"It's a drug...you want to make something & you want to put something into the world that didn't exist in it before. We have the normal day jobs, but when you get home from that day job, you're constantly like...what's next?" "For this type of work you have to have a passion for it. You just have to believe that what you're doing does matter at the end of the day, even if someone tells you it doesn't."

John and Jessica from Team Detty Cosplay represent this performance art in its truest form. They make all of their costumes from “scratch” in the purest tradition. This allows for a certain expression of creativity that meshes with Cosplay as an art form that is finally growing into itself after many years of standing in the shadows of geek culture. “You know, when you’re designing and building sets you don’t ever think ‘oh I’m going to do costumes for superheroes.’ It’s really nice to be able to use it in a way that you enjoy. If we go too long without making something, be it a play or web series or costume, we start to twitch a little, because in its own way it’s a drug.

We were both those kids that went to Disney World, or we went to go see a movie with a superhero, like ‘I’m gonna be a superhero when I grow up.’ I think John could really be Captain America if he really wanted to. We do it for ourselves, but when we get to see other people enjoy it, especially the kids, it just makes you feel so much happier. I have always wanted to be a Disney princess my entire life. Alas, I am too tall, according to Disney standards, although they recently changed those parameters, so ‘somebody’ will be auditioning again soon.

We have the normal day jobs, but when you get home from that day job, you’re constantly like ‘OK, what’s next?’ We usually collaborate on most costumes, but our biggest showcase piece is Sauron from Lord of the Rings, and actually to scale. It’s 9 feet tall, and Jessica built it all by herself out of crack foam and crazy glue. ‘Actor proof’ is probably my favorite phrase from the theater. Just have to make that sure the actors can’t hurt themselves on it. No stabby points. For this type of work, you have to have a passion for it. You can’t be in it for the money. You also have to have a passion to get through the Cons, because they’re monsters. We are both actors, so an inherent part of that is rejection, and another part of being involved in geek culture. I’ve been reading comic books since I could read. I’m a giant superhero nerd and that wasn’t always the cool thing to do, so you follow your fandom.

It also helps to surround yourself with positive people. As with anything in life, surround yourself with the kind of people you’d want to be around. You can’t worry about the popular kids anymore. We’re a little old for that. But you also finally reach that point in your life where you learn that you don’t have to.”