Carbon Costume

Gawain and the Green Knight is a classic Arthurian tale. And like Arthur himself, the knights have been gaining new audiences as their tales are once again retold.  Written for the screen  by David Lowery and starring the incredible Dev Patel, the movie is billed as a fantasy retelling of an already fantastical tale. And one can only hope Gawain fares is well in the adaptation as in the original, green sash and all.

Gawain has a yellow cloak that can be reproduced with golden fabric, or a white capelet and Rit dye. Because this movie is stylized and not aimed at perfect historical accuracy, a set of fold-top leather boots (which are great in other cosplays) are also perfect for the costume, as well as a pair of black pants, a chain mail shirt, and a black tunic. A sword and scabbard can be slid into a a medieval belt and you’re ready for your own Arthurian adventure.

Vince Masuka (played by C. S. Lee) is the comedic relief in the Miami precinct where he works. He’s upbeat and positive most of the time which is impressive given the sort of things he sees. He’s also got a dirty sense of humor that gets him in trouble now and then. But overall he’s a good man that goes the extra mile for his friends.

Because he lives in Miami, Vince prefers short sleeves button up shirts and slack with sensible shoes while he works. He’s rarely without a set of disposable gloves for evidence collection. And of course a Vince cosplay would not be complete without his signature bold head and glasses!

When you think of a queen, you likely think of poise and grace. You probably think of beauty and wisdom, too. Queen Ramonda of Wakanda embodies all of these traits as well as the strength and foresight to lead her people after both of her children are lost in Thanos’ snap. She is a natural queen played by Angela Bassett, a queen in her own right and star of numerous hit productions.

Mimicking Queen Ramonda’s royal bearing isn’t easy, but you can start with her look. The most iconic piece of her costume is the isicholo or Zulu hat that she wears. There are many tutorials on YouTube or you can purchase one from at Etsy seller, such as the one pictured above. She wears two different versions throughout the film, one in black and one in white. With her white isicholo hat she wears flat profile earrings, thumb rings, and the kimoyo beads that all Wakandans seem to wear.

Queen Ramonda also wears a white A-Line gown and a shoulder mantle. In the movie the mantle is 3-D printed. However the file linked here is for a laser-cut version.

Finally, the Queen’s shoes are not seen. Because of this, three options have been included. One is a pair of white dress sands, the second a pair of white lace heels, and the third a pair of white flats.

Calaveras is a frightening foe. She is the Black Moon Clan’s answer to Sailor Venus with the strength and drive to prove it  Her fearsome whip is no easy weapon to face down and if she were to ever cooperate with her sisters, it would be a dark day for the Sailor Scouts.

The first step to developing a Calaveras cosplay is to get a long brunette wig and style the hair into a bun, then attach a large gold bow on top. You’ll then want black crystal earrings and face paint markers for the black crescent moon. Gold cuffs, a gold bustier, gold boots, and a red pleated skirt round out her look. And of course you’ll want your trusty whip. Just be sure and check convention regulations before taking it inside an event.

Initially meant as a way to redefine Batman’s origin, the Zero Year comic run has since become a huge crossover event featuring many of the most well-known faces in Gotham. Parts of it were even used to influence the last season of the hit show Gotham and fans still go back to the comic run almost a decade after its release for Snyder and Tynion’s take on the fearsome vigilante.

In this iteration of Batman he often wears a horned cowl, grey suit with a black Batman symbol on his chest, purple gloves, a yellow utility belt, a black utility strap around his thigh, and black boots.

Because the comic run is not as widely known as the movie versions, finding the specific suit can be difficult. The one pictured here is close and includes the cowl, though you will have to request the gloves be left off if you purchase from the linked seller. For cosplayers who can invest a little more, Etsy sellers offer muscle suits that can then be painted and customized more specifically, but they do not come cheap.

With the linked suit, the utility belt is included. However if you go through an Esty seller – as with the suit – there are many who make the utility belts though they charge a great deal more for their craftmanship.

Anne Lister was a very real person whose life caught the eye of Sally Wainwright. A lifelong learner now known as one of history’s more openly queer figures, Lister is an LGBTQIA icon whose life has been dramatized for the show Gentleman Jack where she is played to perfection by Suranne Jones.

Lister’s style is very severe. She wears her hair curled up in small buns and often wears a top hat. A white shirt with a strong ruffle wears well under a short, fitted jacket and fitted skirt. Black button boots and a black cane round out the look of a woman who brooks no nonsense and knows her own mind well enough to follow it regardless of what others may say.

David Harbour may be best known as Jim Hopper but his time in the MCU may replace his Stranger Things role as his most iconic. Alexei – better known as the Red Guardian – serves as a father to Natasha and Yelena when they’re undercover in America. Once back in Russia, however, he finds himself on the wrong side of Dreykov and locked up in a super max prison where his only hope of freedom are the girls he returned to the Red Room decades ago.

The Red Guardian has gone through many iterations in the comics, but in the MCU he has only one look. A pre-made suit provides all of the straps and pouches Alexei has on his suit while a helmet, fake beard, and white suit round out the look.

Sarah Brightman is best known for her music but she’s also taken a turn as an actress, most notably as Blind Mag in “Repo! The Genetic Opera”. An opera singer under a lifelong contract for the use of her bionic eyes.

The film has a very specific aesthetic and Mag’s costume is an excellent example of it. Large fake lashes, black lipstick, face paint, and white body paint copy her ghostly coloring while black thigh high boots, black fishnets, a black choker, and black wig make up the details of her look.

A little DIY is needed for the main portion of Mag’s outfit. Red and black feathers can be glued around the top and bottom of a black corset using Fabric Fusion glue. And though she doesn’t technically wear one in the film, a short black athletic skirt worn underneath the bottom feathers gives you more space to attach the feathers too and offers more coverage. Finally, a gauzy black shawl mimics the last of her costume.