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Name: Shawn and Gavin Richter, Father and Son
City: San Diego, CA
Twitter: twitter.com/cofphoto
Facebook: facebook.com/thegavinrichter
Photographer (if applicable): facebook.com/caughtonfilmphoto
What was your first Cosplay Experience?
We first dressed Gavin as a WW II Captain America with a metal army helmet and metal heater shield at 2013 Wondercon. He looked great, and everyone wanted to take photos with him so it was a really fun experience for all of us. Gavin really enjoyed having his photo taken with people, especially other super heroes.
Shawn, Gavin’s Dad later dressed up as Captain America at 2013 Comikaze. Shawn also likes having his picture taken, ha ha.
How long have you been Cosplaying?
Gavin has been cosplaying just over a year, Shawn less than a year. We’re still very new to this and now Gavin’s Mom is also working on a couple of different costumes of her own. Soon we’ll be able to do a cosplay family portrait! Can’t wait until she can join us. Her favorite character is Loki and she is trying to put together a Lady Loki cosplay. I have this fantastic idea for something that we can do with her and Gavin in his Coulson costume….but I don’t want to give it away just yet.
What is your favorite cosplay you have worn/created?
At 2013 SDCC, Gavin dressed as an Agent of SHIELD. Coulson had just died in The Avengers, and the Agents of SHIELD series had been announced, so we knew that Coulson was somehow coming back. At first he was just supposed to be a SHIELD agent, but everyone started calling him a “mini Coulson” or a “baby Coulson” and eventually we decided that he should be “Kid Coulson”. Clark Gregg even RT’d a couple of Gavin’s photos during SDCC which was awesome! We have now done several different costumes for Gavin, but Kid Coulson is the most popular and the one that is the most well known by far.
Shawn has only dressed as Captain America, but he has a variety of props and costume parts so that he can mix and match so that it’s not the same exact costume every time.
To this point, we’ve tried to do costumes that work together: Cap and Coulson, Cap and Winter Soldier and we’re thinking about putting together a Falcon costume as well. I really like the idea of us wearing something that goes well together.
If you had unlimited resources, what Cosplay would you create?
You know, we’re pretty new to this and haven’t put a ton of thought into future cosplaly as we’re just really enjoying doing it right now. But a couple of thoughts – I would really, really like to do a fantastic Rocket Raccoon and/or Falcon costume for Gavin. We’re looking at trying both ourselves, but if I had unlimited funds to pay someone who really knows what they are doing, I would probably commission them to do either Rocket Raccoon or Falcon for my Son. Falcon really wouldn’t be that difficult, it’s really just the wings. A Falcon costume would hinge on the wings, that’s what would make or break it. I’m actually working on it myself, hopefully I can do it justice.
What advice would you offer others trying to break into Cosplay?
Jump in! What are you waiting for? It’s SO much fun. For us, I loooove seeing my Son interact with people and take photos with people in his costumes (and he loves it of course). Personally what I (Dad) love the most as far as myself dressing up is when little kids come up and want a picture with me because they think that I AM Captain America. It’s so cool, and I usually ask them to hold or at least put their hand up on the shield. Their eyes always light up, it’s just adorable.
In the short time we have been cosplaying, we have made SO many great friends. It’s great being in Southern California because there are so many great conventions here. That allows us to see the same people several times a year, and build more solid friendships through our passion for cosplay.
Interested in being a Featured Cosplayer? Email casey@geekswithwives.com!
