First Comics News: Why do you like to cosplay?
Victori Belle: I love costume designing and making the costumes I wear my own. I think it’s always really cool to take a character that everyone knows and loves, or one that I only know and love, then put my own spin on it! I love fashion and turning fashion into costumes… one thing I do that is sometimes a little different is I use new fashion trend in my costumes. It’s cool to show people that costuming can be fashionable and really unique. I hope people from all walks of life can enjoy my costumes even if you are not a fan of the character.
1st: Do you have any favorites you have cosplayed as?
Victori: I do have favorites… I oddly enough don’t like all of my cosplays haha. My favorite ones to just walk the cons have to be Wonder Woman and Maleficent. I enjoy a lot of my other cosplays as well… but some of them are really taxing on my body! The huge wings I wear weigh about 40 lbs. 🙁
1st: You created a beautiful Wonder Woman cosplay how did you get your eyes so blue?
Victori: Awe thank you so much. So, on all of my costumes, I like to add contact lenses to them! Sometimes I get the question of why are your eyes a certain color.. or so vivid… its always fake everyone! lol. I wear lenses in order to give a more “fantastical” effect to my looks. I think it also makes me look different in every costume. My normal eyes are blue… but sadly not Angelic Blue! 😉
1st: You cosplayed as Thor Girl, what would you do with her power?
Victori: I do cosplay as Thor! In 2016, Thor lost his hammer and low and behold the hammer fell into the hands of a cancer-ridden Jane Foster. So the adventures of Thor continued as the God of Thunder literally being a female who risks her fragile life every time she welds the hammer! So there is no different title but just a little different curves! 😉 So back to the question, if I was the God of Thunder I would enjoy welding Mjolnir and have unworthy people attempt to carry it! I think it’s a great comedy and who doesn’t appreciate comedy!
1st: Your Psylocke looks amazing how long did it take to make and where did you get a purple sword?
Victori: Thank you very much. It is my own version of her and I use to wear this incredibly long purplish-black wig… but that was awful! OMG wearing a long wig is the worst! I am very particular about how my hair looks… and long wigs tangles like no other! So I would constantly be combing my hair until finally, my hair is long enough to just take over… I feel a little bad my hair color doesn’t match Psylocke specifically but again since it’s my version I think most people don’t mind that she has lighter hair. 🙂 The sword I weld, when I am Psylocke actually, is black and red. I made a ribbon to attach to the hilt and in that certain picture my wonderful Photographer Joseph Oleksy, from Foto-Con, was able to edit the purple effect in. When Psylocke uses her powers the area being influences shine bright violet! I was really happy that the edits came out good.
1st: Which cosplay of yours has gotten the most attention so far?
Victori: Hmm well they all get attention in different ways. I have had a lot of interviews about my 7 Deadly Sin costumes I created last January 2017. But my Deathpact Angel from Magic the Gathering costume I debuted at C2E2 ’17 reached over 60,000 people via Facebook which is my record so far… so that was really special for me. Thank you to anyone and everyone who shared it! But I also received the most awards for my 2014 Maleficent costume. I won Best Female Villain and a few other cash prizes throughout the years with her. But the costume most people see me in and request me to wear is definitely Wonder Woman. She would win the People’s choice award! lol 🙂
1st: Does anyone help you with your cosplay?
Victori: YESSSS! OMG Yes. I work with a few women in my area with sewing and even share worbla work with them. I also partner with my old high school friends with my wings! They do a lot of the engineering while I do the wing design and feathers… (basically making them look functionally pretty!) Their company is called Unrivaled Prototyping. They are just starting out but have already taken on a few more orders for wings! If you are interested definitely check them out.
I make something myself for every single one of my costumes but for the most part, I like to collaborate with other costumers. I learn a lot when I do this and I hope I can teach them something too!
1st: Do you have a favorite cosplay you enjoyed wearing more than others?
Victori: Hmmmm I guess I enjoy wearing Wonder Woman and Maleficent (Wingless version). Those are relatively easy for me to wear so that would probably be why I like to wear them hahaha! They show off the beauty of the costumes I have without being too much for my body. I’m not going to lie… ALL of my costumes are uncomfortable and end up being a little painful for me throughout the day… so in 2018 I’m vowing to have some costumes that still look cool without having to injure myself! haha … anyone know how to sew spandex?!
1st: Which cosplay would you like to do next?
Victori: I will have my 2018 line-up debuting in my upcoming artist piece. I’m collaborating with my good friend Milena Deneno from Milena Deneno Art. I love her style and we are teaming up to create a really dynamic piece that involves all of my cosplays so far coming together as one giant poster! I don’t want to give anything away yet… but I can promise some easier cosplays for me… and maybe/probably/most likely will have one winged creature. 😉
1st: Do you get into character while dressed up?
Victori: Depending on the character I do try to stay in character. I would like to think I am approachable… so if my character is a little mean or evil I am NOT in character. I don’t like to be mean to people at the conventions I booth at! But in pictures I always get into character… so if anyone has a picture of me and I look super mean it’s most likely the character 😉
1st: What is “Deadgar’s Dark Coffin Classics”: and what is your part in it?
Victori: Deadgar was at a convention I attended in Milwaukee and he asked me to be a part of his crew called the Deadgirls and come to conventions with him! This was over a year ago when I was just starting out in the convention scene. It was an amazing opportunity for me and so I joined the show in September 2016. It’s a horror host show that airs in Milwaukee and Kenosha Wisconsin.. among other places! I sadly don’t make regular appearances on the show anymore because my schedule is just awful! I don’t live in Wisconsin, I’m located in Chicago, so I don’t go on as often but Deadgar and I are still good friends and we booth right next to each other when we are at the same conventions! 🙂
1st: Besides cosplay what other interests do you have?
Victori: Costume Designing is a passion of mine but isn’t really my goal in life. I enjoy doing it and going to conventions to host events and cosplay contests for people. I am an entertainer so cosplay just came really naturally for me. I am an actress in Chicago and also do social media marketing for a few companies in the city. So I have been really getting more into acting the last few months… going on auditions and getting representation. Costuming sadly takes the backseat to my other dreams but it doesn’t mean it’s not there! Like I said before, I have a line-up for 2018 and I am already booked for a few conventions (Cedar Rapids Comic-Con, Lodge Con) in Feb. 2018. Hoping to do the usual big ones like C2E2 as well!
1st: Of the cosplays you have done which character’s powers or abilities would you most like to have and why?
Victori: Oh man, that one is really tough. I have such a diverse line-up that each one has powers I like a lot… but if I had to pick ONE single power to gain… it would have to be changing shape! Like Mystique or Beast Boy. I think that is the coolest thing … like changing into another person to disguise yourself or changing into an animal that can fly or breathe underwater! I think that would really cover all of the powers I would ever truly want without changing me as a person too much. I mean if I wanted to I could still just be me… which is the best part of cosplay! You take the costume off and people sometimes don’t even know you were in costume! Unless you were fully body painted… then you take the costume off and it doesn’t matter… they know! Haha, I’ve gone to the supermarket fully green… and yes I bought my vegetables! haha
1st: Is there anything you would like to say to those who enjoy your cosplays?
Victori: For anyone who has Liked, Followed, said hi to me at cons or just anyone that has taken their time to just check out my work… I really really appreciate you. This new world we live in where there are so many different ways people can connect with you is amazing when it comes to sharing your art with others! It is a risky thing to do and all of you who have supported me, make me feel like it has been worth it! You really never know when you create something if others will like it and even though the purpose is not to be “liked” I think most people really do strive to be liked. Being liked is a way to feel we matter and connect with one another! It’s a great feeling that you guys give to me every day I see your comments or get the privilege of meeting you in person. Thank you always and I hope to see you again soon!
Victori Belle
Photos were taken by Joseph Oleksy from Foto-Con
About Author
