S4 Ep23: MCO (Multiverse Causeplay Organization): Pablo Ibanez & Alley Gibb

This week on Magic Making Mischief it’s our honor to speak with Pablo Ibabez and Aley Gibb of MCO, Multiverse Causeplay Organization. This group of cosplayers are passionate about bringing awareness to local charity groups while using their amazing cosplays to do so. Learn more about them and their groups on 02JUN at 7PM CT!

FB - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089226938941

Mombierella’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Mombierella  

C.J’s YouTube -  https://www.youtube.com/c/CJPeterson   

Ukita’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ukita_cosplay/

Juju’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jujuthecosplayer/

MCO’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/multiversecauseplay/

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Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:44

Hey Magic Makers, I'm Mombirella. I'm Yukita Cosboy, Juju Jones here.

SPEAKER_05 0:50

And I'm CJ Peterson. Welcome to Magic Mickey Mischief. Get your wands to the ready. Because we solemnly swear we're up to no good. And speaking up to no good today, we have some special guests with us from the MCO, aka multiverse Causeplay organization. We love you.

SPEAKER_02 1:22

Thanks for having us.

SPEAKER_05 1:25

They do all sorts of fun thing for a good cause. So, first of all, can you folks please explain to us what is a multi-verse cosplay organization?

unknown 1:41

Sure.

SPEAKER_01 1:41

Um, so basically it's just a group of very passionate cosplayers, and we team up and partner up with local charities all over Houston and the surrounding areas, and we just you know get dressed in you know whether it be Star Wars or Marvel, uh superheroes, DC superheroes. Multiverse basically covers all aspects of any kind of cosplaying.

SPEAKER_05 2:13

Gotcha. Now Mambi and Yukita have joined you a couple times for a couple different ones. Um it looked like they had a ball.

SPEAKER_02 2:22

We did. It's a lot of fun. How did this start?

SPEAKER_03 2:29

Well, so I mean it's it's been a lot of us um kind of growing together. Um, my first time doing any kind of cosplay volunteer like that was actually back in Hurricane Harvey, um, with a lot of displaced families and stuff. Um, and it was just something very easy to do to give back to people. So um, you know, just going, we went to a church that was housing some people that had been displaced, played with the kids, kind of took them outdoors, cared for them. That way the parents could handle what they needed to. Like it didn't seem like that big a deal, but at the end of the day, they were like just extremely grateful to have a moment to breathe, to process everything. And I mean, it just kind of became this thing like who knew dressing up could make such an impact in people's lives. So, you know, a bunch of us just kind of continued to go from there. There were some groups along the way that kind of came together. Pablo joined us along the way.

SPEAKER_01 3:28

Um so my first experience was a little boy named Pipe, and he had a um a tumor in his brain. And I joined up with them, and that's all it took. And it was an experience like no other. I mean, it's fun to go and cosplay and whatnot, but when you're doing it for a worthy cause, I mean, it just raises the bar.

SPEAKER_03 4:01

Yeah, I mean, we meet people sometimes that are going through like the toughest parts of their life, you know, and just being able to give them an opportunity to smile and play and have fun, and just forget about the reality just for a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 4:14

Yeah, I mean, it's it's it's great, and it's not just the kids, the adults. The adults are even worse uh they they go crazy.

SPEAKER_03 4:24

Yeah, no, the number of grandmas that I've seen push their grandkids out of the way to get pictures with the superheroes. This is true. Happens all the time.

SPEAKER_01 4:31

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, no, it's great. Um it's it feeds the addiction, but at the same time, it it's it's just a lot of fun. I mean, just seeing the the the light come out of their eyes, and it's uh just it's an experience that's you really can't put into words, and it and it doesn't do any justice when you do it. It's just people are happy and you're we're doing our thing and and and uh it's it's just wonderful. It really is. There's no comparison to it.

SPEAKER_05 5:12

Very cool. Uh Katie, you want to catch up actually commercial, Jeremy Vander here.

SPEAKER_06 5:27

Yes, yes, yes. And Juju, I believe the owls have whispered in my ear that you may have one coming your way. Super hubby says, Hi all. Super hubby. Jeremy Vanders, who is also one of the members of the MCO, said it was fun. And got a good question. So Super Hubby asks, what's your favorite superhero?

SPEAKER_03 5:56

Um, mine for sure is Gamorra. And it was actually like my main cosplay for a very long time. Um, and like most people there's a lot of people who call me Gamora and don't even use my name at this point. This is true. Um, but I did have to eventually find some easier cosplays because spending all that time painting myself green and getting more in work. Yeah, you know, it just became a lot of work. And so just being able to be more flexible and be a little more comfortable sometimes at the events, depending like we do a lot of outdoor events sometimes, and and in the summertime it's brutal, yeah. But we do what we can, but no, for sure, she's like my favorite. I always get the best reactions out of her, too, because nobody expects to walk in and see someone green, yes, you know.

SPEAKER_01 6:46

So right, she does a good one, she's really, really good.

SPEAKER_06 6:54

I think we know Pablo's favorite. I think no, we have no idea what's Pablo's favorite. No idea.

SPEAKER_01 7:00

I have two to confess. If it's DC, it's Nightwing, which is the first Robin all grown up, and if it's Marvel, it's gotta be Wolverine.

unknown 7:12

Hmm.

SPEAKER_06 7:12

Had no idea. I didn't see that. I thought for sure it was Superman. Yeah, that's a quick inside joke. I don't know what gave it away.

SPEAKER_02 7:24

No, no.

SPEAKER_06 7:29

Oh my gosh. Real quick. And Geekred or Ryan says, hey y'all, and his little guy it's not easy being green.

SPEAKER_04 7:40

Right. Now uh one thing I love about MCO is that it's not just superheroes, that's why it's the multi part of it. So what uh like there's a bunch of different kind of themed ones that are done too, and sometimes it'll be like come in this kind of cosplay, this kind of cosplay. Can you expand on that a little bit, please?

SPEAKER_01 8:03

So we like we dabble into the Harry Potter world, we dabble into Star Wars, Star Trek, some people do anime, um Disney.

SPEAKER_03 8:20

We also do Disney, yeah, which we haven't done in a while, but it's been a minute, but I think we just kind of leave it up to the uh uh organizers that we work with. Um, sometimes they have a theme to the event that they're holding. Um, I know we partner a lot with Ronald McDonald House. Honestly, best place, the most fun you'll ever have. Um, but we'll do the different themes for them. Like we've done a superhero birthday party, we do Star Wars every year with them, we've done Harry Potter. Um, you know, it's it's honestly just a really great time to go. Um and yeah, like each each organization sometimes has their preference. Um, we have one organization we work with called Smiley Ryland. Yes. Um and when we first connected with her, she wanted us to be superheroes because to her, her son was a superhero. She lost her son when he was young. And so we raise awareness for um organ donation and stuff with his runs and and a lot of the things that they do. And so for her, it was always superheroes for sure. Like, you know, so we just kind of leave it up to them. And fortunately, we have a lot of cosplayers who are a little bit addicted to cosplaying, and they have multiple costumes to use, a variety of people, yeah, probably being the worst of all.

SPEAKER_04 9:42

But uh three or four of those. I don't know anybody who's addicted to cosplay. I don't know what you're talking about.

SPEAKER_01 9:51

None, exactly.

SPEAKER_03 9:55

I'm just a nerd. So, but again, you know, it's a great way to give back while also feeding that addiction.

SPEAKER_01 10:03

Yes, absolutely.

SPEAKER_06 10:05

There's a balance with great cosplay comes great power and responsibility.

SPEAKER_05 10:14

I was gonna say, don't look like the four of us at all. No, no, right.

SPEAKER_04 10:20

I've actually been trying to get a Star Wars cosplay together. Um I'm gonna have my way.

SPEAKER_06 10:29

Magic making mischief crew addicted to cosplay? No, I'm not addicted, I can do it anytime I want. Shows up in the we might resemble that remark at all.

SPEAKER_05 10:45

I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know, I don't have any idea what he's talking about.

SPEAKER_04 10:51

Oh, uh speaking of some of the events that we that MCO has done that we've got to be part of, or I've got to be part of, I think you could have missed this one, but uh the uh Galveston one was actually an amazing event.

SPEAKER_03 11:02

It was uh my absolute favorite event, hands down. Like, if you ever need a mood booster, enter that room. Yep, like the most fun you will ever have in your life.

SPEAKER_01 11:16

There that in Brookwood, there's a community out on past um past Katie, and those guys are just absolutely wonderful too. They have a couple of events during the year, uh, usually it's inside, but I mean it's just I mean, you just leave it. It's just um it's it's wonderful, it really is. They're great, and yes, the Mardi Gras at Moody Gardens is absolutely fantastic. Bring your dancing shoes, yes, you know, your your face is gonna hurt from the smiles by the time you're leaving, but and the connections that we make every year they remember us, and and and it it's you know, I remember one time, one year you came in and someone said something to you, and you were in tears.

SPEAKER_03 12:13

So, yeah, no, that event. So, I'm always Alice in Wonderland at that event. There is something so the Mardi Gras event, um, it's held by Moody Gardens, and it's for it's Mardi Gras for special people, is what it is. So, any physical, mental, you know, disabilities, families can go, and it's honestly just a giant party. Yeah, so food, dancing, face painting, games, all sorts of things. Um, and from the first time I went as Alice in Wonderland, which I mean, I think I've been going to an event for seven years now or so.

SPEAKER_02 12:47

But she went before, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 12:49

It's another group. But like there's just something that they connect to with Alice in a way that I don't usually get from other events. So she's kind of become like my key person when I go there. No matter what's going on in my life, I will be Alice at Mardi Gras Moody Gardens every year forever and ever, as long as they allow me to go. Um, but but yeah, no, like I walk in the room and like people remember me. The the guests that come, they remember me and they're screaming my name from down the aisle and running to me and grabbing my hand and dragging me to go see the other friends that we've met last year. And I mean, it's honestly just the best thing, and to watch them in their own lives grow. Um, this last year we went, um, I try to get Pablo's attention at one point. He was with some other people, but one of the young ladies, she had come running over to me because she had gotten engaged. Oh and she had to show me her ring, and she ran into me and she was like, Alice, Alice, Alice, you'll never believe what happened. And she was just showing showing, showing me her ring. And I was just thrilled for her because I mean, I had seen her for the last five years, you know, and every year she's excited. There was one year where I don't think she could come. Her boyfriend now, fiance, was there, and he was like, Hey, I need to call my girlfriend. She wants to say hello to you, even though she couldn't come. And so, and so we did, you know, for a moment, and she was excited to see me, and she apologized for not coming because she was sick, and so it's like just these relationships that we build with them over the years, it's it's worth so much. It just anything going on in your life is suddenly better.

SPEAKER_01 14:33

Yes, absolutely.

SPEAKER_05 14:35

Now, can you tell us which groups you do work with? You mentioned a couple. Can you mention can you talk about a couple other ones?

SPEAKER_01 14:41

Or so the ones that we partner up with the most is the 501st, which is the Star Wars themed group. And these are cosplayers that kind of raise the bar because they have to be absolutely theater authentic with with their costumes and whatnot. And so we partnered up with them at the Mardi Gras one and also the Ronald McDonald, May the Fourth, be with you. And we see and we partner up with them, and we see them in other places too. Um, because they they do do a lot of charity work. Um, and then there's another one, it's the uh superhero enthusiast of Houston, which um and there's there's also Star Wars one as well, and we've hooked up with them a couple of times, a few times. Um but you know, we we're open with the thing is with us is we're open to any ideas, and if we partner up with another um cross-play for charity organization, please the more the merry. Um, so yeah. Oh yeah, it's it's a lot of fun, and you know, we sit there and and talk and interact with the different attendees, we interact with with the other groups, and it's just a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_05 16:26

Do you have any events we don't have to tell us about?

SPEAKER_01 16:30

So we have one on the 13th, it's a new one, it's GT's Playhouse, it's for Down syndrome, if I'm not mistaken, and then there's one after that, which is um it's the network.

SPEAKER_03 16:50

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yeah, it is yeah, so yeah, the Walmart out in Tomball, they they host a lot of events. Um you guys were there, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 17:00

Yeah, a couple of Darks Iron Raven in the house, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:05

So um, so that's coming up in like two weeks, I think, on the 28th or something like that. Yeah, yeah. And then um we have possibly one in in October, but yeah, I think then we're getting into the fall.

SPEAKER_03 17:23

There's not a lot of events in the summer summer just because it gets so hot, and most events have to like have some kind of outdoor expansion going on. Um so we don't do a whole lot during the summer, which we appreciate. We've just we've done summer events in the past in full cosplay and not hot weather-friendly cosplay either.

SPEAKER_01 17:46

There's been there's been a time where we had to cancel because of the heat index was enormous, and we didn't want anybody to overheat, and so cosplay out in the Texas summer heat is like very rough. Oh, yeah. So, I mean, you really got to be careful because you know, you know what they say, the cooler the cosplay, the the worse it is to wear. There's truth to that, big time. Um, but I mean it's funny. We have a lot of people who are creative who make their own, which is great, but still it's it's just some of it is just like um Simone's uh Jedi one. It's a very elaborate, she goes, you know, she can go Sith or she can go uh the alkali. I think she has one, which is a really good one as well. Um, but yeah, it's when it's when you're outside, you gotta go in pretty quickly. But yeah, it's a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_06 18:56

Oh, we have a good um question advice best cosplay for hot conditions.

SPEAKER_03 19:02

Um for the women I keep anything with a skirt because you can twirl it and get a little breeze going, or even a bodysuit leotard type of thing with tights.

SPEAKER_06 19:20

Um I know from experience, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:23

For the guys, stay away from leather if all possible. The stretch, like like uh uh white sheep leather has these uh stretched textured ones that are really nice in the summertime, just depends on the layers. Um, if you can avoid any big towel masks, that would be a good idea not to wear one, especially if you're in the heat.

SPEAKER_03 19:53

Wigs, helmets, anything that the headpieces add up quickly.

SPEAKER_01 19:56

Yeah, stay away from those.

SPEAKER_03 19:59

Um, but but you know, sometimes it's worth it though.

SPEAKER_01 20:03

No, it's true. I mean, because it's funny because a lot of people what I call the the headliners, like the Captain America's, the Wolverines, the Batmans, and stuff like that. Some of the other non not so familiar characters I get asked a lot, like, who's who are you? And it's like, well, I'm night wedding. It's like, well, who's that? Well, he's the first Robin all grown up. Oh, okay. And then one time we went, one time we went to a um was it an Astros superhero day, and I went as Hawkeye, and we had another guy who went as Green Arrow. And so one of the kids go, Are you Green Arrow's father? And I yes, I am, because of the gray, and so yeah, so it's been an ongoing joke ever since then.

SPEAKER_02 21:06

It's a good one. Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_05 21:09

That is not okay. Um, so if somebody wants to say join your group, or if somebody wants to get in touch with your group to have your group to come to, have your group come out to you, how how do they get in touch with you guys?

SPEAKER_01 21:24

So the best way to do it is to email us, and the email is mco.cosplay.gmail dot or at gmail.com.

SPEAKER_05 21:37

Okay, hold on, do that again. Mco.

SPEAKER_01 21:39

Mco dot cosplay.

SPEAKER_03 21:43

C O S P L A Y at gmail.com.

SPEAKER_01 21:51

And um what we do is is I will send them uh the guidelines of of Of our group and an application. And then they fill it out. They go over the guidelines first, make sure that they agree with everything. And then what we do is any cosplay submissions, we ask that they you know send us a full-body picture of them in their cosplay, plus uh a full body reference.

SPEAKER_03 22:26

Yeah, membership is not hard. I mean, the girls have seen the guidelines and stuff, they're not crazy, but we do have to have some standards with some of the organizations we work with. When you know, going to Ronald McDonald's house, we've done the Houston suit, they're very strict about things. Um, you know, so there are some guidelines, you know, that should be expected anyways when volunteering. Um, and then cosplays, you know, we we try to be reasonable in that. Our main goal is that we want these kids to believe that we are who we're portraying. So, you know, as long as the kids will look at you and know that's who you are, that's all we care about. But, you know, we have seen different takes on costume, like, oh, my version of whatever. But the kids are gonna look at that and be like, who is this man in this con? Like, why are you wearing that? You know, so um that's really kind of the standards that we have. They're they're nothing crazy, but they are there for a reason.

SPEAKER_06 23:33

Yeah, gotta look as accurate as possible, TBH.

SPEAKER_01 23:37

Well, it's one thing to go to like a uh convention where you can expand on the certain character and have your own take and everything else.

SPEAKER_04 23:48

But when you're in front of kids because they will question you, yeah, eight-year-olds are brutally honest. I mean mean, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 23:57

No, when I did when I did Gamora all the time, the amount of like sealer that I would use on myself so that when the kids would come and like rub my hand to see if the green paint came off, like I mean, I I should have like invested in that company because I so much. But it worked, like the kids they would rub my hand to see if it came off and it didn't, and then like you could just see it in their face, like they would just light up, like, oh my god, she is the real deal, you know. So, I mean, these kids are going to judge you in question if if you're legit.

SPEAKER_01 24:31

They they even judged me on one time when I showed up as an orange uh bull green. It's like, well, don't you usually wear yellow? And I was going, Yeah, but they're I there's a different suits that I have.

SPEAKER_03 24:47

It's it's all good, it's legit, I promise. You know, I think the multiverse helps a lot with like some of the different versions. Now the kids are more familiar with the Spider-Verse and things like that and Marvel multiverses. It's a little bit easier to you know tweak it. But again, they still just need to know that you are who you say you are. Yes, otherwise it loses its magic a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 25:13

Right.

SPEAKER_03 25:14

It's kind of like uh working at Disney. Yes, right.

SPEAKER_04 25:21

So if uh if there's a group that wanted to have MCO come out and help with their cheered event or something like that, how would they would emailing it be the best way to get in touch with y'all for that as well?

SPEAKER_01 25:30

That's the best way. And so what I tried to communicate to the different organizations is just give us a little bit of what you had in mind for the event. If there's a preference on characters that you want, or if you want it a certain theme, and I throw out a couple of you know, hey, if you want a Harry Potter thing, we can do that. If you want to do a Disney thing, if you want to do superheroes, do you want DC? Do you want Marvel? And just leave them up, leave it up to them to decide what's best, and then um, you know, time location.

SPEAKER_03 26:10

We're mostly there for about three hours, four hours tops, and um we just sit there and and communicate with people and interact with the attendees, take pictures that they want, and you know, yeah, and I mean definitely finding us on Facebook and Instagram helps. Um, we've gotten a lot of messages through there where people will ask us, and generally we'll guide them to the email because again, it's just easier to keep everything in one place when you're trying to organize it.

SPEAKER_02 26:41

Right.

SPEAKER_03 26:41

Um, you know, we're very we try to be very open and communicative with all the organizations. You know, there are a lot of events that people host during the week, and unfortunately, we are volunteers, we all have full-time jobs, right? So it's not often that we can make a week event, but um, there are some organizations like Quantum McDonald's, like we will absolutely do our best to try to make that happen. Um, but definitely weekends are always gonna be better, right? Um, you know, as long as they just understand, like it is volunteers, these are all people that have real lives and have real jobs. Um, you know, we just have to make time to to make it work if we can.

SPEAKER_01 27:22

Sometimes if it's right after work, depending on the location, like if it's a Friday night or something like that, we might be able to do something. But I know we've done some in the past. Um with the Ronald McDonald House, they're kind of special. Plus, it's the Star Wars thing, which is extra special. Yeah. So, you know.

SPEAKER_03 27:45

I'm I'm very fortunate. My job understands what I do.

SPEAKER_01 27:48

And if I tell them I'm taking the afternoon off because I gotta go do that, then I mean we can make arrangements with employers and whatnot and go that way. Um, but yes, during the week it's hard to get the numbers. Um and sometimes on the weekends it's it's hard to get the numbers, it just depends on what people are doing. I mean, everybody has their lives and their their um you know their families and obligations there, and and we completely understand and we do what we can with whatever numbers that we have for that particular event.

SPEAKER_05 28:30

Well, it sounds like you guys are doing an amazing job, and we really appreciate you guys coming out and taking a little bit of time to talk to us about the multiverse cosplay organization, mco. Um, you guys, what you do sounds inspiring, and we really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01 28:50

Thanks for having us, appreciate it.

SPEAKER_05 28:52

Um, to get in touch with them, like we said, you go to mco.cosp-a-y at gmail.com. That is in the chat. You can also head over to their Instagram, which is at hold on a second, scrolling by, multiverse cosplay, m-l-t-i-b-e-r-s-e-c A-U-S-E-P-L-A-Y. So you can head over there as well. In the meantime, we get your wands to the ready because we're getting it ready. But in next week, we have a special. This is my birthday month, so tons of things are gonna be heading on. Um, starting with next week, we will have something special coming. Corin Nemeck from Stargate will be joining us next week at seven o'clock. You can see my face is turning bright, bright because I'm so excited. Um, Stargate is one of my favorite shows to watch. As you can see behind me, I have all the characters' autographs behind me, including his, which is right there. Um, Corey Nivick will be joining us. You've seen him in plenty of things, including Bundy, Parker Lewis, The Stand, Operation Dumble Drop Dumbo Drop, Doomsday Device Star Trek Renegades, and Stargate SG1 as Jonas Quinn. We will have him next week at 7 o'clock time live. Join us. In the meantime, Mombi, take us out. Oh, Chemo Kawaii this weekend, Condor, Texas, Lone Star Conventional Center. Be there. Mombi, take us out.

SPEAKER_04 30:32

Yes, and until next time, guys, smash that thumbs up. Make sure to share this out so more people can learn about this. And hopefully, more events will come up for MCO because that'll be awesome. We have so much fun with this, and it's such a blessing to be a part of these. Make sure you're following CJ Peterson, Momby Rolla on YouTube, uh, Yuki the cosplay, and Juju the Cosplayer on Instagram, and of course, Magic Wake and Mischip on Facebook and all the things, guys. Till next time. Mischief Mena. Bye.