Feature Friday: Lunchbox Cosplay
Welcome back! What a great way to start back at more regularly scheduled posts than a Feature Friday post? I met Isaiah at SC Comicon this year, and he is a pretty cool cosplayer from the Carolina con scene. He is not only a great cosplayer, but he also runs a cosplay feature page dedicated to showcasing Cosplayers in the Carolina region. He was even nice enough to still do this feature for me after I didn’t recognize him without a mask on at Dragon Con. Oops. I hope you enjoy the feature as much as myself, and don’t forget to check out his social media after you read all about him.
Lunchbox
What is your cosplay name? Lunchbox. My social media stuff has two u’s because regular ‘lunchbox’ is always taken. Haha.
How did you come about your cosplay name? It was a nickname I got when I was 10 or 11. I honestly think I gave it to myself, and it has to do with how much I can eat, which is a lot. Like, a LOT. When I got into cosplay and saw that everybody had a cosplay name or whatever I just stuck with the name I had. I guess it worked because it’s how everyone knows me in the cosplay community.
What is your real world name? Isaiah.
What do you do when you aren’t cosplaying? Everyone who follows me or knows me knows I collect and read comic books. They know I’m at the comic book store every Wednesday for the new stuff. Haha. Also martial arts. I’m a freestyle martial artist; I use a couple of different styles, and I try to train like five days a week. I recently I got into making short films with Eaze Day Entertainment. So far that’s been a good way to utilize both my nerd knowledge and fightin’ skills. Whenever I’m not doing any of that, I’m with my special lady person.
How old are you? 21. I celebrated my birthday down at Dragon Con.
How long have you been cosplaying? 2.5 years, I think. I try to go to every convention, and some cons do like four shows per year. It’s hard to tell. Time flies when you’re having fun I guess. Haha.
What made you want to start cosplaying? Ooh what a tale. So my friends and I made this Mortal Kombat fight scene video. We were 17 or something. It was terrible. Not terrible, but really bad. Jax vs. Sub-Zero (obviously, I was Sub-Zero). I asked the guy who filmed it if he could make it look like I was shooting ice, like in the game, and he said he could. I’m like, “Are you sure? ‘Cause if you can’t, we just won’t do that part. No big deal.” He assured me he could, so when it came time to see the finished product the ice was just some blue hexagons with lightning behind them. It looked bad. I wanted to do another video. I upped my game on the Sub-Zero costume in preparation, but we never remade it. I ended up wearing it to a small convention, and then I was hooked.
Why do you continue to cosplay? I just really fell in love with the community. Everyone is so supportive, and kind to each other. Creativity really runs wild. The subtle changes people make to the costume say a lot about their interpretation of that character. Everyone is different, but nobody judges. Plus, cosplay is like graduating from playing with action figures to being one.
What is your dream cosplay? Oh man. The Zeo Gold Power Ranger. That one is either a lot of work or a lot of money, it’s never gonna be easy. Or maybe a really good Deadshot. He’s one of my favorite characters and I wanna do a good job. I built the whole costume a while back, but I hated it when I put it all on so I scrapped it. As you can see it’s very serious.
How do you choose who you will cosplay? I try to let it happen naturally. Get inspired, ya know? Even if it’s a character I know I’m gonna do, I try to wait until it comes back around in my life before I start on it. Otherwise, it’s like forcing myself to do it, and it’s without any emotion that way. Golden age flash started with a World War I exhibit in a museum. One thought led to another. I think that’s the best way to do it. Smooth.
Since Halloween was this week… What did you dress up for this year? A shark. Like store bought costume I just had in my closet. I dress up almost every weekend, Halloween isn’t really a big deal anymore.
What was your first Halloween costume you remember? My dad and I were both ninjas and our(or at least his) weapons were real, cause we’re martial artists. I also remember having a pretty badass Darth Vader costume, but I think that was after the ninja thing.
What is your favorite cosplay you have done so far? Why? OH MAN. I think I’d have to say Red Hood. I put a lot of time and work into that one. Technically I’m still not done. Plus, I can really identify with Jason Todd. We’re similar in a lot of ways. We even use the same type of pistol.
What is the next con we can see you at? NC Comic Con: Bull City!
What is your favorite convention? Probably Dragon Con. I’ve only been once, but it was filled with new and old friends. I was so busy I barely even slept.
Who is your favorite cosplayer? DeAnna Davis. She makes all her own stuff and takes the pictures. She seems like such a sweet person, but I’ve never met her so i can’t confirm. Haha.
You run a cosplay feature page called @CosplayCarolina. What was your inspiration to start this page? Anything special you’d like to share about the page? I didn’t actually start that page, it was given to me by my buddy Ryan. I just run it now. I do wanna say thank you to everyone I’ve met from the page who supports it and feels like it’s a good way to showcase their stuff. I know bigger pages tend to lose track of the smaller folk who work hard. We try not to exclude anyone.
What’s the hardest thing about cosplay for you? I don’t know how to be finished with a costume. I say I’m done with a cosplay, but I mess with it and change stuff for months after. Sometimes that’s frustrating.
What is the best advice you have for other cosplayers? Play to your strengths. The stuff that makes you feel out of place in the real world, like your height or weight or anything, can totally be the opposite in cosplay because you can pull off a character in a way that most others can’t. Don’t pass up a cool opportunity because someone told you that thing was a weakness.
Anything else you want to add? Stay in vegetables. Eat your school.
I hope everyone enjoyed that. I know I feel like it’s always so nice to take a moment, and listen to someone else’s perspective outside of a convention. Things are always rushed there. Don’t forget to check out Lunchbox’s social media before you leave. Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to subscribe via email or Bloglovin’ to never miss a post!
Lunchbox’s Social Media
Personal Instagram: @luunchbox
Feature Instagram: @cosplaycarolina