Superhero armor, fantasy swords and sci-fi helmets filled Los Angeles Comic Con, held October 30 to November 1 at the Los Angeles Convention Center for its 15th anniversary. As 3DPrint.com reports, a lot of those costume pieces started on a 3D printer.
Fans print helmets, armor, masks and accessories sized exactly to fit, then sand, paint and finish them by hand. Printer maker Snapmaker ran live demos, showed winning designs from its cosplay model contest, offered free costume repair sessions all weekend, and sponsored the Cosplay National Championship, with $25,000 in total cash prizes.
Start small at home: a mask, a crown, a magic wand or a badge is a great first costume print. Print in PLA, let an adult handle sanding (it makes fine dust), and paint in a well-ventilated room. A bigger helmet can come next year.
Source: 3DPrint.com: “3D Printed Cosplay Steals the Show at L.A. Comic Con” (Nov 1, 2026)