Cosplay Abounds at Archon 38

It's not a science fiction convention without a plethora of cosplay -- that fun time when you can let out your inner Halloween freak without it having to be Halloween. Fans from all over brought their favorite characters -- or events -- to life at the Archon 38 science fiction convention in Collinsville, IL, crowding the halls with steampunk, super heroes, monsters, princesses, and sometimes steampunk monster superhero princesses. It was imagination on display for one and all to admire (or, in some cases, cock an eyebrow).

Here is just a sampling of some of the many, many characters I ran into during my three days at the convention.

Doctor! DOCTOR! Whatever you do, don't blink until the TARDIS arrives!

It's the Merc with a Mouth, joined by X-Force's deadliest assassin as Marvel's Deadpool and Domino strike a pose.

Who says you have to be human to be cosplaying? Robots made the scene as attendees encountered R2-D2 and K9 (with one of the many incarnations of Doctor Who).

This cosplayer was on target with his cosplay of CW's Arrow!

DC Comics gets a lot of representation, with a stellar Supergirl (modeled after the DC Bombshells edition) and the classic Batgirl and Batman.

I got really good service from the roving beef jerky salesguy -- but like all good meat products, you do not want to see how it's made!

Gotta admit, Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson was the last person I expected to see at a science fiction convention!

Feel that wind picking up? There's an F-5 Sharknado approaching!

Do you want to build a snowman? Or would you rather have a Sucker Punch?

It's beginning to look a lot like cosplay Christmas with a little RUBY red and a lot of She-Hulk green!

And you've got to give it up to a first-time convention goer who jumps in feet-first in full cosplay, like this Poison Ivy actress (joined by her more convention-experienced friend, Harley Quinn).