Leo Nocedo : How did you discover cosplaying?
Kristopher Paul : I discovered cosplaying from some anime friends in school. I went to The International Academy of Design and Tech for graphic design, and some animators there saw me one Halloween get a green lantern costume and suggested that it was soo good that I should attend a comic con with it one day.
Leo Nocedo : What was your first cosplay?
Kristopher Paul : My first cosplay was Green Lantern in 2006
Leo Nocedo : What are your next 3 cosplay plans?
Kristopher Paul : My next 3 cosplay plans are more adjustments and upgrades to my current cosplays, such as make different shape wings for Falcon, I just recently redid my white ranger shield, and some other tiny mods to my other power ranger suits.
Leo Nocedo : Have you ever been in a cosplay contest?
Kristopher Paul : I have been in Halloween contests before, but never cosplay contests, only because I never felt as if my work was good enough. Im actually not a competition type of person, I only won Halloween contests because I was entered without knowing lol
Leo Nocedo : Do you prefer sewing, armor making, or wig working?
Kristopher Paul : Im trying to get into more armor building lately, but ive ben doing a lot of sewing and been getting better as time goes on with it too
Leo Nocedo : Do you prefer to do photoshoots at cons or at specific locations?
Kristopher Paul : at cons are great to show that you come outside and go to public events to showcase your work, but shoots at specific locations help create a background image that you can’t always be lucky enough to gain at a con.
Leo Nocedo : Is there a type of character you cosplay frequently?
Kristopher Paul : I mostly love cosplaying power ranger characters, mostly because I know a lot about each season, but my favorite would have to be Sam Wilson Captain America because I take a lot of pride in the wings that I built
Leo Nocedo : Do you have any favorite cosplayers?
Kristopher Paul : My favorite cosplayers are people that I have known for a long time, since I started really, and have helped guide me throughout all my years such as Zack Santiago, or Deka Mexican, or Tony Ray and Soni, but there are a lot of new ones that I have been following lately to gain some advice from such as Tim Olmo, TJ McDonnell, and Mark Knight Rises.
Leo Nocedo : What’s the most detailed cosplay you’ve ever done?
Kristopher Paul : The most detailed cosplay I would say has to be Sam Wilson Captain America
Leo Nocedo : What are your top 3 craftsmanship tips?
Kristopher Paul : Top 3 craft tips: 1- be patient, 2- always follow through and don’t give up, and mainly 3- if you can imagine it, it is possible
Leo Nocedo : What is your favorite cosplay you’ve done?
Kristopher Paul : White Ranger
Leo Nocedo : What is your worst cosplay “horror” story?
Kristopher Paul : 2013 I was walking down the hall at my very first Dragoncon, and the back heel from my white ranger boot came apart. I flopped all around panicking until we found a CVS and I bought some double sided tape and super glue and put it back together, and it held, even though the parade
Leo Nocedo : What’s your funniest cosplay story?
Kristopher Paul : We were flying from port charlotte to Lexington comic con one year, and on the first plane a person was having medical problems, so they asked if there was a medic on the plane, someone stood up and walked over. The person I was with said that she thinks that was the person who is on the shirt that I was wearing (who also hasn’t appeared in conventions for over a decade at this point), and I said no way it definitely isn’t, he wouldn’t be on a plane with us, until he turned around and I saw it definitely was him! Well I missed my chance and we moved on to the next plane. Of course I looked for him and didn’t see him, but knew I would see him at the convention we were going to anyway. Well, when we got off the last plane that landed in Lexington, we were walking to baggage claim and he was standing there by himself! I was just frozen, so the person I was with dragged me over to him and he shook my hand and it was amazing, but it would’ve been more amazing if I said proper words at that moment lol
Leo Nocedo : What’s the best in-character interaction you’ve ever had?
Kristopher Paul : As you may know, power rangers have human identities, but carry their morphers with them, so I had mine with me in my back pocket at a car meet at nighttime. I was leaning on a wall talking with some people there, and when I lean, my morpher hurts in my pocket, so I took it out and kept it hidden in my hand. Well my friends son was standing there and saw a tiny reflection of it and asked if that was my morpher. I told him yes, and he asked if I was here, then who is protecting the city. So I explained to him that there are 5 others out there, then he asked to see my morpher, so I showed him, then he asked if he can be a power ranger and I told him that as long as you keep getting good grades in school and be a good person, you definitely can! My friends around me first couldn’t believe the words coming out of my mouth, and then to make it worse he ran to his dad and told him that from now on he will be the best person in school forever so he can grow up and be a power ranger.
Leo Nocedo : Have you ever cosplayed with a family member?
Kristopher Paul : I have never cosplayed with a family member, only spouse
Leo Nocedo : What is your favorite cosplay photo of yourself?
Kristopher Paul : My favorite one would have to be one of my gf and I at Tampa bay comic con and made the newspaper 2 years in a row
Leo Nocedo : What are your go-to stores for cosplay materials/full cosplays?
Kristopher Paul : Joanns Fabric, Michaels, and Walmart
Leo Nocedo : Do you prefer to buy pre-styled wigs or style your own?
Kristopher Paul : I don’t do wigs, but I like people that design their own
Leo Nocedo : Have you ever had someone mistake you for a different character?
Kristopher Paul : Everyone pretty much knows my characters very well
Leo Nocedo : List all the cosplays you’ve done.
Kristopher Paul : Green Lantern, White Ninjetti Ranger, White Ranger, Blue Super Megaforce Ranger, Red Zeo Ranger, Batman Beyond, Firestorm, Sam Wilson Captain America, Ryu Crimson Hawk Ranger, Red Omega Ranger, and Future Foundation Spider-Man
Leo Nocedo : What’s the biggest con you’ve cosplayed at?
Kristopher Paul : Dragoncon
Leo Nocedo : Do you prefer cosplaying characters with props, or characters that you don’t need to carry a prop around all day?
I like cosplaying characters with props, as long as I can holster the prop with my saba sword for white ranger, or blaster and mini sword for my red Zeo ranger
Leo Nocedo : Have you ever lost a cosplay piece at a con?
Kristopher Paul : I have lost a glove for my Sam Wilson Captain America suit, but that was on the way back to the hotel after I wore it all day long, so I just ordered a new one immediately
Leo Nocedo : Have you ever bought a cosplay piece at a con?
Kristopher Paul : I never bought a cosplay piece at a con before
Leo Nocedo : Do you prefer to cosplay solo or in a group?
Kristopher Paul : I like solo sometimes, but I mostly love group cosplays like the CW Arrowverse or Marvel or Infinity War or of course Power Rangers
Leo Nocedo : If you had a chance to meet your all-time favorite cosplayer, what would you say to them?
Kristopher Paul : I have met mine before, it was Yaya Han, and she gave me advice that sparked the idea of making the wings for my Sam Wilson Suit. At that time I asked her if the fabric she sells in stores at Joanns is stretchy or not and if I was good to use for my white ranger suit, she said yes, and then I ended up buying all only her fabric since then, but ash asked me if I planned on making wings for my Falcon suit, and I told her I wasn’t too sure, and she said that if I can imagine the wings, then they can be made, by either myself, or someone else, but they can be done. The next year I saw her and showed her my wings in person
Leo Nocedo : Have you ever done a cosplay panel?
Kristopher Paul : I never done a cosplay panel, but I have hosted a cosplay contest at Tampa bay comic con 2 years ago.
Leo Nocedo : Do you prefer to buy or make cosplays?
Kristopher Paul : I prefer to make my cosplays, only until I get to a point in which I can’t go any further on my own
Leo Nocedo :If you could tell your past self anything about cosplay, what would you say?
Kristopher Paul : I would definitely tell my younger self who to speak to and how much more relaxing and fun it really is, despite what anyone (at that time) thinks
Leo Nocedo : What is your ultimate dream cosplay?
Kristopher Paul : War Machine and Deathscythe Hell Gundam
Leo Nocedo : What’s the most difficult cosplay you’ve ever done? (Craftsmanship, wearing of, ect)
Kristopher Paul : Sam Wilson Captain America, only because the wings took 6 weeks to build, and I made them 2 different times, giving me the light-weight version that I needed, but then they are still too wide to be able to walk a con floor with still
Leo Nocedo : What’s the most difficult character makeup you’ve done?
Kristopher Paul : None
Leo Nocedo : What, in your opinion, makes a cosplayer a “pro” cosplayer?
Kristopher Paul : In my opinion, a pro cosplayer isn’t the one who travels the most, it’s the one that builds their own, can cosplay any character no matter gender or race and still do a great job, and one that is able to build up people who want to cosplay or build but are scared to
Leo Nocedo : What is your favorite part of cosplaying?
Kristopher Paul : My favorite part would have to be wearing the suit and making someone else happy that their favorite hero is here to make their day better
Leo Nocedo : Make up your own question!
Kristopher Paul : How long have I been cosplaying? Ive been doing it since 2006 and have been upgrading and getting better and better literally every year since then, by using better fabrics, by learning to sew, by buying a 3d printer, and by expanding my network of friends.
NocedoPhoto Media Group
NocedoPhoto Media Group is an innovative and creative consortium that unites photographers, writers, cosplayers, event promoters, vendors, costume and prop makers, and other creatives under one roof to use their collective skills to maximize their distribution and presence on digital media platforms. Their goal is to create a well-rounded and successful network for all involved.
