Cosplayers have become as much about geek and nerd culture as the characters that they portray. We had the pleasure to speak with a prominent figure in this growing world, Jean Gomez!

Jean is an up and coming cosplayer from California who loves going to comic conventions. She is a comic book enthusiast with a soft spot for Spider-Man. [Editor's Note: A woman of my own heart!]

[UMDR] What gravitated you towards the world of cosplay?

[Jean] After attending my first Comic-Con in 2006, I fell in love with the world of cosplay! It's such an amazing way to express your love for a character.

[UMDR] Which conventions are your favorites to attend?

[Jean] My favorites are the smaller cons because they have a more intimate setting where you can interact with your favorite artists and writers.

Ms. Marvel (with Deadpool!)

[UMDR] Do you have a favorite character you like dressing up as?

[Jean] Wonder Woman is definitely one of my favorites!

[UMDR] What is usually the hardest thing to do when putting together an outfit?

[Jean] Putting together the concept and choosing the materials for a costume is probably the hardest part.

Lady Joker

[UMDR] I understand you plan to cosplay Harley Quinn some time this coming year. What attracted you to her in the first place?

[Jean] Her wackiness always attracted me to her. She's so out there that I feel like taking on her character will be so much fun!

[UMDR] Is there a particular version of Harley you're going for?

[Jean] There are so many interpretations of Harley but I am pretty set on doing the old school cartoon version of her. [<3]

[UMDR] Do you believe the recent popularity of cosplay has to do with the rise of superhero movies? If not, then what else?

[Jean] I definitely think it has been influenced by movies. More and more people are starting to see why comics are great!

Elektra

[UMDR] What are your thoughts on a lot of cosplayers who may "oversexualize" the characters they're portraying? Is this an issue in your eyes?

[Jean] I think that's completely up to the person who is cosplaying. Most female characters are "oversexualized" as is. They're drawn to be very sexy. If the cosplayer is comfortable dressing up as that character, then it's completely up to them.

[UMDR] If you could only choose one superpower, what would it be?

[Jean] I would love to have psychic abilities like Psylocke!

Thank you very much Jean for taking the time to speak with us! You can stay up to date on Jean and her cosplays at her Facebook page.