SGC WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

‘SUP, NERDS! As can you already tell, I hit up a few conventions every year. By far the ScrewAttack Gaming Convention is my favorite. My love for SGC is so great that I even invented a silly mascot for the event.

ScrewAttack? Sounds Like a Porno

No, no. ScrewAttack isn’t anything naughty, it’s the best video game website on the planet! The website is most famous for creating DeathBattle and dozens of entertaining YouTube series and podcasts.  

The treasure of any nerd community: the women.
We like to call ourselves the League of Sexy Ladies.

Aside from the awesome content ScrewAttack produces, I was attracted to the website because of the community.

One of ScrewAttack’s major focuses is the about the users who regularly visit the website, the g1s.

The ScrewAttack staff goes out of their way to interact with g1s and gets to know them.

The bond  is so strong that SGC was created as a way to unite the community in real life. Prior to SGC, ScrewAttack hosted the Iron Man of Gaming tournaments. The tournament grew and was eventually integrated as one of the main attractions of SGC. Unfortunately ScrewAttack doesn't run the tournament anymore, but they still host SGC and attend other conventions.

Mike Lukianoff, three time winner of IMOG, at SGC 2013.
I've never seen men cry in public until I attended my first IMOG.

Living the Dream

I can easily say that I have met almost all of my online friends in the real world. Every year I leave SGC with tears in my eyes, knowing it won’t be another year until I get to be with them again.

Contrary to what my mother taught me, SGC is proof that the internet isn’t just filled with stalkers and perverts. I am blessed to have met people online years ago, keeping in touch, to finally see them.

See, Ma? I didn't die in a hot tub full of men (and another lady) I met online!

I started taking cosplay seriously because of a dream. A couple weeks before SGC 2014, Jacob was tossing and turning, in and out of bed one night. Each of us had a lot on our mind—Jacob was worried about getting ready to run his first vendor’s booth while experiencing the trauma of kidney stones. I simply couldn’t wait for the convention.

Jacob's hand-painted retro video game systems. We raffled all of these consoles at SGC the last couple years.

Since ScrewAttack was the only thing on my mind, I kept having dreams about the event. That fateful night Jacob fell out of bed. He was crying on the floor and asked me to take him to the emergency room. If he hadn’t woke me, I am certain that I would have forgotten the genius cosplay that came from my sleep.

I had to become the “SGC Wooman.”

Making It Happen

The Wooman is a pun on the SGC cheer. I decided to make the cosplay superhero themed because the genre is very popular and I thought the outfit would be easily recognizable.

I repurposed the shoes used for Chie.

I hadn’t actually sewn anything since junior high home economics. At this time Julia was fresh out of high school and for the last few years she made all her cosplay with a sewing machine. I admired her skills and asked for help.

Close up of the headband I wore.

Julia is absolutely amazing. We had two weeks until the convention and she agreed to make the cosplay. All the credit goes to her for making the magic happen. The most I did was cut some fabric and make the accessories, while Julia sewed all day and night in the sweatshop  her kitchen.

My complete SGC Wooman cosplay.
I got a ScrewAttack bag for free!

Aside from an amazing cosplay, I got a lot more out of the time spent with Julia. I observed the way she sewed, learned the basics of patterning and most importantly rekindled a friendship which faded when I started college.

I was ecstatic when the outfit was finished. The dress was so cool that I had the courage to enter a cosplay contest for the first time. I wasn’t a prize winner but definitely a crowd favorite.

The cosplay was the talk of the convention and the ScrewAttack staff were practically flipping tables when they caught up with me that weekend. Stuttering Craig, founder of ScrewAttack, also took me as his "date" to the rave.

Thanks, Julia!!

Even if I didn’t sew it myself, the SGC Wooman is what made SGC 2014 really special. I forever owe thanks to Julia for making this dress, which ultimately inspired me to learn to sew.

Now that you’ve basically seen all of my newbie level cosplay, next time you get to see me graduate into the amateur league. Things get a little dandy.

Also, if you’re interested in contacting Jacob for a custom video game console, you can email him at customretroconsoles@gmail.com.

While you're at it, check out Julia’s anime-styled art. Trust me, both of them make the coolest stuff and you’re going to want to decorate your home with their art.

LATER, DWEEBS!

-Loverly Liz