The Ogee Times: Featured Cosplayer of the Week - Dan Von Doom

Please join The Ogee Times in congratulating Dan von Doom for being our "Featured Cosplayer of the Week" !

Q: What is your cosplay name?
A: Dan von Doom

Q: What was your first cosplay?
A: Doctor Doom

Q: What was the first cosplay event you attended?
A: Great Philadelphia Comic-Con 2017

Q: What was your motivation to attend your first event?
A: My best friend, a much more experienced cosplayer and amazing human being who I commissioned the initial build of Doom from as a Halloween costume (I have since updated and reworked the costume and continue to do so), informed me that the event was happening and recommended that I show up as Doom. It had always been something I was interested in, but had not, until that point in time, been aware of a con before it was happening (I'd always find out days after the face) or had a costume to wear. I had also, only about a year prior, gotten a job that gave me weekends off. Everything sort of fell into place that weekend until I had no more reasons not to! I ended up not even having to drive there! 

Q: What is your "featured cosplay"? How do you connect with your "featured cosplay"?
A: It is and probably always will be Doom, no matter what else I build. Doom is a character that I can relate to on a personal level. I grew up an outcast for being smarter than my peers while also having no social skills or desire to develop them, and the prosthetic false bravado that i ended up developing both as a coping mechanism and an emotional anchor was not at all unlike the suit of armor that Doom wound up stuck inside of. John Dolmayan (the drummer from System of a Down and owner of Torpedo Comics in Las Vegas) has a great quote about Doom. He's "Not evil, he just wants everyone to think that he is." The few that have gotten to know the man behind the armor can attest to that, except Reed Richards. But then again, if you look at Reed's history as a character and things he's done, you may be surprised at who the villain of their story really is.

Q: What's your favorite part of cosplay construction, fabrication, etc.?
A: At this point, probably making armor. This is my first year of cosplay and I'm still learning all that I can--after Great Philly, I took the first available sewing class near me--but working with EVA foam in making armor is like drawing in 3D, and I absolutely love it.

Q: What advise do you have for someone who may be hesitant about cosplay, but really wants to do it?
A: Go for it. Don't be like me and wait. I wish I'd started this ten years ago (I'm 28 now). The hardest part is taking that first step and getting a costume together and going to that first con. After that, it completely snowballs. For the first six months (so until this Halloween) cosplay was about all I could think about, and I'm still looking for every opportunity to get out there and do it. When the bug bites, it bites hard!

Q: What are you social media links/handles?
A: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanvonDoomCosplay/
     Instagram: dan.von.doom