Who are you?
I am Paul , 46. I am married to Donna and we have 2 children, Nianne and Sijmen

What is your favorite cosplay and why?
My favorite cosplay is (of course) Star Trek, my favorite character is Borg. I like the idea of individual cyborgs being part a collective hive. Besides that, The Borg were very  cool “bad guys” with impressive costumes and scary, zombie-like appearances. They showed no mercy when they assimilated complete galaxies. And they have a very sexy queen 😉

How did you manage to get your cosplay costume?
I made my costume myself. I started with a black motorcycle body protector,  black trousers, motorcycle boots and an original aviation hat. A motorcycle kidneybelt does the job as a middle piece. Then I started to collect all kinds of computer parts, pieces from electrical devices, cables, wires and connections from second hand stores and flea markets. All parts were spray-painted black. In a local outlet store  I bought LED lights and green glow-in-the-dark sticks as blood vessels. Donna, who does face painting as a hobby, is responsible for the make-up. I also made some green fluorescent fluid from a magic marker, as The Borg have green blood.

Does your cosplay also has some items/props?
Actually I wanted to make a fully rotatable drill arm, but decided not to. The reason is that it’s not very practical at cosplay events. I don’t want Donna and the kids to carry around our stuff all day. The costume does have, beside the lights, a mp3-player and a speaker,  so people can hear “Resistance is futile”and  “We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service ours. “

What do you want to change or add to your cosplay?
The costume is complete now, but the drill arm is still an option. Sometimes I find new pieces to attach to the costume, or to replace less cool pieces.

Was this cosplay ever in a cosplay contest?
Yes, the costume  was a winner during the Elf Fantasy Fair in Haarzuilen in 2017. I did a small act together with my 2 children.

Are you considering getting another cosplay?
I want to be Data some day, but then I have to wear lenses. I have to practise wearing them first.

Where do you go to show your cosplay(s)?
We go to Elfia and El Mundu Fantasia. Last year we went to Comic Con in Utrecht. Hopefully more events will take place in 2021.

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