Another Fan-Made TRON Costume

Jay Maynard writes "When this story on making your own TRON costume was posted two weeks ago, I was deep into making my own for the masquerade at Penguicon 2.0. Its debut at the Masquerade won the Workmanship award. I kept notes and took pictures as I was going along, and the page that resulted is now available for your viewing enjoyment. No, I didn't spend any time with straws up my nose while making it, either. I think the results were quite good, and so has everyone who's said anything to me about it here at the con." CmdrTaco is at Penguicon this weekend - go give him a big Tron hug, and make sure to get a photo...

I'm of two minds.

[mikedaisey]

As a big guy myself, I have the desire to support folks who go out and make audacious, geeky things and wear them even if it leads to ridicule.

At the same time, that is *really* an unflattering suit, it really is. Maybe he should have gone more interpretive and created TRON armor--something less lycra-based, because it simply doesn't work on his physique.

Beautiful

[Standmic]

While many of you readers obviously think this series of pictures are the most hideous, vile, and unnatural sights in the world, I disagree. I think they are beautiful pictures. What we are really looking at is not some ugly fat man in a unitard, but rather the sharing of ideas. This man created something that we as a community might be interested in, and he had the nuts to post it on the front page. Seriously, look beyond the pictures themselves and look at what they actually show - he's just trying to show his invention and share his ideas with a potentially interested population. I think the site is fabulous, and I applaud the man for sharing with us.

Well that guy has balls...

[smeenz]

You have to respect someone who not only posts pictures of himself on the net, knowing that he doesn't have the best profile in the world, but then gets himself slashdotted too ?

He's got balls.. (and just look at the photos if you don't believe me)

Time? Depends on priorities

[ZebadiahC]

I think that the costume is cool. Sure he might not be in the greatest of shape but as for time to do the costume...he simply chose to make a costume instead of the wasting the past 54 hours on UT2004.

I've seen some good ghostbuster costumes out there...near Halloween we should see more of these....help the fellow geek out and stop him from coming to the party as some reincarnation of "Revenge of the Nerds" Thats what would scratch my eyes out!

Re:I'm of two minds.

[Cylix]

True,

If I were going to put on a costume it would definately be the guard's outfit. They were quite well armored and worked for that really cool corporation under the ol' MC.

Hero's bleed red neon lights.

Re:Now...

[dnobel]

What is this crap? Don't tell me that all of you are on slashdot becuase you're the coolest cat in the pack. This man thought he could share something that he thought that his peers might find interesting, and all of you dog on him because he looks like Milton from Office Space or some other stereotypical nerd. Well, earth to geek, you're probably not the belle of the ball either. Stop bashing on this guy for shit that isn't pertinent to the article and start judging him by the hard work he put into his costume. This isn't elementary school...

Another tron-like outfit using El-wire

[geekotourist]

This costume [templetons.com] (another view by itself) [templetons.com] while actually designed to look like The Man [templetons.com], has been attributed Tron-ness at SF conventions. (Which surprisingly are still light on el-wire as costuming method. At Burning Man [burningman.org] El-wire is almost passe, you really need flamethrowers [templetons.com] to stand out (which generally are not allowed at SF conventions, though).

Rant mode on...But enough with the body insults! Haven't you ever seen bodies in all their glorious colors and shapes before? [templetons.com] If yours isn't in the top 1% of bodies, do you live in a Burka? [google.com] The costumer is having fun- lots of other posters here seem to be having bitter parties out of some misguided idea that if you aren't perfect- don't be visible? If you don't have the equivalent of a 2004 Mercedes M-class body, don't show up on the road? Have you ever looked at the great minds in our field [computerhistory.org]? You'd really forbid them from being in your hottub (California / silicon valley style) just because they're not the most aesthetically pleasing bodies? Bah! Rant mode sputtering off...

Re:Now...

[advance512]

When Jay Maynard decided to post these pictures, he obviously decided that he doesn't give a damn about what all of you kids think - he only wanted to share his passion with other TRON fans and geeks. You are irrelevant.

By my book, for not giving a damn about what all of you mockers think, he's way more of a man than any of you will ever be.

Re:Now...

[imsabbel]

I wouldnt laught at him if he werent so dumb.
Lets face it. He did following:
-bought premade armour pices on ebay. (yeah, how CREATIVE)
-poorly painted a beige catsuite. (looks craps)
-made doutzens of pictures, most of them having his balls STICK in your face in a way that COULDNT have passed unnoticed.

Bottom line: He has either no taste or is an exhibitionist.

Re:Beautiful

[Dirtside]

Yes, the site is an interesting expression of his creativity.

It ALSO has (rather unpleasant) pictures of a fat man in a unitard.

Someone's response to this page doesn't have to just be "Ewww, fat guy in unitard" or "Cool, what a neat idea!" It can, in fact, be both.

Re:Now...

[Bralkein]

Well you may have a point, but I KNOW that my body is pretty repulsive, and I KNOW that most sane people have absolutely no desire to gaze upon my hideous form. That is why I wear clothes, and they cover my whole body, except my hands and sometimes my lower arms.

There are times and places for revealing certain parts of even unsightly bodies. The swimming pool is one of those places... you go for a swim, you just have to accept there will be the occasional fat guy with a back rug who wears skimpy speedos. If you go to a beach, there will be the occasional obese lady with no top on. It's what you come to expect.

Now it is arguable that maybe with a convention costume you expect the odd overconspicuous flabby limb. But when you can see a PERFECT OUTLINE OF HIS FRICKING GENITALS then things are going seriously wrong! I admit he is pretty brave, but frankly, he deserves to be mocked. A sticking out beer gut, fair enough. Perfect scrotal detail, posted to the web for everyone to see, just... no.

Re:Now...

[sp0rk173]

He could have at least worn a cup. While he has proven he has balls, we don't need to see them. Thanks.

Re:Now...

[eugene ts wong]

By my book, for not giving a damn about what all of you mockers think, he's way more of a man than any of you will ever be.

Not giving a damn about what others might think is what makes a person a nerd & a loser. Giving a damn & making the best decision is what makes him a man. Even male ballet dancers wear dance belts [dancewear.com]. He said something about dressing up in costumes before. Was he just as immodest in those costumes? To be honest, just painting lines & clothes isn't that big of a deal.

Considering that he was the 1 who posted the story, I would say that he does give a damn what we think, but some people can't bring themselves to hear the negative criticism.

A warning of his genitals showing would have been nice, but maybe he was in denial. Maybe he didn't think it was noticable. Not all of us care to see men's genitals.

Leave him alone

[Anonymous Coward]

Come on, people. We're all geeks; we're all reading Slashdot. Don't we remember being mocked and rejected by our classmates in school? Am I the only one? A lot of us were overweight. The jokes were easy enough for other kids. Give the guy a break and focus on what he's trying to share with us, not on what he looks like.

Re:From the end of the page...

[u-238]

you know the guy is an intelligent man and, for lack of a better euphamistic phrase, "wasn't born yesterday."

he knows full well what people will make of this, and doesn't even care, he probably prides himself in the laughs he gets out of it.

don't bother with pity, he doens't need it, at least show him that much respect.

Back off, lest ye be judged

[yakfacts]

\begin{rant}

I'm annoyed at all the rude comments posted in this forum...in particular at all the people telling this guy to "get a life".

First of all, you're posting on slashdot forums that means you don't have enough to do yourself....try getting a life yourself before you criticize others.

Second, how is what he did any "worse" than adults who sit around playing Quake (or whatever) all night? How is this guy being a tron fan any geekier than my going to the Classic Gaming Expo?

Plus, he explained how he did everyhing to assist others...open source costuming, anyone?

Finally, it's really easy for you all to sit back behind your monitors and make fun of this guy's weight. Look at yourself in the mirror today (or in ten years) and see if you should really be laughing.

For the record, I have not been in costume since Halloween when I was 12, and I am actually underweight. I don't have a life...this is true. I just think you're all behaving like a bunch of 14-year-old slashdot jerks.

\end{rant}