Ugeek Magazine #1 - Utah Geek Magazine

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From the Editor Welcome back to Utah Geek Magazine! The cover of this issue may say Volume 1, Issue 1, but this is actually the second issue of the magazine to be published. The first issue came out three years ago as issue #0.5. It was well received by readers, but unfortunately did not see another run until now. Instead UGeek went online-only, producing content on Facebook and YouTube for over two years, and now has over 2500 followers on social media. Now with some brand new major “geek” conventions in the Salt Lake area, plus several smaller ones still going strong after many years, we felt it was time to dust off the printers and bring the magazine back! Utah Geek Magazine will be published bi-monthly and distributed similar to that of Utah Family, SLUG Magazine, and other free publications. Look for it in libraries, coffee shops, etc., and even online! All of our issues, including the original issue #0.5, will be available as a downloadable PDF files from our website, www.UtahGeekMagazine.com. We hope you all enjoy reading this magazine as much as we enjoy producing it because it can’t exist without you, the readers. We look forward to expanding our content as time goes on too. We will be adding a “Girls Gone Geek” column focusing on women who have excelled in an area of “STEAM” (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), as well as a geek community calendar. If you like what we are doing, tell us why. Even if you don't like it, tell us why. If you have an idea how we can improve, let us know. Even better, if you have the skills, help us out! We are always looking for talented contributors to join our team. In closing, I’d like to thank our contributors and advertisers for making this issue possible. Here’s to a long and successful run of Utah’s first and only magazine for geeks! - Adrian Broadhead, Executive Editor

On the Cover: Cover: from left to right, then lower: Ash Sweetring as Zatanna Megan Golden as Poison Ivey Ryan Sagers as Indiana Jones Joanie Brosas as Lara Croft Dez Creepcore as Catwoman Trina Melton as Harley Quinn

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Publisher & CEO Dennis Lundstrom

Executive Editor Adrian Broadhead

Contributing Editor Mary Lillie

Contributing Writers Ali Arbuckle David J. West Deborah Moore

Stephanie Sharp Carter Reid Steve Strank

UGeek Magazine may, or may not, agree with the articles, interviews, ads, or reviews herein. However, we or our contributors, hold the copyright to the content. Reproduction without our expressed permission is prohibited. Website: www.UGeekMedia.com Email: [email protected] Phone: 801.520.6760 Facebook: facebook.com/ugeekmedia Twitter: twitter.com/ugeekmedia YouTube: youtube.com/ugeektv

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/ugeekmedia Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ugeekmedia

UGeek Media is currently seeking talented people, like you, to contribute to Utah Geek Magazine. We are looking for contributors in the way of:

Content Writers Editing Photographers Cosplay Models Design Marketing Ad Sales Fan Art and

Web Design If you are interested in volunteering in any way, or have questions about UGeek Media please email: [email protected]

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Raising Geeks A parent’s guide to raising children in geek culture

Surviving a Convention By Deborah Moore Do you want to take your family to Comic Con, but don’t want to loose your children or your sanity? With a bit of planning you can have a memorable and pleasant experience. Here are a few tips from my own experience, and some from other parents I talked to as well. “Explain your expectations up front to your kids,” convention attendee Sarah King said. She came to FantasyCon with her husband, Ross, and their four children ages 16, 13, 9 and 2. Ross and Sarah both explained that they prepared their children beforehand by letting them know what to expect. This included letting them know that there will be long lines and times when they have to wait. It’s also a great idea to look over the website and schedule together so that you can find a few events or booths that everyone wants to see. You may also want to show your children pictures of previous sci-fi conventions, or share your own experiences with them. “Kids love magic. Just let them be kids and don’t rush them,” said FantasyCon attendee Bonnie Rasmussen, mother of a two year old. Choose wisely what time to bring your family. For the young or those easily lost in a crowd a weekday is best. We went on a Friday morning which worked out nicely for us. Mornings have another advantage if you have younger children: you can wander around and attend panels or events before nap time kicks in. If you have older children then you don’t have to worry as much about time constraints. Regardless of age, remember to bring snacks! A well fed family is a happy family. Next, remember to bring some cash. There are always dozens or hundreds of booths offering everything from food to art to comics and more, and not all of them take credit cards. Another potential problem can be standing in lines. Whether you are waiting for an autograph, a panel or another event there will be plenty of time to sit around and wait. Take that time to relax and watch or interact with other people in their cosplay costumes. Our family has a wonderful time admiring the unique characters and the skill that goes into creating them. Just be sure to bring strollers for the younger children to rest in. “It’s fun to let them enjoy something we enjoy. We didn’t really have things like this when we were kids,” said Ross King. His own excitement mirrored that of my husband. He was the one who was the most excited to bring our daughters to a convention. I’m so glad that I listened to him. We enjoyed our experience and we’re all looking forward to going as a family again soon.

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Cosplay for Beginners By Ali Arbuckle Making your first costume can be quite intimidating.

My first costume was Disney’s Tinkerbell, and my Halloween date that year was Peter Pan. I went online to look for Tinkerbell, or “green fairy”, costumes. Being such a perfectionist, I wasn’t happy with any of the selections online. And being a human with A.D.O.S. (Attention Deficient … OOoo SHINY), I was naturally attracted to a dress made of solid sequins. I ordered it. When the dress arrived, I tried it on, and I looked like a deflated green disco ball. I had some sewing experience under my belt (home Economics, 7 grade), so I grabbed Mom’s seam ripper and attacked my 70’s disco disaster. After a few tries and several hours, I took in the sides and sewed the straps into place. (It turns out that my machine tears plastic straps… good to know.) Looking at myself in the mirror while wearing my new fitted dress for the first time was a magical experience. To see that I had created something from my head and made it into something tangible was unthinkable! As I looked in the mirror I suddenly realized that Tink isn’t only a dress… I needed a pair of wings , a pair of shoes, and poofs! th

The shoes were easy: Go to the store; buy silver glittery shoes; done. I bought heels. Bad idea. Unless you are planning on wearing them for a short period of time or if you are planning on standing in one spot the entire time, heels are a terrible idea. Men, this applies to you even more so. I now wear a comfortable pair of flats that I can walk around in all day. Tinkerbell is known for the poofs on her shoes, especially now that everyone knows that her sister, Periwinkle, has poofs on her shoes too. The poofs were complex at first, but became simple after a trip to the craft store. I found a feather boa and was able to make 6 shoe poofs. I attached the poofs to hairclips, and then attached the hairclips to the shoes, so they would be easy to remove if I wanted to wear the shoes for something else. Afterward I realized that I would never wear glittery shoes on a regular basis, so I safetypinned them for less-easy removal. Believe it or not, the wings I have now took several tries, many hours, and many tears. The first time I wore the costume I used store bought wings, which was fine, but not great. Store bought costumes are NOT a bad thing nor do I discourage buying costume pieces, but the chances of finding something you have in your mind that is already made in a store are slim to none. The wings I have today I made nearly three years after making the dress. I had gone to a photo-shoot and the photographer had a set of wings for me to wear. These wings were made of copper pipe and copper wire welded together with fabric sewn around the frame. Well, I don’t know how to weld, so I found some 1/4 inch think aluminum piping that I could bend by hand. I bonded the pipes

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together with aluminum duct tape and then covered them with lamé fabric (Not lame. I heard that.) I tried to sew the fabric around the frame like the photographer had, but that just wasn’t happening (insert aforementioned tears). So instead I got handy with a glue gun. (Note: hot glue melts in hot cars.) Moving on, I attached the four wing pieces together with zip-ties. (Another note: the ends of the zip ties need to face AWAY from your skin. Six hours in Disneyland is ouch. And yes, I still have scars on my back.) The straps I used are removable bra straps I bought from a dance store, which I attached to the two zip ties on the top and bottom of the wings. Throw the hair up in a bun, tie a ribbon, and add some jingle bells. Don’t forget the sequins everywhere. And glitter. LOTS of glitter. There you have it. That’s the story of Tink! --Sewing your costume is not the only way to make a costume. If you don’t know how to sew, you can always buy it or have one commissioned. But if you want to be adventurous you should learn how to sew. As I mentioned before, buying your costume is awesome if you can find what you want. In a store. In your size. In stock. Near you. If you are picky, your chances of locating every piece is slim to none. Another option is to reuse old clothing. I have found that Good Will, Deseret Industries, and other thrift shop or secondhand shops can help make really good costumes cheap. My Padme costume is completely made from pre-owned clothing adapted to look like the movie costume. Having your costume commissioned is a wonderful idea for two reasons. One, if the person making it knows what they’re doin, you get exactly what you want. Most of the time, if you want the little tiny details of the character, the person creating it will add it all in if you ask… nicely. Two, you are supporting someone who loves to create. Creating is my passion. Getting paid to create? AWESOME! I don’t know how to work metal or leather; therefore, my Chandra costume is 87% commissioned; 13% research, trial and error. What? You want to be adventurous and learn?! Find someone or somewhere that teaches sewing lessons, get tips from other costumers, or there is this magic place we call the internet. *ooooo* YouTube is perfect for learning how to create. Pinterest is also perfect for finding ideas. And Google. Google is a fabulous resource as well The biggest advice I can give to anyone out there that wants to start cosplaying is to keep at it. Ask lots of questions and do your research. Just remember, your first costume is not your final costume; you can always change and update your costume the more you learn and grow. Happy Costuming!

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by David J. West The crack of the dread whip grants me a brief cosmic moment to tense before the flesh is flayed upon my back. Made of the finest leather by the infamous tanners of far off Kathul, the dread whip is a favorite instrument of torture throughout the Gallinese peninsula. Old wives here in Tolburn whisper that they use human flesh to craft the dread whips. This of course is ridiculous. Anyone who has any business in torturing knows very well that human skin cannot stand up to either the pressure nor the quality needed to give a good whipping. Or at the very least the tanners of Kathul don’t use it. Look at that poor bastard. He’s not even flinching anymore, passed out. Wait, that’s me. I had better get back inside before they think me dead. Pain wracks my very core. Open tears along my back weep scarlet. This could be the last song I ever sing. No, I change my mind again and step-out. Outside of my body! Free, painless, but my body will be dead soon if I don’t act. My exit twitch will keep them going again for a few moments. Who can I work with? Three brutes whipping my body? Any spiritual inclination to stop beating me? Unlikely. Two dogs fighting over a bone? Not enough to make these brutes quit. A washer woman hoping to catch or maybe avoid a guardsman’s eye? It’s catch but she was no looker twenty years ago. Horses in the stables, horses rarely help. A beggar boy of eight or nine is watching the life get beat out of me. He’ll do. Almost imperceptibly, I float beside him. He shivers at the drawn energy, or rather cold, my spirit exudes. He knows something is there but does not realize what gives him such

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http://david-j-west.blogspot.com chills on a warm summer evening. The beauty of my ability is that language is meaningless, he could be a buggering tanner of Kathul and understand my whispered intention. Language is universal when reduced to spirit matter, but I must be careful every blessing has a curse. Like the old saying in Tolburn ~ All enemy swords are double edged. I prompt the boy with spirit whispers, ‘Take the wall torch. Drop it on the hay. Set the stables afire.’ The whispered temptation is only too readily acted upon. Makes me wonder if he had considered it upon another occasion, hard to tell with such a willing suggestion. He can barely reach the wall sconce. He scampers to the sheltered overhanging loft and casually tosses the torch. Flames lick up the dry tinder in moments. The boy’s eyes widen at what he has done. ‘Get out of here, before anyone sees you!’ He races away as if the flames were on his own heels. I’d rather that nothing happen to a child, but you work with what you can. “Fire! The stables are on fire!” The three brutes run to free the horses and leave me to inhabit my bloody form in relative peace. The pain hits me so suddenly that I almost jump back outside myself again. Wincing, I struggle at my bonds. Too tight, even as the hemp drinks in my blood there is no escaping my wrists from these bindings. The Lord Marshall’s boys know how to tie a good knot. Rolling onto my side I kick and wrestle getting my ankles apart. No use. Through bleary eyes covered in blood, sweat and now the heavy ash of the burning stable, I glimpse a blond-tressed angel approach. She wears a long gown of gossamer white held by a brazen girdle accented with brilliant green silk. Producing an obsidian knife, she cuts my bindings. “Can you run?” I nod as she helps me stand. The chaos of the fire grants the means of escape. She leads me down dark alley paths away from the regularly patrolled main streets of Tolburn Page 8

and the Lord Marshall’s guardhouse. We avoid the inns and grog-serving taverns where slatterns and bravos carouse. Through the twisted crooked ways that conceal the casinos of Larkspurs robber guild, beyond the usual corners crawling with footpads and cutthroats, past the apothecary and home of the spider-hunters. She led me willingly all the way to the edge of town where stood the sacred trees of the Vavath, goddess queen of witches. My pain and lack of breath kept me from asking until we stopped. “Thank you. Miss?” “I am Aeoni, a secret priestess of Vavath, and you are most welcome Kenaz.” “You know me?” She curled a strand of her hair around her finger as if implying I too would be so easy. “I know of you. Several times you must have exited while the Lord Marshall’s guard beat you.” “Most men faint when caressed by the dread whip.” “Blessed be of Vavath that the idiot guardsmen did not know who you were and that I chanced to witness your predicament.” “Thank you again.” “I could see you died, or rather left several times. You induced that beggar child to start the fire and yet were still in dire need of help to escape. But for my help you would still be there.” “I did say thank you. What is your purpose for leading me here?” “She smiled as I imagined a cat smiles at a mouse. Don’t play games. I know what you were after. That the guards believed you were a worthless vagabond is the only thing that spared your life.” “The dread whip does not spare anything,” I countered, still feeling the slashes weep upon my back. She smirked saying, “And if they had known you sought the Reliliqy, they would have slain you on the spot. “I was not about to attempt such a thing. “I said don’t play games with me. I know what you do with your gift.” “Gathering information, nothing more. I shouldn’t have tried to sleep in the water closet. I admit, it did look suspicious.” Aeoni smiled mischievously again and offered a potion bottle. “It is a tincture of dandelion and jacks tears. It will help you heal.” “No. I’ll—” www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

She grabbed me by the forehead and yanked my mouth back, slamming the potion bottle into my teeth. I couldn’t resist her strength. She held my nose and mouth until I swallowed. “Drink all of it,” she urged I glared at her. It was bitter, the dandelion always has that sour flavor but jacks tears!? I can’t think of a more vile tasting yet admittedly useful herb. Witches know their herbs. “You ever do that again,” I snapped. “Don’t be such a child. It’s for your own good.” I scoffed at that. “Thanks but I’m off, goodbye whatever your name was.” Putting her hands on hips, she snarled back, “Its Aeoni, and you will come and listen to the Mother Superior.” “Ha! Like hell I will,” I said trotting away. Aeoni spun me about and gave my clean shaven face a good hard slap. Now every part of my body stung. I slapped in kind but she easily caught my clumsy attempt. “I have a few questions for you before we meet the others. You will answer me,” she insisted and I again tried in poor quality to return her favor. “I’ll tell you nothing witch.” “Oh but you will!” She then took my face in her ivory hands and this time kissed me like I’ve never been kissed. My mind reeled and I lost all will power with her touch, molded on a spinning wheel into her flayed back pot. “Why not float or whatever you do from a safe place? Your home perhaps? I want to know how you do what you do.” Stumbling for an answer, I stepped back and tried to walk away. She pulled me close and again kissed me with ambrosias lips. The kiss brought cognizance where none had existed a moment before and yet no will power to flee from this creature of incredible beauty and dominance. “I float or fly, however you would care to describe it. But I try to stay as close as possible to my body. Which is why the Lord Marshal’s men found me sleeping in a water closet and decided I needed a good beating for my trouble.” “Don’t you wish to tell me why you must keep near your body?” Knowing I was being manipulated brought back some ire and I turned to leave, she pulled me in closer than any lover and brought shivers with her touch that gave my will back to her. Page 9

“When I was a lad and found I could depart or step-out as I call it, I flew over the city watching everyone and everything. When I came home, something was trying to put on my body like a fat man squeezing into a suit five sizes too small. I barely won that invisible struggle. So now I don't wander too far because if that thing had succeeded...” An uncontrollable shiver escaped my calm demeanor. “Tell me about this thing.” Aeoni said with yet another caress and kiss. “It was black. Had savage dimensions and demeanor. I felt a cold presence around me for the next two weeks as it waited for me to step-out. I wouldn’t, I waited a full year before trying again. And I know that whatever it was is still out there. And likely not the only one either.”

mind. I might be able to tell someone more gifted at lifting how to do it. As you can see I’m not in the best shape.” She scooped her firm hands under my arms and stood me up. “Tell it to the Mother Superior. I was to invite you to speak to her, all the rest of this tonight was only my personal serendipitous interest.” “Fair enough, but you must respect that I can only do so much. I’m not a thief.” “Keep telling yourself that if you wish, but come along, the night is far from over.” She smirked and lead me deeper into the forest. I went along. She was too pretty not to follow, and what was in that drink she gave me?

“There are many things unseen in this world Kenaz, you have no idea. Now sit down,” she commanded pointing at a short flat topped boulder.

Next time:

Obeying, I answered, “I have enough of an idea to be cautious.”

About the Author

Aeoni produced a potion and roll of bandages, and held them for my scrutinizing. She continued, “And now you are the city’s premier thief.” I shook my head fiercely. “Nothing tangible, just information. I only deal in information, what others do with the information is not my business.” “But it is your business. Knowledge is power,” she said, slathering the pale lavender potion across my wounds. It burned for a split-second before cooling the dread whips kisses. “Then let’s get to it. What do the witches of Vavath wish to know?” She ignored that as she wrapped bandages across my back and over my chest, getting her own womanly assets directly in my face in the process. “You are very aware that most of your knowledge goes to nefarious ends. Your regular clients all live in the Mayfair district and what type of person who lived an honest life would live there?” “I live in the Mayfair district.” “Must I repeat myself?” “I’m not a bad man.” “Now Kenaz, you couldn’t be stupid enough to think that your skill has gone unnoticed by those who have been wronged? Still, the Mother Superior wishes to speak with you. It is about the Reliliqy and what you can do to help us retrieve it.” “I only retrieve information, not artifacts. I can’t take anything with me when I walk through walls but what is in my

Chapter 2. You Can’t Please Everyone

David has been writing as long as he can remember, winning a number of secretive awards too prestigious for you to have heard of. He lives in Utah with his wife and children. Among his other published works are Heroes of the Fallen, Bless the Child, Whispers of the Goddess, the sci-fi horror collections of Space Eldritch 1 & 2, and Weird Tales of Horror You can visit him online at: http://david-j-west.blogspot.com http://twitter.com/David_JWest http://davidjwest.tumblr.com/

Epic Puzzles & Games 3958 W 3500 S Ste C West Valley City UT 84120 801-982-0167 www.epicpug.com

Cosplayer Father Businessman Philanthropist What do you get when you take medical tubing, leaf blower parts, kids toys, wiring, and some old BMX gear, all smothered in black paint? You get the most intricate and realistic Borg costume ever seen outside of a sound stage! And underneath those layers of metal and plastic, you’ll find Eric Allan Hall, an award-winning cosplayer, dedicated father, businessman, and philanthropist. Eric Allan Hall has won awards at more than 10 conventions, including Emerald City Comic Con, Salt Lake Comic Con, Fantasy Con, and the Las Vegas Star Trek Convention. But cosplay is more than just his hobby, it’s a lifestyle. It’s a strong family tradition for him and his four children, and it’s the basis for his charitable organization, H.E.R.O.I.C. Inc. Eric has even been able to incorporate costumes into employee engagement and use it to help promote new products in his real-world job as a corporate trainer. www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

Contact with Eric begins with a cellular ringtone that transports the caller to the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. This is particularly appropriate considering his two favorite and most identifiable costumes are from Star Trek: The Next Generation: Lt. Commander Data and a Borg. Always in character to some degree, Eric arrived at our interview wearing his Superman t-shirt and his Green Lantern Power Ring. "I love the idea of the ring - being limited only by your imagination!" His other favorite costumes include Guy Gardner from Green Lantern and The Green Goblin. As we spoke, his passions quickly became apparent. Eric has a great love for his hobby, his family, his faith, and his charity. "I love being alive! I love creating things!" Album after album, story after story, he brings his children to the forefront. Little Cleo, age 8, is often seen as a young member of the BORG collective. But she also dresses as Lal, the daughter/creation of Lt. Commander Data. She and her dad, dressed as Lal and Data, had their pictures taken with Brent Spiner, the actor that plays Data on the series. Alan, age 7, likes to be Robin. Spencer, age 4, is Super Boy. And Phoenix, age 2, doesn't have a preference yet, so we'll see! They all enjoy dressing up for conventions, and sometimes even their toys match the theme! Page 12

Eric's costuming career began as a child in Seattle. His mother was involved in the local community theater, and they performed in “Carousel” and “Fiddler on the Roof” together, along with several church productions. When asked who he most admired, Eric brought up an ideal rather than one specific person. "The greatest of these is charity. I'm always striving for that. Looking for a way to be visible to be there to help." That's why he created H.E.R.O.I.C. Inc. Two years ago, he and several cosplay friends decided to create a superhero and princess group to help with local charities. "Heroes Engaging Real Organizations in Charity (H.E.R.O.I.C.), Inc. is a volunteer costuming club dedicated to serving the community. Through the use of high-quality costuming and character portrayal we aim to help create fun and engaging environments at no cost for charities and community functions." Now over 50 members strong, H.E.R.O.I.C. works with Make-A-Wish Foundation, Primary Children's Hospital, Toys for Tots, and others. "It's rewarding to see a child in a hospital bed smile. Seeing the look of joy in their eyes, in the parents' eyes. If I were to never have the opportunity to enter a costume contest again... It's the ability to do that to be Superman for someone who needs there to be a Superman. That's kind of why I do it now." His story has been featured on several television programs, including William Shatner's "Get a Life" series, “Trek Nation” (Science Channel), “Captains of the Final Frontier” (History Channel), the Biography Channel, and several local newscasts. Eric even does advertising now for Salt Lake Comic Con, modeling his Borg character for the billboards around town. He recently co-officiated a wedding at the Las Vegas Star Trek Convention and sang a duet with fellow Cosplayer, Adrianne Grady. People even seek him out and ask for his autograph. "The publicity is cool. It hasn't really changed my world, other than sometimes I get stopped by people at conventions. People know my name. They saw me in "Get a Life". Not that the publicity has gone to his head - he mostly uses it to spread the word about H.E.R.O.I.C. Inc. Eric doesn't often have to stand in line at conventions to have his photo taken with his favorite celebrities. Many of them reach out to him in the crowd and ask to have their photos taken with him. His photo albums now look like a fan's ultimate wish-list. He's captured the attention of Alexander Siddig, Brent Spiner, George Takei, local Senator/ astronaut Jake Garn, and many more. "Kate Mulgrew (Katherine Janeway) was super nice, proactively offering to have our pictures taken together and offering her autograph".

collection of over 115 individual costumes practically needs its own room! "A large closet, actually," he says. And his costumes evolve. His Borg costume was quite simple back in 1993 and has become more intricate over time. It now includes a voice changer and a realistic looking assimilation claw which fans are eager to experience. Data, on the other hand, remains relatively unchanged from the 1992 original. His wardrobe has expanded, and he also has an animatronic pet cat, Spot, who rides in his arm through the convention halls. On occasion, Eric portrays Data's amoral brother, Lore, instead. "I can look at something and think, "Oh, I know what I can use that for!" Anything can be repurposed. What seems like random junk to someone else becomes an important costume piece. The green contact lenses used for Commander Data work equally well for the Green Goblin. Many parts come from holiday clearance sales and thrift shops. It's just a matter of creativity. Eric is very thrifty, and his average costume cost is under $50. "It's fun to dress up, make friends, and meet celebrities. It's deeply rewarding to do something you love doing - and to see the sparkle in a kid's eyes when they get to meet Green Lantern or Superman!" So what is Eric's advice to new Cosplayers? "Start Simple. Go where your passion is. Plan. Plan. Plan!" Don’t wake up the morning of the convention wondering what costume to wear. A great costume starts weeks or months in advance. Look to your own passions for inspiration. Pick your favorite character from history, science fiction, manga, anime, video games, movies, or even your own creation. Next, think about how you will be wearing the costume. Will you need to carry anything with you? Think about how you’ll be able to walk through crowds, stand, sit, travel and use the restroom. Eric's BORG costume allows him little peripheral vision, so he keeps someone else with him. Be creative, but don't bite off more than you can chew! Not everything needs to be built from scratch. An inexpensive store bought costume can be transformed with a little glitter or a few new accessories. When asked about the future, Eric says he still expects to be costuming into his elder years, "Just with a wig!”. "When I look back on my life, the opportunities, and who I've helped. I'll be glad that I've been here. And glad that I've done it this way." For more information on H.E.R.O.I.C. Inc, including how you can help, please visit their website: www.HEROICinc.org or follow Eric Allan Hall on Facebook.

While some of the costume parts are interchangeable, his www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

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March 20-30, 2014 Davis Conference Center Layton, UT A Convention for Gamers, Designers, and Families www.saltcon.com

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he Umbrella Corporation Utah hive was started in September of 2013 by Steve Strank when he needed a Security team for the Strankenstein's Annual Zombie Prom. The team was asked to wear black tactical looking clothing to look like a Zombie Response Team. It was decided the team would make a great Umbrella Corporation Cosplay group. What started out with 5 or 6 people has grown to around 35 and they now attend local conventions and events. They recruited Danny Driggs who serves on the board

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for the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial. With the team already consisting of many current Law Enforcement Officers, The group has decided to raise money for the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund. The group is always looking to recruit qualified individuals and has a strict code of conduct and uniform requirements. You can find out more about The Umbrella Corporation by visiting them online at: www.utahumbrella.org www.facebook.com/UmbrellaCorpUtah [email protected]

Reprinted with permission