15 Clever Cosplay Mashups From the 2016 San Diego Comic Con

For the first time in a very, very long time, the San Diego Comic Con actually felt less crowded this year. That was also reflected in the number of people cosplaying, which was dramatically lower than last year. But while there were less costumes over all, it seemed more people went out of their way to make costumes that really stood out -particularly when it came to creating costume mashups. Here were some of the best we spotted around the convention floor.

Star Wars Rocks

Between the deaths of David Bowie and Prince, this year was a real heart-breaker for music fans. But these two put together a unique tribute to the two musicians by combining their signature styles with one of the most beloved franchises in history. While neither one is dressed as Obi-Wan, it’s hard not to hear him saying “if you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.” May Bowie and Prince never stop influencing the world of music for the better.

Rainbow Dash Ghostbuster

Cosplayer HeartlessAquarius really focused her energies on this costume and that attention to detail shined in every aspect of her costume. Now I ain’t afraid of no ghosts in Equestria.
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Merida Fett

Sometimes you wanna be a rebellious princess and sometimes you wanna be the baddest bounty hunter in the universe. This clever cosplayer figured out how to do both at once. While you can’t see her thick, red braid coming out the back of her helmet, the crossbow blaster and perfectly hued armor should still make the costume pretty obvious.

Zombie Bizarro Superman

Bizarro Superman may be a bit ugly, but even he’s not challenging enough for the students of Cinema Makeup School who show off their skills on the floor every year. This zombie version, on the other hand, is just the sort of twisted creation you’d expect from talented special effects makeup artists.
www.cinemamakeup.com

Jedi Sailor Moon

Oreparma put together this delightful Sailor Moon/Star Wars mashup, even building her own adorable driod companion, LUNA-8. Something tells me Queen Amidala would approve of her great fashion.
oreparma.deviantart.com

Burlesque Cat and Dark Snow

One is sexy and the other is scary, but these two have one thing in common -they sure don’t look like that in the traditional Disney/Marvel universe.

Steampunk Droids

Yes, there are a ton of Star Wars mashups at Comic Con, but when it seems like just about every incarnation of every character from the franchise has been done to death, is it really that surprising that some people want to mix things up a little? This family of steampunk droids certainly looked smashing -and refreshingly unique.

Vacationing Villains

Hey, everyone needs a break now and again -even Doctor Doom and Harley Quinn. These two heard San Diego was one heck of a beach town and wanted to take full advantage of their time off from evil-doing. Doom Ducky approves!

Disney or Bust

Similarly, is it any surprising that Deadpool wanted a vacation from always making snarky comments and kill shots? Looks like he wanted to check out Disneyland since they bought the rights to his universe and in the process, he ended up meeting a cute little mermaid that he just had to take home with him.

Two Face Jedi

We always hear about the Light Side and Dark Side of the Force, but this master Jedi is also a Sith. Does he flip a coin like the Batman character that inspired him whenever he needs to make a decision? It’s hard to say, but I wouldn’t want to end up on either side of that light saber.

Joker Bunny

There have been tons of Playboy bunny cosplay mashups over the years, but the reason the idea is so popular is that it just works. Just look at how fantastic this little gender-swapped Clown Prince of Crime looks.

Warrior Princesses

Peach, Daisy and Rosalina must have gotten tired of waiting for plumbers to save them every time they were in harm’s way. So they geared up to fight back next time Bowser, Wario or any other 8-bit brat from the Mushroom Kingdom tries to take them on.

South of the Border Star Wars

San Diego is a proud border city with a Hispanic population that makes up almost 30% of the city. Is it any wonder then that these two wanted to celebrate their heritage while making their own unique Star Wars cosplay?

Zombie Daphne

Zombies are always a popular source of inspiration for mashups -especially when they can double as a costume for the annual Zombie Walk. This little mystery solver was shambling out to join the parade of undead right when we spotted her.
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Punk Joker

A lot of people hated the Joker’s tattooed new look in Suicide Squad, but as this cosplayer proves, tattoos and edgy, punk style can look quite creepy when properly executed.