Dragon Con Cosplay Spotlight
As we mentioned in our other posts, cosplay at Dragon Con is on another level. Everything you can imagine is represented, often with a uniquely Dragon Con flavour. Seriously, that carpet pattern gets EVERYWHERE! We were so inspired by the skills on display by these costumers we decided to try and reach out to them and find out more. First up, because they did make SUCH an impact, we got in touch with David Simms, a member of the DC Spartans cosplay group for our first Dragon Con Cosplay Spotlight.
FN: You mentioned in your email when we first made contact that you’ve been a member of the DC Spartans for 2 years, can you give us a little background on how the group came to be?
David: The roots of 300DC go back to 2007 with the original founding members, “the Chicago Six.” As fans of the movie “300,” which was released in December of 2006, these original six cosplayed Spartan warriors from the iconic film. But, it wasn’t until after DragonCon 2007 that these founding members formalized 300DC as an official group. Their goal was, and always has been, striving to reflect the film’s vision of elite Spartan warriors at the peak of their physical fitness, as well as the supporting cast of characters from the movie.
To achieve this goal as a group, we encourage each other, hold each other accountable, and challenge each other via our official 300dc.com forums. But 300DC really does go beyond a desire to dress up as these characters during DragonCon. It is a group that promotes healthy lifestyle choices for all of its members year-round. While we are not trainers, and we do not offer professional fitness or medical advice, we are a group that cares for one another and our collective achievements. On our official forums and other channels, we celebrate each other’s accomplishments, we offer advice when needed, and we foster a sense of camaraderie for members who are looking to improve themselves in their personal fitness journey.
FN: And how did you become part of the group?
I joined the group after DragonCon 2017, after spending several years admiring them from afar. I saw in this group something that I wanted to strive for. It was something I wanted to be a part of. And it was a goal I wanted to achieve for myself. However, like any other Spartan, I had to “earn my shield” in order to march with the group. I met that challenge and earned the right to march with them at DragonCon 2018 and 2019. And it’s definitely something I plan on doing again for the foreseeable future. I love being a part of this group, and I want to help it grow.
FN: Were you a cosplayer before you joined or did joining the group spur you into cosplay?
I was a cosplayer before I joined 300DC. I began that fun hobby at DragonCon 2015 (my first convention ever), when I debuted my very first cosplay, Superman. Superman was always my favorite comic book character growing up, and I was thrilled to finally portray him. And, much like the 300 Spartans, I strived to portray that character to the best of my ability, both in my personal fitness, and the quality of my costume. Though I had never taken my fitness seriously before this, in 2013, I began training in the gym and maintaining strict control over my diet, before I finally put on the blue spandex for DragonCon in 2015. Cosplay has been a huge motivating factor in my fitness journey for the last 6 years.
FN: Obviously the 300 group are very much about health and fitness, as well as cosplay, can you tell us a little about your regime/diet?
My overall fitness goals are to put on more lean muscle while keeping my body fat low. In order to achieve this long-term goal, my regime changes throughout the year to achieve short-term objectives. Specifically, I go through bulking and cutting cycles with my diet (calorie surpluses and deficits respectively), and I change my lifting focus from full-body compound movements to targeted muscle movements as needed. Currently, now that DragonCon has just ended, my diet is at a calorie surplus in order to put on more lean muscle before next year, and my lifting routine has shifted to focus on arm and chest growth. Closer to DragonCon, my diet will shift into a calorie deficit, in order to shed body fat. And my lifting routine will focus on more full-body compound movements to keep muscles stimulated while burning sufficient calories.
FN: Do you maintain your fitness all year round, or do you get to relax after Dragon Con?
While some of us (including me) may take a much-needed short break after DragonCon, and indulge a bit in celebration, as a group, we do focus on year-round training and dieting. As I said, this group is more than throwing on a costume. It’s all about pushing each other, encouraging each other, supporting each other, and holding each other accountable in healthy lifestyle choices. Iron sharpens iron. And we do it consistently.
FN: Presumably some of your group have significant others, how do they feel about what you do?
Many of our members are married or in other relationships. And in a lot of cases, their significant others are even members themselves! However, for those who are in a relationship with people outside of the group, I don’t really know the exact feelings of their significant others. And, because I am single, it’s not an issue I can personally speak to right now. But, my general feeling is one of support from our member’s significant others.
FN: Do your co-workers know about your cosplay? What do they think?
I can say that my coworkers definitely know what I do, and they think it’s great! It’s a topic we joke about from time-to-time. And it’s something they have a genuine curiosity about. They too have questions about my fitness, the goals of the group, how we organize, where we get our costumes, etc. And I’m always happy to talk about it.
FN: How does it feel being “objectified” by attendees?
When it comes to being “objectified” at DragonCon, I can’t speak for anyone else. But I can say that I, personally, appreciate it and I’m flattered. It’s wonderful to have our hardwork recognized, even in such a visceral fashion. It isn’t why we do it. It’s just a nice byproduct.
(FN: I got into trouble on Facebook on a Dragon Con thread by mentioning a certain Spartan cosplayer had nice eyes. It was mentioned that their queen would consider that a failure. I would just like to point out I did notice other attributes first, that’s why I ended up having a picture taken with him and got close enough to notice the eyes!)
FN: You do some other group cosplays on various nights of Dragon Con, how do you choose the themes for those other nights?
Because we are a group that loves to have fun together, the DragonCon Spartans also enjoy doing group cosplays other than our official Spartan warriors. One of them has become a standing tradition for Thursday nights, the Kilted Superheroes. This idea began on the 300DC forums years ago and has continued ever since with new members joining in. We organize all of this on the forums. I joined them at DragonCon 2019 as Kilted Punisher, which was a lot of fun to do. It was the first time I’ve ever done any type of Punisher cosplay, and I think it went really well. Having the skull logo painted on my bare chest did take a long time, though!
(FN: We think it was time well spent!)
FN: Do the DC Spartans do any other conventions?
As a group, 300DC only appears at DragonCon officially. Some members may wear their gear to conventions throughout the year. Or smaller groups of members may wear them to other events. But, as a group, 300DC is a DragonCon group, That’s why “DC” is a part of our name!
FN: What are your thoughts about the “Party Atmosphere” of DragonCon?
The “party atmosphere” of DragonCon is a big part of the appeal for me, personally. I always say that DragonCon can really be whatever you want it to be since it has so much to offer. And, for many of us, having a huge party with fun costumes, colorful characters, great music, and many great friends that we only get to see once a year, is one of the reasons we continue to go. That’s why I also call DragonCon “Mardi Gras for nerds.” It’s a fun-loving atmosphere with some truly great people. And, for people like me who physically train for it, that party atmosphere is a well-deserved reward.
FN: Are you very social IRL or are you more of a stay at home type?
I tend to be pretty social in my daily life. I date, I spend time with friends, and I explore Atlanta (where I live). I even socialize with a lot of fellow cosplayers throughout the year! I work with a group called Cosplay Volunteers of Atlanta which is involved with a lot of charitable causes throughout the year. We do things like visit children’s hospitals and participate in worthwhile fundraisers. While the 300 Spartan won’t be making an appearance at these events, characters like Superman and Captain America definitely do! When I’m not socializing or attending volunteer events, I do certainly enjoy alone time with my cat at home.
FN: Favorite animal, favorite pet?
And speaking of my cat, he is definitely my favorite pet! He’s my only pet! I do love a lot of other animals. But when I met my little buddy, Archer, at a shelter last year, I knew I had to make him a part of my home.
FN: Best DragonCon experience
My best DragonCon experience has definitely been marching with the 300 Spartans. In fact, there was a specific moment during DragonCon 2018 that was so surreal, it will always stick in my memory. It was Friday night, the night we were debuting the group in 2018. And it was also my first official march with the 300 Spartans. It was literally the moment I had been training for all year.
We met as a group to gear up and roll out, and we marched into the atrium of the Hilton. Surrounded by hundreds of people lining the balcony railings trying to catch a glimpse of the Spartans, hearing the 300 theme music pounding from the DJ booth next to us, and standing beside my brothers-in-arms who had supported me in achieving this goal, I stood proud with my shield and spear in hand, knowing that I had earned this moment. It truly made it all worth it.
FN: Worst DragonCon experience
My worst DragonCon experience actually happened this year, but it was so brief that it still couldn’t ruin my time there. This year, on Sunday afternoon, I developed a fever which put me in bed for most of the afternoon. Even though I recovered by later that night, just in time to spend my last hours at DragonCon partying with my friends, it was definitely a disappointment to miss out on so much that day because I wasn’t feeling well.
FN: Funniest DragonCon experience
My funniest DragonCon experience has to be the time I told a terrible joke that completely bombed right in front of one of my childhood heroes, John Wesley Shipp (The Flash), who gave me a gut-wrenching grimace in response. It was definitely a cringe-worthy moment that I have to look back on and laugh. But I won’t re-tell that joke here. There’s no sense in making myself look foolish twice over the same bad joke!
FN: What is your favourite cosplay you’ve done so far?
My favorite cosplay is certainly my 300 Spartan cosplay. Specifically, it is my 300 Spartan costume from this year, which I made significant upgrades to after 2018. And I actually pride myself on the fact that I handmade virtually the entire thing except for a couple of pieces which I commissioned. I modeled and 3D printed all of my armor. I built my helmet from scratch out of EVA foam. I designed and built my 2-piece spear, complete with 3D printed spear tips. And, I even designed and sewed my own cape. It may not look like we are wearing much. But a lot more goes into the actual costume than you might think!
FN: Is there a character you’d love to cosplay that you haven’t yet?
Now that I have done Kilted Punisher, I would like to do a realistic, cinematic version of The Punisher, complete with a screen-accurate bullet-proof vest
FN: We know from your Instagram that you have your own podcast, tell us a little about it.
My best friend, Joshua Jarmin, and I produce our own weekly podcast called “one More Round”! Our tagline describes the show perfectly – “Probing politics to pop culture.” (Yes, we chose the word “probing” on purpose. Just look at our logo!) Every week, I mix up some fun cocktails, or we crack open some craft brews, and we talk about a topic that’s big in the news. Sometimes that could be news coming out of Washington and sometimes it’s about the latest blockbuster we want to see. And occasionally we also love throwing in a few “Would you rather” questions, just to make each other roll with laughter from our ridiculous questions and answers. The show really is two best friends having serious and hilarious conversations about things that are happening in the world. And we do it all while enjoying one more round of drinks.
FN: Besides your podcast what are some of your other hobbies, passions?
When I’m not working, podcasting, cosplaying, volunteering, and spending time with friends, I really enjoy building things at home. I’ve always loved working with my hands. And making something myself, from scratch, serves as an excellent creative outlet for me.
Recently, I’ve been redecorating my apartment with all new furniture and accessories, and this has been an opportunity to flex that creativity. When I haven’t been able to find particular pieces in stores or online, I’ve just made them myself. So far, that’s included custom bookshelves, an industrial-style metal standing mirror, a bar table, and bar shelves. It’s a hobby that was passed down to me from my father and grandfather while I was growing up.
FN: What is one thing you think is an important take away from this interview that you want to share with others.
In closing, I would like to answer a few basic questions about the 300DC Spartan group which get asked a lot and could help others who are curious about us. Every year, we have open enrollment for the first 30 days after DragonCon. During that time frame, anyone can message our forum moderators at [email protected] to get access to our forums. After that, anyone interested in joining the group will need to be sponsored by a current member in good standing with the group.
Our goal is to foster an environment of support, celebration, and camaraderie. But we also hold each other to high standards. By challenging each other, and holding each other accountable, we push each other to be better. People interested in joining our group should be prepared for this challenge because we want every member to achieve their personal goals and contribute to the group as a whole. “We fight as a single, impenetrable unit. That is the source of our strength.”
That’s it for what we hope will be the first in a Cosplay Spotlight series. We’d like to thank David for taking the time to talk to us. If you want to check out the DC Spartan group you can find them on Instagram here. David’s Instagram is here. You can also check out the podcast he mentions at http://omrcast.com/
Do you have any burning cosplay questions you’d like to put to someone? Let us know in the comments or via social media and we will try to include them in future interviews.
