Mark Wesley Pritchard
Bio
You can call me Wesley. Former cosplayer, retro gaming fanatic, die-hard Texas Rangers fan, and nostalgic freak. Need I say more?
Threads: @misterwesleysworld
Instagram: @misterwesleysworld
Stories (398)
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All About Texxx-Man Cosplay
I have been a content creator and writing stories on Vocal since March of this year, and I'm glad that I get to talk about topics that I'm passionate and love to talk about. Most of those stories are cosplay and other geek-related gems. In grade school, two of my favorite subjects in school were English and Language Arts; writing poems and letting my creativity run wild. I'm here to tell everyone a little bit about myself, and by the time you finish reading this, you would be surprised about the kind of person I am.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 8 years ago in Geeks
Cosplay DIY: Punk Rock Superman Vest. Top Story - May 2018.
Greetings to everyone out there. I'm going to provide you step-by-step instructions on how to create a Punk Rock Superman vest. Punk Rock Superman was my second cosplay mashup I have done as a cosplayer. Last year at GlitchCon, I went as this character on the second day of the convention and also in the cosplay contest. Plus, I had a photo shoot that morning and my photographer took some breathtaking shots. As far as this project, it took me over two months to complete the vest. Due to my work schedule at the time, I've worked on it at least two to three hours a night. Other than that, here's a list of items you'll need to customize the vest:
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 8 years ago in Lifehack
Preparing for My 5 Year Cosplay Anniversary
It's hard to believe that I've been doing cosplay for almost four years. Looking back at my pictures from the different conventions I've attended over the years shows how much I've grown, not only as a cosplayer, but as a human being. I'm thankful to have met some of the most kindest and lovable people at conventions, online, and in person. I have so many cosplays planned for 2019 and they will be amazing. I'm ready to show everyone what I have in store. Next year will be bigger and badder. I'm not trying to outdo my friends at all. I just want to step my cosplay game up even further like everyone else. I know I have been saying that for the last three years, but this time, it's for real.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 8 years ago in Geeks
Superman at 80 and Why I Defend the Man of Steel
April 18th, 2018: Superman turned 80 years old, and also on this day, the 1,000th issue of Action Comics was released.In 1938, Superman made his comic book debut as the first real superhero. The Man of Steel and his alias, Clark Kent, has inspired millions of people and generations all over the world. Superman is a proud advocate of talking about fighting for truth, justice, and the American way. He may be a fictional character, but he continues to be adored by countless fans everywhere. On his birthday, I have shared and reposted numerous pictures of people showing love to their favorite character. Most of those pictures were of cosplayers dressing up in full costume. I also posted some photos of myself cosplaying as Clark Kent and as Superman.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 8 years ago in Geeks
How to Defeat the Final Bosses in 'Ninja Gaiden' (NES)
Ninja Gaiden was a side-scrolling action-platforming video game released for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in March 1989. The game features a ninja named Ryu Hayabusa who seeks revenge for his father's death. This game was one of my favorites to play as a kid. In 1997, I had reached the first of the final three bosses, which was The Masked Devil, several times. Unfortunately, I never got past him and was forever frustrated. In 2016, 19 years after the infuriating event, I purchased an NES Classic Edition, in hopes of redeeming myself and finally defeating the final three bosses after all of those years. In this article, I'll be sharing some tips on how to trounce The Masked Devil, Jaquio, and The Demon Sculpture. If you fail to defeat all three enemies, you will have to start over at Act 6-1 and try again, regardless on the number of lives you had left.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 8 years ago in Gamers
Armored Blue Ranger Cosplay
2017 was a great year for me in cosplay. Meeting people and having the time of my life. There was one particular cosplay that I wanted to do for months and that was the Armored Blue Ranger. The reason was that you hardly see one at a convention or online. So why did I decide to add the armor to my Blue Ranger suit?
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 8 years ago in Geeks
Cosplay = Confidence
Back in 2013, one of my friends introduced me to cosplay, and at the time, I didn't know what it was. So I went online and searched images of people doing cosplay. I was impressed and wanted to dress up as my favorite characters. I didn't attend any conventions that year, because I wanted to come up with some cosplay ideas of my own first.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 8 years ago in Geeks
In Defense of Sexy Cosplay
Cosplay is a way to express ourselves and also stepping outside of our comfort zone. In this article, I'll be talking about why I defend cosplayers who choose to do it. I've been a cosplayer for almost four years and once in a while, I like to let loose and be carefree. It's great to have fun every time you cosplay and not take yourself seriously. When a convention gets hot and crowded, you want to show some skin, but not too much. It makes it easier for you to move around. Conventions are costly and if you're willing to spend money on creating a sexy version of your character, by all means, be my guest. Sexy cosplay is fun to do and I have absolutely no problems with my friends and other people doing it. As long as you're not hurting me or others, embrace it without apologizing for expressing yourself. In other words, if you like it, then I like it.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 8 years ago in Geeks
Cosplay Do's & Dont's
Planning for a convention takes a lot of planning and dedication, but at the same time, it's an exciting moment. Now that you have everything packed and ready to have a weekend of convention fun with your friends, in this article, I'm going to be sharing several cosplay do's and don'ts with everyone. Cosplay etiquette is something that everybody needs to display at all times, because attending a convention is a privilege and not a right. Yes, it's easy to forget if you break a rule, but with my help, I'll assure you that these tips will be helpful to you and the con weekend will run smoothly without any issues.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 8 years ago in Geeks
Cosplay DIY: Zombie Mario
I debuted my first cosplay mashup: Zombie Mario at GlitchCon 2015. I also took part in my very first cosplay contest, and while I didn't win, I received a standing ovation. I'll be writing an article on how to prepare for your first cosplay contest, but for now, let's get down to business. This project is fairy easy and there's numerous items for you to purchase in order to transform into Zombie Mario. Whenever I prepare for a convention, the majority of the items that I buy are from eBay. Take advantage of those items that offer free shipping.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 8 years ago in Geeks
Speaking My Truth: Living with Mental Illness
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and I am here to share my story of my personal experiences with mental illness. Before I tell my story, I want to share some statistics with everyone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), mental illness affects tens of millions of people every year and half of them with mental illnesses receive treatment. So here's my personal story of mental illness. It is August 1993: I was five years old and started my first day of Pre-K. Being the new kid was difficult and troublesome. Interacting with the rest of the students was not easy. Growing up in Texas was great, but unfortunately, my parents were not the loving people that I expected them to be. Almost on a daily basis, I was ridiculed by them for numerous things, such as my thin appearance and not being able to communicate with people. My self-esteem went down and I became isolated, withdrawn, and unconnected. Within a week, my teacher noticed that something was not right about me. I was seen by counselors and my parents told me that I was diagnosed with autism. I didn't know what it was at the time, but one of the symptoms of the developmental disorder is having difficulties interacting with others. As a result of my diagnosis, I was put in special education classes from Pre-K through my junior year of high school. During that time, I was constantly bullied and my peers called me the worst names you can think of. It's hard to be upbeat when you're feeling worthless and defeated.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 8 years ago in Psyche
Being a Cosplayer and on the Autism Spectrum
When I was five years old, I was diagnosed with Asperger. It's a developmental autism spectrum disorder. It impacts the individual's ability to communicate and read social situations. It’s mild, meaning I have problems conversing with other people, social awkwardness, and difficulties grasping certain things quickly. In school, I was in special education classes from Pre-K through my junior year of high school. I was made fun of and bullied because I was in these classes. Most people assumed that if you are diagnosed with a developmental disorder, it automatically means that you are “dumb” or “slow,” which is not the case. People with Autism or Asperger can accomplish remarkable things in life. As far as making friends, I didn’t have many of them in school or any mentors. Because of my Asperger and was really timid. I grew up in Arlington, TX and making friends was a lot more difficult, especially entering high school and in my early 20s. At times, I would be isolated and feeling lonely. In late November 2017, I found out that I was also diagnosed with PDD-NOS, which stands for "Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified." The symptoms include difficulties with routines and environments and difficulties with communicating with others.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 8 years ago in Geeks
