Holly Rose Swinyard’s “A Guide to Film and TV Cosplay” on sale soon

By John Freeman on August 21, 2021

Have you ever wanted to escape into a comic book and become your favourite superhero? Or run away into the world of Disney princesses? Well, who says you can’t? Maybe it’s time you get your cosplay on – and what better way to start than by checking out A Guide to Film and TV Cosplay, by occasional downthetubes contributor, the talented Holly Rose Swinyard, on sale from 30th August?

For those of you who came in (very) late, cosplay is a hobby that is sweeping the globe. You can see it at comic cons, book launches, movie screenings and even on popular TV shows such as The Big Bang Theory and Community. A mix of exciting craft skills, heady escapism and passion for pop culture, it’s easy to see why cosplay has become so popular with people no matter who they are, because now they can be anyone they want, and so can you.

But how, why and where could you have a go at starting out in the wonderful world of cosplay? With a little bit of help from this handy, dandy guide to cosplay, a book that eschews the lazy route of featuring pictures of impossible role models in favour of real cosplayers and useful, practical advice, you can get stuck in.

Learn about the history of the hobby (it’s been around longer than you’d think!), get your head around picking your first costume, find out how about all the amazing skills people are using to make these costumes, and perhaps even try a few yourself.

Who knows, you might be rocking out as Captain Marvel or Flynn Rider at the next big comic con! (And don’t worry, there’s a guide to comic cons in it, too.)

A cosplayer and lover of all things “geek” since they were 15, Holly Rose Swinyard has previously contributed some great articles on cosplay to downthetubes. Holly is now a pop culture journalist and editor, running the cosplay magazine, The Cosplay Journal. They have also written on cosplay, pop culture and the need for “escapist play for adults” for national publications and on BBC Radio 4. It would be a shock to find them any where but their sewing machine, or scrawling notes for the next exciting project.

• A Guide to Film and TV Cosplay by Holly Swinyard, published by Pen & Sword Books, is available to order now | ISBN: 9781526775634 | Number of pages: 128 |Dimensions: 282 x 216 mm | Buy it from AmazonUK (Affiliate Link) | Buy it from Waterstones | Buy it direct from Pen & Sword Books, available 30th August (price £20, best price)

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.