BlueMoon | Fantasy by Trident Media

IN EE AZ FR G R A U M YO NT E D U ST

Fantasy

Design by Robyn Duvelly , Katherine Potthoff, Betty Sirak and Ashyln Roth, Robert Wheatley & Hannah-Rose Bicknell

Contributors News Editor |Laura Slingo Features Editor | Hannah Bicknell Sports Editor |Charlie Pearson Entertainment Editor |Katie Noble Innovation Editor |Betlehem Fekade Lifestyle Editor |Robert Wheatley Design Editor |Robyn Duvelly Fahad Qurashi Lashara Van Heerden Hannah Myers April Wilson Sophie Joaman Catie Allwright Bryony Wharfe Ellis O’connell Kieran Burman

COVER DESIGN: Dominic Dalseme COPY EDITOR: Kealie Mardell EDITOR IN CHIEF: Brad Johnson CONTACT: vp.comms@hertfordshire.su

VP Comms & Media Hertfordshire Students’ Union College Lane Hatfield Herts, AL10 9AB TridentMedia.org Facebook.com/TridentMediaUK Twitter & Instagram @TridentMediaUK

Brad Johnson | Vice President of Communications and Media This is the second BlueMoon for the academic year and its quality just shows the skills and passion that our student media members have. I am incredibly proud of the whole print team at what they have achieved so far this year and hopefully it will continue to have such an excellent standard. Look out for the future issues online and around campus.

Kealie Mardell | Media Coordinator This is my final issue with Trident Media and I couldn’t be happier to be going out on such a diverse theme! Fantasy is step out of the ordinary and into the extraordinary, and our writers have certainly got that covered with everything from books to music and an insight into the world of cosplay. This is only the second BlueMoon of the year and I’m so proud of the team! For everyone behind the scenes, keep up the great work, and for everyone else, please keep reading!

Shelby Loasby | Head of Print Welcome to the second issue of BlueMoon! The fantasy theme is a personal favourite of mine, it’s an escape from reality and a chance for us to embrace the weird and wonderful. You’ll find reviews of your favourite fantasy films and TV shows, along with makeup tutorials, costume ideas, all things Comic Con, and of course the amazing Doctor Who Interview! Thank you to everyone who worked hard on this issue. Enjoy!

Huriyah Quadri | Print Editor Hi guys! wow second issue of BlueMoon already?! The fantasy theme was so much fun to work with and we’ve had some really cool content from the team, I hope you enjoy flicking through this magazine as much as I did!

12| What We Do in the Shadows

Lifestyle

14| Fantasy Inked 15| Pop art make up 16|Creating a Comic Con Costume: The Process 17| Comic Con Cosplay Outfits

Innovation 19| Top 5 Fantasy Diseases

Spotlight 21| Expose on Artist Dominic Desleme 22| Doctor Who

Entertainment Entertainment

Dominic Dalseme

Article by Betlehem Fekade

ENTERTAINMENT

BOOKS/LORE

Are you a Game of Thrones aficionado? Have you ever heard of a Lord of some Rings? Or do you not know whether the Barks of Winterfall or the Canisters of Castlily Sock should rule the Several Kingdoms? Either way, here are our top three fantasy books that we think you should read…

FANTASY BOOKS THAT EVERYONE SHOULD READ

Northern Lights by Philip Pullman

(First of the His Dark Materials trilogy) Lyra Belacqua is a young orphan girl living in Jordan College, Oxford. She is in an alternative world where humans carry their souls outside of their bodies in animal forms known as dæmons. Before puberty, dæmons are able to shapeshift into whatever form they desire, but after puberty they settle into their permanent form – one that perfectly represents the personality of their human companion. Lyra and her dæmon Pantalaimon have an ordinary life playing with the Gyptian kids and avoiding any actual learning. But, that’s before the children begin to disappear. Now, Lyra has to travel across both the known world and uncharted territories to find her best friend. Phillip Pullman is a literary genus who builds an intricate and imaginative world – a must read for all fantasy lovers.

Sabriel by Garth Nix

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

This epic fantasy novel spans two very different worlds – Ancelstierre, a world very similar to ours in terms of culture and technology; and the Old Kingdom, an ancient realm steeped in magic, heroes, and the central theme of the book, necromancers. On a quest to find her father, Sabriel leaves the comfort of her Ancelstierren boarding school and travels across the Old Kingdom. Accompanied by her sly and untrustworthy family servant, and a Royal Guard frozen in time for 200 years, she travels to the capital of the Old Kingdom, fighting the Dead along the way. Garth Nix is an incredible author with a knack for painting vivid scenery and detailed characters, and no book showcases his talent better than the first of his Old Kingdom series.

Born of a strange encounter between a beautiful Elven princess and an ordinary Englishman, Tristan Thorn is not just your ordinary boy on the cusp of manhood. Unaware of his magical heritage, Tristan journeys across a magical kingdom filled with princes, fairies, witch queens, unicorns and all manner of other creatures, to fetch a fallen star for his one true love. However, what he finds there is far more dangerous, exciting, and mysterious than he could have ever expected. Gaiman is a truly gifted story teller who paints his magical world with an astounding ease – a timeless classic that can be enjoyed by all ages.

(First of the Old Kingdom trilogy)

What’s your favourite fantasy read? Let us know @TridentMediaUK

Guild Warsfa Article by Hannah Myers

REVIEW

Guild Wars 2 is the second massively multiplayer online roleplay game (MMORPG or just plainly MMO) that I have played. Unlike other games of its type, you can play this MMO completely for free (with many limitations) or you pay for the full version of the game. If purchasing, there are no monthly fees; you pay once and the game is yours to keep forever. It’s one of the many reasons why I feel that Guild Wars 2 is an amazing game for first time MMOers. There are five playable races within Guild Wars 2: The Charr, a ferocious race of feline warriors; the Asura, magical rodent like inventors; the Norn, giant people from the frozen northern lands; the Sylvari, a young race of plant people (think elves with petals or bark instead of skin); and the Humans, an embattled but resilient people. There are nine different classes that any race can play: three heavy armoured classes (Warrior, Guardian and Revenant), three medium armoured classes

Image: PixaBay

(Ranger, Engineer and Thief), and three light armoured classes (Mesmer, Elementalist and Necromancer). Character customisation in Guild Wars 2 is immense, each class and race can make a character look completely different from the last. I’ve never seen two characters look exactly the same. Tyria has been at war for hundreds of years. The human lands of Ascalon had been taken over by the Charr during the original Guild Wars game. Guild Wars 2 sees all five races on Tyria at peace together. The main foes, holding this alliance together are the Elder Dragons. Players become the heroes of their chosen race, joining alongside their chosen order: the Vigil, the Durmand Priory and the Order of Whispers. This choice isn’t made easily; the hero must work with all three races before finally deciding on which one they want to pick. Don’t worry about lacking in story within Tyria; even if your personal story has ended, there are story events all around the

continent (which are a must-do if you want to level up!) Some of the characters’ choices within Guild Wars 2 are very different to their choices in the original Guild Wars, and this has led to some long-time players feeling a little disheartened with the story part of the franchise. As someone who is only playing the original after the sequel, I have yet to experience many of these design flaws and characteristic changes, but I have to agree there have been some. For instance, Norn in the original are part of society built around individual accomplishment, but in the sequel they say and do things that contradict their ancestors’ nature. Though the story content is currently falling a little flat, the Guild Wars universe is constantly being added upon; there will never be an end to the hero’s story. Though while you wait for the development team to add in a bit more plot, there are plenty of character slots when you start the game; I suggest doing it all again and again – I know I have!

Study and

Article by Laura Slingo

ENTERTAINMENT

antasy scor Because sometimes we all need a boost to get us out of this realm and into another.

FANTASY BOOKS THAT EVE Your R Y Fantasy-Inspired O N E S H O U L Study D R EPlaylist AD

Here’s a short playlist to transport you into the world of the fantastical. Not totally guaranteed to help you study, but it certainly might awaken that spark of creativity!

'Atlas' – Coldplay

Playlist

From the dystopian adventure film Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Coldplay capture the loneliness and the heartbreak when trying to defeat the impossible. Couldn’t be more appropriate for a study playlist really!

Study

'Wars of Faith' – audiomachine

'Sunshine (Adagio in D Minor)' – John Murphy

This track is sure to place you in the land of the epic. audiomachine has produced music for some of the most iconic movie trailers and soundtracks for video games. If you haven’t ‘Spotified’ them yet, do so.

This score has been composed by a stream of talented artists over the years and used in a several movies due to its epic intensity. John Murphy bravely composed this version for science-fiction thriller Sunshine, but it has also been used in trailers, such as X-Men: Days of Future Past.

d study

'Gravity' – Stephen Price

'Dance of the Druids' – Bear McCreary, Raya Yarbrough

A haunting piece for a journey back to earth, featured at the end of Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity. With celestial vocals fuelled by commanding strings, you’re sure to be pulled into the zone.

This Celtic-themed track is from TV series Outlander and does nothing other than transport us into the world of the medieval, the magical, and the epic.

fantasy scores

fantasy 'Lily’s Theme' – Alexandre Desplat

From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, here's another ethereal track featuring softer strings and chiming vocals that are sure to place you in a spiritual trance.

'Concerning Hobbits' - Howard Shore

Because I just couldn’t not put this track into a fantasy playlist... If you don’t know what movie it’s from, please seek medical attention immediately.

Comic Con

Article by April Wilson

Interviews

I interviewed some of our student cosplay population to find out what cosplaying means to them, and whether it is something that gives them confidence. Here’s what I found out about cosplay culture… HOLLY CAMPBELL Cosplay: Raven from Teen Titans “For me the whole point of cosplay is escapism. I feel invincible.”

ANNA ROSS Cosplay: Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon “I look forward to it for weeks, and months. I spent half a year making my cosplay.

Comic Con is now officially finding its roots in the UK with over 130,000 attendees this year. Many credit this rise to superhero films, and it’s no surprise considering that in 2014, the second highest grossing film worldwide was Guardians of the Galaxy. But what do Con goers think about this sudden rise in popularity?

Comic Con has a real sense of community. For example, one of the most popular activities is the ‘group meets’, which take place for certain fandoms. So what do our cosplayer’s think of these meets: are they a positive place for fans?

Holly:“I think it’s good that more people are able to experience it but personally for me it’s a bad thing because I don’t like being in large crowds of people.” Lara:“I have mixed feelings because it’s nice that more people are turning up for meets so you get more friends. But I was going to book a Con for May and it wanted £110 pound for the ticket (this for Asylum 16, not MCM London Comic Con but Con prices are rising each year).”

Holly: “The problem I have is that I am a plus size cosplayer. When put up my pictures on a Facebook group for feedback, I got so much hate. So now I post on a specific group for plus size cosplayers.” Lara:“Definitely. I’ve never had anyone say your cosplay is bad. They are always like ‘you are this character’; I love them!” So, while social media may be a positive way to organise and to meet up with like-minded people, it can be a negative force too in that it lets people have no fear in expressing their opinion.

LARA CROSS Castiel from Supernatural, Gabriel from Supernatural. “When you know you are not the only person liking something it gives you more confidence to talk about it.” Many women are now choosing to cosplay male characters, and vice versa. What are the cosplayers’ opinions on this within the community? Is it something which should be addressed in media itself, the fact that many feel that they do not get enough representation in popular culture, or is it simply a case of cosplayers should be allowed to cosplay whoever they want to? Holly:“I think that you should be able to cosplay whoever you want. If you want to be a character just do it. There is a limit to what people can cosplay, but it’s not just race, a lot of female characters are constricted. I’m not confident wearing anything skimpy and a lot of female heroes are wearing very little.” Anna:“Just be green instead to avoid all issues!”

Images by Tobi Olasupo

Lara:“I think institutionally, this needs to be addressed. Growing up, it was better for me being white as there was more representation, but the female characters only appeared to be there for two reasons (cue Lara gesturing towards her chest).” Another concern, for both genders, is the rising amount of cosplayers receiving unwanted sexual comments at a convention. Such advances have promoted the campaign ‘Cosplay does not equal consent’. Holly:“When I’ve posted my picture on the plus size cosplay group I’ve had a couple of comments saying you’re hot, and that’s not what I was asking for. I did get someone who added me on FB. He was a cosplayer and he has a thing for larger women. I felt a little bit weirded out, especially when he kept asking me what size I was.” Lara:“To be honest, I have never seen anything happen at Con. But I definitely think that it needs to be addressed. As nothing gives you the right to touch someone when they don’t want to be touched. I feel like the situation is over-sexualised anyway, with the poses people are asked to make in costume.” Carrying of weapons, is not only a concern, but at Con it’s something of a hot topic with many people.

ENTERTAINMENT

So is the potential of weapons something that bothers Con goers at Con, and do they feel that security does enough to manage the situation? Holly:“I’ve never had any concerns with it. I generally feel quite safe at Con. Though sometimes things which are not dangerous get confiscated, whereas things which could be dangerous are not. It’s not very consistent. I think they should check better at the door. They don’t do bag checks but I kind of think they should.” Anna:“I think there is enough security. I always feel safe at Con. I don’t want them to have any strict rules as then they will start taking things that are props and not dangerous. It could ruin people’s cosplays.” Lara:“Security was very present this year. Previous years they felt invisible. They were checking all the weapons. It’s been years since there has been a proper incident.” So, Comic Con is a place to feel included, a place to feel confident if only for that day, and as that character. Most of all, the impression given to me was that Comic Con is a place of escapism. After all, who would not want to be a superhero for a day?

Article by Sophie Joaman

T V - S h o w d o w n : T h e V a m p i r e Diaries vs The Originals When the American supernatural drama The Vampire Diaries first hit our screens way back in 2009, it was competing against an influx of dark romance films and television shows. As a loyal fan from the outset, I adamantly defended the series when people suggested that it was a mere copy of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight. Sure, there are universal themes in both; yes, there are love triangles between human and monster. Indeed, the human female is enticed by the mysterious bloodsucking creature. However, The Vampire Diaries feels refreshingly grown-up, unique and most importantly, gripping. Many nights have been spent catching up on the latest musings at Mystic Falls until unsociable hours; enthralled by the nail biting story-lines and the broken promise that ‘one more episode’ really meant ‘at least three more episodes before sunrise’. And with the success of The Vampire Diaries, one show was not enough for the writers at CW. Enter Klaus, the ‘Original’ vampire/werewolf hybrid who found himself leaving the familiar realm of

Mystic Falls in 2013 for a spin off series, The Originals. With the drama between the protagonists, the Salvatore brothers and Elena Gilbert wearing thin by season 6 of The Vampire Diaries, The Originals added extra zest to the popular supernatural genre of today. In both shows, creator Julie Plec’s explicit yet fantastical use of the dark violence, that constantly lurks behind each twist and turn, gives the shows their gritty allure. These dark undertones show that they are more than just a love story between human and the Other. In many ways, the writers explore the darkness of life; from the loss of loved ones and accepting fate, to the blurring between good and evil. Characters constantly tread between the two states and therefore both shows question what it means to be truly good and truly evil. The diversity of the characters is also a significant thread between the two series. Not only do the wonderfully disturbing supernatural worlds belong to human and vampire alike, (in fact it gets harder to spot the humans as the show progresses),

CW witches, doppelgängers, ghosts, hunters, werewolves and hybrids all find themselves living amongst each other in the modern world. The intertwining of story-line crossovers is handled so subtly that these shows don’t have to be watched sideby-side. The clever writing almost makes The Originals a stand alone show. As The Vampire Diaries tires of its stories and character development, The Originals only seems to be escalating into a worthy series in its own right. That being said, as The Vampire Diaries travels further into its seventh series, there is still the occasional 3am night, sat up on the edge of my seat, eyes glued to the TV. I’m left wondering what more this tiny town could possibly have going on. It just seems that finally, we have been offered a spin-off series that doesn’t need to constantly remind us that it is a product of another show. And one that may soon over-take its predecessor in the stakes for best supernatural drama. Have you watched The Vampire Diaries or The Originals? What do you think? Tweet us @TridentMediaUK.

Article by Bryony Wharfe

ENTERTAINMENT

Top 3 Game of Thrones Predictions: Season Six With around six months until the season six premiere, and with little left to go on in the published books, even those who have read the novels are clueless about what is in store for next spring. However as always, there are plenty of rumours circling around about the fate of characters and storylines.

1) Is Jon Snow dead? At the end of season five we see beloved Jon Snow die at the hands of the Night’s Watch. As we know fully well from the show, just because they’re a main character, doesn’t mean they can’t die. However, with the Red Priestess Melisandre having a dead Stannis on her hands, perhaps she was wrong to claim him as ‘Azor Ahai’. After all, she did try to seduce Jon and she’s only known to seduce those of royal blood (the R+L=J theory). This woman can also bring back the dead, so will she make the big decision to change the fate of either Jon or Stannis?

HBO

WARNING: There are spoilers! If you aren’t up to date there may be spoilers especially if these theories are true!

2) Is the R+L=J theory true?

3) Is Cersei doomed for death?

Another theory based on Jon Snow, if you haven’t already heard the rumours is Ned Stark is not Jon Snow’s father. The theory goes alongside another event, ‘Robert’s Rebellion’. Robert Baratheon was set to marry Ned’s sister Lyanna, however, she was kidnapped by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, starting the battle to rescue her. At the end of the battle, Ned is said to find her dying in a tower, where she asks him to make a promise. The theory states that Rhaegar and Lyanna are Jon’s parents, and that promise was to keep Jon safe. Not only does this make Jon the son of ‘Fire and Ice’, but makes him of Targaryen blood. There has been much speculation about a tower (where filming is taking place), that could resemble the tower where Lyanna died. Could this mean that flashbacks are shown in season six?

HBO

In the very first episode of season five, we see a flashback from Cersei to when she was younger. The Maggy the Frog prophecy in the TV show talks of a younger and more beautiful woman destined to take her crown – Margaery Tyrell. It also states that her children will all be crowned king or queen, but shall all die before her. This indicates that Myrcella won’t die, at least not soon; but there was another part to the prophecy that the show didn’t include: “And when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you.” ‘Valonqar’ means ‘little brother’, which explains why she always thinks Tyrion will be the one to kill her. But as we know from the relationship between Cersei and Jamie, he is also younger than her. Perhaps little brother means anyone’s little brother, but having Jamie kill his sister and lover would be sticking to the style that Game of Thrones is famous for. It may not happen in season six, but with the way things are going for Cersei, it doesn’t look too good!

Article by Catie Allwright

What We Do in the Shadows "Even though your heart might be cold and dead, it doesn't mean you can't feel anything." Described as ‘the best comedy of the year’ by The Guardian, this 2014 mockumentary follows the trials and tribulations of Viago, Vladislav and Deacon in their hometown of Wellington, New Zealand. It’s the story of just three average guys living together. The catch? They’re vampires, welcomed into the undead community at various points in history. If it wasn’t enough to have to compete with daily tasks such as avoiding sunlight, coping with heartbreak, feuding with werewolves and feasting on human blood, they also have to deal with their 8,000 year old roommate Petyr and trying not eating their new human friend, Stu. First, we meet 379 year old Viago, an eighteenth century dandy who can be a little fussy. Is it too much to ask that Deacon do the dishes more than once every five years? Can Petyr sweep away the skeletal remains littering the basement, or Vladislav put down towels before feasting on a victim on the white sofa?

As it turns out, yes. Vampires don’t like chores any more than students do. Next, we are introduced to 862 year old Vladislav, played by Flight of the Conchords’ Jemaine Clement. Vladislav grew up in medieval times and has a long tyrannical history, earning himself the fond title of ‘Vladislav the Poker’. According to Viago, he’s a really great guy... just a bit of a pervert. Lastly, at a mere 183 years of age, Deacon is the ‘bad boy’ of the group, a Nazi vampire who moved to New Zealand after losing the war... perhaps not as relateable. Dispelling the myth that vampires are ‘mopey old creatures who live in castles’, this trio just want to have a bloody good time like the rest of us. But how do you get ready for a night out when you have no reflection? And how do you plan where to meet your next victim when getting into a club depends on whether you are actually invited inside? Being a vampire isn’t all sunshine and happiness; in fact it’s rather dark and morbid as Petyr’s latest victim, Nick, discovers. The ability to fly and transform at will are pretty cool, but the novelty wears off when you can’t sunbathe, watch daytime TV or eat chips. What kind of a life is that? As the two youngest, Nick and Deacon don’t get along, but can agree that Nick’s human friend Stu is a keeper, a software analyst who brings the vampires up to speed with Google, texting, selfies, and Skype.

What We Do in the Shadows has won various awards, including Best Narrative Feature at Hawaii International Film Festival and Audience Award at Monsters of Film 2014. They couldn’t be more well deserved; the film is wickedly funny, strangely touching and puts a fresh, humanising perspective on our dearly departed vampire community. Next time you’re trawling through Netflix for inspiration, look no further than this.

Have you seen What We Do in the Shadows? What did you think? Tweet us @TridentMediaUK.

Lifestyle Lifestyle

“Spirited Away” | Jaime Adrianne Dai

Article by Laura Slingo

FANTASY INKED

The modern world as we know it is firmly grasped by the pulsating realm of fantasy and it seems that we are doing everything we can to become a part of it, or more accurately, to let it become a part of us. Today’s society is desperately trying to incorporate the world of the make believe, the fabricated illusions and the fantastical reveries into their lives by permanently inking fantasy’s finest element onto their skin. Here’s what some of the University of Hertfordshire’s biggest fantasy fans have tattooed. Becky Price is one of many whose life has been completely overwhelmed by the influence of Harry Potter. She explains her tattoo: “I grew up with the books and films and fell in love with the magic. ‘Always’ is Snape and Lily’s last word, and I thought it was perfect to show how much Harry Potter will always be a part of me!” In honour of the Harry Potter magic that changed her life forever, Beth James has the iconic Deathly Hallows tattooed on her shoulder. She says: “It’s great because people who get what it is love it, and for those who don’t, it just looks like a cute symbol.”Beth’s boyfriend, Max Hutchins, is also a fan of triangular symbols with meaning. He has the Triforce inked from The Legend of Zelda. Taking a step down the parallel road of heroes, Jerica P’ng has Avengers’ superhero Captain America on her skin. She says: “The reason I love Captain America is because he was chosen to be a superhero not because of his physical appearance or abilities, but his heart of gold! Something I try to apply to my own life.”

Becky Price

Em Ewart

Bryony Wharfe

Emily Stevens

Beth James

Emily Stevens

Student Bryony Wharfe is not shy of a tattoo or two. In fact, she is covered in 106 tattoos! For any Doctor Who fans out there, you’ll notice that ‘Don’t Blink’ is in reference to the hauntingly creepy weeping angels episode. The quotation’s next door neighbour is two dragons fulfilling a yin and yang shape – because who doesn’t love a dragon or two? Fully exposing herself to the greatest fantastical impulse to sweep the nation, Game of Thrones, Bryony has ‘Valar Morghulis’ upon her thigh. For those that don’t speak High Valyrian, this translates to ‘All Men Must Die’. Stefan Rhoads got inked with an emblem to mark Back to the Future Day. He says: “I’ve always been mad about the films and I thought it would be cool if I got it done on the actual day.” Doc would be proud!Some of us like to have a little more fun with the strands of fantasy fiction out there. Student Emily Stevens has the Peppermint Butler from the magical and apocalyptic cartoon, Adventure Time. She says: “I’m a big Adventure Time fan and he looks like the coolest character!” Emily also has a spot of the extra-terestrial on her back too! In a totally different strand of fantasy is Maleficent. Student Em Ewart has the ‘evil’ villain inked across her thigh. She says: “I loved what Maleficent stood for in that movie as originally she was the villain, but the new movie showed a different side of her, and she is a character that I aspire to be like as she has come out the bigger person. Oh, and I’m a massive Disney freak!” Got any more fantasy themed tattoos? Tweet us a pic @TridentMediaUK #fantasyinked

p U e k a M rt

Article and images by Robyn Duvelly

Pop A Since we have a fantasy themed issue this month, why not get creative with some fun comic book inspired ‘pop art’ face paint! It’s a simple and fun way to paint your face without the stress of the detailed lines: You just need three colours, and a base of any choice! So first off, you need to start with a fresh clean face with no products on and apply a moisturizer. You then pick any foundation or concealer that has a matte finish and apply it all over your face to mute out your facial features; particularly the eyebrows and lips.

Eyebrows

Lips

Choose a bold red lipstick, or lip pencil, and draw all over your lip and then use the black eyeliner to go around it and define the creases in your lip. Go back with the white eyeliner, and draw a small triangle on your bottom lip to look like a highlight!

Eyes

LIFESTYLE

2. Then do the same thing on the lower lash line but don’t connect it to the corner of your eye. 3. After, go back to the upper eyelid and draw a fake crease in a slight triangular shape to make the eyes look droopy and sad. 4. Then use a white eyeliner to go along the lower inner rim of your eyes.

The eyes are the focus point of Body (optional) the look, so start off with any liquid eyeliner of your choice: This step is optional. If you’re wearing a top that 1. Create a bold cat eyeliner shows your collarbones look and then create big and neck, you can define them with bold strokes!

Next are the eyebrows, and for this I’m using a black Kohl eyeliner pencil to make my eyebrows really bold, thick and defined. Try to keep the natural shape of your eyebrows; just fill them in very intensely!

Face Outline the bone structures in your face: starting with your nose, draw a line down the centre of your nose using your Kohl pencil once again or any other black make up you have. This creates the 2D pop art effect. Define your cupid’s bow, cheek bones and jaw line with a single stoke.

Article by Robert Wheatley and Fahad Qurashi

Creating a Comic Con Costume: The Process If you have attended a convention before, you would have noticed many a creature, character and customer dotted about in the excessive crowds; real identities hidden behind a fictional mask. I am talking, of course, about cosplaying. From store-bought replicas of one’s favourite cartoon character to immensely detailed reconstructions of a superhero’s suit, cosplays are a fundamental part of any convention. I spoke to University of Hertfordshire student, Fahad Qurashi, about the process of bringing his costumes to life, as well as his inspiration for attending Comic Con and what the convention has to offer. “The concept of it was always interesting to me. You would always see America, Japan and other countries go to these massive, huge conventions with, famous people and the whole cosplay aspect – I didn’t even know we had one, which is funny because now that I know that we had one I don’t really understand I missed it” . “I found out a month before it happened – October 2012. I was supposed to be cosplaying for the first time, but [the costume] didn’t arrive in time – I was just Fahad. But I still had a blast, it was so much fun”

He had different reasons for making his own costumes, but only one universal student motivation: “Money? Yeah, basically, what you’ll find if you start taking it seriously is that making costumes is so much easier than buying them. Like, ‘Oh, here’s an entire outfit for £40’, but if you make it – sure, it will be like 20 hours of your life, but it’s £8. My Friday cosplay, of the Expo just gone, was Yu Narukami, and his shirt, if you look online: £60. I made it for £8.” Fahad began making costumes by altering clothing he bought, but then moved onto making his work from scratch. “Minwu was my first cosplay that I made from scratch – it was really hard as I didn’t know how to use a sewing machine. I made it all by hand and it took hours, and hours, but I got there in the end. The hardest bit was sewing through the hat. You do learn a lot of skills from making your own costumes, like I know how to sew now.”

Fahad explained that the average costume can take around two weeks, non-stop. He showed me the detail that went into it one of his outfits such as its stitching and choice of fabric, although this was only the clothing. Most cosplayers will use makeup to fully transform themselves into their character, which means yet more time dedicated to research and more money spent. Wigs are another edition to a cosplay, though these are often purchased, and these may still require dyeing and styling to replicate a character’s hair, or may need its length altered. You can follow Fahad Qurashi’s page on Facebook, ‘Lord Sass Cosplay’.

“Y of ou yo skil do ur ls f lea ow rom rn n c ma l os ak ot tum in es g ” “Majority of the time... you look up other people’s cosplays. Other people who cosplay, sometimes have a Cosplay Island account, tumblr account, or a Facebook page – some cosplayers even have a step by step where you can follow their lead.”

Fahad Qurashi

Article by Kieran Burman, Images by Paul Mortimore

Top 5 MCM Comic Con Cosplay Outfits Comic Con was rife with original, obvious and outstanding cosplayers and a lot of them stood out. Here are my top five favourite costumes:

Jesse and James (Victreebel) 4028

These Con goers took a comedic turn depicting Pokémon’s James getting eaten by the ever present Victreebel. Throughout the series, Jesse and James were routinely getting pummelled by not only Ash and the gang but their own Pokémon too. These cosplayers show a superb imitation of the characters and an obvious love for Pokémon. The detail and accuracy was almost unrivalled for such a simple set of costumes. These outfits were outstanding, original ideas that caught a lot of attention. Let’s hope there were no fire-type Pokémon about!

Lego-batman 4025

Now there were plenty of masked crusaders, don’t get me wrong. But there was definitely only one Lego Batman. The vigilante would have found it difficult to save the day due to his square cardboard legs and hence lack of mobility. However, his smile, along with his creativity, got this costume a place in the top five. He’s the hero Comic Con deserves, but not the one it needs right now.

Monkey 4014

A blast to the past and probably one for our more mature students but it was great to see and old show still getting recognition. I heard that this costume won ‘Cosplay of the weekend’ and while I don’t think it’s that amazing, it definitely gets a place in my top five.

LIFESTYLE

Damian (Mean Girls) 4003

Now, this isn’t your typical Comic Con cosplay dress, however it is hilarious. The outfit is almost spot on but what makes it is the sign. Fortunately it wasn’t Wednesday otherwise this outfit couldn’t have been warn. “She doesn’t even go here” hit the internet by a storm and is incredibly memeable. The simplicity and sheer hilarity get’s it a place in my top five, but it isn’t number one. I’m sorry Damian, I wish we could all just get along. You can’t sit with number one.

Bender (Futurama) 3931 Another brilliant use of cardboard – this fender costume had everything from superb detail to ease of making. The best thing about a costume like this is that it is easily recognisable and it’s obvious what they’re trying to achieve, and that’s why it’s in my top five. Truthfully, I wanted to bite his shiny metal a**.

BONUS COSTUME: The Dictator: Admiral General Aladeen (3929) Now we’re not legally about to write about Admiral General Aladeen, nor were we allowed to take a picture but this ‘costume’ was simply incredible but if I don’t hurry my head might get chopped.

Innovation Innovation

Dominic Dalseme

Article by Betlehem Fekade

TOP 5 FANTASY DISEASES The human body is capable of many wondrous feats. But nothing is more mysterious than these strange illnesses which sound like they’ve been plucked out of a fantasy series. Here are just five such conditions:

5. Porphyria – The Vampire Disease.

Porphyria is a group of inherited metabolic disorders which lead to the accumulation of chemicals known as porphyrins. In some patients, these chemicals can build up and cause extreme reactions to sunlight – this isn’t just your average sun burn; sufferers of Porphyria will begin to have a reaction to the sun following an exposure period of up to 30 minutes. While the connection between the folklore and this disease is tenuous at best, some experts believe the myths of vampirism originated from Vlad the Impaler who is thought to have had this condition.

excessive growth of hair over the facial regions, arms, legs and torso have a distinct similarity to the folklore of lycanthropy. Another condition related to lycanthropy and werewolf folklore is known as clinical lycanthropy – a psychiatric disorder that involves the delusion that the person can or has transformed into an animal. Patients with this order also often adopt animalistic behaviours such as howling, clawing or growling.

INNOVATION

studies to identify the cause of this condition and so far experts believe simply that this condition arises from a distorted perception of reality.

1. Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva – the human mannequin. FOP is a rare genetic disorder which affects the body’s ability to repair connective tissue such as muscle, ligament and tendons. A mutation in the repair mechanism means joints are ossified (covered in new bone tissue). The formation of bone over joints means that they are unable to move and become permanently frozen. Surgical intervention is difficult as any attempt to remove the bone results in the body attempting to repair the area with yet more bone.

SciELO

3. Epidermodysplasia verruciformis – the tree illness.

SciELO

4. Hypertrichosis and clinical lycanthropy – the werewolf diseases. Hypertrichosis, also known informally as werewolf syndrome, is the excessive growth of body hair. This can be a genetically inherited condition or caused by some medication or cancers. The

This is caused by a hereditary susceptibility to a viral infection known as human papillomavirus (HPV). This causes an overgrowth of scaly pieces of skin and skin cancers especially on the hands and feet, resulting in bark-like growths which can spread all over the body.

2. Cotard’s delusion – the zombie syndrome. Cotard’s delusion is an extremely rare mental illness which can cause the person to believe that they do not exist as a person, or believe that part of their body has become putrefied or no longer exists. There have been many case

SciELO While these diseases bare similarities to our folklore and fictitious pieces of work, it is important to note that these are real diseases and sufferers should be treated with respect and dignity.

Spotlight Spotlight

Dominic Dalseme

Article by Shelby Loasby

Artist Spotlight

SPOTLIGHT

Dominic Dalseme

He describes his epic cover design as ‘a piece depicting a planet falling into the atmosphere of a dying star.’ The futuristic world shown on the Entertainment page shows ‘a chase high above the streets in a futuristic metropolis.’ The innovation artwork is Dominic’s latest creation and is described to show ‘a mechanic taking a break from inspecting faulty components inside of a bunker.’ The final piece showcased in BlueMoon is Dominic’s Spotlight artwork. Originally a much larger image shwoing a baron landscape, the piece illustrates a lonely desolate life, safe for one explorer.

Dominic Dalseme is in his 3rd year of studying 3D Games Art, specialising in concept art, here at the University of Hertfordshire. He loves illustrating science fiction and all things fantasy, much of what can be seen throughout BlueMoon. “I’ve always enjoyed drawing and painting, and playing video games has been my passion for all my time on this planet.” He said. “Adding 3D modelling, texturing and rendering to my creative skillset, I have been gearing my talents over the past three years towards a career in video games.”

The pieces shown here are just a snippet of Dominic’s flare and talent. His games art experience helps him to create these alternative worlds and characters and his collection is vast and continues to grow. If you like what you see and want to find out more about the artist, go to his: tumblr: dominicdalsemeblog.tumblr.com or check out his: website: dominicdalseme.co.uk Let us know what you think and share your own fantasy artwork @TridentMediaUK

Article by Lashara van Heerden

INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR DANIEL NETTHEIM With the recent episode of the ‘Zygon Invasion’ and ‘Zygon Inversion’ now over it’s time to talk to Daniel Nettheim, the director of Doctor Who episodes seven and eight. With clear allegories of terrorism, migration, refugees, modern-day global and political events, Doctor Who had us all glued to our seats with a Zygon insurgency. “It all took the form of aliens living on Earth amongst us, which was a really neat way of exploring questions of race, identity and topical issues like that… Whereas a lot of the episodes so far had been set in the past or on other planets. This was very much set on Earth,” says Nettheim. Nettheim explains that the two-part series: “The two-part series was a very

contemporary urban adventure, an urban thriller really… So I kind of thought, lets give Doctor Who a Jason Bourne-styled adventure.” He admits that he hadn’t actually watched Doctor Who much since the Doctor was played by Tom Baker, but “[his] own kids have really been into it since David Tennant.”

So, they made it happen, just so that they could be “cool dads” says Nettheim grinning proudly. Mission accomplished. The episodes were filmed for five weeks in South Wales and Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands “which was standing in for New Mexico,” says Nettheim. Reflecting on the unusualness of the show, Nettheim explains that there were some “crazy conversations pre-production.”

Image: Daniel Nettheim Essentially, Nettheim got the job directing Doctor Who because of his agent’s son, “who was the same age as Remy [Nettheim’s son],” and his children’s fandom of the show. Nettheim recalls that the agent had said “You know I would get so much kudos with my son if I could get him onto the set of Doctor Who,” to which Nettheim replied, “so would I.”

“Normally on set, like if you are working on a police show, you would be looking at different models of cars going, ‘which car would you prefer – this one or this one? What kind of gun would you like – this one or this one? What sort of shirt will the character wear?

“Whereas conversations on Doctor Who were things like, ‘When we make the alien cave, how big is it going to be? How many aliens do you want to see?’ And then we were dealing with Zygons, which is essentially men dressed up in rubber suits.”

SPOTLIGHT

Image: Daniel Nettheim “So that was all about how are we going to light and film this to make it look less like a man in a rubber suit and more like a scary alien. And because we’ve only got two of those rubber suits we can only ever see two in one shot at the same time – how are we going to be creative to make it look like the Zygons are invading the earth?” The most respect, according to Nettheim, was probably “given to the people in the alien costumes, because once they are in them, every square inch of their body is covered in very heavy rubber… They are really debilitating for the actors inside and painful.” Nettheim added that the actors were allowed to take their legs off at lunchtime. Apparently ‘monster actors’ are a real thing. There are actors who specialise in art of monsterdom. Many of the Zygons who appeared in the past two episodes were experienced Zygons and monsters. “At one stage I did have an actor who was a very experienced monster actor, but he was in the Zygon suit for the first time and he found it very hard going, like a

claustrophobia going on – mild panic attacks… We had to remember to be very very respectful of these monster actors and what they were going through. “I would spend a day on set with these actors who were big red bloggy Zygons, you know I had spent weeks on set, and I had never seen their real faces.” Nettheim guiltily admits that at one point, “some guy I had never seen before was walking out of a makeup trailer and he said: ‘Hey Dan. Hi’, and I am looking at him like, ‘Do I know you?’” And he had to say: “Its me, Aiden, the Zygon. We have been working together for the past four weeks.” When asked if he has any advice for young directors Nettheim thinks: “It is really helpful to have a focused career plan… I think the people who see themselves as wanting to be a feature movie director it is a bit kind of vague and general… You don’t just fall into that. Focusing on something like commercials, or music videos, or TV drama, it is really good to work out. If you are going to do this professionally,

how you are going to earn a living and then consciously tailor the work you are doing to try and get you into that place.” When speaking about his recent projects Nettheim notes that Doctor Who, Humans and Line of Duty were some of his recent professional highlights. “For some reason I have become the Sci-Fi guy. By default, I fell into it,” he adds laughing.

Image: Daniel Nettheim