Sci-fi, steampunk, superheroes just some of what you'll see at Sci-Fi on the Rock

You never know who you might see at Sci-Fi on the Rock.

Superheroes from comic books and the big screen? Icons from Star Wars and Star Trek? Obscure characters from the distant realms of sci-fi and fantasy? Chances are, they'll all be mingling together on the convention floor.

The 13thannual convention kicked offFriday at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown St. John's. Famous for the large number of attendees who dress upin their own costumes, the convention has become a cornerstone of the local cosplay (short for "costume play") community.

It's a relatively new scene for Mitchell Marsh, but that didn't stop him from going all out as the Night King from Game of Thrones.

"It feels toasty," he laughed."I'm very hot inside this thing."

Marsh has gathered a social media following for his cosplay. For this get up, he got the mask from a company in Los Angeles, and his girlfriend tailored the suit.

It's the biggest cosplay event of the year, according to founder Darren Hann. It's a place where everybody can show off their personalities and really be themselves or, if they choose to, be somebody else entirely.

"The energy here is crazy," he said."Everybody looks forward to this all year long. They can't wait to come here. It's almost like a Christmas for nerds."

Nicole (Mad) Maddox of St. John's,this year's cosplayguest of honour,specializes in steampunkdesigns, which combine Victorian-era fashion with alternate-future steam-powered technology.

She said she plans to spend the weekend "flouncing around" in wildly elaborate costumes of her own making, and isalso hosting a workshop on corset constructionand helping to judge the costume contest, the convention's grand finale.

"I'm looking at workmanship, I'm focusing usually more on the sewing aspects. So I look at the seams, and finishing and stuff like that," Maddox said. Other judges may reward skilfulfoam construction, or specialized extras like lights and moving parts. But Maddox says a big part of a winning costume is the storytelling.

"If it's a canon outfit, how close it matches the character. If it's a variant, like what we're wearing today, is it recognizable? What kind of details and your own creativity went into it?" Maddox said.

On Friday morning, Maddox dropped by The St. John's Morning Show studio in one of her steampunk creations, along with her sidekick Beth Seary, who came dressed as a steampunk Deadpool.

Searysays people shouldn't feel intimidated if their knowledge of sci-fi and fantasy stops at the lightsaber. She says she typically recognizes about half of the characters she encounters at the convention.

"I'll recognize more stuff from Star Trek, or Star Wars even, but I might not know the anim stuff so much. Although I enjoy anim, there is an awful lot of anim," Searysays.

"Sometimes I'll see something and I'm like, that's a fantastic costume. I have no clue what you're from, but can I take a picture anyway? Because it's just so well done."

Stars from the stars

Though the costumes are a big attraction, there's lots more to see and do at Sci-Fi on the Rock. This year's celebrity guests include Terry Farrell, who played Jadzia Dax on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Stefan Kapicic, who plays Colossus in the Deadpoolfilms.

"I'm a comic book geek, so I was on the other side for so many years until I became Colossus," Kapicic said."So that's why I can feel both sides. I can understand them, I am one of them."

In the large vendor room, you'll find an astonishing array of collectibles, costume pieces, jewelry and specialty items. There's also a space for newcomers to learn about various sci-fi societies, including steampunk and furries (cosplayers who dress up as anthropomorphic animals).

Most of all, Sci-Fi on the Rock provides a space for fans of these characters, genres and stories to feel at home and among others who share their nerdish leanings. Maddox says you never know who could be a closet sci-fi fan.

"I actually ran into a co-worker. Had no clue that she liked any of this stuff, and she was just having the time of her life." Seary said.

"She just loves it and I did not expect it at all. Afterwards I was like, 'So you're into all this?' And we've become good friends at work now, and I didn'treally know her at all. So you definitely come across people and you're like, 'Oh, you're one of us!'"

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