Author Archives: Bizarre Brunette

Ten Years of Cosplay and Conventions

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As I was writing my recap post about CONvergence, I realized something. It’s been ten years since I started attending conventions. I second-guessed myself because ten years feels like a long time ago, but it’s true. I went to CONvergence for the first time in 2013. I initially found out about CONvergence in 2012 when my friend’s mom was planning to attend. My friend and I decided we wanted to attend the following year. The rest is history. I wanted to share a few photos, along with sharing what I hope for in the future.

Image is of me and a person in cosplay. I'm dressed as Mario with the blue overalls and red shirt. The person next to me is dressed in green as Loki with the Staff

I remember being mesmerized by all the people in cosplay. It was so fun to walk around and take photos with other cosplayers. I talked with so many different people at my first con, and cosplay, in some ways, acted as a way to help start a conversation without feeling the intimidation of talking to someone I didn’t know.

Image shows two women posing next to each other. One is brandishing a spear which is hard to see. The other has two orange prop guns pointed at her.

Besides cosplaying as Mario, I also put together a quick Lara Croft cosplay. This felt on point since the Tomb Raider game came out that year. As I was walking around CONvergence, I saw another Lara Croft cosplayer, and I was really excited. Let’s be real, this cosplayer did a much better job than I did in cosplaying Lara Croft. It was a fun memory to see someone else cosplaying the exact same character, but in a completely different way.

Image features the ghost busters car. A woman is sitting cross legged in front of the car holding orange plastic guns

When I first started attending CONvergence, the Twin Cities Ghostbusters used to always make an appearance. They usually had a party room at CONvergence, along with bringing their car out in the parking lot. I haven’t seen them at CONvergence in a while, but I hope they come back soon.

It’s funny looking at old photos. My first thought is how young I look! The other thing that I think about is where my mindset was at this time of my life. I had so much to learn, whether that be about life in general or how I viewed myself. I’m grateful for all of the experiences I have had thus far and how I have grown as a person.

Looking into the future, I’m fully planning on cosplaying throughout the next ten years. I want to try colored contacts or body paint. Besides cosplay, there are a few conventions that I would like to attend, including Emerald City Comic Con, New York Comic Con, and Dragon Con. My husband and I have also begun having conversations about starting a family, and I would love to bring my kids to conventions. Here’s to ten more years of cosplay and conventions!

CONvergence – It’s Good to Be Back

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After being out of town for the 4th of July and attending a convention, I took a writing break. In a turn of events, I could attend CONvergence this year. For those who are new to Bizarre Brunette, CONvergence was the first convention I went to. CONvergence will always have a special place in my heart as being my first con, but it also introduced me to cosplay, conventions, and geek culture in general. I wanted to share a little recap about CONvergence, along with what it was like to be back post-COVID.

Image features a badge with a robot on it. At the bottom of the badge are various ribbons with different sayings on them. One ribbon says "I don't give a Duck" and it's yellow with a duck off to the left.

CONvergence was so fun! This year, I tabled at the Twin Cities Geek booth. I was able to connect with so many different people who came up to talk to me. I saw so many cosplayers walking by. One of the biggest things at CONvergence is ribbons which can be attached to your badge. I received so many ribbons from con-goers, I might have set a personal record.

Image features a dark room with blue light. There's a gallon of liquid. There's a taped sign that says "The Doctor's Tears of the TARDIS Challenge!"

Besides sitting at the Twin Cities Geek booth, I also went to the party rooms. Party rooms are hotel rooms that have been turned into themed rooms. The hotel rooms often serve alcoholic beverages that are in line with the party room. The drinks are free, but it’s encouraged to tip the party room as the organizers who throw the party pay for all the booze, mixers, and set-up. One party room we went to was Doctor Who-themed. There was a “Tears of the Tardis” challenge to take a really sour shot. If you completed the challenge, you could earn a ribbon for your badge. I am all for adding ribbons to my badge, so I did partake. The shot was very sour, but it was worth it for the ribbon.

Image is a selfie of a woman wearing a red hood. She's smiling at the camera. She's wearing a white blouse and a black corset.

CONvergence was slightly different than the other times I have attended in the past. This was the first time attending since the pandemic. It felt like nothing had changed, which is a good thing. The other difference was that most of my friends that I used to go with weren’t there this year. Some friends moved away, and other friends simply couldn’t make it. I was a little nervous about finding and meeting new people. Fortunately, I ended up meeting quite a few new people, and now I feel like I have a good group of people to meet up with and talk to next year.

Reflecting back on this past weekend, I realize how happy I am to have found a place within the convention scene. I feel at home, and like I can be myself. I’m looking forward to CONvergence next year.

First Impressions of The Mighty Nein – Critical Role Campaign #2

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To start off 2023, I finished Vox Machina, Critical Role’s first campaign. It was a bittersweet moment since it took me two years to watch every single episode. I felt I needed a solid break from Critical Role, so I could absorb the ending of Vox Machina. I watched a few of the one-shots and focused on watching other TV shows I fell behind on. I decided that I was finally ready to start on The Mighty Nein, which is Critical Role’s second campaign. I watched the first episode a few days ago and wanted to share some first impressions of the show.

As far as the characters, I think the two characters that I felt drawn to right away were Fjord (played by Travis Willingham) and Yasha (played by Ashley Johnson). Fjord has this cowboy persona with the voice that Travis chose for the character. Fjord seems to be one of the more intelligent characters within the group, and it’s fun to see Travis play someone vastly different from Grog. With Yasha, I liked how she is the bodyguard of sorts, and she has these one-liners that are delivered with no enthusiasm, which makes the whole group laugh. Also, I like how Yasha and Beau start flirting right away. I’m curious to see if that develops into something later.

The first episode primarily took place at a circus when someone from the audience turned into a zombie-like creature. I like how there’s a certain level of darkness that’s been introduced right away. Vox Machina felt like a group of adventurers goofing off in a tavern, while The Mighty Nein might have more gothic undertones, which is usually what I gravitate towards.

After finishing episode #1, I’m definitely invested in the campaign. Out of curiosity, I did a quick search to see how many hours the The Mighty Nein campaign is. It’s only 550 hours, no big deal. Now, I have only 547 hours of content to watch. Wish me luck!

Massive Comics + Toy Haul – Mind’s Eye Comics

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I’m unsure how often I have referenced Mind’s Eye Comics, but it won’t be the last. Mind’s Eye has become my local comic book store, and I try to stop in regularly. For June, my company does a Juneteenth reimbursement where there’s a $100 reimbursement if money is spent at a black-owned business. It just so happens that Mind’s Eye Comics is a black-owned business in the Twin Cities. To be fair, I’m happy to spend $100 at Mind’s Eye Comics any day of the week, but now I have another reason to stop in. I wanted to share my haul as I ended up leaving with much more than I thought I would.

Image is a stack of 6 graphic novels. The first one is Quincredible: Volume One, Box, The Mall, Cats Girlfriends and Catfriends, Batgirl and The Birds of Prey and Pop Culture Pioneers" In the background is a kitty.

I’m in a graphic novel kick as of late. I’m not sure why, but I just haven’t been buying as many single issues. The first graphic novel I bought is Quincredible: Volume #1 Quest To Be The Best by Barnes, Espiritu, and Fitzpatrick. Quincredible follows Quinton West, who gains the power of invulnerability. Quin struggles with his powers, which leads him to be mentored by Glow, another superhero. I don’t know much more than that, but I’m looking forward to reading this.

The second graphic novel I bought is Box by Wirbeleit & Heidschotter. Box is about a young boy who finds a box and decides to use it for his adventures, except the box starts talking. Box reminded me of the Calvin & Hobbes graphic novels I read as a kid. I like how this will be more of a light-hearted read.

The third graphic novel I bought was The Mall by Handfield, Haick III, Loureiro, Dijio, and Hopkins. The Mall follows a group of teenagers in the 1980s who fit the stereotypes of teenagers. They find out that they are connected to a mafia boss who was recently killed. The mafia boss left each teenager a store in the mall, which was an all-in-one front for mafia boss activity. In the Goodreads description, it says that this is a “Breakfast Club meets Goodfellas”.

The fourth graphic novel I bought was Cats Girlfriends and Cat Friends by Brrémaud and Antista. Cats, Girlfriends and Cat Friends is a series of French graphic novels that tell the stories of friends and their cats. This seems like it will be a cute cat story, and I’m here for it.

The fifth graphic novel is Batgirl and the Birds of Prey Source Code by J Benson, S Benson, Antonio, and Roe. I read the first volume several years ago, and it seemed like a good opportunity to return to the series. I will probably re-read the first volume right before reading volume #2, so I can be fresh in the story.

The final novel is Pop Culture Pioneers: The Women Who Transformed Fandom in Film, Television, Comics, and More by Cher Martinetti. This might not count as a graphic novel, but I thought this would be an interesting book to add to my collection. It’s a non-fiction book that tells various stories from women in geek culture. I’m looking forward to reading this.

Image is a Funko. The Funko is Polka-Dot Man from The Suicide Squad. Polka-Dot Man is kneeling

Besides graphic novels, I bought the Polka-Dot Man Funko Pop from The Suicide Squad. I’m looking for more collectibles to place on my desk at work and figured Polka-Dot Man would be a fun addition. I also bought a Loki wallet and a Hercules keychain to add to my keyring.

I love having a lot to read. This haul should keep me busy for a while.

Happy Pride!

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Last weekend was Twin Cities Pride here in Minneapolis. If I’m in town, I always try to make a point to go to Pride for a portion of the festivities. As a cis, white woman, I intend to show my support and stand in solidarity with others. This year, I helped staff the Geek Partnership Society booth, which meant talking to various people about Twin Cities Geek, conventions, and other nerd-related topics. A running quote that we would say is “This is the nerd side of Pride”.

I didn’t end up taking that many photos of Pride since I was talking to people who came to visit the booth. It was nice seeing people being able to exist as themselves.

As a final note, I wanted to share some of my favorite non-profits & charities that help support LGBTQIA+ people. The first non-profit that I give to the most is The Trevor Project. The Trevor Project is focused on younger LGBTQIA+ folks and providing them with resources. The second non-profit is the ACLU. The ACLU is focused on all human rights, and a lot of that fight is for LGBTQIA+ rights. These are the two non-profits I will continuously donate to.

Star Wars Outlaws – Thoughts

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I don’t normally follow big video game events such as E3 or Xbox Games Showcase. I usually find out about some of the gaming news weeks after the event, and that’s always worked for me. One of my favorite Star Wars content creators posted about Star Wars Outlaws and how the trailer was released at the Xbox Games Showcase this year. I watched the trailer, and honestly, I’m excited. I’m curious how this game will be and when it will be released.

Star Wars Outlaws takes place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Kay Vess is on her own and resorts to cheating in Sabacc to make ends meet. With her companion, Nix, they end up escaping a brawl at the tavern they’re at and running from the scene. Kay is approached by Jaylen, an acquaintance from Kay’s past, who offers her a way out of the situation she’s in. In the rest of the trailer, Kay is shown exploring different planets with Nix by her side.

As far as Star Wars is concerned, I think the more Star Wars stuff that exists, the better! I’m positive in that way. I think it’s neat to see a female protagonist in a Star Wars game. Without knowing much about Kay, I like her as a character. Her look feels rugged, yet functional. I couldn’t help thinking how she could be a fun character to cosplay as. I’m a sucker for a good companion, and Nix is adorable.

There were some critiques from fans towards Star Wars Outlaws. This includes having another Star Wars game without custom character creation. I feel like that critique is fair. Most Star Wars fans want to see themselves in the galaxy. I think most fans were hoping for a Knights of the Old Republic / Star Wars open-world RPG, and that would be cool. There was some backlash I read around male gamers not wanting to play as a female character. This doesn’t surprise me, although it’s such an odd take. I have had to play as male characters for a long time, and I didn’t mind. Plus, there are so many badass female video game characters (Jill Valentine from Resident Evil, Lara Croft, Ellie from The Last of Us), so why is Kay Vess different from them?

I’m looking forward to Star Wars Outlaws! I think it has the potential to be a fun Star Wars game. Have you watched the newest Star Wars Outlaws trailer? Let me know what you think in the comments!

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

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Image is a photo for a book cover for The Final Girl Support Group. The book cover is black, but zoomed in is a red plastic chair.

The first Grady Hendrix book I read was The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, and I loved it. I don’t read much horror, but it’s nice to have another go-to author besides Stephen King. I had The Final Girl Support Group on my TBR for a while, as I tend to gravitate toward slasher films if I ever do watch horror movies. I liked The Final Girl Support Group, although I think this book would be much better as a movie.

Lynette Tarkington is a final girl. She survived a horrific massacre of her family, and as such, her trauma leaks into her routine. She has intense security measures in her apartment, carries a weapon, and takes several different bus routes in case she’s followed. Lynette has been attending a Final Girl Support Group for decades, led by successful psychotherapist, Dr. Carol Elliott. As the group’s session comes to an end, Lynette is alerted to the fact that Adrienne, another Final Girl in their group, was murdered. As the day progresses, each Final Girl is targeted, including Lynette. Lynette has to go off the grid to figure out who’s targeting the Final Girls.

The Final Girl Support Group is a book that I couldn’t put down. My husband had invited a friend over for a BBQ at our place, and I hung back in our room to finish this book. I couldn’t help it! The book, from start to finish, was a page-turner. I wanted to know who was targeting the Final Girls. Additionally, the way the book was written, there are clearly secrets that Lynette didn’t share with the reader, and I wanted to know what they were.

As far as the characters, I liked Lynette and how she developed throughout the book. Lynette’s arguably the Final Girl whose trauma is exhibited the most. Granted, Lynette’s the main character, and there isn’t as much of a preview into the other Final Girls and how they live their lives. After the climactic showdown, Lynette distances herself from someone in her past, moves into a new place, and seeks help through physical therapy and leading the new Final Girl Support group. It’s nice to see her progress and try to live her life.

As a fan of slasher films, there are a lot of throwbacks to this genre of horror. Some of the names of the Final Girls are names of the actresses who played the roles in those films. Additionally, there’s a mention of a film series called Stab, which retells Julie’s Final Girl story. Stab is also a film franchise that’s mentioned in the Scream films. In one of the section breaks, there’s an interview transcript featuring two cops interviewing one of the Final Girls. The cops are Dwight Riley and Judy Hicks, who are characters in Scream 4 specifically. While I think anyone can enjoy reading The Final Girl Support Group, it’s more fun knowing the references from these films.

I mentioned earlier how I think The Final Girl Support Group would be better as a film than a book. The book’s plot is a little messy and convenient. Without spoilers, there’s a moment where Lynette starts to put together the pieces of who might be responsible. I thought the way this came together was a little odd to me. Additionally, there’s another moment where Lynette has a run-in with someone from her past. The scene itself felt a little over-the-top when really it didn’t need to be that way. For a book, it was a bit much, but for a movie, I think this would be an entertaining scene.

The Final Girl Support Group was an intense, page-turner that helped me break out of my reading slump. I can see where this book might not be for everyone, but I liked it nonetheless. I rated The Final Girl Support Group four stars on Goodreads.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Release Date

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Insomniac Games, the game studio that made Marvel’s Spider-Man, finally announced on Twitter the release date for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. The game is set to release on Friday, October 20th. I first played Marvel’s Spider-Man back in 2018. I recently visited New York City for the first time that summer, so playing through Marvel’s Spider-Man felt like I was reliving my trip. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is exclusively being released on the PS5, which I don’t have yet. I’m holding out for a Spider-Man PS5 bundle to be announced sometime soon. This is a game I have been looking forward to, so I wanted to share a little bit of what I’m most excited about.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is going to introduce Venom to the franchise. At the end of Marvel’s Spider-Man, Norman Osborn enters a laboratory where, in a test vial, Harry is wrapped in a black webbed substance, which is obviously the Symbiote. When I watched the end credits scene, I was pumped. How cool would it be to swing around New York City as a Symbiote?? Insomniac released gameplay of Venom, and it looks really cool.

If that wasn’t worth the hype, there are also going to be new villains for Spider-Man to go up against. There are some hints that Kraven the Hunter will make an appearance. Besides Kraven, I’d like to see Black Cat appear in the main story, as she was mostly seen through the DLC released after the first game. There is a part of me that wants to use some PTO during this time, so I can sit and play this game undisturbed.

I cannot wait for October. My goal is to play Marvel’s Spider-Man right before the sequel releases, so I will be fresh on all the Spider-Man lore.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

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Image is a book cover. It's a bright blue book. It shows two people sitting on stools, their backs are faced away from each other. The woman is handing a book behind her back to the man who holds his hand behind his back to accept the book. At the bottom it says Book Lovers

I was strategic in picking out the books I planned on reading throughout the summer. I wanted something light-hearted, set in summer, and something that I could see myself reading outside in the backyard. One book I knew I wanted to read was Book Lovers by Emily Henry. Emily Henry’s books are immensely popular, and it seems like everyone raves about them. I recently finished Book Lovers a few days ago, and now I get the hype. Book Lovers is one of the best romance books I’ve read this year.

Nora Stephens has dedicated her life to her career as a literary agent. Nora has an awkward run-in with Charlie Lastra, an editor who trashed the book Nora was currently working on. Nora pushes Charlie aside and follows her sister Libby to Sunshine Falls, a small town that’s the setting of a book from one of Nora’s clients. Much to Nora’s surprise, she runs into Charlie, as he’s from Sunshine Falls originally. Nora and Charlie are forced to work together to edit a book, much to Nora’s chagrin. Nora starts to see Charlie in a new light, and Charlie realizes how much he has in common with Nora. Can they move past their preconceived notions of themselves and each other?

While Book Lovers is a book centered on Nora and Charlie’s relationship, this book is so much more than that. This book beautifully shows grief and the consequences of being swallowed up in it. It’s a book that shows the relationship between two sisters and how they each have their own struggles. I enjoy reading romance, not necessarily for the romance itself, but about the lives the characters have built for themselves and how those lives become intertwined.

Throughout the book, Nora is shown as a motherly figure toward Libby. Their mother died while they were young adults, and Nora steps in to guide Libby to ensure that she’s okay. By doing this, Nora pushes her own emotions down to the point that she becomes numb to them. I thought this was a realistic way to show grief because Nora finds herself drawn to her career to put aside her emotions. I liked how Nora grew throughout the book and did so without Charlie’s help.

I loved reading about Nora and Libby’s adventures throughout Sunshine Falls. They give each other makeovers, they try to save the local bookstore, and Libby sets Nora up on some pretty bad first dates. This book reads like a Hallmark romantic comedy, which is normally not for me, but Book Lovers was an exception.

Onto the romance, I loved Nora and Charlie together. They had this flirtatious banter that was so fun to read. This is one of those romances that’s a slow burn, but once they finally get together, it feels right. For me, I was rooting for Nora this whole time to have her happy ending, and I was so happy for her by the end of the book.

Book Lovers is an ode to the joys of a small town. Sunshine Falls serves as the best backdrop for the story. I kept picturing the mountains, a small downtown with a gazebo, and some land outside of the downtown area. The local bar, along with cracked sidewalks, leads to homes up the hill. The setting makes you want to go explore a small town for a weekend.

Book Lovers was the perfect book to start summer off with. I rated Book Lovers five stars on Goodreads.

Favorite Moments from Star Wars: Clone Wars

Posted in Bizarre Brunette Big-Screen Watches by
Image is a promo image of Star Wars The Clone Wars The Final Season

Last month, I finally finished Star Wars: The Clone Wars. I started watching in 2021 and kept watching on & off throughout 2022 and 2023. No matter what your opinion is, I think it’s worth noting that Star Wars: The Clone Wars has shaped Star Wars lore since its release. Part of the reason it took me so long to finish the show is that certain arcs didn’t excite me all that much, so I felt it was difficult to keep myself on track. However, once I got through season #3, I felt the show took a turn in a direction that I was more interested in. I wanted to focus on some of my favorite story arcs within Clone Wars.

Obi-Wan aka “Ben” going undercover with Cad Bane – Season #4

In season #4, Obi-Wan fakes his death to go undercover to find out more about a plot to kidnap the Chancellor. As part of his undercover work, he’s forced to try out to make the team of assassins who go after Palpatine. Dooku puts the assassins through several challenges. I thought this was entertaining to watch since it was more action-based. Plus, I think it gives Obi-Wan a little grit since this isn’t something you would think Obi-Wan would do.

Mandalore – Rise & Fall – Seasons #2 – #7

For those who are fans of The Mandalorian, there is a lot of story that comes from The Clone Wars. This includes Bo-Katan’s character arc, why Bo-Katan wants the Darksaber, and Obi-Wan’s connection to Mandalore. I loved watching all of the episodes featuring Mandalore as I thought they were really interesting.

I thought seeing Maul coming into it and taking Mandalore was not what I expected. It was one of the few things within The Clone Wars that weren’t spoiled to me before watching. I have always been a Darth Maul fan, so the fact that he was brought back and served such a big role in the later seasons was so satisfying to watch.

Taking Back Onderon – Season #5

Onderon is the planet Saw Guerra is from, and this whole arc helps shape his character. Saw helps lead a resistance troop to take back the planet, as the Jedi have agreed not to help. Ahsoka is also key in this arc as well. The first time I saw Saw Guerra was in Rogue One, so it was cool to see Saw appear in other Star Wars content.

Ahsoka’s Whole Arc – Season #5 – #7

I will be honest, Ahsoka had to grow on me. I wasn’t originally a big fan of hers when I was watching the earlier seasons. With that being said, Ahsoka is now one of my favorite Star Wars characters. Ahsoka picks up a lot of Anakin’s discontent with the order. In season #5, Ahsoka is framed for a terrorist attack. The Jedi (except for Anakin) are so quick to believe Ahsoka is guilty, which is rather odd to me, considering all that she has done for them. She’s even been kicked out of the order while she is on trial. Anakin quickly figures out who is responsible and invites Ahsoka back, only for her to leave the order for good.

I was so happy that Ahsoka left the order. Why would she return when they clearly abandoned her when she needed them the most? I think this arc helps shape the flaws of the Jedi Order and demonstrates how the Jedi aren’t always the “good guys”.

Ahsoka meets Anakin again when Ahsoka and Bo-Katan return to Mandalore to dethrone Maul. Anakin is quick to greet Ahsoka, while Obi-Wan is a little cold towards her. It was disappointing to see that interaction, but if anything, it helps to confirm that Ahsoka made the right choice in leaving. Ahsoka and Maul have a lot of interesting dialogue because they both have one thing in common: they were both abandoned and treated disrespectfully.

Finally, the last few episodes show where Ahsoka was during Order 66. I love the way this was done. Ahsoka feels the change in The Force when Windu is killed by Sidious. She goes to Rex, and that’s when the clones turn on her. The whole scene when Ahsoka takes out her lightsabers, which were gifted to her by Anakin, and defends herself against all the blaster bolts, was awesome. Ahsoka ends up freeing Rex from the brainwashing, and they escape together. I found myself getting a little teary-eyed towards the end, seeing Ahsoka having to survive on her own. Ahsoka arguably has the best character arc in the whole show.

If you have ever struggled to watch Clone Wars like I have, there are several guides online that show the pivotal episodes to watch. I’m so glad that I watched the show, and now I feel like I need some Ahsoka merchandise in my life.