We’re spotlighting talent in the cosplay community!
Every month, The Variant showcases cosplayers who display talent, creativity, and a positive voice within the cosplay community.

Heyooooo!!

It’s XO Lynn Cosplay!

I guess you could say I was created by two giant nerds so I was bound to be one too. Thanks to my nerdy parents I got introduced to cosplay around 12 years old when I went to my first ever con. After that I was hooked!!! I knew this was something that I wanted to do and that started my cosplay journey.

I started out with my talented mom making my cosplays and then going to cons with my parents. I never thought I was capable of making my own until I did for my first Fayetteville Comic Con in 2021 where I made a Lady Loki and worked with EVA foam for the first time.
OMG I fell in love with it!!!

I’ve tried to challenge myself with every cosplay I’ve made. If you think you can’t make your own cosplays unless you know how to sew, you’re wrong. I don’t know how to sew, and I glue together everything I’ve made. I plan to eventually learn how to sew so I can further my skills. I will say by far my favorite things to make are props and armor. So far my favorite
prop I’ve built has to be the Ring Blade for my Tira from Soul Calibur which is featured in my Cosplay Spotlight this month.
I’ve also just recently gotten into wig making / styling. It’s so much fun!!

Cosplay has drastically changed my life for the better. I suffer from Crohn’s Disease which is a rare auto-immune disorder and it affects my health in many ways. Cosplay is the outlet in my life that helps me cope. So, if you think you can’t cosplay because you have a disability please don’t let that be the thing that holds you back. Cosplay is for everyone… 
and I mean EVERYONE!!! 

We met XO Lynn and her “nerdy parents” at a few different conventions over the years. It wasn’t until doing her first Spotlight shoot did we realize how far back it actually went. Back in 2017, our Editor-In-Chief was guesting at and shooting media at Crystal Coast Con in Atlantic Beach. A really great Rocky Horror Picture Show group came in and being a RHPS fan, he flipped out and insisted they get some shots with him. Low and behold,  XO Lynn and her family was that cosplay group with XO being “Janet”!!!

This month we are proud to bring XO Lynn into The Variant family with a trio of outstanding cosplays!!! 
Her Astrid from How to Train Your Dragon is SPOT-ON, her Sailor Moon is completely ADORBS and her Tira from Soul Calibur is just STUNNING!!! XO & Tomisina both absolutely KILLED IT with these shoots!!! 

WAIT!!…why are you still reading this??
GO CHECK OUT THE PICS!!!!