Marvel To Feature Cosplayers On Post-Battleworld #1 Covers!

The news has swarmed all over the Internet like Ant-Man’s ant armies, but in case you missed it, later this year Marvel Comics will feature cosplayers on variant covers of it’s new titles.

In the relaunched #1 issues following this summer’s Secret Wars/Battleworld event, Marvel has picked a bunch of excellent cosplayers to feature on alternative versions of the covers of these issues. Among them are cosplayers like Yaya Han, Soni Aralynn, Miss Kit Quinn, Jay Justice, and Cap Santiago, the Nova in the featured image above, to name just a few. I spoke with Jay about the covers and she said, “It was an honor to be chosen and I’m very excited to see them — very happy for all of the other talented cosplayers who were chosen.”

Soni, appearing on Ms. Marvel #1 as the title character, echoed that sentiment, saying, “It’s a dream come true and an honor.” She also said that the cosplayers chosen did know about it in advance, but were told to keep it under wraps until today’s announcement.

While we don’t know how many cosplayers were up for consideration, apparently there was a winnowing down process. Kit Quinn said, “I’m super excited to have made the cut! All the covers look great and I’m honored to be among such a wonderful line up of cosplayers.”

Jay said that she was in talks to appear at a local comic book to do a signing when the issue of A-Force #1 comes out with her on the cover as She-Hulk, but that has not been finalized yet.

The covers are Marvel’s way of showing support for the cosplay community, according to Marvel SVP Sales & Marketing David Gabriel, from a press release. “These homemade, hand-crafted costumes are so elaborate, it looks like they leaped off the comic page. The Cosplay Variant initiative is our way of supporting a community that supports us.”

The entire list is below, and all of the cover images are in the gallery below that. As you will see, at the end of the list is one called “Classified,” implying it is a title not yet announced.

1. A-FORCE #1 Cosplay Variant by Jay Justice

2. ALL-NEW INHUMANS #1 Cosplay Variant by Yaya Han

3. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1 Cosplay Variant by Aaron Rivin

4. ASTONISHING ANT-MAN #1 Cosplay Variant by SoloRoboto Industries

5. AVENGERS #0 Cosplay Variant by Michael Cox

6. CAPTAIN MARVEL #1 Cosplay Variant by Judy Stephens

7. DAREDEVIL #1 Cosplay Variant by Patrick ‘Rick’ Lane

8. DOCTOR STRANGE #1 Cosplay Variant by Allen Lee Hansard

9. EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN #1 Cosplay Variant by Amanda Lynne Shafer

10. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1 Cosplay Variant by Contagious Costuming

11. INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1 Cosplay Variant by Dale Oliver

12. MS. MARVEL #1 Cosplay Variant by Soni Balestier