Today we’d like to introduce you to D’Manda Martini.
Hi D’Manda, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My drag/cosplay story started with my love of comic books, specifically the X-Men, and the strong female representation that those books had. Characters like Dazzler, Storm, Kitty Pryde, Jean Grey, Rogue, Psylocke, & Emma Frost have always inspired me.
My first official cosplay at a convention was in 2013, I went to the Southern Maryland Comic-Con in Waldorf, MD as Dazzler, in her late 80s blue suit she wore when she first joined the X-Men. I then did a lot of fun cosplays for Halloween, until in the summer of 2018, I entered the Captain Green Lantern Competition hosted by the organization LGBTQ.
I saw that an old theater friend was hosting and thought it would be fun to dust off one of my previous Halloween costumes just to have a good time out in DC. When I received my registration packet, seeing I needed 3 looks and to be prepared for interview questions, I knew this wasn’t going to just be an easy breezy task. I got my nerdy & costuming friends together and got to work on two new looks, including an all-new, all-original Green Lantern dress, and revamping my Dazzler costume. It was such a fun night meeting fellow nerds and having friends come out to support them.
I was not at all expecting anything to come out of that night. One of the judges was Dax ExclamationPoint, a former contestant of RuPaul’s Drag Race & an amazing cosplayer, and meeting her that night was just incredible. It turned out, I won! From there, I got to attend conventions with LGBT HQ as Capt. Green Lantern, working the booth, being on panels, meeting all kinds of new cosplayers & nerds. After quickly bonding with Dax with our shared love of fandom & drag, she has become one of my best friends. We like to attend cosplay events & cons together, usually in corresponding looks, and it’s so fun creating new looks to do together.
The last 3 1/2 years have been a whirlwind of events, looks, and conventions. I have been so lucky to be able to share off my art and knowledge of fandoms across cons, my social media platforms, and more recently, podcasts. During the lockdown, I also entered an online Washington DC drag competition, MX. Quarantine, hosted by Logan Stone. At first, I just thought it would be something to pass the time at home, but it really allowed me to grow & stretch my skills, as well as meet so many incredible local performers, who have also become some of my closest friends.
Now that the drag scene in DC has opened back up, I have been able to perform alongside them at a variety of venues, typically doing at least one cosplay look, and I’ve been able to bring back my other love of theater into my drag, sometimes singing live at gigs. 2022 will hopefully bring more new looks, new gigs, and maybe even some travel to continue to invite more people into my little bubble of nerdy drag.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have to say, for the most part, it’s been a pretty smooth road. So many amazing and wonderful people support what I do – especially as I typically go for lesser-known characters and less popular looks for characters. However, sometimes there’s the odd comment that is not nice.
Homophobia, transphobia, and fatphobia are very real, particularly on the internet. Also, drag and cosplay have a lot of big personalities – myself included – and though we all like to have a good time, sometimes that translates into some kind of interpersonal drama. However, you just work through it the best you can.
Also, learning on the job of working in conventions has also been a struggle. Going from never having attended con to then being expected to organize parts of one has been fun, if not harrowing. Take then wins, and learn from the losses.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
So I am a drag performer, cosplay, actor, and costume designer. All of my interests in theater, fashion, and fandom all kind of combine into drag, which is awesome. As a costume designer, something I am very proud of is being known to costume actors of size. Taking the time to find things that fit, making things that do, and making sure that the actor feels comfortable, in character, and looking good.
As a big person myself, I have been told to either bring in my own clothes or have been given ill-fitting costumes; which prompted me to get into costume. I love making someone who is oftentimes made to feel like a problem to solve, instead of an opportunity to show something new and different on stage. This then is adapted into my own sense of style in drag – making sure I always feel like the prettiest girl in the room, while also feeling comfortable in my own skin. The looking out for the underdog also translates to my cosplay.
I love Z-List characters, and love to show love to characters who don’t always get the spotlight. Many people need to then ask who I am cosplaying as, but seeing people flip out when seeing a character that they would have NEVER guessed someone would cosplay is legit the best feeling.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I have an absolutely amazing support team; from people who just support my work, to those artists & creators who help me bring these looks to life. The biggest was my mother, Janice. She is always front row at a cabaret or show – when she’s not backstage helping me change. My drag & cosplay would be nowhere without the incredible talents of Carol Russell, who has created some of the most beautiful – and comic-accurate – look for me over the years.
I’m always excited to wear at Ms. Carol’s original! Jason & Erica Klonkowski, Endure Productions, has also been there since 2018, using their own cosplay & technical expertise to not only create props & costumes – if I’m wearing a big silly comic book headpiece, odds are Jason made it – but also during this past 2 years of digital drag, helped me create AMAZING music videos. Of course, all of my friends are super supportive, but a big shout out to Ben & Dax who have really helped me over the years cultivate a look & style that I really can make my own, and are always good to bounce ideas off of.
I would also be remiss to not mention Heather Brooks who really got me to take my drag & performance to the next level by reaching out to me to perform at the New Deal Cafe in Greenbelt, MD where Eleanor’s New Deal Cabaret started and continues to perform. She’s gotten me to do drag queen story times and continues to be an amazing supporter of what I do.
My Con Family, including those from LGBT HQ & Farpoint Con, who helped me get my start and encouraged me to grow; Shady Haze & the Shady Squad who have welcomed this old lady into their ranks; the entire X-Men online community – from my own personal Hellfire Club of Daniel, Evan & Luke – to X-Twitter with Power of X-Men Podcast, House of X FB groups, and the MANY MANY MANY other nerds, cosplayers, and online friends out there. They’ve all been such an incredible group of people to collaborate with, talk nerd stuff, and have a good time with.
Contact Info:
- Email: dmandamartini@gmail.com
- Website: https://linktr.ee/DMandaMartini
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dmandamartini/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DMandaMartini
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/dmandamartini
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiY-MCXEPrnoGBqJPZgYsCA
Image Credits
Erik Wuesthoff Photography, Jason Klonkowski, Rachel Wallace, and Aaron Peterson
