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Imagine spending months on a project, meticulously sewing and hand-crafting fine details onto fabric, or hot glueing accessories onto a foam weapon you've poured hours into, only for the big day to finally arrive and parts immediately pop off or stitches to break in motion. I can only imagine the absolute heartbreak of feeling like all that time simply comes undone on day one of a convention, but if you're lucky, a team of volunteers are usually there to help in these exact situations.
This week I wanted to take a break from praising cosplay creators and praise the cosplay hospital at MCM London Comic Con, especially after the most recent event which took place from May 22 to May 24. If you don't know what this is, it's essentially a team of volunteers armed with hot glue, pins, sewing needles, and even tape for quick fixes, who are there to assist anyone having a cosplay mishap. Because let's be honest, in busy events like this, something is bound to happen.
Welcome to Character Select, a weekly column where PC Gamer takes a look at the art and cosplay created by you. Each week, I'll highlight a few of my favourite pieces, spotlight and interview creators and artists, or generally just chew your ear off about the talents of the gaming community.
I've seen all sorts of temporary fixes for cosplays while wandering around conventions, like a pair of friends In Genshin Impact cosplays hunched behind a stall using safety pins to patch up a busted seam, or a duo of Hazbin Hotel cosplayers relying on adhesive gemstones after their glued rhinestones had failed them. At least having a dedicated area to fix these issues gives you a bit of space from the show floor, even if you don't need the help of the volunteers.
Each year I feel like cosplays get more elaborate, and more people are opting for hand-making, sewing, or sticking elements—if not whole outfits—which does make them a little more susceptible to damage.
But knowing these volunteers are there and capable of helping if you really need them massively reduces the stress factor of packing your own sewing kit, or making sure you've got spares of certain outfit elements just in case the worst happens. After all, this is supposed to be a fun event to show off your outfit, not a day of panicking about where you've lost a button or locking yourself in the toilet to try and sew something back together.
The MCM London Comic Con website states that the volunteers at the cosplay hospital are the true heroes of the event, and given how many people I'm sure pass through their doors with damaged outfits and props, they've really earned that title. It's not just this one established group either.
I've seen individuals go to events with the dedicated purpose of being a cosplay doctor, armed with all sorts of tape and glue and sewing skills and ready to help in an instant. It's things like this which really remind you that despite how different everyone's interests and outfits are, there's a real community atmosphere at the end of the day.
So if you've ever been a volunteer, or you've ever stopped to help someone's fashion mishap, or even just thought of packing some extra glue or a sewing needle in case someone needs it? Thank you. You've saved hours of stress for creators, letting them wear the fruits of their months-long labour with confidence. You're the true heroes.
