Create a Costume! (Maker Comics Series)

by Sarah Myer

Overview

The comic convention is just a few short weeks away. All Bea and Parker need now are great costumes . . . but won’t the supplies and materials cost a fortune? Not if Bea and Parker follow a few simple instructions from Costume Critter, the world’s cutest cosplayer!


With Maker Comics: Create a Costume! you can create fun, easy, budget-friendly costumes. And you don’t have to start from scratch: a few simple modifications can transform thrift store clothes into a variety of costumes. Even mastering the sewing machine isn’t as hard as it looks! You can make amazing costumes—all you need are the right tools, a little know-how, and a lot of imagination.


Follow the easy step-by-step instructions and you can make these costumes!


Magical girl (or boy!)
Witch or wizard
Animal hoodie
Space traveler or astronaut
Superhero (or villain!)
Alien or monster

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250751270
Publisher:	First Second
Publication date:	08/06/2019
Series:	Maker Comics Series
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	128
File size:	223 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	9 - 13 Years

About the Author

Comic artist, writer, and colorist Sarah Myer (they/them) is an Eisner and L.A. Times Book Prize-nominated author of the graphic memoir Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story (First Second). Sarah is the illustrator and cover artist of several issues of the comic series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures, and was previously the colorist of TMNT vs Street Fighter and TMNT: Saturday Morning Adventures comics, as well as a variant cover artist of TMNT Usagi Yojimbo: WhereWhen. Sarah's other work includes their independent webcomic Cheer Up, Michael!, Hello Kitty & Friends Coloring Book, the Ringo Award-nominated anthology Votes for Women: The Battle for the 19th Amendment, for which they wrote and illustrated the installment “Asian American Exclusion,” and the graphic novel Maker Comics: Create a Costume!. An avid convention attendee since 1999, Sarah has constructed and worn over fifty cosplay costumes and enjoys cooking, weight-lifting, and spending time with their cat Loki when they are not creating comics. Sarah can be found at sarahmyer.net and on Instagram @smyercomics

Editorial Reviews

"A nice touch is the addition of body empowerment that recognizes that cosplayers don't need to look exactly like comic-book characters in order to enjoy the experience... This user-friendly DIY cosplay guide is just the ticket for creating a fantastic cosplay persona." —Kirkus

"With tips on posing, con etiquette, and consent, this is a solid primer for kids who want to take their fandom to the next level." —Booklist

"Create a Costume is a cute, fun, colorful introduction to sewing presented as the kind of story-based graphic novels kids can’t get enough of these days... Bea and Parker are such relatable characters that kids will undoubtedly see themselves and their friends in their enthusiasm and love of all things nerdy." —Nerdophiles

"If you're new to creating your own costumes, regardless of being an older age than the characters / target audience, I highly recommend you check this book out." —Sequential Tart

From the Publisher

08/30/2019

Gr 5 Up-This latest volume in the "Maker Comic" graphic novel series (which includes Bake Like a Pro and Fix a Car) looks at cosplay, or the practice of dressing like a favorite character from a TV show, film, or comic book. A comic convention is just a few weeks away, and pals Bea and Parker want to attend and look the part without spending a lot of money. With the help of a cute, knowledgeable hamster named Costume Critter, Bea and Parker learn how to design, sew, and make robes, capes, emblems, utility belts, and other costumes and accessories. This blend of fictional story and instructional manual features clear instructions and illustrations and a positive message about body positivity and the importance of confidence in cosplaying. A glossary and a measurement conversion table round out this slim volume that's packed with information. VERDICT A must for school and public libraries looking to encourage maker culture through cosplay. Middle to high school students interested in costume design and cosplay will appreciate this selection.-Tamela Chambers, Chicago Public Library, IL

School Library Journal

2019-06-25
Comic book fans Bea and Parker decide to attend their first comic con in cosplay, dressing as their favorite comic book characters.

The Costume Critter, a hamster that lives in Bea's bedroom, introduces this graphic novel as an instructional manual for creating self-made costumes. Within the story, each chapter offers illustrations, starting with all of the tools needed to sew, along with sewing safety tips. Following this introduction, there's a primer on patternmaking, then on how to use a sewing machine. In each chapter, Bea and Parker come up with various theme ideas for costumes, including witches and wizards, superheroes, and space travelers and astronauts. This guide extends from gathering materials for a costume to step-by-step sewing instructions, seeing the cosplay outfit from conception to fully made garment. A nice touch is the addition of body empowerment that recognizes that cosplayers don't need to look exactly like comic-book characters in order to enjoy the experience. Myer also offers comic con attendance tips as well as smart rules of cosplay to help young people stay safe while enjoying the event. The level of detail empowers a young cosplayer to create a costume, though there is the suggestion that an adult may be needed to assist at times. Bea is fat and has beige skin, and Parker presents black.

This user-friendly DIY cosplay guide is just the ticket for creating a fantastic cosplay persona. (Informational graphic novel. 9-13)

Kirkus Reviews