It has been a long time since I have posted a cosplay interview. I apologize to all our cosplay fans for “neglecting” the art of cosplay with the lack of interviews. As some of you may already know, I have been busy interviewing celebs fro the world of NERDom, but I am happy to say my cosplay interviews are back. I am starting my return with a character I absolutely love. The character is Ted Kord aka the Blue Beetle from DC Comics and the cosplayer is Rusty Winns. He is by far the best Ted Kord Beetle I have seen. Not only does his costume nail the look, but his delivery does Ted Kord justice. So, without further ado, I am happy to share my interview with Rusty Winns.
SWN: Who are you and where are you from?
RW: Hi there, My name is Rusty Winns and I live in North Carolina.
SWN: How did you discover cosplay?
RW: My workout buddy was a member of 300DC, a group that costumes as the Spartans from 300. He asked me if I would like to join him at Dragon Con. From then on, I caught the bug. I am also a member of Costumers with a Cause. it is a group of us that use our costumes to brighten sick kids days.
SWN: When I saw your Blue Beetle cosplay, I knew I had to interview you. What is it about Ted Kord that made you want to cosplay him?
RW: I have always been a DC fan. I read them growing up. When Crisis came out in the 80s they introduced Blue Beetle. I was hooked. I mean what’s not to love? A wise cracking, light hearted Batman. As soon as his solo book was launched, I rushed to the comic store to get it. I have been reading anything that contains Ted ever since.
SWN: What other characters have you cosplayed?
RW: Ted is my favorite because he kind of represents me well. Some of the others I have done or continue to do are: NightCrawler, Kyle Rayner Green Lantern, Spider-man, Batman, Music Meister, and the Flash (Justice Riders), Spartan from 300, Cobra Commander and my newest one that I am very excited about: Black Manta.
SWN: Besides cosplay, what other hobbies do you enjoy?
RW: I am a gym rat. I love to workout and do lots of things out doors. I do a lot of hiking and camping. Pretty much when ever I get a chance, I try to be doing something active.
SWN: Do you still read comics? If so, what titles do you read? If not, what was your favorite storyline that inspired a cosplay of yours?
RW: I still love comics. I read what ever I can get my hands on. I tend to gravitate towards DC and am still getting used to the new 52. If I grab Marvel, it is usually an X-book or Spiderman. I am also looking very forward to George Perez’s new book: Sirens being published by Boom comics.
SWN: Which cons do you find yourself going to the most?
RW: I tend to stay on the East cost. I really love HeroesCon in Charlotte, MegaCon in Orlando, and DragonCon in Atlanta.
SWN: What are your plans for the future?
RW: To continue to have as much fun as I possibly can and to spend as much time with friends as possible.
SWN: Where can my readers see more examples of your work?
RW: My Facebook page is Rusty Winns and my friends recently made me a fan page as a joke. I guess I might as well embrace it, TheRealBlueBeetle.
SWN: If you had to pick one cosplay, which one is your favorite?
RW: I would say if I could only choose one, it would be Blue Beetle. He is the most fun and is the one that most represents my personality.
