Introduced to gaming and anime at an early age, it was only a matter of time before Riki LeCotey would find the best way to express her fandom: cosplay.

According to Riki "each costume presents its own set of challenges, requiring me to learn new skills like translation, sculpting, molding, casting and of course, sewing."

Riki is a native of Canada who moved to the United States to help further her costuming skills. It was a success, because she has gotten the opportunity to work on films Big Momma's House: Like Father, Like Son and X-Men: First Class as a SPX PA.

She has been involved in costuming for over 14 years and is internationally recognized in the cosplay community for her ability to translate costumes and focus on craftsmanship.

She's been invited to many conventions around the world, to judge costume contests, host workshops, and promote cosplay.

Also an avid cook, Riki is the creator of Cosplay for a Cause, whose first project was a cosplay calendar that raised more than $30,000 with 100% of the proceeds donated to the Japanese Red Cross tsunami disaster relief.

Her favorite act of charity, however, is rescuing and rehabilitating baby squirrels.

Cosplayers and cosplay contests are a fixture and highlight at the many comic book and genre fan conventions around the world.

These conventions provide an international stage for fans to showcase often spectacular handcrafted costumes and portray their favorite characters from sci-fi movies, video games, anime and more.

In Heroes of Cosplay, nine passionate fans put their imagination and skills to the test to make a name for themselves in the competitive world of cosplay.

The series follows cosplayers of all levels, from legend Yaya Han, to rising stars and newbies, as they make a splash at comic book conventions around the country.

The seriesfollows their process as they create extravagant and visually arresting costumes each week.

These nine constantly defy odds and race against the clock to transform themselves into amazing fictional characters that push the boundaries between fantasy and reality, all in hopes of impressing the convention judges to win a cash prizes and take their cosplay stardom to new heights.

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