cos(WED): Captain Canada by Sarnandhun
written by Conrad Wrobel (@conradwrobel)
We have all rooted for Captain 'Murica as he shield-bashes his way through Chitauri, Ultrons, and Hydra ranks, but it is time that his northern counterpart finally gets his dues...
But wait! Speaking of north, this week's Cosplay Wednesday shares the date with our neighbor's birthday, and what better way to celebrate "Canada Day" than to introduce their very own winter soldier, Captain Canada, designed and portrayed by Oregonian Peter W. Stewart.
If you're in need of the most polite rescue of all time, you're in luck! Captain Canada will save you, and then apologize for not being there sooner... He'll beat the bad guys black and blue, but only if they sign a waiver and provide current proof of insurance! He walks old ladies across the street, even when they don't require nor request his assistance! Come celebrate Canada's Anniversary by checking out Peter's amazing hand-made costume as he cosplays the north's nicest nonpareil!
Name/Cosplay Name
Peter W. Stewart / Sarnandhun (FB/DeviantArt)
Who are you cosplaying as?
A personal rendition of Captain Canada
Photographer
Conrad Wrobel
How long have you been cosplaying?
Well… after some thought, I realize it has been pretty mainstay for as long as I can remember. I just didn’t have a name for it other than “dressing up” until the last few years!
I believe I was seven or eight years old when I decided I wanted to be Dani (I called him “Dunny”) from a movie called "Treasures in the Snow"… I walked with crutches for weeks while dressing as this kid.
Since then it has been Tim from “Lost in Dinosaur World”, Luke Skywalker from “A New Hope”, a non-specific Pirate (post "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise), a personalized Spider-man Noir, and Darth Sarn / Sarnandhûn (original characters with the same base costume pieces… one functioning as a Star Wars Sith, the other as a Fantasy Rogue/Assassin)… to name a few.
Why did you choose to cosplay this character?
Being born in Canada and raised by an American Mum and Canadian Dad, I’ve been dubbed “The Canadian” by many friends and co-workers over the years.
When Nathan Fillion’s “Captain Canada” photo popped up online, I was extremely entertained by this idea. Sometime later, after attending my first Comic Book Convention in many years, I decided I needed to create my own rendition of the character after some “gentle” prodding by co-workers and friends.
How long did it take you to complete?
To be completely honest, I don’t believe he’s reached his final form, yet.... The base vest (Jerkin by RavenswoodLeather.com) took several days of drawing to nail down a finished concept. After that, it was done rather quickly by a fantastic boss and co-workers.
Everything else has been play-testing! My method of creation is: “if it doesn’t function, why should I wear it?” This has resulted in many bits and pieces falling to the wayside in favor of something more usable.
Any difficulties when constructing the costume?
I’ve gotta say the shield was the most physically challenging. I was able to make use of a friend’s materials and tools: a satellite dish, hammers/anvil, a mighty hand-crank tool used to put a curve on certain areas, metal punch/riveter, etc... and spent many a sweaty night after work getting it to just the right shape before painting, then asking my favorite leatherworkers for help in attaching the enarmes straps to the back.
Going back to my “function is everything” statement, this piece has taken a beating since creation!
What do you love most about cosplaying this character?
The smiles are what I love most, without a doubt. I thrive on entertaining and bringing joy to those around me, and this character brings that out perfectly! You have to love the look on a kid’s face when you offer to let him or her hold your shield.
Where did you debut this costume?
Rose City Comic Con 2014, and I had an absolute blast! A Sunday packed between two work days and lots of driving, but I wouldn’t have changed it for the world.
What's next? Cosplay related of course...
As a Spider-Man fan, you can’t do enough Spidey! I’ve been working on personalized Scarlet Spider (containing as much leather as possible, of course!) ideas/sketches for the last few weeks, and I am slowly building pieces to keep the ideas flowing. Not gonna lie, I’m pretty giddy about this one.
Awesome work on creating a killer Captain Canada cosplay, Peter! I'm sure Nathan Fillion would be proud! (Not to mention your motherland!)
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