Cosplay Central Crown Championships: C2E2 2022

The Cosplay Central Crown Championships are comprised of a series of competitions held at ReedPop events, selected global Partner Events, and the Championships Final. The Cosplay Central Crown Championships Final will be hosted at MCM London Comic Con in October 2022.

Entrants will be assessed by the judges in the following categories:

• Needlework – Cosplay constructed primarily through sewing, stitching, embroidery, etc.
• Armor – Cosplay constructed primarily by molding and shaping its outer layers using acrylic, EVA foam, Worbla, Wonderex, cardboard, etc.
• FX – Cosplay that primarily features animatronics, optical effects, mechanical effects, special effects makeup, prosthetics, etc.

The Judges will select the top entries in each category, each will receive a medal.

The top 3 overall competitors as determined by the judges, regardless of whether or not such Competitor placed first, second or third in the category awards, will receive the following prizes:

1st Prize

• $1000 and Medal
• Two (2) weekend passes for C2E2 2023

2nd Prize

• $500 and Medal
• Two (2) weekend tickets to C2E2 2023

3rd Prize

• $250 and Medal
• Two (2) weekend tickets to C2E2 2023

The 1st Prize winner progresses to Stage 2 – the USA National Final.

The judges will assess the 4 regional winners chosen at Florida Supercon, New York Comic Con, Emerald City Comic Con and newly selected winner of C2E2 to choose and overall winner of the national competition.

The winner of this stage will be the selected USA Finalist for the global Cosplay Central Crown Championships Final and receive:

• Return flight from USA to London* to attend the Cosplay Central Crown Championships Final at MCM London Comic Con in October 2022, including up to 1 additional piece of hold luggage for costume transportation if required, and a ground transportation stipend (arranged by C2E2)
• Three (3) nights’ accommodation (arranged by MCM)
• All other costs are the responsibility of the winner, including the cost of any changes to booked travel, transfers to and from departure point and any Visa/ESTA related costs and assistant’s travel costs.

This Competition is being held in connection with Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo at McCormick Place located at 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois taking place from 5 August 2022 through 7 August 2022.

1. All entrants must be 18 or older to compete in the Cosplay Central Crown Championships.
2. Applications are open to registered citizens or permanent residents of the USA, Canada and Mexico
3. Online registration will open from March 25, 2022 until June 17, 2022. Places in the competition will be confirmed no later than June 24, 2022.
4. At application each entrant must submit a minimum of one (1) reference image, images of the costume they wish to enter (with allowance for minor unfinished elements) and a written description which may offer details about the design and construction process, materials and the choice of costume.
• At application the costume being entered should be 70% complete
• If selected the costume description and facts provided will be used to create an introduction for the stage presentation. ReedPop reserves the right to edit introduction material for time and content.
5. All selected entrants are responsible for all expenses related to competing in the Championships Qualifier at C2E2 including all lodging and travel to and from the convention center. All contestants must have a badge valid for Saturday at C2E2. Entrants are responsible for their own belongings. ReedPop is unable to provide a secure area for personal items.
6. Entrants may participate in the Crown Championships only once per year. Applicants must not register multiple times with multiple costumes. A contestant can only enter once across all qualifier events and only wear one costume.
7. Group entries are not permitted.
8. Entrants must comply with the ReedPop costume, weapons and props rules and will be subject to security checks on entry to C2E2.
9. Costumes for the Crown Championships must represent an existing or recognizable character or element from the pop culture realm, including comic books, movies and television, video games, anime, manga, theatre or fantasy. Characters or elements from bands, musicians and drag acts are not eligible.
10. Entrants must have made the costume they are using in selection events and the Final by themselves.
• All significant visible costume elements that can safely be made without assistance must have been constructed entirely by the competitor; If it is impossible or unsafe for a single person to make a costume element, assistance for simple tasks such as holding things in place is acceptable;
• It is acceptable to use bought wigs, shoes, and accessories such as spectacles etc. Simple, largely insignificant base layers such as a leotard or pantyhose are similarly permitted. Any customization such as styling a wig or modifying shoes must be the sole work of the entrant;
11. Costumes used for the Championships Qualifier or Final must not have been used for any previous international cosplay or costume contest final.
12. The costume should not exceed 2.5m/8ft in any one dimension, and the entrant should be able to safely move in the costume with limited assistance and the costume must not impede the finalist’s ability to get on and off stage. The ReedPop team reserve the right to intervene should they believe a costume is not safe to participate on stage.
13. All costumes should provide enough coverage to be worn in public and should be in good taste and appropriate for a family-friendly show.
14. Costumes cannot be obscene or offensive, including insensitive or unnecessary use of makeup, nor endorse any form of hate or any hate group. Gore, graphic violence or other objectionable elements may also be grounds for disqualification as determined by the judges or ReedPop.
15. Costumes cannot promote alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, firearms/weapons (or the use of any of the foregoing), any activities that may appear unsafe or dangerous or any particular political agenda or message.
16. Costumes must not defame, misrepresent or contain disparaging remarks about Cosplay Central, ReedPop and their products, or other people, products or companies, or communicate messages or images inconsistent with the positive images and/or goodwill with which Cosplay Central and/or ReedPop intends to associate the Competition; Costumes cannot depict, and cannot themselves, be in violation of any law.
17. All accepted contestants must check in to sign a waiver and attend craftsmanship judging on the contest day. If accepted, ReedPop will notify entrants when and where check in and the craftsmanship judging will take place. Entrants must appear in costume at the time of their judging. Construction or progress pictures should be brought by the entrant to their judging session; not supplied electronically. Failure to appear for judging will result in disqualification
18. Each Entrant will present their costume on stage. Music will be provided by the ReedPop Team. Stage dressing is not permitted
19. The safety of the audience, staff, and other participants must not be compromised. This means that pyrotechnics, fireworks or any other methods of creating or causing a naked flame or explosion are forbidden; anything that may litter the stage (e.g., glitter or confetti) or make it slippery or sticky is similarly banned. The use of lasers, regardless of strength, is not permitted by the venue. Self-generated vapor as part of a costume may be permitted for use on stage following assessment by the ReedPop team
20. Costumes in the qualifier will be judged on Accuracy or Design and Ambition (30% weighting) and Construction (70% weighting). The stage presentation will not be scored directly but may be taken into consideration if the stage presentation reveals flaws or benefits of the costume’s construction.
21. Further information on what the judges will be looking for in these categories can be found in the appendix of the rules for the final.
22. The judges will assess all entries and make the following awards:
• The top three (3) entries as determined by the judges in the Needlework, Armor or FX categories. ReedPop reserves the right to adjust the categories or number of category awards given at any time in its sole discretion based on entries received.
• The top three (3) overall competitors of the C2E2 Regional Qualifier as determined by the judges regardless of whether or not such Competitor placed first, second or third in the category awards. The First place winner of this round will move forward as the selected C2E2 Regional Winner.
• One (1) winner selected from the four (4) regional winners chosen at Florida Supercon, New York Comic Con, Emerald City Comic Con and newly selected winner of C2E2 will be the selected USA Finalist and progress to the Global Final at MCM London Comic Con
23. The judges’ decisions are final and no further negotiation is permitted. There is no obligation on ReedPop or the judges to provide feedback.
24. Selected Finalists are expected to wear the costume that they qualified in for the global Championships Final; should a selected Finalist wish to compete in an alternative costume this may be permitted following discussion with the ReedPop team
25. Each entrant grants to Reed Exhibitions, a division of RELX Inc. ("Management"), its employees, agents, and assignees, the absolute and irrevocable right and permission to photograph, film, reproduce, portray and/or otherwise exploit the name, voice, appearance, photograph, image and/or likeness of such Finalist at C2E2 and/or in the Competition (collectively, "Likeness"), and to use the results and proceeds, without limitation, in materials produced by Management in any and all media, in perpetuity. Competitor hereby waives any claim to compensation for use of such Likeness. Competitor agrees that Management owns the images and all rights related to them. The images may be used by Management in any manner or media without notifying Competitor, such as the Cosplay Central website, publications, promotions, broadcasts, advertisements, and posters, for advertising or other related purposes. Competitor waives any right to inspect or approve the finished images or any printed or electronic matter that may be used with them
26. Release: By accepting a prize, each winner agrees to release and hold harmless ReedPop and its direct and indirect subsidiaries, suppliers, distributors, advertising/promotion agencies, and prize suppliers (if any), and each of their respective parent companies and each such company’s officers, directors, employees and agents, from and against any claim or cause of action, including, but not limited to, personal injury, death, or damage to or loss of property, arising out of participation in the Cosplay Central Crown Championship or receipt or use or misuse of any prize.
27. ReedPop reserves the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Cosplay Central Crown Championship, or any part of it, if any fraud or technical failures or any other factor beyond ReedPop’s reasonable control impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Cosplay Central Crown Championship, as determined by ReedPop in its sole discretion. ReedPop reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Crown Championships or to be acting in violation of the Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the ReedPop Comic Con Championships of Cosplay may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and should such an attempt be made, ReedPop reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. ReedPop’s failure to enforce any term of these Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.
28. Limitation of Liability: ReedPop is not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants, typographical errors, printing errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest; (2) technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (3) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or Crown Championships; (4) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Crown Championships or the processing of entries; or (5) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from an entrant’s participation in the Crown Championships or receipt or use or misuse of any prize (provided always that ReedPop or its employees or contractors are not negligent in any way in relation to such injury or damage). If, for any reason, an entrant’s entry is confirmed to have been erroneously deleted, lost or otherwise destroyed or corrupted, that entrant’s sole remedy is another entry in the Crown Championships, if feasible. If the Cosplay Central Crown Championships, or any part of it, is discontinued for any reason, ReedPop, in its sole discretion, may elect to hold a random draw from among all eligible entries received up to the date of discontinuance for the prize(s) offered herein.
29. Employees, staff, crew or guests of ReedPop or any associated company and their immediate families, and persons connected with the Championships e.g., prize sponsors or judges and their agents are not eligible to enter the Cosplay Central Crown Championship.
30. These rules shall be governed by the laws of the state of New York, including, sections 5-1401 and 5-1402 of the New York general obligations law but excluding to the maximum extent permitted by law all other conflict of law provisions, and the obligations, rights and remedies of the parties hereunder shall be determined in accordance with such laws.