Kat Dodd here to talk about cosplaying Wanda Maximoff at DCC!
Why Wanda Maximoff?
I have always loved Wanda Maximoff. She’s very much a product of her trauma, and trying really hard to be more than what her circumstances have made her into, and I’m very here for that. I’ve always related with her because of that.
Reinterpretation or Replication?
A little bit of both! I went with Age of Ultron, because it looked to be the most comfortable and I am all about being comfortable. I looked up all the details, such as the jewelry, and figured out my headcanons around those things. So as an example, one of her necklaces looks like it’s family jewelry that she takes care of, and I used a necklace my grandma gave me for that. The bracelets and rings on one hand look like things her parents gave her or Pietro stole for her, and the jewelry on the other hand look handmade like she and Pietro made them. So I made a lot of bracelets and rings for that hand, while the other hand is mostly things from my grandma with a few pieces that I’ve bought. I bought the dress and the jacket, and then took them apart and re-sewed them so that they’d fit how I wanted them to, so when people ask me how much is bought or how much is made the answer is a bit ??? because the answer is yes to both.
The biggest reason I go for reinterpretation is that I’m disabled, and I use walking aids. For a while, I was trying to think of disabled superheroes I could cosplay as, and then I was like wait. Why not just be the hero I want to be, but also encompass my own needs into that? So the idea for the Magical Rollator was born, and it was definitely a journey to get to the version I’m using now. I actually plan on adding more magic into cosplay, because I put a lot of thought into “if I had these powers, I would use them to support my physical needs” and what that could look like, such as using magic as a brace.
I also actually have two versions of the costume; the main one is the more accurate version, but the one I usually wear on the second day of a con is the “cozy” version, where it’s more about being comfortable than being accurate. This year at DCC, both days were pretty much the cozy version, just to different extent, like I wasn’t able to wear any of the jewelry because I’m allergic to most of it, and I was in a flare and couldn’t put my body through that. I have leggings that I wear with the rips and stuff, but on the Cozy Days, I just wear comfortable leggings because that’s what I need. I have comfortable boots, but sometimes I need to wear my sneakers or even my sandals and at DCC Spring I had to wear my sneakers both days. Learning to adapt to what I need, instead of insisting on replication that hurts me, was a big step for me that I’m happier for taking.
I also like to go with reinterpretation because it’s about putting yourself into whatever you’re choosing, because anyone can be a hero. You don’t need superpowers to be a hero. We want to see you as your own hero, too!