after all that diatribe and we picked that out?

also, when this starts the parade, you know it's no longer the "A" costumes of the con


DragonCon 2012 Parade-11 by King_of_Games, on Flickr

_________________
Rob Slater
A08/TQ2.0.42136E1

Guess I'll go ahead and drop in my .02 credits as well.

What others have said about the openness and accepting nature of this group is something I brag about constantly to the people we meet at these events. No offense intended to the 501st members among us, but when people ask me, "so, you guys are kinda like the 501st, but for Aliens, right?" I feel proud to be able to say, "Yeah, kinda, just without the rivet-counting."

We have NERF guns and Hockey pad armor among us all the time - and on the other side of that coin, I think it's fair to say that having the more screen-accurate outfits around them helps get the message across of what their not-so-ridiculously-expensive version is supposed to be a costume of. That said, would I want to see someone show up in Spat armor and body-paint BDUs for the parade? No, I really wouldn't. Would I try to "forbid" them from doing so? Of course not... but I'd be sorely tempted to ask them to think of the group as a whole, and reconsider marching in that outfit.

Ultimately, my feeling on the parade topic - and the only guideline I've ever mentioned to prospective members who ask what the "requirements" are to troop with us - is usually one of common sense. Is it recognizeable? Can someone who has seen Aliens before tell what you are supposed to be costuming as? And in the case of EU stuff, like Spectre's Sniper impression for example: Does it seem to fit with the group? Is it plausible for the universe?

Is hot pink Hello Kitty armor plausible as something the Colonial Marines would charge into battle in? No. Is it friggin' fantastic anyway? Hell yes. It may not "make sense," but like the other comedy costumes, it's easily recognizable as a joke version of the serious costumes in the group. It still has a place, in my opinion... especially near the outfits it's a parody of. The joke's easier to get that way.

I can definitely see the argument for separating the comedy costumes from the serious ones just for the parade only, for the sake of not confusing the audience. I can also definitely see the "back of the bus" argument, too, though. I don't think anyone here thinks that the comedy costumes are in any way "beneath" the serious ones. So how about this for a compromise... why not give the pin-ups and gag costumes their own row right at the front, between the color guard and the rest of the formation? That way the less-serious costumes would be grouped together, making the joke a little more obvious to the onlookers, without giving the impression of being "shoved to the back." Everyone wins. Thoughts?

_________________

CPL Sean Maio A01/TQ2.0.72156E1
Public Relations Division (Temporary Cross-Assignment)
M-56 Smartgun Operator, A/3Btn, II CMEF, USS Sephora

Sorry, I'm only one man.

_________________

Tony, I think he was referring to the Dragon*Con parade as a whole, and its organizers.

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CPL Sean Maio A01/TQ2.0.72156E1
Public Relations Division (Temporary Cross-Assignment)
M-56 Smartgun Operator, A/3Btn, II CMEF, USS Sephora

Yeah, I saw A LOT of costumes in the other parts of the parade that, in my opinion, should not have been allowed to march. It's one thing to have a home-made costume and wear it around the convention to show it off, but when it comes to marching in a parade, I think there should be some kind of minimum requirements.

Did anyone see the Men In Black mobile? It was just a car with a super soaker stuck to the hood and some tin foil pipes on the side and a hand drawn sign on the door for the "MIB3 Fan Club".

Standards for the parade really slipped this year. If it does turn into a "anyone can show up and just march anywhere they want, no matter what costume they are or are not wearing", I may have to sit out next year.

_________________
-Spat

DAMN You Sean you beat me to it!

_________________
Cheers

Winch

"Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow I shall fear no evil for thou art with me. And together we'll kick ANY bugs ASS!"
You know who you are!

Ahhhh, okay that explains it! Here I was thinking how could Rob think Tony didn't care? He abruptly had to cancel his DCon plans, asked for help w/the parade ribbons and the fan club, gets zero response, FedEx's the oversized box carrying the flag poles to Sean at DCon, 24hrs before Dcon begins (which would be Thursday) finds out he can go, drives 1500 miles, gets the parade ribbons, gets the fan table, spends Sat morning with Tony Triumph putting together the flags / flag poles....

It had me confused!

Okay, now I agree all the way with Rob's post!


Since I'm now the official Asshole of the group for daring to speak his mind about the Parade and it's Standards, might as well continue-

1) No one said anything derogatory about the Hello Kitty armor. None at all. It's pretty damn creative if you ask me. In fact, I'd love to see a whole group of gals in it next year, it would rock!

2) It all started when most of us didn't feel it was a joke about a guy wearing hot pants and little else in the parade.
Yes, we do take the reputation of the Colonial Marines seriously.

3) Now to the dreaded Screen Accurate shit storm. Do we agree with Rob about Armor painted in film accurate colors? Yes.
Do we feel overjoyed that both Spat and Aaron are providing SA camo? Yes.
Did anyone say any friggin' thing negative about all black armor? About OD Green Armor? About other camo colored armor like Spectre's?

NO!

Hell, I want to do desert tigerstripes with a tan set of Spat's Recon armor!!

I think the variant camo /armor combinations are waaay cool! Remember the guy with the urban camo & armor two years ago? Bitchin'!

Now this "whole back of the bus bullshit", get over it. It was an honest suggestion to have the More SA behind the Color Guard, then the next rank show the variety of Camo that the Colonial Marines can do, rather than get lumped together and not seen as easily. Stop acting like you're being segregated for Pete's sake. It's rediculous.

Look at it this way, it's Divisions, it's Rows, it's whatever you want to call it. Look at what we've had in the past-

Color Guard in front - All Marines next (Aliens wherever ) and bringing up the rear we've had Predators.

This whole thread is about discussion. Discussing the issue. We are all bound to disagree at times. There's always lots of stuff to disagree with. But just try to see both points of view with out getting bent outa shape. (not that I didn't just do that...)

If you want to poke fingers,or backtrack, fine.

I started this discussion, Feel free to be pissed off at me. Feel free. If that's what it takes to get you started discussing, go for it.

Bottom line, we represent the Colonial Marines. Many of us feel this is Chris Chulamanis' dream and by god we will stand up for that.

So, to repeat- Variant camo, whether it be urban, black, od green, Hello Kitty looks to be in agreement, across the board.

Female pin ups- everyone likes the idea.

Our group has grown tremendously in the past several years. While it would seem that adults should be able to make adult decisions about what is and what isn't appropriate, it doesn't always work that way. That's why we are having this discussion.

_________________


USCM- The Colonial Marines- A Brotherhood of Bad Asses!

Just going to respond on a couple of things

1, There were derogatory things said about the HK armour some which has been edited and stacy was very upset about it also are you saying because its pink then girls only?
2, I dont recall a guy saying anything about him wearing hot pants in the parade, i do recall the girls being asked if THEY wanted to wear them and please if you will how do you define most of us?

just wanted to clear those parts up in my mind

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SSgt Kris "Bloodsucker" Kobus, VAS.
A09/TQ2.0.12136E1

The guy was you.

http://forum.alienslegacy.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11901

It's your thread about wearing only shorts in the parade that started that whole thing up.

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-Spat

shorts yes not hotpants that was aimed at the girls, maybe its the definition of shorts thats got this out of proportion as i have just realised you guys call underwear shorts, thats not what i was thinking of i was thinking of BDU trousers cut down (Knee length as all my shorts are) which over here is what we call shorts

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SSgt Kris "Bloodsucker" Kobus, VAS.
A09/TQ2.0.12136E1

So shorts for blokes and hotpants for the girls?
Who's being sexist now Kris?

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AKA: Simon

lol but remember simon it was all only kidding about, and it was one of the girls at the time who suggested hotpants for the girls, but yes your point is valid

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SSgt Kris "Bloodsucker" Kobus, VAS.
A09/TQ2.0.12136E1

We call underwear shorts?

I would love to do pin up for the parade...
if a vehicle (maybe made to look like a dropship) were available.
not walking the parade in those heels

_________________
"princesses prove to be useful. learn to shoot a blaster, fix a ship, and find an escape route and use it no matter how bad it smells. If Princess Leia can do it, you can to."

We call underware... underware.

I think the difference is that people in the U.K. refer to underware as "pants." As in pantaloons.


Listen this all startred out of a "very real" belief that a group of men planned on wearing "very short shorts" and little else for the parade.

No thanks. The Parade isn't the Spattle. I don't want to see just how far someone can push the envelope while representing our group.

If it was meant as a way to push certain buttons as a backlash to some of the Hello Kitty armour comments- well you succeeded. So what now? Still plan on going through with it? No? Still want to just push the buttons around here?


Now about "pin ups." The only one I have ever seen (because the last time I was at D-Con was three years ago), was Divine Ambrosia's (Ash's). And while it was "sexy" it was by no means "skimpy."



Personally I would consider it "Parade appropriate."


However despite my being a redblooded male who likes seeing beautiful women wearing nothing but a smile, I wouldn't want to see someone wearing something like this for the parade:





After hours at D-Con- hell yes! Parade- no.

It is simply a case of there being a "time and place" for certain costumes. The parade is not the time to be a complete attention whore wearing something with the sole intention of stirring the pot "because you can." (This is not directed at anyone in particular).


Now where does this leave something like the Hello Kitty armour...


I have to say that when I first saw it I had a WTF moment.

But- I wasn't there at D-Con to see it in person. So I can't say I would not have thought it was awesome in a "light hearted costume" way. In other words my hardass side may have instantly mellowed if I had been there to see it in person.

I haven't seen too many pictures, and as far as I can tell it didn't actually have a "Hello Kitty" on it. For me that would have pushed the pink camo out of the EU territory into the comedic category.

I really wanted to try and put this into perspective for myself and could only think of Dom's "Banana Camo" he did several years ago. (Unfortunately I don't have a pic of it, but as far as I can remember, it was that bright yellow camo with OD armour- Maybe Dom would be kind enough to post it). It wasn't meant as a joke. It was supposed to be a variation of the "Flying Bananas" dropship from the Tech Manual:





Now I tried to think how it would look if Dom had painted his armour to match the camo he had on. Frankly I probably would have thought it was awesome!

So would I think the pink armour would be just as awesome? I don't know. I'm on the fence at this point. "Pink" still carries a certain amount of femininity with it. No two ways about it. Sorry if some people can't understand that. Consider if someone put together a pink and white set of Dress Blues.

The one thing that Cameron tried to stress is that in the future the military will be a unisex fighting force. Not "boys and girls" but Marines. The pink camo is instantly associated with something feminine.

So if people want to go throwing down the "sexist" card, if anything the pink camo could be considered sexist as the USCM is supposed to be non-gender specific. However I'm SURE this was NOT Stacy's intention of making a "hey look I'm a girly girl Colonial Marine" costume, but rather a (dare I say) "cute" variation.


Having said that- I am definitely not open to the idea of "comedic costumes" outnumbering the SA or EU costumes. I really wouldn't want to see Bart Simpson in full armour even if it was Terry English armour (at least... not during the parade... or for that matter the Colony Sweep). You want to be Bart Simpson in armour around the convention, knock yourself out!


Kevin

_________________
I told you I'd shoot, but you didn't believe me! WHY DIDN'T YOU BELIEVE ME!?!

now that I think of it. I don't think I posted this on here yet....



enjoy!

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"princesses prove to be useful. learn to shoot a blaster, fix a ship, and find an escape route and use it no matter how bad it smells. If Princess Leia can do it, you can to."

Underwear. It's underwear. Stuff you "wear" "under" something else. Not ware. It's not tech (not yet anyway).

And in the vein of the unisex fighting force, would you be ok with a man wearing the same outfit that Ash is wearing? And marching in the parade in it? Can't have one without the other or it's not unisex.

And Girlspectre.... reow!! Wear that!

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-Spat

This is why I said I needed different boots for the parade, 6" stiletto heels with a 2" lift

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"Chief Bartender for the Naughty Corner Bar"

Carpe Crustulum!! (seize the cookie!!)

can we next year, for one picture, all weld sharp sticks?

*edit*

also, an idea i had pop in my head. isn't the parade a chance where we can show off the fact that we are not as regimental as other groups?

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PFC Mike Rizzuto MVM
USS Blackhawk
3rd Batt 12th Regt

Were those the ones you wore with the pink socks? No way for the parade. Plus I already look up to you the way it is. In those you were super tall. I had no problem with the hk armor this year.

Thanks!

Greg

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CPL A08/TQ0.0.12146E1
Newell, Greg A aka Gman
Illinois - USA
UKCM
Shoot first, think never.
Good? Bad? I'm the guy with the gun.
SMMFD
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he doesn't exist.

What made you realise it was niggling at you at this precise moment? Seems awfully strange! But then, my mind works in mysterious ways. I'll sometimes have an epiphany on a subject while doing something completely unrelated and not even thinking about it. It just pops into my head!

The flag bearing thing was tongue in cheek dude. (Though in my haste to get the post finished (I was in a rush) I seem to have forgotten this little chap:
Besides, in 2011 I was under the impression that such duties were for C class uniforms and above, not BDUs. I didn't ask because of that and frankly... I had a ball all the same!

Not that I would pass on the offer next year, as I intend to parade in Service C's!

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Sgt A. Richardson CMD A04/TQ1.0.02151E1

Like I say - I realised when we walked through the throng of flag-wearing idiots what it was you'd reminded me of, and this thread brought it to the fore.

And I, too, thought that flag-bearers were to be in Cs or Blues - But I asked Dom what was suitable, as we had nobody in such, and he was fine with armour. Hence Bolty.

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MSgt, UKCM 42nd Reg., 1st Batt. : Hadrian's Wall. UKCM

Wasteland Workshop
Props, cosplay pieces, upcycled ornamentation, and miscellanea;
For the discerning survivor of the apocalypse.
Steve Fletcher : Maker, Scavenger, and Junksmith.
linktr.ee/wastelandworkshop

Yes those are the ones, I have wore them twice ever, both times at Dragon this year! And yep, I am a giant in them

My pink sockies were super-schmexy

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"Chief Bartender for the Naughty Corner Bar"

Carpe Crustulum!! (seize the cookie!!)

Sorry too much self editing, backtracking and damage limitation has gone on in that thread now for my liking.

You definitely said you were going to wear hot pants originally.
Look at the responses to you that back that up.

I'll say no more on this, because I probably will cause offence.

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Martin 'Victim' Victory
A86/TQ3.4.49421E3
UKCM 13th Regt. 1st Batt. Freebooters


you can't take the PUNK outa Spunkmeyer

you know what im not saying anymoe as people are seeing what they want to see so no point

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SSgt Kris "Bloodsucker" Kobus, VAS.
A09/TQ2.0.12136E1