29/11/2013
COMICS FEST 2013: COSPLAY RULES & REGULATIONS
We are sure you’re all as excited as we are, about the upcoming Comics Fest 2013, on 30th November and 1st December, hosted by Raj Comics at Dilli Haat, Pitampura. To ensure that we all not only get to have fun, but win exciting prizes and create beautiful memories for live, please pay attention to the below mentioned rules and regulations for the Cosplay event.
All Rules and Regulations are subject change without notice. However, we will post updates on our Website and page as needed. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR COSTUMING RULES OR EVENTS, PLEASE E-MAIL US: [email protected]
PLEASE NOTE:
- Only comics, cartoon, gaming and graphic novel characters (includes mythological characters) are allowed. Film costumes are allowed but we would prefer that you choose movies related to Superheroes or based on a Comic or a series. Dressing up as Chulbul Pandey might not get you any extra points!
- Both Indian and all non-Indian characters are eligible, including Manga. We would love to see a lot more Indian Super Heroes and comic characters, if given a choice!
- A panel of Jury decides the winners. All results once declared are final and not subject to contest. **
- Employees of Raj Comics and their sister concerns can take part only in a non-competitive capacity. It would be great to see some in-house talent, but will not be eligible for the contest.
- You are required to register at the Comics Fest India 2013 Stall, inside the venue, once you arrive at the convention to enter the contest.
- There will be 2 categories of participants:
o Kids: All children below the age of 10 will be in a separate category. They can dress up as anything, kids look cute in everything!
o Grown Ups / Non Kids: Everyone above 10 (including 10 – you’re not a kid anymore, you know…)
- The grownups section will further have 4 sub-categories:
o Indian
o Western (Includes Europe and Americas and Australia)
o Manga / Manhwa (Japanese and Korean)
o Non-Comics (TV Series, Movies, Animation etc.)
- All winners for each category will get a 2500/- gift vouchers, which can be redeemed at any of the Raj Comics or Tri Color Books stall during the fair. To clarify, there will be 5 winners each day - 10 in total.
- Other than the public restrooms at the Venue, there will be no changing rooms available. So please come prepared accordingly. We will not be able to provide any changing facility either to females or males.
- No actual arms and ammunition will be allowed. You can carry plastic or cardboard weapons (Preferably cardboard or papier-mâché). To allow ANY weapon will be at the sole description of the Dilli Haat security team. Please do not ask us to intervene – as much as we would love to, there isn’t much we can do, if the security team refuses you to carry your weapon of choice.
Therefore keep it as non-harmful as possible and concentrate on the look, rather than actual functionality. Remember – even plastic and cardboard can easily harm someone if not used responsibly!
- Each participant will get between 1 and 3 minutes on the stage if they wish to pose of act as the character. It will help you gather points with the Jury if you can impress them with a little bit of acting as your favorite character. Dhaansu dialogues are always a treat!
- Groups are allowed too, but the prizes will remain the same. If there are more than 1 person registering as a group, you’ll just have to share the prize you win.
- Please specify the name of the group at the time of registration and enter the name and details of all participants of the group in the same form.
- Let’s keep Comic Fest India 2013 as rated PG (Parental Guidance) – there will be lots of kids and young children, so no revealing, vulgar or socially unacceptable costume will be allowed. We will have a lot of paper and polybags and gunny bags to cover anyone who decides to come in a costume that can be considered unacceptable!
- Cosplay content will be held on both Saturday and Sunday. Both days are totally independent of each other and the winners will be announced on the same day. Registration for the Cosplay contest will close at 4.30 pm on both days, and the winners will be announced by 7.00 pm of the same day. Only the participants who stay till the announcement of the winners are eligible to win.
- Children below the age of 4 are not eligible for the contest. You can still dress them in cute costumes to increase the cuteness quotient.
**Terms and Conditions Apply
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Cosplay?
Cosplay (Costume + Play) is dressing up in a costume as a specific character. Historically this term was used to describe dressing up as an Anime (Japanese Animation) characters but it has now crept in western and now even the India comic industry. In a nutshell, it means dressing up as someone from a book, videogame, television show, or comic – normally it’s considered proper to choose movies, shows, and games which are based on a comic book or series).
Cosplay is usually done to express their love of a character or their interest in some form of media.
Lot of people confuse Cosplay with Fancy Dress and think that it’s only for kids, but in reality, it’s simply a love for comics and your favorite characters, that is expressed in form of tribute and respect by dressing up as them and it makes absolutely no difference what your age is!
2. What is a Convention?
A convention or a con is a generally a trade show, a large event where companies and dealers can show off their products or service. The conventions talked about in conjunction with cosplay are usually based on a specific fandom, such as a sci fi convention, video gaming convention, book convention or Japanese animation convention.
Comics Fest 2013 is a fest-cum-convention organized by Raj Comics, the single largest publisher of Comic books in India to showcase our catalog to all our loving fans and provide a platform for them to interact with their favorite writers, artists, inkers etc. It will also be the perfect opportunity to felicitate some of the existing and upcoming talent from Raj Comics. There are dozens of other publishers with their merchandise, latest publications and exciting future plans too, each with their own stall you can visit and buy all your favorite items from!
3. Where do I get a costume?
Generally most Cosplayers prefer to build their own costumes. The culture is still new and nascent in India, and there aren’t any specialty shops for costumes and accessories.
There are, however, several party shops, which stock various props which can easily be converted to a part of your costume by applying a few tricks here and there
There are dozens of websites which provide detailed help on making your costume, right from reusing existing material, to sewing it from the scratch, modifying props to fit your choice of character and other helpful tips. YouTube is also a great medium to get tons of free help on how to build a costume.
If you really do want to buy one, you can visit eBay and Amazon, but do keep in mind:
1. Almost all the sellers would be based outside India so it might cost a lot more than you think. And…
2. The panel of Jury will generally prefer someone who has worked hard to make something on his/her own, instead of just buying one.
4. How Much Do Costumes Cost?
This is a tricky question no exact answer. Costumes can cost anywhere from $10 to $1000 or more if you buy it online! It all depends on who is making it, how much materials cost, and how complicated the outfit is. In India, experienced and clever Cosplayers have been known to build a whole character in less than 400-500 Rs. It mostly depends on the details and depth of the costume that you wish to display. There really is no upper limit, to be honest, but a joy of a beautifully made costume with your own hands if a pleasure unequaled!
5. How old is “Too Old” for Cosplay?
You are NEVER too old for cosplay!
As you age you may change your costume choices to fit your age, your skill level and your wallet but there is never an age where you just shouldn't do it anymore. It’s done for fun and enjoyment and it shouldn’t matter to you if people initially make fun of you or your costume, or laugh at you. Believe me, once you are among friends and other Cosplayers, it will be an experience you will never forget! So be prepared for the outside world to misunderstand and ridicule anything they do not understand fully, but also be prepared to completely ignore it and have the time of your life at Comics Fest India 2013!
