroes and action. One
difference to note: comics are generally created using a
team of writers and illustrators, thus requiring the input and
cooperation of many people.
Manga, on the other hand, has an Asian background, mostly
centered in Japan. The story writing in manga, as well as
the artwork and designs, are usually done by the same
person. It is much harder to figure out the exact beginning
of manga. Some believe manga was used in scrolls as early
as the 18th century, but none of this is exact, and it is more
probable that manga began in the late to mid-19th century.
The most recognized first manga artist is Osamu Tezuka.
Two of his works are thought to be the first manga created;
Treasure Island and Astro Boy, the latter becoming a very
popular anime series. Though the timing is not clear, manga
is thought to have come out later than western comics.
One of the main differences in comics and manga is art
style. Comics, due to their western upbringing, read left to
right. Their dialogue does not always follow up correctly with
the actions of the characters. The art design in general is
very strong, with dramatic angles and movements, which
help pump up the action that is

happening. This can be seen in
many western comics, a great
example of which is Batmans
use of BAM and POW in
its early iterations, depicting
the impact of a landed blow
during fight scenes. On top
of these strong movements,
most comics are done in full
color and utilize a strong color
palette in order to emphasis
the artwork.
Manga, however, is read right
to left, and the dialogue flows
much more smoothly with
the artwork of the characters.
Manga is paced much slower,
allowing for the buildup of
emotions the manga-ka (artist)
is hoping to create. A great
example of this can be seen
in the manga Vampire Knight,
were manga artist Matsuri Hino
uses just a few images with
slight movement to express
the connection between the
two leading characters. And
while the art style varies
from manga-ka to manga-ka,
the general manga style is
smoother, with lots of curving,
fantasized aspects, such as
big eyes and flowing hair.
Overall, the art is much softer
in appearance when compared
to western comic drawing
styles. Also, most manga is
printed in black and white; full
color images are a rarity and
usually saved for the covers
and backs of the book.
Another difference between
comics and manga is
the themes that come up
throughout the stories. In
comics, things are much

more centered on action and
mystery, and many target a
male audience. Looking at one
of the most popular comics
currently, The Avengers, it
consists of a group of mostly
male heroes, and the comic
seems to aim for a male
audience. The aspects of the
main characters are also very
different. Heroes of comics
tend to be very morally-based,
family oriented, and all for
justice. Whereas, the villains
are just bad, and often do not
have a back story or any other
personality dimension other
than they are the bad guy, and
as so, will always be the bad
guy.
Manga, on the other hand,
has much broader thematic
aspects. These can range from
classic action hero stories,
horror or science fiction based
stories, even romances meant
just for girls. Many manga
combine these aspects and
more to create a more defined
storyline. As a comparison,
there is Kanoko Sakurakojis
Black Bird, which shows a
more intimate level between
two characters, meant to
appeal to a female audience;
in Masashi Kishimotos
Naruto, there are clear fight
scenes meant to target a male
audience more so than female.
While these examples seem to
point to manga having target
audiences, and while some
very readily do, there are many
manga that aim for a more
diverse audience, including
both males and females of
differing age groups. Most

manga is not known to target
kids, but rather aims toward
older groups, with a subgenre
name for each. The basics are
known as shounen, which is
meant for males, and shoujo,
which tends to focus on
females. There are also josie
comics; these are meant for
women in their 20s and are
known for sex scenes and a
more mature level of content.
On the subject of sex, manga
tends to be more open on
the topic, and violence and
is seen as more risqu. This
is thought to be influenced
by the religions of Shinto and
Buddhism, which allow for
the freedom to explore and
express sexuality.
Comics and manga can be
tough, and for many they are
seen as the same thing. When
one delves a little deeper
into the topic, there are many
obvious differences which
allow each to have their own
unique qualities, drawing in
those that have a preference
for one subset over the other.
When it comes down to which
is better, it is truly a personal
choice on what one prefers
to read and see in a story, as
well as which art style is more
appealing. Either way, both are
successful mediums in nerd
culture, and provide their fans
with enthralling storylines and
amazing artwork.

48
Heroes vs. Villains: Anime
Hero
By Arlith
When people say heroes vs. villains one might

think of Batman vs. Joker, Mario vs. Bowser,
Ash Ketchum vs. Team Rocket, or any of
hundreds of well-known hero/villain rivalries that
have been established in comics, video games,
and anime. After 4 days at Anime Expo in Los
Angeles, I started thinking about my favorite

anime series, and the heroes and villains that
make each one so unique. So lets talk anime!
In this list are my seven favorite anime, and
singled out are my favorite hero and villain from
each.
Hero
Kirito
Eren
Saya Otanashi
Sebastian
49
Villain
His story of heroism is one

of survival and doing what
needs to be done. He has
honor and integrity, which
are very important in life,
not just in a hero.
The former director of

the research institute of
RECTO Progress Inc. and
just genuinely a huge jerk.
One of the main

characters of the story,
he has a BIG secret, (pun
intended). I find his story
very interesting and it
was his story that kept me
grasping for more.
There is SO much to this

titan! In more ways than
one! No spoilers here, but
if you havent caught up
to all the episodes yet,
(or just poked around the
internet), then keep alert
for more awesomeness to
come from this monster.
The main protagonist of

the series, and the first
born of the daughters of
the Chiropteran Mummy.
Shes awesome with a
sword, and shes a bit of a
dark main hero.
The evil twin sister of

Saya, she is a queen
Chiropteran as wella
vampire-type creature that
feeds on the flesh and
blood of humans.
A hot demon butler who

protects Ciel and obeys all
orders without hesitation,
with flawless execution
sign me up please!
Reaper and comic relief?

Pretty much the best.
Lucy/Nyu/Kaede
Nobuyuki Sugou
Moka
The Colossal Titan
Lucy
Diva
Grell Sutcliff
Villain
As the main character,

she is more of an antihero or victim, but I will
classify her here because
of her Multiple Personality
Disorder and her intense
love for Kouta. She is far
to good at her core to be
a villain.
The Mother and

Step-Father of Mayu
Seriously anyone
who does THAT to
their little girl is a
super villain.
The main character of the

series, she is a beautiful vampire
who is addicted to the human
Tsukunes blood, which gives her
strength. She has two separate
personalities as well: outer Moka,
who is caring, sweet and kind;
and inner Moka, who is cold
and heartless. Throughout the
series you begin to see these two
personalities merge a bit.
The physical education

teacher at Yokai Academy,
and a Kraken. He is also
an attempted rapist who
attacks the girls of the
school.
She is a Celestial Spirit Mage

and a member of the Fairy Tail
Guild. She is very vain and
uses her appearance to try to
get what she wants. She is also
very proud of Fairy Tail and
calls them her family. She owns
a large number of celestial
spirits and is very kind to them,
unlike a lot of celestial wizards.
I think even though she isnt the
strongest of heroes, and not
even the strongest member of
Fairy Tail, she exemplifies what
a hero truly is: love, loyalty,
honor, respect, and bravery.
She was a member of the

former Oracin Seis guild,
one of the most powerful
Dark Guilds in the world,
and is the only female in
the guild. She is also a
Celestial Spirit Mage, and
super cute with her wings.
Okuti Kitsubo
Angel
What I want isnt money, pretty dresses, or fortune

forced upon me. Im not Lucky Lucy of Heartfilia
anymore! Fairy Tail recognizes me as just Lucy, and
my other family, its a far more loving family than
this!
Lucy Heartfilia to her Father in Goodbye
50
Kimmie K and Lani as Supergirl David Blue
Kimmie K as She-ra David Blue
Heroine Heroin
By Jenave Barrett
1. Wonder Woman
One of the most known female super heroes, Wonder Women is a famous
member of Justice League and DC Comics top princess. Created and
appearing in 1941, she showed her face in one of DC Comics All Star
Comics issues. She was created by William Moulton Marston an American
psychologist and original name is Princess Diana. She is consider the princes
of the Amazons, and in some issues a demigod. Using her Lasso of Truth
and tiara, Wonder Woman is number one in our top heroine list, as she fights
for justice and always comes to the rescue.
2. Super Girl
Create as the female version to DC Comics popular Superman, Super
Girl has become just as much as an iconic image as her male counterpart.
Developed in 1959 by the team of Otto Binder and Al Plastino, she first
appeared in the well-known DC Comic series Action Comics and like all
grand superheroes, began her own path into film, animation, and even action
figures and more, she sure lives up to such a strong name.
3. Storm
Known as one of X-Mens strongest members, next on the list is Storm, a
heroine that can really bring some thunder. Sense her appearance in 1975,
Ororo Munroe (human name) has been in almost every establishment of the
franchise, whether it be film, game or animation, and she is mostly known for
(outside of her amazing power of weather) as being right hand to Professor
X and being his future success to his entire legacy. Strong, fierce, and
intelligent, Storm is a highly recognizable character to anyone, comic fan or
not.
4. Lara Croft
Different to most of the lovely ladies on our list, Lara Croft, though having a
comic series, is best known her for power house performance in her Tomb
Raider game series. Though Lara is a strong example of woman being
designed in a males preference, there is no arguing that she is still a strong
contender and when it comes to adventures, whether it be a lost jungle or
one made of concrete, she does not fear it.
53
5. Bat Girl
Created as the counter to Batman, the popularity of this female
heroine has surely made her creators, Bill Finger and Sheldon
Moldoff very proud. Originally known as Barbara Gordon has
been the iconic image of Batgirl sense 1967 and has done
justice to the name.
6. Jean Grey
One of the most furious female mutants, Jean Grey better known
as Phoenix is one of the lists fieriest ladies. Born with the powers
of telekinetic and telepathy she is thought to be one of the most
powerful mutants in the series. Jean Grey can be seen as one
of the most relatable of characters as she is not only a super
hero mutant, but she is also a mother, a wife a friend and more,
showing that cookie cutter molds are not for all heroes.
7. Invisibile Woman
The only female from The Fantastic Four, Susan Storm Richards
truly steps up as a key part of the four person team. Outside of
this, Invisible Woman was considered the first female superhero
created by Marvel Comics during the Silver Age of Comics. A
wonderful start to the female start among Marvel Comics.
8. Black Canary
During the Golden Age of Comic Books, Black Canary or Dinah
Laurel Lance, was created by Robert Kanigher and Carmine
Infantino and is most known as the partner of Green Arrow.
Though she does not have powers like the majority of the super
hero ladies she is a pro at combat and is still a strong heroine.
9. Shadow Cat
Kitty Pryde, her known human name, was developed among the
X-Men in a chance to relate to the average user, as the smart
geeky intelligent girl next door. And even though through the
years she has become a very accomplished student and X-Men
and stayed slightly from the path of being very relatable, she is
still one kick butt fighter.
10. Black Widow
Most known as her role in The Avengers and as Hawkeyes
possible romantic interest in the movies, this Russian spy is one
power force that any hero would be foolish to confront.
54
Classic Video Game

Heroines
By Jenave Barrett
Nowadays finding a strong female character

isnt hard in the gaming world. The days of
damsels in distress and princesses in danger
are slowly passing. But not all classic female
gaming characters were nubile and fearful. Lets
take a look at four gaming girls that have been
strong since the start.
Princess Zelda
First appearing in the original The Legend of
Zelda in 1986, this classic save the princess
dungeon game may, at first, seem like the
typical woman in despair game, but lets look
closer at the female lead. Though she is a
princess and is captured by the horrid Ganon
(Ganondorf), in the end, when rescued through
most of the series many games, she plays a
helping hand in the defeat of the evil overlord
with her excellent archery skills. On top of
this, she holds alter egos that help guide the
hero Link on his path. Her most famous alter
ego is known as Sheik, a skillful fighter of an
ancient tribe that, to many, is thought to be male
(even Link had no idea). Zeldas embodiment
of wisdom, alongside her sage-like abilities
make her a princess that should never be taken
lightly.
55
Samus Aran
Next on our list is
another gaming
character that, like the
first, was thought to be
a male. Back in 1986,
when Metroid first
debuted, it wouldnt
have been all that
unlikely. Her main
appearance consisted
of an orange and red
suit, hiding ALL skin,
as she ran about
destroying enemies
in the way of her missions. On top of this very
non-feminine dressing, she is a bounty hunter.
What?! A female, with no skin showing, that can
hunt down someone and kick butt?... Nahh!
Well yes, Miss Aran did all of the above and
more, making her one fearsome lady.
Jill Valentine
What other horrific zombie game can beat the
classic Resident Evil? None. This game made
skin crawl, had people on the edge of their
seats, and knew jump scares (at least for me

they did). So where is that girl in need of saving
from the zombies? Nowhere. Jill Valentine
was a popular female character, and she was
no damsel in distress. This character, since
appearing in Resident Evil in 1996, has been a
fan favorite not only for her beauty, but also as
a strong fighter who had a penchant for taking
down tons of zombie crazies.
Lara Croft
Now this is a household name: whether an
old gaming fan or new to the scene, everyone
knows Lara Croft and Tomb Raider. Even
though this game vixen was originally known for
her attention-getting physique and questionable
clothing choices, there is no arguing she is a
strong, battle-ready gal. She is never captured
or in need of a rescuer. Rather, she goes racing
through jungles, solving puzzles in caves, and
takes down any challenge that comes her way.
She even takes down a T-Rex; not a feat most
gaming icons can claim. For a gal created in
1996, she was definitely a strong female role
model.
As female gaming characters continue to grow

and strengthen, looking back at some of the
original female All-Stars goes to show that not
all games only showcased damsels in distress.
They were full of independent, self-assured,
and most definitely competent women who
knew what they were doing and had no qualms
in accomplishing some pretty awesome feats.
Shes My Hero
Underappreciated Young Women in Video

Games Who Changed My Life
By Nicole Scott
Warning: this article contains

spoilers.
It is ignorant to disregard
the influences of women
in video games. Examples
such as Lara Croft or Samus
Aran are adult women with
many life experiences that
culminate into a fully fleshed
out, remarkable character.
Despite this, it is sometimes
a great shame that so many
young women are often
misleadingly characterized.
This could be attributed to
their childish voices, juvenile
mannerisms, or overall blissful
ignorance. Male and female
gamers of all ages can learn
from young girls in games
sometimes they could even
teach their elders a thing or
two. In no order, here are
four underappreciated young
women in gaming that have
influenced my life.
Viola from The Witchs
House for PC
The Witchs House is a
freeware game made with the
RPG Maker engine. It tells a
hauntingly grotesque tale of
survival and friendship through
two young girls, Ellen and
Viola. What makes the main
character Viola so influential
and poignant is her unwavering
57
concern for those around her,

despite the bleakness of her
circumstances. Regardless
of all the constantly toxic
stimuli recurring in Violas life
that would make most people
hateful, vengeful, or even
suicidal, everything Viola does
is out of pure love.
Viola lives with her father,
whom she loves very dearly.
She befriends a young,
lonely witch named Ellen
who is dying of an illness.
After becoming friends, Ellen
requests a dying wish from
Viola; to switch bodies with her
for one day, just to feel what
its like to be healthy again.
Though this is a large request
with potential consequences,
Viola acquiesces based solely
on her love for her friend. Viola
wants Ellen to be happy and
to experience life to its fullest
before passing. This is not only
exceedingly noble for a young
female, but selfless and brave.
It also displays the amount of
trust Viola has in her friends,
a trust that most people no
longer possess in modern
culture. Despite her altruistic
behavior, her kindness comes
at a price. Ellen is not the
friend that Viola has mistaken
her to be.
The plot twist is revealed in the

games true ending, when the
player finds out Ellen overtook
Violas body after she had
mutilated herself. This has
left Viola stuck forever in the
broken shell of a crippled witch
in a magic house. The gamer
plays as Ellen (in Violas body),
traversing through the house
while Viola (in Ellens body)
attempts to contain her through
various magic traps and
monsters. A potential thought
that may run through the
players head upon discovering

the truth may be Viola is bitter
toward Ellen for taking her
body, therefore, she is trying to
kill her with the powers of the
house.This is false: Violas as
influential as a young woman
because that is not her motive
in the slightest.She merely
wants to protect her father from
Ellen, who has killed her own
father. Viola does not want her
father to fall victim to Ellens
previous history of violence
and manipulation.
Viola is unbelievably
determined and strong willed
for her age. Even though she
is trapped in Ellens body-eventually becoming a legless,
bloodied creature--she still
attempts to reunite with her
father. Her last words before
inevitably dying were directly
to her dad: Father, daddy
help. This last breath explains
why she is a powerful young
woman it was always about
her love of her family and
never about the fight with
Ellen.
Nanako Dojima from
Persona 4 for PS2
From the cult classic Persona
4 we have Nanako Dojima,
who is quite possibly
my favorite character
of all time. Initially, she
is easy to overlook
upon meeting her,
she is only six years
old and incredibly shy
with a stereotypical
little pink dress and
meek voice to match.
Despite her young age, she

is influential because she is
easily one of the most mature,
independent, and emotionally
stable characters in the game.
Nanako is very cognizant for
her age, always avoiding being
a burden to the adults around
her as well as attempting to
carry her own weight, as well
as that of others.
Nanako is the only daughter
of Ryotaro Dojima. Her father
is a cop in their small town of
Inaba, investigating a series
of murders.Nanakos mother,
Chisato, died in a hit-andrun accident when she was
young. This forces Nanako to
spend most nights home alone
doing the chores, cooking, and
fending for herself. Because
of her fathers inability to find
the culprit that killed his wife,
he has become a frenzied
cop, often not arriving home to
Nanako until the sun is down.
This has caused a massive
gap between father and
daughter. To take her mind off
how much she misses him, she
distracts herself by watching
the news and quiz shows and
singing the Junes department
store jingle to entertain herself.
Nanako is arguably one of the

characters who develops and
strengthens the most. She
begins as a shy, hiding-behindher-daddy-in-front-of-strangers
kid, to a loving, honest, and
trusting woman despite her
small stature. At one point,
Nanako is interviewed by
a local news station, the
interviewer asking her thoughts
on the murders and crimes
in Inaba. After hearing her
responses, the reporter said
this about Nanako: Today, I
talked with a young student
who spoke her own mind, free
from the influence of those
around her. It was an attitude
and an example that we as
adults can learn from.
Despite feeling an inevitable
loneliness, Nanako rarely
shows it. She always
welcomes her family as they
walk in the door with the
warmest smile and an earnest
Welcome home, sometimes
with dinner or coffee already
prepared. What resonates
to me about Nanako is her
appreciation for the simpler
aspects of life. She treasures
times when the main character
and his friends invite her
to social outings such as
festivals, and even when
they help her with her
homework. She also
attacks situations with
enormous optimism,
consistently asking
her father for a family
vacation even though
he hasnt been able to
for years. Nanako is
the most benevolent
58
and innocent character in the

game: a prime example of this
is a dungeon late in the game
that is inspired by her. It is
Nanakos depiction of Heaven,
clad in white clouds, pearly
gates, and soothing music--a
stark contrast to the previous
dungeons the protagonist
faces. It is symbolic of her
desire to see her mother again
and the unbelievable faith in
her heart.
Marona from Phantom Brave
for PS2
Phantom Brave is a turnbased JRPG for the PS2.
What I admire about Marona
is that she gives strength
to all women, saying be
proud of who you are. Also,
her charming, upbeat spirit
reminds women it is possible
to endure the harsh words of
others, even if it is a struggle.
Never does she complain
nor allow the public opinion
to affect her ambitions. The
entire game is a turbulent fight
for her, and she reminds the
player how it is too easy to
lament on the past. There may
be bullies and stereotypes,
but what is influential about
Marona is she transcends
these negative forces and lives
her life positively, regardless of
any opposition she faces.
Maronas parents died when
she was five and since then
shehas found solace in
her abilities as a Chroma
a magical being who can
summon Phantoms.Her best
friend is a phantom called
59
Ash, who
was once
a friend of
her parents.
Marona is
issued jobs
from all over
her world
of Ivoire,
which she
completes
with the help of her phantoms.
These include tasks such as
retrieving artifacts and putting
a stop to a monster in a nearby
village. Though Maronas jobs
usually end up in combat, it
is commendable that Marona
never fights for the sake of
fighting or for the thrill of the
tussle. She first tries to talk
things out, using force as a last
resort. She merely engages
in battle because she cares
more for the safety of others
than that of herself. She would
gladly fight and risk her life for
a community of people she
has never met if it meant their
happiness.
A gift Marona possesses is
instilling people with hope.
Maronas only other true
friend is Castile, a young girl
about her age that is bedridden due to sickness. Castile
believed she would never
have any friends because
she is trapped in her home, a
burden to her parents. Marona
cherishes Castile as if they
were sisters, giving Castile a
chance to experience a life
she wouldnt have otherwise.
Ultimately, Marona displays
the art of being an unselfish
and beautiful friend who
help even those who hurt you.

Then, one day everyone
will come to like you. What
is influential about her is her
untiring spirit she does what
she thinks is best for everyone,
always with a smile.
The Great Mizuti from Baten
Kaitos: Eternal Wings
and the Lost Ocean for
Gamecube
Two souls, swaying on
a sea of dreams, praying
Traveling off to kingdom come!
Two small vessels of one long
endeavor, fates entwined
pressing on forever. The
Great Mizutis song
exemplifies the good one can

do if they stop focusing on
themselves.
Marona is constantly chastised
and isolated because of her
powers, and too many times
she hides how much it hurts
her. Most of the population of
her world dislikes her. Despite
this, she is rather merciful,
helping even those who cheat
or lie to her, always reminding
herself what her parents said
when she was young, People
will judge you because they
cant understand your gift, but
dont hate them You were
blessed with that power so
you could help people. Grow
up compassionate and kind;
Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings

and the Lost Ocean is a
delightfully decadent cardbased RPG. Mizuti is fourteen
and her confidence, (as she
refers to herself as Great),
dedication for her people,
and readiness to accept
responsibility is what is most
inspiring about her character.
She acts as if she is an adult
in a childs body, someone
who protects her family and
community with unconditional
devotion not only to better
them, but to better herself.
Mizuti is a Child of the Earth,
one of the few left of her kind
with astonishing power. She
dons a ceremonial mask, as
do all the people of her village
Gemma, to protect them from
the poisonous cloud barrier
above them, the Taintclouds.
Because of her unusual
powers, Mizuti is keenly
observant of forces above
her world. She recognizes

disturbances starting to arise,
and willingly leaves home and
attempts to settle the issues
herself. She does this of her
own volition, not at the request
of her family or leaders of her
town. Her confidence propels
her to fight these energies,
because she thinks she is
capable.
What I find most intriguing is
Mizutis androgynous behavior.
What is incredible about Mizuti
is that she doesnt even feel
the need to express her gender
to her friends they dont even
know she is a female until
they go to her village for the
first time. Her friends had no
preconception of her gender
before the reveal, because
they saw her for who she is
a force of nature. Even after
leaving the Taintclouds, she
continues to wear the mask
as a symbol of honor, (and
also because she wants to!)
She does not let the history of
her people, the subject of the
poison, or even the struggle
in her home, prevent her from
adorning the sacred mask.
Mizuti has vast amounts of
wisdom. The head of her
village even believes she is the
reincarnate of their powerful
wizard ancestors. Not only
is her wisdom seen in her
introductory sequence when
she sings her song (excerpt
above), but in the way she
speaks. Oftentimes shell
meander about in third person,
speaking in riddles or reversed
syntax, making the people
around her think about every

word she says carefully. Even
her cries in battle signal her
connectivity with the universe,
depicting potential doubt, but
also self-awareness: What
going to happen the Great
Mizuti not be sure. What is
great about this phrase is its a
blatant acceptance of whatever
happens in her life. She may
not know everything, but
shes going to tackle conflict
with grace, poise, and selfassurance. Her fire to be as
great as she names herself is
what makes Mizuti so great.
Please feel free to check out

this article on our D20 Girls
Online Magazine at www.
D20GirlsMagazine.com
60
Courtney Beekman as Medeval Poison Ivy Lance Ridener Studios
Alausis in Eternity
By Amanda Baldwin
Alausis had ceased counting the eons of her life

long ago. When the shrines of Daxes fell, in time
before memory, she was still considered an elder
by any sentient standard. When Terra survived the
great war of dimensions, it was her hand that had
stayed execution for billions of races. Those that
perished were burned in her memory, though she
kept on knowing that she must. Knowing that there
was nothing else she could do.
In backwater moons and isolated space stations
she was worshiped as a goddess. There was a
time when she would have corrected them, but that
time had passed. By their small minds, thats what
she was, and it was arrogant of her to tell them she
was not. More arrogant than being revered in her
godhood.
Her being was birthed from the wayward
energies of the explosion that created the universe.
Her consciousness was forged in the most
destructive conditions that existed in the realms
of possibility. It was because of this that she knew
that she was incapable of death.
It is difficult finding meaning in life when it is
impossible to shake the bonds of it. Long years
of her youth were spent pining after purpose,
grasping at strands and coming up empty
handed. Eventually she found herself drawn to
mortal beings. Their lives were as shooting stars,
screaming across the heavens in a blaze of light,
then gone with only a trail of particle reactions left
behind in memory.
Through their small, passionate minds she
experienced much that fulfilled her. Younglings
grew, fought, mated, learned, grew old, and passed
in a blink, yet it seemed like so much more than
her eons amounted to. Even so, some centuries
were difficult, with the creeping melancholy of
existential crisis that gripped her, often to the doom
of nations and sometimes planets.
In her recent centuries, she had come to
understand her place. Her existence was dedicated
to these smaller beings and their hopes and
dreams sustained her like food and drink. Under
her guidance, they prospered. With her relentless
seeking they found cures for disease, famine, and
war. Many a golden age thrived under her careful
tending. Many a dark time too, but that was in the
63
days of her reckless youth.

Yet now the universe itself was dying. The
heat and energy had slowly ebbed away into
nothingness, and the stars were blinking out.
Through research, power, influence, and every
piece of technology that Alausis had collected in
her decidedly long life...there was not a single thing
she could do to stop it. At first the stars faded one
by one, then they fell by the galaxy until all sentient
life came wise and shrieked its meaningless
protest to the darkening heavens.
Alausis rubbed her calm upon them like a salve,
showering them in hope. For incomprehensible
lengths of time she had protected the universe and
those that lived within. She had known her share of
failures, yet when she had put her heart and mind
into it and was present and focused, she was hard
pressed to fail.
Yet they died in droves. They died by the
billions. Long standing empires fell into waste and
ruin and ancient beings cried out their last thoughts
to an uncaring universe.
As the great death began, fanatics sprung
up like mushrooms after rain. They revered the
great death and endeavored to help it along. With
their assistance and fervor the pace quickened
further and struggling colonies winked out in mere
instants.
Alausis donned her battle gear and came to the
field, ready to cleave the enemies of life asunder.
She went to Nehai and saved the Nehairens.
While her back was turned Delta Threice was
wiped out by the Fanatics. She turned to Gygax
and lost Srilia, Kkecht and Ardechai all in one fell
blow. The enemy used the energy of the dead;
their planet matter and the suffering of those they
killed powered their machines. For every one of
the enemy she destroyed, more became. For every
planet she saved an exponential more died.
Over the info nets, the sentients screamed to
her in agony and she gathered them as many and
as close to her side as she was able. Im frantic,
she realized. Desperate. Her fear fueled more
fear. It wasnt long after her calm broke that the
identity came of the info net.
NEMESIS.
She called from her battleship to warn the
others of its coming. Her signal spread across the

universe far and wide, seeking every crack and
crevice of existence.
Yet, there was no one left to hear it.
Her small fleet of a mere hundred thousand
souls and their pursuer were the only life left in the
universe, and still the heat of death crept in, aided
by the NEMESIS. After eons of gathering tools,
energy, and secrets, she was a power to behold,
immortality aside, yet she turned her fleet and ran.
For the first time in half a billion years, this being of
cosmic power turned and ran.
Abject terror coursed through her neurons and
her physical form shivered. She tried to tell herself
not to fear... that there was nothing they could do to
her when she could not die. Yet when she looked
out into the sea of eyes among her fleet she knew
what she feared.
Failure. And loss. I am going to lose them all. I
am going to lose my purpose!
NEMESIS closed in on Alausis as she searched
the galaxies, looking for a place to be, looking for
a glimmer of hope. There! she thought, catching
the read out of a terraformable planet around a still
active sun. We just need to get to it before-!
DEATH IS COME, ALAUSIS. DO NOT RESIST
OR THERE WILL BE PAIN FOR ALL YOUR
SENTIENTS. She could feel the cold presence in
her head. Had they come into a hive mind? How
did they command such a powerful consciousness
and what did they know about her? It hardly
mattered how and why, simply that they were. She
could feel their energy pressing in all around her,
etching away at her defenses. On the physical front
alarms screamed and lights flashed as their ship
lay open fire onto hers.
She pressed back against NEMESIS, lashing
her being out before her main like a super nova.
NEMESIS merely ate the blast and pressed on.
LET THEM HAVE THE PEACE OF OBLIVION,
ALAUSIS.
For what seemed billions of years they remained
locked in their struggle, each pressing will against
the other, bearing the power of stars and planets
and the heat of existence against each other.
No! Alausis screamed in her head when she
noticed it too late. The boom of laughter filled her
every thought. Were wasting it! Wasting the last
of our precious heat! How can we fight and still
remain whole?
Alausis faltered, her consciousness screaming
back into the physical plane. Barely and with
ragged breath she held up the shields of
their defenses. She had no strength left for a

counterattack and could feel herself about to let go,
about to lay down the fight. A small sound caught
her attention. It was the beating of a tiny heart,
blood rushing furiously through veins and arteries
of a small, insignificant carbon based life form.
He sat at his station, perceiving the read outs,
maneuvering his controls with grim determination.
The look in his eyes was that of one that knows
he is going to die. Yet his hands marched on, his
neurons fired. He lives! Moisture came to her
eyes and she closed them, sinking back into the
immaterial.
Nemesis. The great aching nothing. The true
and only enemy of life. The sentients who built its
consciousness were those that let their fear win
against their will to live.
Eons of thoughts pressed in her great mind and
she whirled through them in search of an answer.
When it came to her she did not balk. Her energy
did not deteriorate. It was the only thing in the
universe that did not. Her form could not be lost,
and she would use it to shield the last of life.
With a thought to the controls, she jumped
them to the living star system. A split second later
NEMESIS jumped to her side. Yet that was all
the time in the universe, the very last seconds
that were all they had left. Her energy wrapped
the tiny system and she felt the nothingness take
NEMESIS. There was no scream, no sigh. Only
empty sky.
She positioned her fleets outside of the planet.
There was enough technology aboard her ships for
them to build the world into something they could
all inhabit.
In the control room of the battleship her physical
form lay like a stone. Alausis knew it would never
rise again. All of her attention must be spent
keeping the nothingness at bay.
In those first moments she was riddled with
fear. Perhaps the weight would grow too heavy to
bear? Perhaps the energy would die from within?
Perhaps a plague or a war would kill all that she
had saved, thousands of years from now when
they forgot how they fled death together? Yet the
the sentients lived beneath her. Younglings grew,
fought, mated, learned, grew old, and passed just
like before. She held up their sky in spite of the
pain, knowing that it might all mean nothing in the
end and deciding to do it anyway.
This was her purpose and Alausis was content.
64
Under Cover with

Desecration
By Velyna
Feminism, rebellion, and

magic, oh my! I felt like this
story was made for me.
On her sixteenth birthday,
Adriana Marquesa Victoriana
Evangelista (Addie for short)
accidentally performs magic
for the very first time, but in the
ultra-patriarchal world she lives
in, women dont even possess
the ability. However, an ancient
prophecy about the Wizard
Queen tells a different story.
I cant be part of some
prophecy. My father will kill
me.
Words like feminism and
patriarchy may be distasteful
to some, but the world within
these pages is very Taliban
meets the Stepford Wives
65
with magic, what with women

wearing robes akin to burkas,
and being retrained if they
stray too far from the 1950s.
This image is provided to us
courtesy of Addies first closest
friend Izzy, who has her eyes
on an outlandish career in
journalism and dreams of
exposing the wizarding world
to the norms (muggles).
The book itself seemed to
move very fast at first, as it
revealed the plot within the first
few pages. However, as I kept
reading I found it to be well
written and wonderfully voiced.
Addie is everything a young
lady from a wizard family
should be: demure, well kempt,
and obedient. She doesnt
have a rebellious bone in her
body. In fact, vocalizations

from Izzy are often met by
shocked shushings from Addie,
but when her magic is revealed
while at school, Addie has to
learn to either embrace and
tame her powers, or receive
the Stepford treatment.
Thats why we cant tell
anyone about this. Youd
be a virtual prisoner of the
council, and you could even be
retrained.
I was also very pleased to find
some LGBTQ and Hispanic
American representation in
the form of Addies other best
friend, Hugo. As feminism is
the theme of the novel, the
addition of diversity is a good
way to bulk out the benefits to
changing this society. Sadly,

Hugo seems to be the only
gay character in the book at
this point, and the only other
Hispanic American is his
brother, Hector. But since this
is only the first part, I hold out
hope for more to come, or at
least a mate for Hugo (Im a
sucker for ships).
disrupting magic of the Harry

Potter universe. The only really
advanced bit of tech we get to
see, however, are Transport
Pads, which operate much like
Star Trek transporters. Im sure
theres more weve yet to see.
Where theres a ruling council
of evil, oppressing wizards,
theres secret tech. Its a fact.
The story is set somewhere

in the modern-day Catskill
Mountains, which is honestly
a bit irksome. Were given a
brief history of the town, which
is that it was founded shortly
after Columbus landed on
the shores of North America.
The problem is that Columbus
never landed in North America.
He made landfall in South and
Central Americas, but I digress;
its a minor point of contention
in an otherwise enjoyable
story.
The North American Council

of Wizards is (unsurprisingly)
headed by Addies father,
Manfred Evangelista. Through
Addies eyes, we see him as
a loving, doting father with
a firm hand, who brooks no
insubordination. However,
the more we learn about her
powers, the more she fears
being discovered by Manfred
in particular. She realizes that
for him to lead the totalitarian
wizard society, he must be far
more callous than he appears,
and worries that he may stop
seeing her as his daughter and
start seeing her as a threat.
The community itself is

not unlike a norm city, only
slightly more technologically
advanced thanks to some help
from magic, which is a nice
change from the technology-
To be perfectly honest, the

story is thus far predictable.
I dont want to give away any
Holt, Hadley
Desecration (Part I): book 1 of the
Wizard Queen at Sixteen series
Published: 2014 by Angela Caverner & Associates, LLC
Purchase from: smashwords.com (free, and in multiple e-book
formats), amazon.com ($0.99), barnesandnoble.com ($0.99)
Reading Level: 4th grade
Action: Low
Recommended Age: 10+
Humor: Medium
Time Period: Present
Cohesion: Medium
Genre/Category: Fantasty/YA
Character Development: Medium
spoilers, but I found myself

groaning when the story
made a turn I thought was too
obvious. I can see one more
obvious connection coming in
the form of Addies crush, but I
will reserve judgment until its
revealed.
I recommend giving this book
a go. The first part is free, and
reads quick. What more do
you have to lose but a couple
hours?
This review is of part 1 of a 3
part novel. Each part is sold
separately. To learn more
about the series, please visit
the authors website at www.
hadleyholt.com.
For more Under Cover Reviews,
check out our online magazine at
www.D20GirlsMagazine.com.
Artwork by SpiceBunnyDesigns
(SpiceBunnyDesigns@gmail.
com).
66
September
Geeky Flicks
The Green Inferno
Annabelle
While attempting to save the rainforest, a group of students in the

vast Amazon rainforest come to find they are not the only ones
in the forest and that everything they do, comes with conscience.
Lorenza Izzo, Ariel Levy, Daryl Sabara.
This spinoff of popular film The Conjuring is based on the film

Demonic Doll by James Wan. Annabelle Wallis, Ward Horton.
September 5, Nationwide (R)
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
This sequel follows the true story of Winter and her new baby friend
Hope, another dolphin who was rescued by the Clearwater Marine
Aquarium. Harry Connick Jr., Morgan Freeman, Kris Kristofferson.
The newest film from Studie Ghibi, its based on the folktale The
Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. When a tiny girl inside a stalk of
bamboo is found by a bamboo cutter and his wife, she is raised
to be a wonderful lady, and as she then travels and fills the lifes
of those she meets with joy, everyone must face fate, and their
crimes. Chlo Grace Moretz, James Caan, Mary Steenburgen.
The Maze Runner
Ouija
After waking up in a weird, unknown location with no memories,

When Thomas finds that the only way to figure out his purpose is
by going into the maze and piecing together his past memories and
what he can discover in the maze. Dylan OBrien, Kaya Scodelario,
Will Poulter.
After a group of friends decide to unleash a spirits boards powers,

they are forced to face there biggest fears. Olivia Cooke, Daren
Kagasoff, Douglas Smith.
September 19, Nationwide(PG-13)
October 17, Nationwide (N/A)
Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart
Horns
Siblings attempt to prove that their parents murder was caused by

a spirit in an antique mirror. Katee Sackhoff. Karen Gillan. James
Lafferty.
When Ig Perrish becomes the number one suspect of his

girlfriends murder, he later awakens to find horns growing from his
head and that people are driven to commit their greatest impulses
and confess their sins. With this new gift he becomes determined
to find his girlfriends murderer. Daniel Radcliffe, Juno Temple, Joe
Anderson.
September 24, Nationwide (N/A)
Dolphin Tale 2
September 12, Nationwide (PG)
67
October
68
D20 Celebrates
Dear Cheshire,
I recently decided to get into cosplay, but the

character I want to create is well known and has
a costume that Im not fully comfortable wearing.
I have some ideas for altering the costume so
that it covers more of my body but remains
recognizable, but Im afraid that people will make
fun of me for it. Sometimes I think I should just
skip the character all together and not deal with
the drama. What would you do?
Rachel from D20 VA
Samantha from D20 CA
- Maggie the Mystified
So Im an Otaku
Cosplay from D20 TN
Piper Steed from D20 OH
Samantha and friend

from D20 CA
I have actually done this myself so I know exactly where you are
coming from! Dont give up on a character you really like! The first thing
I recommend is looking to see if the character has multiple outfits, well
known characters usually do. Look to see if there is a different outfit
that you would feel more comfortable in, for example Miku Hatsune has
hundreds of outfits even though there is one that is more commonly worn.
Gigi Werner from D20 OH
Jaqueline Arbelo
from D20 IL
Megan Willis from D20 TN
69
Hello Maggie the Mystified,
Rachel and Mandy

from D20 MO/KS
If that isnt an option or your heart is set on a certain one, try smaller
adjustments at first, for example, If it is a skirt, no one will really notice
or say anything if you lengthen it. If it has a small top and a skirt you can
make it a dress to avoid showing midriff. Sometimes even swapping a skirt
for pants looks fine as long as the colors match. (Were those some of your
ideas already?)
Making sure you feel comfortable in it is a top priority! Many cosplayers
have altered outfits, including me. Its nothing to worry about. Never skip
out on doing a cosplay you would enjoy, what matters most is that you
have fun and feel good doing it! :)
~ Cheshire
70
Products We Love
Catwoman Mimobot USB Flash Drive, 8GB
shopcentertainment.com, $19.99
With fall coming in that means school is on the

heels. And every ready student needs a flash drive
for reports, and school activities and why not do it in
style. This Cat Woman flash drive is purrfect for any
comic lover.
Resident Evil Revelations Quints Mug

capcom.com, $9.99
Late night cram sessions can be rough and

sometimes a nice cup of coffee can be the
difference between an A and a D. Drink you cup of
roasted beans in nice style with this Resident Evil
mug perfect for all gamers.
Lord of the Rings Headphones

etsy.com, $45.59
Having trouble listen to some music or watching

an awesome movie during some down time? Well
not anymore, these Lord of the Rings themed
headphones can help you get the clear and pure
sound you need.
Captain America Messenger/Shoulder

superherostuff.com, $31.99
Running between class to class on campuses can

be a workout, and make this easier with this handy
messenger bag with every Americans favorite hero
symbol on it. Carry you laptop with full protection of
the Captain American shield.
72
Poison Ivy Rone Barton
D20 Rocks
What will history say of Jaime
Poison? Will it be kind and
point out that she was a
cosplayer, costume designer,
and model from New England?
Or will it instead record her
as a scandalous coffee addict
bent on singing at the top of
her lungs especially when
socially inappropriate?
However it pans out, she is
me, and when not creating or
debuting costumes, you will
find me in my natural habitat;
the gym, the local coffee shop,
or the pool (it has been argued
that I am actually a mermaid).
Born and bred in an idyllic New
Hampshire small town, I spent
most of my youth at dance
lessons, performing with the
73
school choir, and becoming

characters on stage in
countless theatre productions.
When not in front of an
audience I was in the backyard
acting out scenes from Star
Wars and Robin Hood with
my three brothers--my sibling
guides to a world of fandom
that had me watching X-Men
each morning and pretending
to be April ONeil to their Ninja
Turtles. My Barbies drove
monster trucks and dated
Transformers. Youd think I
would have realized early on I
was forged in the nerd factory.
Ha! I thought I was normal.
#awwww
It was back then that I also
began designing costumes and
clothing. Always possessing
an eccentric sense of style, it

became clear at a young age
I was destined for the fashion
industry. I was the girl who
would go to school in jeans
and a tank top and walk home
in a brand new outfit shed
constructed out of scraps in
her art class. I was everyones
favorite shopping buddy and
the recipient of many frantic
phone calls for costume help
days before the Halloween
dance.
The day of my eighteenth
birthday I left my tiny
hometown for a small city
where I spent the next four
years at Southern New
Hampshire University, earning
my Associates Degree in
Fashion Merchandising
Warrior Princess Ariel Noxi Photography
Jamie Poison
Upon graduating, the frantic

job search began. I found
myself lucky enough to land
an assistant buyer position at
a well-known off-price retailer
which required a big move
to Boston, the city I now call
home. After a year in that
position, I accepted another
merchandising job at a shoe
company. I poured myself
into my work, spending all
my spare time in Beantown
singing my heart out at a local
karaoke bar and strolling
Newbury Street with friends,
all the while feeling like
something was missing. It
took a free ticket to PaxEast
and losing a bet to reveal the
answer. PaxEast was my first
ever convention and, with
much trepidation, I dressed as
Babydoll from Sucker Punch,
Scarlet Witch Rone Barton
and a Bachelors Degree in

Marketing with concentrations
in design, consumer behavior,
and advertising. I took a bigger
leap into costume design
while at SNHU as chair of
costumes, hair, and makeup
for the Drama Club. There is
nothing like late night cram
sessions coinciding with
sewing ones way through
nineteen princess dresses. Oy
vey!Along with these duties, I
took on two to three theatrical
roles a year, tried my hand
at direction, and put together
charity productions of The
Vagina Monologues for the
V-Day Foundation. My senior
year I became president of the
club and left behind a legacy of
excellence in acting, costume
design, and management.
a costume I had hanging in

my closet from the previous
Halloween. From the moment
I stepped on the con floor I
was in love. I had found the
missing piece; my love of
costuming and performance
art I had left behind upon
walking across the stage at
graduation. Cosplay provides
such an amazing cross-section
between these two passions of
mine, and I finally had a way
to express myself artistically.
I went home, soaked my
feet, and immediately began
designs for my next cosplay. I
was totally hooked.
Over the past fifteen months
Ive designed, created, and
debuted nine original cosplays
and I am constantly concocting
ideas for new designs. I am
known for taking characters,
be they from comic books,

Disney, pop culture, television,
or movies, and giving them
a fashion edge. I love to
find ways to elevate iconic
characters to almost couturelike levels by experimenting
with textures, colors, and
fabrics. At present, I am best
known for my Warrior Princess
Ariel cosplay, an original
redesign I created to pay
homage to my favorite Disney
heroine, taking her from
damsel in distress to badass
action hero.
Cosplay has been hugely
influential in my life because
it has taught me I can do
anything I set my mind to.
Before I began cosplaying,
I had only ever sewn using
a pattern and had never
worked with spandex. I often
D20 Girls Out and About
found myself thinking, How

the heck did they do that?
Since I began cosplaying, my
attitude has totally changed.
Instead of asking how, I simply
find a way to do it. This shift
in perspective has affected
so much more than just my
cosplays: I am much more
outgoing and quicker to action
when faced with a challenge.
I am doing things that once
terrified me, and for the first
time in my life, realizing my
value as a human being.
From a very young age I had
a negative body image and
was extremely susceptible to
the judgments and opinions
of others. Cosplay has taught
me that I am the master of my
own self-worth. Oh, and I also
learned how to be the master
of my own spandex!
Carolina D20 Girls
Poison Ivy Rone Barton
76
Illinois D20 Girls
Tennessee D20 Girls
77
78

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Matt Blakeley (order #6912604)

Letter from the Editor

D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE www.d20girlsmagazine.com Summer 2014

Matt Blakeley (order #6912604)

D20 Girls Contents

Editor in Chief Jenave Barrett

55 Classic Video Game Heroines

The D20 Girls Project

76 Out and About

June 20, 2014

Dee from Illinois

Matt Blakeley (order #6912604)

Arlith from California

bi0kitty and Mercy from Illinois

Xyston from Illinois

Why Do You Love D20?

Tennessee D20 Girls

Since I joined the D20 girls

Ive only been a part of the

D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE www.d20girlsmagazine.com Summer 2014

Matt Blakeley (order #6912604)

I love the D20 girls because it has provided

I love D20 because it gives me an outlet to

Summer 2014 www.d20girlsmagazine.com D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE

Nerd Goes Mainstream

By Jenave Barrett and Mandy Noble

The discussion of nerd

and has had two sequels.

the CBS program Sabrina the

D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE www.d20girlsmagazine.com Summer 2014

Matt Blakeley (order #6912604)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Supermans popularity grew he

Summer 2014 www.d20girlsmagazine.com D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE

knows the iconic image

the 75th anniversary of the

that later came into their

long before the shows

D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE www.d20girlsmagazine.com Summer 2014

Matt Blakeley (order #6912604)

Summer 2014 www.d20girlsmagazine.com D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE

Heroes & Villains Pary

Look! There in the sky! Its a

nearly any logo or stencil that

example some said purple

Balloons almost always

possessions. I love my nieces

we took votes on which ones

Caf. Their channel is pretty

D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE www.d20girlsmagazine.com Summer 2014

Matt Blakeley (order #6912604)

but the rest can be seen on

Summer 2014 www.d20girlsmagazine.com D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE

Some of their creations are

oz. Blue Curaao, 1 oz.

stick (googly eyes optional).

D20 GIRLS MAGAZINE www.d20girlsmagazine.com Summer 2014

Matt Blakeley (order #6912604)

Clark Kents Disguise

Grow Your Own

The Jokes Juice

Lantern Corp Ring

Mask & Cape

Any super hero