This weekend, Ferrol Paulsen, a 2009 Sequim grad, embarks to Seattle for her third Emerald City Comicon, the largest comic book and pop culture convention in the Pacific Northwest. She attends dressed as characters from comic books and movies each day of the event with her first cosplay (costume play) as the Batman villain Poison Ivy.
In Sequim, Paulsen said she was into sports and music growing up, but when she attended the University of Idaho, Moscow (graduated in 2012 with a general studies degree with an emphasis in communications), she “found out there was way more out there” and began exploring her love of science fiction and fantasy more.
Question 7: What is your favorite color?
Paulsen: Purple. My hair is purple. It has nothing to do with lavender or Sequim High School’s colors. It has an association to me for many things. My first pair of adult glasses were purple.
Question 9: What is the last thing you read?
Paulsen: “Vigilante” comic book. Our sous chef (at Blondie’s Plate where she is the bartender) brought it back from New York. I’m slowly going through the stack. I also get new comics monthly through Loot Crate (a subscription service).
Question 12: What is your earliest memory?
Paulsen: I remember fishing at Lake Sutherland with my family. My grandparents had a piece of property out there. I am one of nine grandchildren. I spent a majority of my childhood being outside. It’s what stuck with me. This is probably one of the most beautiful places in the world. I’d rather be here than on a beach in California.
Question 33: Kirk or Picard (from “Star Trek” and “Star Trek: The Next Generation”)?
Paulsen: Picard because that’s what I’d get up and watch on Saturday mornings. I grew up watching Sir Patrick Stewart and the Enterprise. The day I met (him three years ago at the convention) was one of the best days of my life. He’s one of the sweetest people in the world. We got to chat for only a minute.Don’t get me wrong though, I appreciate what the original “Star Trek” did for the culture and it opened the doors for so many things.
Question 43: If you relived the same day over and over, what would you do?
Paulsen: I’d be stuck on a Saturday at the con and go around and look at everyone’s art and learn how to draw because I can’t. So much talent is there and everyone is so excited and lively. You can never get bored there.
Bonus Question 1: Any stories from the con that stand out?
Paulsen: Last year (on Saturday dressed as Wonder Woman) solidified for me that I want to do this (cosplay) and I want to do it better. The reaction was incredible. A little girl came up to me crying because she thought I was Wonder Woman. I don’t know what is more amazing. I was so humbled by that. I realized I want to do this for people.
Bonus Question 2: Who are you going as this year?
Paulsen: On Friday I’ll be dressed as a liberal take on Indiana Jones, Captain America on Saturday and someone else to be determined on Sunday.
Bonus Question 3: If you could make/wear any costume, who would you be?
Paulsen: I have two: Sailor Jupiter from the Japanese anime (cartoon) “Sailor Moon.” We only had a few channels growing up and it was one of the few animes on TV. It’s what introduced me to anime but I realized it’s not really my thing; and Mystique from the X-Men movies. That’s a skill level I hope to achieve. It means I could do prosthetics, and paint. It’s something I’m fascinated by.
In Random Questions, members of the community each draw five random questions (sometimes more) out of 50 from a bag and he/she will answer these questions for your entertainment. With suggestions for random interviews, e-mail Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.
