Here are the Organizers for the 2023 Baltimore Comic-Con Adult Contest and Adult Showcase
Harry Crosland
Bishop Cosplay has been cosplaying since 2009. He has cosplayed many unique characters such as Bishop from The X-men (thus his moniker), Superman and recently Dr. Voodoo.
He also specializes in photography, particularly cosplay photography. His work has been featured at the Reginald Lewis Museum in Baltimore, many publications including Star Wars Insider Magazine and recently he became the first cosplayer and photographer of color to have his work of other cosplayers published internationally in Men’s Health Magazine. Since he has started, he helped with the creation of #28daysofBlackCosplay as well as #365DaysofBlackCosplay, both of which promote cosplayers of color.
He enjoys cosplay because it enables him to breathe life into characters that don’t always get the same amount of attention that many mainstream ones get.
He has been at the forefront of ensuring that cosplayers, no matter their background, have their voices recognized and has done his best to be a positive influencer in this community.
Bill Johnson
Bill Johnson is a professional cosplayer and actor from Baltimore now living in New York. He has appeared on SNL, The Blacklist, Luke Cage now on Disney Plus, and many other movies & TV shows as well as plays in NY. He is a graduate of Towson University. He does cosplay because representation matters.
Corey Morgan
Corey Morgan of “Straight Outta Cosplay” has been cosplaying since 2015, and has quickly gained recognition for his very accurate cosplays, which have appeared in multiple cosplay magazines and has taken third place at the Marvel Comics Cosplay competition at the 2016 New York Comic-Con. As an accomplished professional face and body artist with a world-wide following, Corey’s cosplays often include realistic masks that he often paints on himself.
Corey has not only become known for his own costumes, but often includes his family, cosplaying alongside his wife and daughters at conventions. The thing that Corey enjoys most about cosplaying, is interacting with children and presenting himself as a positive role model, inspiring and motivating them as much as possible. Nothing brings Corey greater fulfillment than taking time out at Comic-Cons and other events to take pictures with, and talk to young people. In addition to comic conventions, Corey has cosplayed at various charity and community outreach events.
Kelly Johnson
Kelly Johnson has been cosplaying since 2012, and first attended Baltimore comic con in 2014 as The Shadow. An engineer, she likes to integrate technology into her cosplays, whether through 3D printing, design, or adding lights and electronics for additional effects. She is known online as MyRaiden Cosplay, and is part of Late Night Cosplay where she collaborates with her best friend, Ni’Esha, on new ideas and projects.
Wendell Smith
Wendell Smith, Sr. has been cosplaying for the past 15 years. He does a wide variety of characters, but ismostly known for Thanos, King T’Chaka and Black Panther, and as recent as 2019 Mr Glass cosplays.He has also appeared in a few print publications including Star Wars Insider magazine. He has participated and judged cosplay contests, as well as, participated on numerous panels over the years. He is also the founder and CEO of OHIOH Enterprises.
Ni’Esha Wongus
Also known as ShweetPea, she has been cosplaying for over 10 years. Since 2016, she has collaborated with best friend Kelly Johnson to form the duo known as Late Night Cosplay. Baltimore Comic Con was the very first con she ever attended and she is honored to be among the organizers of the cosplay contest at this year’s event.
Jay Stilipec
Jay has been cosplaying since 2016 as Jazmine Cosplays. She mostly cosplays independent female characters from video games, comics, and movies, such as Samus Aran, Chun Li, Jean Gray, Catwoman, Elastigirl, and Maleficent.
Jay is a retired U.S. Navy Sailor after 20 years as a military broadcast journalist. She served overseas in Spain, Iceland, Japan, and Afghanistan, stateside at Fort Meade, and aboard two ships, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and USS Nassau (LHA 4). As a broadcaster, she developed good speaking, photography, videography, and editing skills to provide news and morale to servicemembers around the world. Upon retirement, Jay began her transgender journey and now identifies as an AMAB nonbinary femizenter. She has worked closely with LGBT HQ to do panels at conventions around Maryland, and with the Finest G.I. Joe Costume Club, being featured in one of their charity calendars.
Jay cosplays to share her hobbies with others and help others embrace their nerd, geek, and queer passions. She works as a 9th-grade teacher in inner-city Baltimore.