This is the story of how, in the last six months, I received the titles of Word Witch and High Priestess, while myself adding Angry Queen to my self-identified title of “Cosplaymom.”

In the last year, I have had the excellent fortune to embark on two new adventures: first, I agreed to start volunteering with our local ComicCon- Visioncon.  I do a lot of writing for them, and I share many excellent memes on the Facebook page! 

2020 will be our “critical” 30th anniversary

I’m part of the Marketing team, and we are, to be not humble at all, pretty badass, and have non-traditional titles. I am, ahem, the “Word Witch.” I write the things.

I also get to help judge the cosplay competition (an experience that I’ll write more about in a different post) and see the inner workings of an all-volunteer con that gives all of its proceeds to charity. Yes, it’s like the proverbial sausage (you don’t want to know how it’s made, but It’s DELICIOUS).

If you can, you should absolutely come to Visioncon 2020. We are in Springfield, Missouri and the con has gaming, vendors, a wide array of panels and cosplay. Like the FB page too (I linked above)- as the con gets closer, we run all kinds of promotions for discounts on weekend passes.

Anyway, that was work, but also super fun! In the meantime, I also was honored to have a stellar group of students at my university ask me to be the faculty advisor for the newly formed Cosplay Club, the Drury Cosplay Club:

The University mascot is the Panther, so…

The members, being creative types, did not give the officers in the club “standard” officer names like “President,” etc. Instead they opted for such titles as “Mistress of Money” for treasurer, etc. Therefore, it was decided that instead of “Faculty Advisor,” I would be “High Priestess.”

Works for me! As I said, I find my work with the club to be a perfect and lovely fit with my desire to help young people develop their creativity in a Cosplaymom kind of way. They’re a great group and indeed came to Visioncon as a club.

The club decided to develop a group cosplay idea, and settled on “Warrior Disney Princesses,” choosing to go for the standard princesses, but understood as badass, strong and even dangerous figures. They worked on the costumes through the spring semester:

and by Visioncon, we were ready.  Here you see warrior Ariel, with her trident and warrior Belle. (Please note she is wearing the Beast as a PELT. Which we all thought was AMAZING.)

I was a version of the Evil Queen from Snow White. But not Evil to Princesses. In keeping with the feminist feeling here, I was an ANGRY Queen. I would NEVER hurt a princess, I was ANGRY at anyone who would hurt a princess, and I would go after any one, and any man who did. I was particularly angry at men who assaulted young women. I had a box for body parts, yes, but I didn’t keep hearts in there if you know what I mean……

What was great is that at Visioncon we ran into two other young women who had the same idea of Warrior Princesses! Great minds think alike.

All in all, a wonderfully successful, creative and fulfilling spring.  I am very much looking forward to working with these young people, and the Visioncon crew again this year, and will undoubtedly have more to share.

In the meantime, I revel in my new titles and will aspire to the heights of Word Witch and High Priestess of Cosplay.