Last weekend, I joined photographer Jeff Stanford on a walk around Downtown Frederick, Maryland, dressed in full Doctor Who cosplay. I’m continuing to explore what cosplay means to me and what it’s place is in my life. I don’t really have firm answers for either of those questions/thoughts, but I thought a photo shoot on a sunny, slightly less brisk winter day (though admittedly not warmer by much) sounded like a good idea.
Here are the results.
Cosplaying at Awesome Con DC 2015
R-L: Myself (10th Doctor), DL Moody, Justin Moe (11th Doctor), Nathan Moe.
One of the highlights of 2015 for me was, for the second time, happily attending Awesome Con in the nation’s capital. For my part, it was a tremendous improvement over 2014; still was not quite up to Baltimore Comic Con’s level, but it’s done a mighty job getting closer.
I’m still something of a cosplay rookie; I’m still learning to sew and almost every ensemble I’ve worn has been compiled from pre-made articles of clothing, either purchased from a store, Goodwill, or unearthed from the depths of my own closet. That said, I have only ever attended Cons in costume, which came as a bit of surprise when I realized it. I’d been interested in seeing what conventions were like for quite awhile—I’d just never actually made it to one until 2013, when a close friend of mine said: “This September. Baltimore Comic Con. We’re going.”
At the end of March, a friend of mine celebrated his 25th birthday and it was one of the most memorable and uplifting event I’ve had in a long time.
I’ve recently joined the ranks of the Doctor Who fandom. I’m not entirely caught up with the series; I’ve just begun the fifth season of “New Who,” and just met the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith). I’ve loved every part of the series so far; even those devastating moments that have left me an emotional wreck. Bad Wolf Bay, anyone?
I didn’t expect to get into this series as much as I did. On the whole, I still think I prefer Sherlock when it comes to the work of Steven Moffatt, but, as they say, first impressions are lasting ones and Sherlock was part of my world long before Doctor Who. I dug the more quirky, silly tone of the first season and I fell pretty hard for Christopher Eccleston‘s ninth doctor and sincerely would have loved to have seen him there for another season. However, it wasn’t long until I was just as enthralled with David Tennant‘s tenth doctor. So, when it turned out that the plan for Ben’s birthday outing was going to be Who-themed, I was intrigued. He is, after all, a massive 
Whovian himself and has seen the show in its entirety (New Who, anyway). Almost every gift was Who-themed (including several sonic screwdrivers) and off we went into downtown Ellicott City for a Doctor Who Scavenger Hunt.
The suggestion was made that we dress up as the various characters. Just for fun. Undeniably, photo shoots ensued.
Photo taken by Michael Mongeon.
We had all three Doctors present.
Photo taken by Michael Mongeon.
As well as Donna Noble and Rose Tyler . . . and an honorary Tennant himself.
Photo taken by Michael Mongeon.
Donna is my favorite Companion. “Best Temp in Chiswick.” I love her interaction with the Doctor and the friendship between them. It was so much fun pretending to be her for the day (I only wished I’d had more time to put a better costume together). I may Cosplay as Donna again at a future con! (I’ll be at Awesome Con D.C. this weekend, but I’ll be representing Genre Wars: Resistance Rising.)
“Stop bleepin‘ me!”
Photo taken by Michael Mongeon.
We may have created a paradox . . . or two . . .
Photo taken by Michael Mongeon.
Photo by Robin C. Farrell
It was a great day. Many happy returns to Ben and the Doctor.
Maybe next time we’ll have a Captain Jack Harkness, an Amelia Pond, a River Song…who knows?
Photo taken by Michael Mongeon.
“Fantastic!”
“Allons-y!”
“Geronimo!”
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Pictured in Photos (in order of appearance/L-R): Nathan Moe, Ben Hart, Justin Moe, Michael Mongeon, Robin C. Farrell, Jessica Mongeon, Tiffany Mallett. And David Tennant.
Robin C. Farrell 