Passionate cosplayers have multiple opportunities every year to unveil their latest creations honoring beloved characters, but there’s arguably no better celebration of costumes than Halloween. While various real-world conventions require travel and admission costs, Halloween levels the playing field, as people around the world can showcase their crafting and costuming skills all October long. To celebrate cosplay, ComicBook is hosting our inaugural Halloween Cosplay Contest to help spotlight our fans and their impressive creations. Not only will a handful of winners be highlighted on ComicBook’s social channels, but the grand prize winner will earn an exclusive interview with ComicBook.
Fans have two ways to enter:
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- Share your best cosplay costume on Instagram — tag your photo or mention @comicbook in the caption.
- Send your photo(s) to contests@comicbook.com with the subject line: Halloween Cosplay Contest.
Fans have from now until Monday, October 28th to submit your entries that celebrate your fandoms. Whether you love Marvel or DC, anime or manga, The Walking Dead or Stephen King, we here at ComicBook welcome and honor all fandoms!
To say that cosplay has come a long way over the years would be a bit of an understatement, as what started as a casual opportunity to embrace the spirit of your favorite character has become one of the most thrilling and ambitious opportunities to showcase your skills.
While the early days of Halloween costumes for young fans were limited to plastic masks and vinyl smocks that honored the iconography of heroes, often requiring the character to be identified by text on these smocks, costumes got a bit more creative in the ’70s and ’80s. Thanks in large part to sci-fi and comic conventions, which brought together the most passionate fans in the world, cosplay began to take off as fans put intense effort into replicating the looks of their favorite characters.
This enthusiasm for cosplay would then inspire creativity in other fans, encouraging them to spend the next 12 months trying to outdo one another, all while mass-marketed Halloween costumes were growing more detailed and becoming more readily available. This meant that, while almost anyone could grab a Batman or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles costume that could impress their friends, these ensembles often failed to live up to the custom-made creations that were on display at these conventions. Thanks to the Internet offering even more fans the opportunity to show off their creations without having to attend a convention, cosplayers have taken fan communities by storm, igniting even more interest in craft.
ComicBook will be looking for creativity, enthusiasm, and overall passion that our fans have when it comes to cosplay. Make sure to email your best cosplay photos to contests@comicbook.com with the subject line: Halloween Cosplay Contest or share them on Instagram and tag @comicbook to enter now through Monday, October 28th! Winners will be contacted through whatever platform they sent their submission (either Instagram DMs or email) and the winner will be announced October 30th!
Stay tuned to ComicBook’s social channels to see our winners!
Official Contest Rules
1. Contest Overview
Participants are invited to submit their best cosplay images for a chance to win. A panel of judges will evaluate the submissions and select the winner based on creativity, craftsmanship, and overall presentation of the costume.
2. Eligibility
This contest is open to individuals who are legal residents of the United States, aged 18 or older, unless an older age is required by local law. Employees, representatives, and immediate family members of the contest sponsor or affiliates are not eligible to participate.
3. Contest Period
The contest begins on October 11, 2024 at 12 p.m ET and ends on October 28, 2024 at 12 p.m. ET. All entries must be submitted by the end of the contest period.
4. How to Enter
To enter the contest, participants must:
- Submit a photo of themselves in a cosplay costume.
- Submit their entry via Instagram by tagging your photo or mentioning @comicbook in the caption OR by emailing your submission to contests@comicbook.com with the subject line: Halloween Cosplay Contest.
- Ensure the image complies with all submission guidelines (see Section 5).
No purchase necessary to enter or win.
5. Submission Guidelines
- Images must be in JPEG format and no larger than 20 MB.
- Cosplay must be appropriate for all ages; submissions containing inappropriate (including nudity), offensive, or violent content will be disqualified.
- Images must not contain minors.
- Up to 5 entries via email per person is allowed. Unlimited entries via social media.
- By submitting an image, participants agree that the sponsor shall be granted a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free, and world-wide license to use the image(s) and your name for promotional purposes on its website and its social media channels.
6. Judging Criteria
A panel of judges selected by the sponsor will evaluate all eligible entries. Judging will be based on the following criteria:
- Creativity (40%)
- Craftsmanship (30%)
- Overall Presentation (30%)
Judges’ decisions are final and binding in all matters related to the contest.
7. Prizes
One (1) Grand Prize will be awarded to the best cosplay as determined by the judges. The Grand Prize consists of one interview and photo feature on ComicBook.com and a dedicated post across the sponsor’s social media accounts. The approximate retail value of the prize is $10.
The prize is non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash. The sponsor reserves the right to substitute the prize for one of equal or greater value if the advertised prize is unavailable.
8. Winner Notification
The winner will be notified via email or Instagram direct message within 5 business days of the contest end date. The winner must respond within 7 days to claim the prize. Failure to respond within this time frame will result in forfeiture of the prize, and an alternate winner may be selected at the sponsors sole discretion.
9. Disqualification
Any attempt to tamper with the entry process or the contest is strictly prohibited. Entries that do not meet the submission guidelines, or are found to be in violation of any contest rules, will be disqualified.
10. Taxes
The winner is solely responsible for all taxes and fees associated with the receipt of the prize.
11. Limitation of Liability
The sponsor is not responsible for any technical issues, lost or incomplete entries, or any other issues beyond their control. By participating, entrants agree to release and hold harmless the sponsor and its affiliates from any claims or damages arising out of participation in the contest or acceptance of any prize.
12. Sponsor
This contest is sponsored by SV Comicbook, LLC. Sponsor is not affiliated in any way with Instagram or Meta Platforms, Inc.
