Who are we?

[TK5492[TK]]

Recently, we went out with with of my wife's friends and her husband. It was my first time meeting them, and of course when we talked about our interests, the 501st came up, as it is a huge part of my life.

 

When I told him what we do, he said: "Oh yeah! I used to have a few friends that were into cosplay!"

 

For some reason, this offended me. I tried to explain to him that I did not do cosplay, nor do I partake in "LARPing". He seemed convinced that that's what this is. It was almost silly to him. Like it's a joke, or it's funny that an aircraft mechanic in the United States Air Force, would put on plastic armor.

 

The 501st is so much more than just a costume! But so many people have this impression that if you wear a costume, you are a cosplayer, or a LARPer.

 

Well, that is not who I am. I just don't feel like Star Wars fits into that frame. I don't want to sound arrogant, but I feel we are above that level. The people on this site have a passion for their armor that goes beyond "Costuming". Armor builders aren't cosplayers. TM, ATA, AP - these people are artists. We are all real people with real jobs and families. You could say we are a bunch of geeks in plastic armor, but it's what we do with it that counts. It's the hospital visits, the charity benefits, the light in the faces of children that make the 501st!

 

I am a Stormtrooper. NOT a larper. The stereotype for cotumers isn't the image of the people in the Legion. Everyone knows and loves Star Wars, and we are bringing Star Wars to life, not running around in a costume.

 

Sorry to rant about this. What do you guys think? Do you get this alot? Does it bother you?

[Kade[TK]]

It can be irritating but don't let it get to you

 

I don't consider myself a cosplayer and I have never done LARP (one of my friends has though) but I am a confirmed geek and proud of it. I have been a medieval re-enactor for a number of years and people often confuse that with LARPing and a lot of people will look at you strangely or think your weird for doing that sort of thing.

 

The thing to remember is that it is just their perception. The same people wouldn't look twice at a group of people with their faces painted in team colours waving team flags etc on their way to a sporting event because they perceive that as being normal.

 

Their perception doesn't change us or make what we do any less. If we can change their perceptions with a little bit of education then all well and good but if not.....whatever!.....they're the ones missing out on all the fun

 

We're the ones that are cool - we're Stormtroopers!

Edited May 18, 2012 by Kade

[LadyInWhite[TK]]

I can't say I'm offended by it, but it can get irritating if you infer the other person has the wrong idea altogether. At work, for example, they all know I'm an uber-nerd. Heck, that was my nickname in business school, too, from a professor, because I was in the gaming industry. Everyone seems to take it in stride, but the minute you talk about costuming, the "perception flag" goes up...

 

So I refer to it as charity work all the time. I have a charity event tonight. It was a rough weekend of trooping for charity. We did a movie shoot for a really good cause.

 

And I refer to costuming in general as crafting, and use analogies people will understand based on their own interests, like knitting or woodworking. I see this as a crafting hobby, not so much a costuming hobby. "Costumes" implies certain things, right?

 

Try wordsmithing in advance.

 

Honestly I think cosplay at cons is considered fairly acceptable, like painting your face and waving flags at a sporting event. People might think it's weird, but I think the guys who paint themselves are weird, and that's okay.

 

But trooping for CHARITY, "bringing smiles to people's faces," and "sharing the love of star wars with those who need and appreciate it" is what it's really all about.

[anphrax[TK]]

I've found that it is really hard to explain but when you start rattling off the amount of money raised every year by the 501st alone I think it kind of clicks for people.

[theisaac]

I think this is one of the few times being tattoo'd from neck to knuckles has its advantages. I tell people, "I tried visiting sick kids at the hospital dressed in street clothes and I noticed they smile a lot more when Im wearing my stormtrooper suit".

 

Im also a hypocrite because a friend at work told me he wants to make a Halo Suit and in my head I thought , "jeez, what a nerd".

[ZeroRoom[TK]]

I'm totally with you. I can't stand cosplay and I'm soooo sick of how it. I don't consider this anything like cosplay.

 

I'm well aware I may be fooling myself in order to justify this crazy double standard in my own mind - but I'd be offended being called a cosplayer too.

[boomshakra[TK]]

The sporting fan parallel is spot-on. They wear the uniform of someone paid millions of dollars to play a children's game and that is accepted as normal. That's what sports fans do for fun and recreation - and that's great! 501st Legion members dress up in our respective uniforms and troop for fun and recreation...and raise money/awareness for causes, hospital visits, etc. Sporting organizations have their share of charities they donate to as well. It's all good at the end of the day. If what the 501st does is perceived as 'nerdy' or we 'should grow up & stop playing dress-up', so what? Just as the uniform of a sports team is recongizeable by fans and non-fans alike, Star Wars is pretty much universally recognized - how many people want to have a picture taken of themselves or their kiddos standing next to Darth Vader or a Stormtrooper?

 

One of the first things that popped into my head when I decided to order my armor so I could join the 501st was how I could use it to help some of the charitable causes I support locally - Stormtrooper armor draws attention. If I am trooping next to an organizations table, people are more likely come by to get their picture taken with me (or other troopers) and maybe get more information about whatever cause we're trooping for. And as was mentioned above, armor/prop making inspires a level of personal creativity and satisfaction from what you create, whether it is armor, a new blaster, or figuring out how to finally fabricate that elusive greeble you've been needing.

 

I haven't had any exposure to cosplay/LARPing, outside of hearing about local renissiance fares, so I can't really comment on people who participate in that (and that parallel might not even be accurate) They may also be embacing their 'inner nerd' - and following their passion while meeting others who share that passion. Kade's post above is what it is all about.

 

Happy Trooping!

[bobojuice]

I can't stand the word cosplay. It drives me nuts. Every time someone tells me I'm a cosplayer I correct them by telling them I'm a COSTUMER.

[RS Prop Masters]

I can't stand the word cosplay. It drives me nuts. Every time someone tells me I'm a cosplayer I correct them by telling them I'm a COSTUMER.

 

Cosplayer! We don't get it so much over here, but cosplay here seems to be Anime based, and looks, well, less professional shall we say.

[TK5492[TK]]

Thanks for the responses guys. Keep 'em coming! I'm glad to see so many of you are on the same page with me about this.

[bluehickey]

I don't cosplay, I'm not a cosplayer and never will be!

 

I do fantasize that everyone I tell about my TK armor will be impressed, but it's just never going to happen. You really have to be comfortable with what you do, and who you are because most people don't get excited when they learn that you dress up as a stormtrooper, in fact you can tell by the very fake tone in their voice that they think it's stupid and immature. When those type of people also ask me how much my "costume" costs, I usually don't tell them... it would just justify their condescending thoughts. I just say it costs "a lot".

 

To be honest, I can't really blame them, it's not like I don't judge others in the same way. For example I have a neighbor who is a HUGE fan of the local university football team here and he has gone so far as to paint his door to his house the same color as the team. Every time I drive by his house and see that bright colored door I think: "How lame is that"!

 

At the end of the day my memories of trooping and the happiness it brings for boys and girls, men and women are what I really consider important, not what others think of my hobby.

Edited May 18, 2012 by bluehickey

[matt black]

I also think of the armour as more than just a costume but as a replica also.

[bluehickey]

BTW, I just told my wife about this thread and our thoughts here and she basically laughed and me and said that there really is no difference between us and cosplayers. She said the only difference is that WE think we are better.

[RS Prop Masters]

Dude, you listen to your wife?

[matt black]

BTW, I just told my wife about this thread and our thoughts here and she basically laughed and me and said that there really is no difference between us and cosplayers. She said the only difference is that WE think we are better.

 

The real difference is, cosplayers pretend to be the characters that they love but we ARE stormtroopers. Real ones

[ZeroRoom[TK]]

The real difference is, cosplayers pretend to be the characters that they love but we ARE stormtroopers. Real ones

 

You got it!

[bluehickey]

What do you wanna bet that there is some Cosplay forums out there where they discuss how stuck up and snobby the 501st Legion is? They probably complain about telling people that they make their own costumes and wear them to conventions only to hear someone say "Oh, just like the 501st legion"!

[jnnfr72[TK]]

I'm getting some good tips on what to tell people. Thanks for the good advice and encouragement. Some people will want to think they are better than you no matter what you say, and that's sad for them. Don't let it change your opinion of yourself. You just have to be confident that you are doing charity work (and having fun), and not hurting anyone. It might get easier the more you practice thinking that in the end, it really doesn't matter what outsiders think of you. If you have family and friends that understand, you are blessed. But, if I'm put on the spot and can't find my ZEN STATE, I'll whip out some numbers on my interrogaters.

 

I know the 501st has raised A LOT of money, but wasn't sure of the #, so I did a really quick search and found this. "Last year we raised $4.3 million for charities worldwide," Coppin said.

 

http://www.coloradoconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=684784

[Locitus[Admin]]

I know the 501st has raised A LOT of money, but wasn't sure of the #, so I did a really quick search and found this. "Last year we raised $4.3 million for charities worldwide," Coppin said.

 

http://www.coloradoc....aspx?id=684784

It was closer to 12 Million USD actually.

[jnnfr72[TK]]

Whooo Hooo! 12 Million is awesome - er!!!

[Locitus[Admin]]

Okey, i had a look at the article, and the number he quotes is from 2010, mine is for 2011 (which I think was 11.6M USD). So we're both right. The article itself was published in 2011 -"Last year we raised $4.3 million for charities worldwide,"

[James[501st]]

I tell people I'm part of the thin white line that protects civilization from the furries.

 

 

Edited May 19, 2012 by James

[bigironvault]

Cosplayers are pretty much costumers (like us) that act out scenes from their shows. I supposed if all of us acted out the opening boarding scene in ANH and did it line by line - we'd be cosplayers. But since the majority of us don't costume for that reason, we're more costumers.

[seantrooper[TK]]

I agree with this so much! Have to keep pulling up dad when he tells people 'Sean dresses up in a stormtrooper costume" .....We do so much more! Which is why I always start off by saying 'I'm part of the 501st legion. the star wars costuming group... We go to hospitals, etc and raise HEAPS of money for charity"

 

It's good to know some of the figures to help show people just how awesome we are.

 

no dig at cosplayers, but have you ever seen any of them at a hospital visiting kids or raising money for charity?

[BigSlimJimmy]

Bump. BUMP BUMPBUMPBUMPBUMP. An Admin should consider sticky-ing this topic.