ReedPOP is one of the largest convention producers on the planet, hosting events such as New York Comic Con, C2E2, Emerald City Comicon, as well as international cons like Delhi Comic Con and Beijing Comic Convention. Suffice to say, the folks at ReedPOP know how to throw a convention, and for 2016 they are bringing fans a global cosplay contest.

Announced in a press release on January 28, Emerald City Comicon will kick off The Western Championship of Cosplay on April 9. This event sparks a yearlong series of competitions, hitting four continents, North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The winner from this contest will be flown to the finals in Chicago and win prizes. Cosplayers from the around the world can participate and show off their best costumes.

For all these competitions, the same governing categories will apply:

Needlework – Cosplay constructed primarily through sewing, stitching, embroidery, etc.

– Cosplay constructed primarily through sewing, stitching, embroidery, etc. Armor – Cosplay constructed primarily by molding and shaping its outer layers using acrylic, EVA foam, Worbla, Wonderflex, cardboard, etc.

– Cosplay constructed primarily by molding and shaping its outer layers using acrylic, EVA foam, Worbla, Wonderflex, cardboard, etc. FX – Cosplay that primarily features animatronics, optical effects, mechanical effects, special effects makeup, prosthetics, etc.

– Cosplay that primarily features animatronics, optical effects, mechanical effects, special effects makeup, prosthetics, etc. Larger Than Life – Cosplay that encloses the maker and extends their limbs by at least one-foot in length.

The contests will be held throughout the year and result in the C2E2 Crown Championships of Cosplay in Chicago in 2017. The first judge announced in actress and high fashion model LeeAnna Vamp (Video Game High School, Reaper Tales). At the championship, winners from the global cons will go head to head with the local crowd.

“With the addition of the Western Championships of Cosplay at ECCC, we are steadily building the largest cosplay competition circuit on the planet,” said Lance Fensterman, Global Senior Vice President of ReedPOP. “As we create these events we also want to make adjustments so that they serve the community in the best way possible, so this year we have introduced new judging criteria and rules that will help make this a better competition series for all cosplayers.”

It feels like ReedPOP is tapping into a hotbed market and going to appease a lot of fans. Each year, cosplay contests get bigger and better, and convention producers implement ways of making fans comfortable and excited to join in.

Are you excited for ReedPOP and their forays into creating a global cosplay contest? Will you be grabbing your sewing needle, hot glue gun and scanning Reddit and Youtube for LED tutorials? There’s no word on the grand prizes, but knowing how much cosplayers have won in the past is certainly a good sign. You need a lot of talent and a little bit of luck on your side, and if luck is on your side, you should choose Harry’s Bingo for online bingo.