At Blizzcon, the cosplay is “go big or go home.” Not to imply that there’s animosity if someone does a relatively simplistic cosplay from one of Blizzard’s games, but the focus on big builds and astonishing craftsmanship is what makes the cosplay at Blizzcon so hands down amazing. Blizzard games, such as World of Warcraft, Diablo, and the new Overwatch, provide ample inspiration for choosing a fantastical character to cosplay.
Photography by Saffels Photography
This year, cosplay superstar Jessica Nigri‘s costume proved to be no exception. She worked hard to create a female version of Deathwing the Destroyer from World of Warcraft. Deathwing was one of the five Dragon Aspects and leader of the black dragonflight. Though believed by many to be dead, Deathwing returned in spectacular fashion after the fall of the Lich King. His wrath wrought the Shattering, which reshaped the map of Azeroth and unleashed massive destruction. As the world reeled, he brought flame to various regions of Azeroth with the ultimate goal to bring about the Hour of Twilight – the end of all life on Azeroth. Deathwing was the primary antagonist in World of Warcraft: The Cataclysm.
Photography by Beethy Photography
It’s no easy feat to cosplay a dragon, especially one who’s known as the Destroyer, the Worldbreaker, and the Black Scourge. Jessica looked to Zack Fisher Illustration for inspiration how to turn a male dragon into a female, humanoid form. What he came up with was truly incredible, and became the basis for Jessica’s cosplay.
Photography by The Kaigan
Jessica made this cosplay from EVA foam, worbla, and pink insulation foam, and in her words “Blood. Lots of blood.” We imagine that the last part is figurative, but with the way the costume seems to glow in an unearthly way, we wouldn’t be surprised if there was some blood or dark magic involved. Obviously, a cosplay of this magnitude takes hours upon hours and lots of patience to complete. Wearing it is no easy task either. Note that underneath the costuming, Jessica is body-painted and even wearing colored contacts to complete the look. It was a huge effort, and one that’s simply awe inspiring. To learn more about the process behind this creation, check out Jessica’s facebook for a behind the scenes cosplay creation video. Jessica looks incredible here, and, as always, we cant wait to see what she does next.
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