Fall Motor City Comic Con provides opportunity for fun and elaborate cosplay

NOVI — The third annual Fall Motor City Comic Con Nov. 8-10 took over the Suburban Collection showplace in Novi and provided the perfect opportunity for people to cosplay as their favorite comic book, film or television heroes.

AJ and Elise Conte, of Madison Heights, came to the show dressed as steampunk versions of Doctor Octopus and Lady Octopus from the Spider-Man comic universe. AJ Conte said he has been cosplaying as “Doc Ock” for the last two years and decided to do the steampunk version as a way to mix up his costume. He said they thrift shop for the clothing parts of their costumes and he handcrafts the mechanical tentacles.

“It was his idea for us to do, like, a couples costume. He actually showed me the outfit I could wear, and he actually made the tentacles,” said Elise Conte.

The tentacles were made with a PVC skeleton to give it shape and downspout tubing. He then hand-painted the tentacles so that they appeared to be copper. He utilized video game controllers and an old Amazon box for Doc Ock’s controls.  AJ Conte said it took him two weeks to build his wife’s costume and another three to four weeks to build his. He said he spent about $300 dollars on materials for their costumes this time and has spent as much as $500 to make a pair of tentacles in the past.

“I really like that with cosplay I can be another character. I can be another person and sort of act differently than I would if I were not in cosplay,” said AJ Conte, who is a high school social studies and civics teacher by day in the Detroit/Hamtramck area.

Elise Conte said she got into cosplay as her husband enjoys it. She said she had never been to a comic con until she met her husband, but she really likes the comic con community. In exchange for her dressing in cosplay at the various cons they attend, she said he goes to rom-com movies with her.

“She’s just a wonderful wife who’s willing to play along with the fact that I never grew up,” said AJ Conte. “Halloween was always my favorite holiday as a kid, and I never grew up. I just realized, ‘Hey I can dress up as a character any day that I want.’”

“It is a fun thing to do together,” Elise Conte said of the comic conventions and cosplaying. “Getting to take pictures with people. It’s just really fun.”

AJ Conte said he mostly attends cons to be able to cosplay with like-minded people. His wife enjoys purchasing things such as stickers and artwork that the vendors sell.

“For me it’s just cosplay. I like to see other people’s cosplays and be seen by other people,” he said.

Zoe and Rick Trombley, of Sterling Heights, have been coming to the convention for years. The couple came this year with their daughter, Arlo, 2, a second-generation comic congoer, who is heavily into “Spidey and His Amazing Friends,” an animated Disney series for kids. Her parents said it is the perfect kids show, as it introduces kids to the comic world and features the music of Fall Out Boy.

Arlo came dressed as Ghost Spider from “Spidey and His Amazing Friends” and was overjoyed to see a large group of men dressed as various Spider-Man characters. The Spider-Men seemed to enjoy her enthusiasm as well, giving her fist bumps and posing for pictures with the excited little girl.

“It’s cool for us because we’ve always been really big into this kind of stuff,” said Zoe Trombley. “We’ve always been doing this stuff, so it’s nice to have a show like that where it can, like, bridge the gaps and get them in early to liking this stuff instead of just dragging them along with you. Now she gets to play Spider-Man and has her costume ready.”

Morgan Goodrich, 16, of Flint, cosplayed as Sora from the Ensemble Stars! franchise. She said she purchased most of her costume on Amazon and spent around $150; her friend, Hunter LaBean, 17, of Flint, spent around $100 on a costume from Project Sekai. LaBean said that the cost of purchasing a costume was a deterrent to them being able to cosplay. However, LaBean said this particular costume was affordable.

“I just love cosplaying. I like to show love for my favorite characters,” said Goodrich. “I just really enjoy expressing my love for a character by dressing up as them, and I also enjoy cute clothes.”

“I really, really like the community. Everyone in the cosplay community is so nice,” said LaBean, a first-time cosplayer.

Gabby Hill, 15, of Romeo, a young artist, dressed as a character she created, Para. Her father, Jason Hill, dressed in a Star Wars costume.

“Back in 2020 when I was doing a lot of stuff online, I noticed people making costumes like these and I was like, ‘That’s cool,’ and I dressed up in a costume I made like this for Halloween one year, and then I just kept making them and I eventually had friends doing it,” Gabby Hill said.

She said she picks a color palette for inspiration or looks at various things online. She said a typical costume takes her about 10 to 15 hours to make and costs between $200 and $250 to make. She said she really loves art and aspires to have her own small business doing this one day.

“I thought it was really creative,” Jason Hill said. “It’s fun to come to places where people like to come and see it and share it. Everybody is really happy and positive, and it’s a good experience with people who have a common interest. I think it’s great that she does it and it’s a really creative thing that is unique for her.”

The Petty family of Southfield — Carl, Sheena and Christeena, 6 — took the opportunity to wear a fun and inexpensive family cosplay as the family from “Bob’s Burgers.” Their outfits cost approximately $100 all together.

“What we love about cosplay is that everybody comes out with original ideas. People can just be themselves behind the mask. You don’t have to feel like somebody is judging you,” Carl Petty said.

“We love this con. (We love) the whole atmosphere. Everybody just comes out here to have a good time,” he said.

One woman even chose to make a political statement with her costume, dressing as Offred from “The Handmaid’s Tale.”

“I purchased the costume before the election, but now I think it’s all the more important to remember to make sure this eventually does not happen and that we fight for our rights,” said Jessica Lopez, of Jackson.

Lopez said that she attends MC3 twice a year as “the more fun con” to go to.