I started making my own costumes as young as 9 years old, which is when I made myself a Robin the boy wonder outfit, which of course was terrible. My mom took pity on me and made me a better one. I didn't actually learn how to sew until I was 16 and trying to join a local Rocky Horror cast, who wouldn't even talk to prospects unless they had their own costumes. By age 20, I was outfitting almost the entire troupe, and around 24, my interest started to drift back toward superheroes and comics. My first superhero suit was Green Lantern, made in 1989, the same year Tim Burton's Batman came out.


Soon after, I went on a costuming rampage, and ended up outfitting most of my friends by the end of 1991. The next few years were a bit of a lull for my costuming side for various reasons, including life changes such as new jobs, new relationships, new places of residence, etc. Then in 1994, I decided to break out of my lull and revive my hobby with some Halloween projects, not the least of which was my first Nightcrawler costume.


That same month, my partner George turned me on to Wizard magazine, with an issue displaying the winners of their Halloween costume contest. "I can do this," I thought to myself. Even if I didn't win, I knew they would at least publish my pictures. That following February, I briefly got involved in another Rocky Horror troupe, and by July I had pulled together 2 new costumes to submit to the Wizard Contest (Rogue from X-Men, and Zealot from WildCATS).



Both were published that October, and by that time, I had completed 8 more costumes for Halloween for myself and friends. And so it went for the next several years. In 2002, I met another Wizard costume contest veteran, Kelly Delcambre, who regaled me with tales about a mystical, magical event called Dragon Con. It would be 2 years later before I actually went with Kelly to that con, and the experience was beyond description. Regardless, when I came home, I couldn't shut up about it. I told all my friends about it. Dragon Con opened up more doors for me than any other event in my lifetime, and renewed my passion for costuming and fueled my ambition to learn and improve. At Dragon Con, I had a chance meeting with Jeff Holland, known to many on the LOH and BOTB as Brin Londo, who personally invited me to join both boards. And on the LOH, I found my people: folks just like me who endeavor to make this hobby the best it can possibly be. To date, I have more than 100 costumes under my belt, and I believe my best work is still ahead of me. I am primarily self-taught, although I owe much praise and thanks to the many talented folks on the LOH who have come and gone over the last few years. My costuming philosophy is simple: Do the best you can with what you have, or what you are able to acquire. And do the costumes you want to do. I take great pride in doing nearly 100 percent of my own work on my costumes, makeup, props and accessories. Generally speaking, if I can't do it myself, I don't do it. And if I can use cheap materials, I use them to their best potential. So far, I don't have a single costume that has cost more than $200 to make, and most have cost under $100. Several under $50. But by far my favorite thing about being on the LOH is the opportunity to make a difference in people's lives by offering advice and encouragement to make or acquire the costumes or props they have dreamt of.