PORTLAND, Maine — The caped crusaders stepped out of the shadows of the narrow, graffiti-marked alley and into the sunlight on the busy Old Port sidewalk. Pedestrians did double takes, their hands instinctively searching their pockets for camera phones.
A woman sipping drinks with friends on a sidewalk patio let out her surprise.
“Holy crap, it’s Batman,” he said. “Can I take a picture of him?”
“Of course,” said the tall man in the imposing pointy-eared costume.
He struck a crime-fighting pose with his partner, an equally well-dressed Batgirl. A light breeze stirred her cloaks dramatically as the camera shutters clicked. The photographs finished, the couple strode down Exchange Street toward Tommy’s Park.
Wow reactions, smiles and photos are part of Keith and Mollie Dinsmore’s day at work from Limerick. The married couple are veteran cosplayers who thrive on the attention they receive, walking around in full superhero costume.
Now, after a year of planning, the Dinsmores are about to unleash the inaugural Maine Cosplay Extravaganza on April 30 and May 1 at Thompson’s Point. The two-day show will be the state’s first convention dedicated to the art of cosplay. Past comic book and sci-fi celebrations have included cosplay as a sideline, but never before have they made it the main course.
Cosplay is the practice of dressing up as characters from movies, comics, or video games.
The Dinsmores enjoy cosplaying so much that they often travel hundreds, or even thousands, of miles to attend cosplay conventions across the country. Last year, returning home tired from one of those gatherings, they came up with the idea for the Extravaganza.
The Dinsmores hope the event will draw thousands. It will feature food trucks, a beer garden, live bands and, of course, costume contests. Also available will be ultra-realistic replicas of the 1960s Batmobile, the Ghostbusters’ ambulance, a handicapped-accessible version of the TARDIS from Doctor Who, and the Joker’s Crown Victoria.
To find out more about the local cosplay scene, we caught up with a group of cosplayers from Maine in downtown Portland on Sunday.
Keith and Mollie Dinsmore, Batman and Batgirl
Q: Were you both cosplayers before you met?
Keith: I was a cosplayer long before she was, way back in 2013. That’s when I overspent on my Batman Halloween costume (about $2,000) and had to dig a little deeper. That’s how it all started. I decided I would start using it in the Old Port when the bars closed. After the first time, I felt like a legitimate celebrity and decided that I would continue to do so.
Molly: We met on a dating site and it turned out that I had already met him as Batman but didn’t know. And one night he asked me if I wanted to go out with him as Batman and I put together a very simple Batgirl outfit with a symbol on the chest and a filigree mask.
Q: And it just clicked for you two?
Molly: I’m what they call an extra-extrovert. I love the attention. The more, the better.
Q: That’s amazing. I see your son and his grandson are here too.
Molly: We become a family, doing what we do, together with all these people that we have met doing this. They have also become our family. Some people tell us that they would feel weird doing this. [We tell them] don’t feel weird Never feel weird. It’s so much fun being a nerd or a geek. We rule the world.
Scotty Grass, Ghost Rider
Q: What made you choose this cursed, biker-riding Marvel Comics character today?
AN: I’ve been a fan for 30 years. I always like antihero and vigilante characters. I’m debuting this today. It is the first time I use it.
Q: How do you feel?
AN: It’s warm.
Q: It looks like it’s on fire, actually.
AN: say oh You’re right. I used my own 3D printers to make this. It took about two weeks.
Q: What does a grown man, like you, possess to dress like this in public?
AN: it’s a good time. It’s a lot of fun, and you don’t have to wait until October 31 to do it. You can do it any time of the year, and you don’t have to be a superhero. The sky is the limit.
Katherine Sinhawk, Maleficent
Q: Why do you play this rather evil character?
AN: She is my alter ego. She is mysterious and likes to cause trouble.
Q: Do you have a dark side?
AN: Not all women? When you put on a costume, it changes your personality. You are more outgoing, willing to talk to people. When children recognize your character and get excited, you get excited too. It is fun.
Q: Is it some kind of acting, then? You probably don’t dress like this at home?
AN: It is and I’m not. I am a mother. I have two sons, ages 12 and 16. I work full time and care for a disabled husband. Being able to get out of that realm and be an evil fairy, looking at people, is fun.
Ryan Robb, The Mandalorian
Q: Why The Mandalorian and not Boba Fett?
AN: This character means a lot to me personally because he is a father figure. The show meant a lot to me when I watched it with my kids. I have a youngest daughter and it’s like she’s Baby Yoda. The whole thing hit home with me, the way she jumped into parenting. I’ve even written some songs that go with this character as well.
Q: Is cosplay getting bigger?
AN: Yes. Since COVID shut things down for a while, people really went back to their comfort entertainments and this just goes to show that young or old, everyone has a kid in them. They still love stories of good versus evil.
Interviews have been edited for length and clarity. The Great Maine Cosplay Show runs April 30 and May 1 at Thompson’s Point in Portland.