Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Sommers.
Hi Aaron, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I embarked on the journey of cosplaying after being unexpectedly invited to an anime convention one weekend. An old high school friend reached out to me. My usual weekend routine involved either staying in and watching anime or going to a local bar with my work friends.
It was my first time experiencing weeb culture in a large public setting. At that time, watching anime was still considered unusual, so this was all new to me. I knew I wanted to be a part of the cosplay community.
My first suit was the most affordable Miles suit I could find. I even used a toy Spider-Man mask as a faceshell. Through that experience, I gained valuable insights. Moreover, wearing it only fueled my desire to acquire another suit.
At the time I was reading the Spider-Verse comic run, it opened my eyes to the concept of the infinite multiverse. If there’s a Spider-Man who’s a pig, monkey, or even a bowl of ramen (not joking!), why can’t we have one from an anime or two?
So, I embarked on a brainstorming session, envisioning a unique concept for my characters. I wanted to give them a distinct appearance, reminiscent of those who had been bitten by the spider, incorporating their respective elements into their suits. I aimed for something more than a simple color swap of the classic red and blue. My initial attempt was a mashup of Rock Lee from Naruto, which served as a catalyst for my creative process. Although I didn’t anticipate significant attention as I ventured into original character territory, I was pleasantly surprised to receive recognition from numerous individuals throughout the weekend. This success propelled my project forward, leading to further growth and development.
Fast forward a bit, and the Spider-Verse movies are released. Suddenly, everyone is creating their own spidersonas. I leveraged my knowledge and experience to assist others in designing their own personal suits, even offering my services to create them for them.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not! I’ve had to learn a lot through trial and error. When I first started, reaching out to people for help was one of the hardest parts for me. Because of that, I made a point early on to use my own knowledge and experience to help others who were looking for guidance. Just because I struggled through it doesn’t mean they have to.
You also have to get comfortable with your body very quickly. In the beginning, I struggled with loving my appearance. I’m tall and lanky, far from the typical superhero physique. The suit hides nothing, you become part of the look itself. If you aren’t comfortable in your own skin, adjusting to that level of exposure can be really difficult.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I work at Merit Coffee, and if you’re a coffee enthusiast, we’ll likely get along very well. I don’t work in the cafes. I’m at the roastery, which is the step before the coffee reaches the cafes. It’s where the coffee beans get roasted and bagged to be sent to stores. So, any bag of coffee you see out in the wild has crossed my path at some point.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Absolutely. Stepping out on my own and building my business was a very risky endeavor. I operate in a very niche market, and not everyone is in search of custom suit designs, so it could have easily failed at any point. .
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spideywu/
