Sacramento City College students can rest easy knowing they have their own Sacramento superhero: Chris Mijares. As a cosplayer, he often wears various handmade Spider-Man costumes and roams the city for enjoyment. Mijares is a second-year student majoring in film at City College. He plans to transfer to Sacramento State after he finishes his prerequisites and general education.
Mijares incorporates love and effort into his creations, as most of his suits are handcrafted and sutured by his hand. Through his cosplaying, Mijares gained enough traction to be featured in the 916 Times, one of Sacramento’s Instagram news outlets. He and his friends cosplayed their unique versions of Spider-Man in various areas of Sacramento, which was photographed and displayed on their Instagram.
You spend a lot of time and effort on your suits. How much time does it take you to construct each suit?
It usually depends — when making suits — it depends on how complex it is and on how lazy I get. I think the longest I’ve spent on a suit was six months. That is just because of procrastination and school.
If you were to construct one straight through, how long would it take you?
The fastest I’ve made one was in two days with no eating.
Where do you usually get the materials for your suits?
I tend to get the materials online. Whenever I’m bored, I tend to scroll online and look at different textures to see what there is, but if it’s a last-minute project, I will go to Joann’s and see what they have there.
How many would you say you have in total?
I’ve lost track of the number of suits I’ve made, but it’s probably over 30. It’s mostly only been Spider-Man. I have made another suit, which is invincible, but I don’t wear it. I wore it for Halloween one time, but that was it.
There are so many unique superheroes. What about Spider-Man resonated with you and made him your favorite character to cosplay? Is he your favorite superhero in general?
Spider-Man is my favorite character for a lot of reasons. Mostly, the fact that he is relatable. He is not just this kid who has it all. He’s a broke kid who struggles with daily things that a lot of people have. Now that we are in college it’s understandable and it’s nice to see someone you can relate to while also balancing all these great things he can do.
Was Spider-Man the first cosplay you have ever done, or were there previous ones you enjoyed?
I believe the first cosplay I’ve ever done was a paper Ironman when I was 9. My grandmother showed me how to hand sew, and that’s where it all started. If it were not for my grandma, I probably wouldn’t be making suits right now.
Lots of people who wear masks tend to get something called mask confidence, which means they feel less social anxiety under the mask. Does that apply to you as well?
Absolutely. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been very awkward, and I overthink when talking to people. I still kind of get like that sometimes, but when I’m out and about as Spider-Man, it’s like a switch. I’m the most comfortable I have ever been.
What is the usual process in designing a new suit?
If I’m making a suit that already exists, for example, if it’s from a game or movie, that’s easy. I’ll immediately go into fabric sourcing to see what I’m working with, and then I will do the patterning and fabricating process. If I am doing an original design, I will start out by mocking up the design and go back to it every now and then to revise it. Sometimes, it doesn’t turn out exactly how I thought it would, so I will always revise it.
This Q&A has been edited for length, clarity and flow.
Express Exchange is a Q&A series that highlights the people in the Sacramento City College community. Each conversation explores unique experiences, challenges these people overcame and perspective into what matters most in their personal journey. This series provides a space to connect and share meaningful experiences. Have an idea of someone for us to interview? Contact our editors at llentz.express@gmail.com and njeffery.express@gmail.com
