When addressing a world as lowly as Midgard, one can only condescend. Don’t stand up. You’ll only embarrass yourselves more.
Loki Hates You is among the internet’s most beloved Loki cosplayers. Based in Los Angeles, he is known for cosplaying the trickster god in his various forms from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was an utter delight to meet him at Long Beach Comic Con 2014 and then to run into him again at Comikaze 2014.
Despite cosplaying as the mischievous anti-hero, the cosplayer behind Loki Hates You is an incredibly kind and humorous individual, who was more than willing to give us the scoop on his life as a cosplayer. You can find Loki Hates You on Facebook and Twitter, as well as at most of the LA-based conventions. Don’t miss the gallery below!
1. What does cosplay mean to you?
Cosplay is an art. Cosplay is a craft. It’s a non verbal introduction between people who share similar interests (or not). It’s massive and inclusive community. It’s an entire world subdivided into nations and states and tribes and families and then divided hundreds more times beyond that until the personalities of the individuals in that world represent their own unique thoughts and interests.
Cosplay is a beautiful social matrix. It’s an ugly, competitive popularity contest. It’s a young word with ancient foundations. For me though, it’s just an alternative lifestyle from every other day.
2. Why do you cosplay?
I cosplay at conventions because I resemble a character that people are excited about and when that character first made a public appearance, people kept suggesting that I should cosplay as him. Now that I’ve gotten into cosplay as a more frequent past time, I do it because it makes me a lot of friends and starts a lot of conversations.
3. What inspires you?
Typically, my inspiration in any facet of life comes from super hero stories. I’m fascinated by the concept of individuals being exceptional and transcendent. Super heroes and even super villains do impossibly drastic things to make their mark on their world. I guess cosplay allows me to have the tiniest connection to that, even if it’s just an outrageous outfit.
4. How long have you been cosplaying and how did you get into it? What made you choose your first costume?
I’ve been cosplaying as far back as 2006 when I wore my “The Crow” costume to Boston Comic Con. However, I don’t really consider myself to have started cosplaying regularly until 2012. But no matter when I’ve worn a costume or how much effort or money or time went into making that costume happen, the common trait is that I’ve always chosen to dress as characters who have a similar hair style to me… because that’s what’s important in expressing one’s self. Not messing up one’s hair.
5. Tell us some of the characters you cosplay (or just list off your closet of Loki costumes). Which are you most proud of and which is the most enjoyable to wear?
Loki is kind of my bread and butter as far as cosplay is concerned right now. I’ve got a version of all three of the costumes that he wears in Avengers as well as another very similar version of the main Loki costume modified to look like one from Thor: Dark World as well as a not very accurate version of the prison scene costume from Dark World.
The latter of those is the least cumbersome and most comfortable but I must say that the attention drawn by the full helmeted/ armored Avengers Loki makes it the most exciting prospect for a day at con due to the fact that it leads to the most attention from con goers.
6. Do you make your own costumes or does someone make them for you? How do you put everything together?
Only a very small percentage of my costume pieces are made or even modified by me. Most pieces were custom made to my measurements and specifications. I try to credit the artists involved at every relevant opportunity without being irritating or preachy about it but they really do deserve all of the credit for the popularity that Loki Hates You has accrued.
Here is a color coded list of artist credits for the most recent iteration of the costume.
Since the separate elements were made by different people at different times out of different materials, it was left up to me to sort of “rig” everything together. Under all the pretty detail work is a network of straps, buckles, snaps, Velcro, various adhesives and a surprising amount of rare earth magnets.
The one thing I can take at least partial credit for is the fact that the costume can be put on by myself without needing help from a handler… Although it’s nice to have help if I can get it.
7. What inspires you when you’re working on your costumes? How do you dedicate time to costuming alongside everything else in your life?
Even with most of the actual art being done by others, I still had to dedicate most of my free time to the art production, errand running, facilitating, coordinating, rigging and trouble shooting involved with the project that was Loki. That sounds like a lot but it’s actually not that much time when you consider how busy my day job keeps me.
If I’d have tried to take on making this costume on my own, it wouldn’t have been completed for probably another 5 or 6 years. There just wouldn’t be enough time and the quality would certainly not be nearly as high.
8. Share a favorite in-costume and convention moment.
While walking to a Marvel group shoot at San Diego Comic Con 2014, another cosplayer (ThorTV) and I walked by a long, serpentine line of con goers under a canopy who were all waiting for a panel to start.
Ahead of us, a cosplayer in a massive and very impressive Apocalypse costume was being guided by his handler. As he passed the line, you could hear them murmur and gasp at the spectacle.
Once Thor and I were in sight, they broke into a loud and unprompted cheer. It truly did feel like being a celebrity.
9. What are you working on now and who are you planning for the future?
As far as right now is concerned, I’m working a lot and saving as much money as possible. As far as upcoming costumes, I make no promises but I have a few ideas I’d like to make into a reality, this time creating the costumes myself rather than commissioning them. (Don’t expect another Loki!)
9. If time and money were no issue, what dream costume would you love to make?
I’d love to have a set of Starcraft space marine armor. Or a Warhammer 40K space marine… or a Doom 2 space marine. Yeah. Space Marines.
10. Any advice for aspiring cosplayers?
Guys, don’t kill yourselves over a costume. Make what you can with the time and money you have. It doesn’t have to be a contest. Sometimes fun means fun. It’s not worth losing your sleep or health over.
Loki Hates You
Each photo belongs to the original photographer, as credited in the description.
