Every Labor Day weekend, tens of thousands of pop culture, sci-fi, anime, and gaming fans descend upon downtown Atlanta to enjoy parties, celebrity panels, and photo ops.
However, what Dragon Con may be most famous for above all else is its celebration of cosplay, even throwing a parade on Saturday to show off fans’ accomplishments. It’s hard not to bump into someone who has clearly spent lots of time, money, and heart to create the cosplay of their dreams.
This year, Barbie and Ken reigned supreme, but there were many other couples’ costumes represented, including Crowley and Aziraphale from Good Omens, Jareth and Sarah from Labyrinth, and The Joker and Harley Quinn from DC Comics.
Cosplay is a cornerstone of fandom, and Dragon Con is the perfect place to celebrate that which makes us nerds. Be sure to check out more cosplay highlights on Dragon Con’s Facebook page, but here are just a few of the cosplays seen at the 2023 convention.
Chad and Angie
Age: 50s
IG-11 and Peli Motto (The Mandalorian)
Q: What is your favorite part about cosplay?
A: Interacting with people and sharing the cool things we’ve made.
Q: What element of your costume are you most proud of?
A: Getting it done!
Shawna
Age: 31
Queen Amidala (Star Wars)
Q: What is your favorite part about cosplay?
A: Being able to express myself to the fullest. I’m able to be myself and be confident.
Q: What element of your costume are you most proud of?
A: The hand-beaded embroidery. I did every piece by hand myself.
Susan
Age: 59
Weird Barbie (Barbie)
Q: What does being a nerd mean to you?
A: Being a nerd means being able to express myself creatively no matter my age. You see 8-year-olds to 80-year-olds [participating in cosplay].
Cecil
Age: 30
Blackbeard (Our Flag Means Death)
Q: What is your favorite part about cosplay?
A: It lets you interact with people a lot more easily because you can talk about the fandom your cosplay is from.
Q: What element of your cosplay was the most challenging?
A: The wig/hair and getting it to look how I wanted. A lot of times you have to look at a lot of reference pictures to compare and make sure it’s screen-accurate.
Allen (Left) and Nita (Right)
Ages: 35 & 45
Maleficent
Q: What is your favorite part about cosplay?
A: The instant closeness with people. Everyone is family! (Nita)
Q: What does being a nerd mean to you?
A: Allowing a person to be who they want with no judgment and exploring all the creative sides of life. (Allen)
Stay tuned for more coverage from Dragon Con 2023!
