Fanboys Anonymous

Many people visiting the Winter MCM Expo this past October had great reason to scream and swoon like schoolgirls. Two reasons, in fact. Misters Thomas Jane and Tim Bradstreet—who have been close friends and business partners ever since the making of the 2004 Jonathan Hensleigh-directed movie The Punisher—were in attendance (amongst many other special guests) to screen the awesome Punisher short Dirty Laundry, take Q&A, sign books and take photos with their fans!

"I won't answer another question until I find out who stole my sandwich!"

And what an army that showed up in support of Tim & Tom! As I’ve said many a time, there are no fans quite like Punisher fans. And when I say that, I mean it most sincerely. They are a dedicated people that love nothing better than to wander around in public, dressed to kill and waving shotguns and machine guns around so innocently/intently. BB gun manufacturers, sports departments, army surplus stores and leather shops must seriously make a killing off these people. (Oh look, a pun... whoa... a pun in a pun?)

"What? I'm cold, I just wanted a hug..."

But when it comes down to your lifers—the true diehard fans—cosplay goes above and beyond the love of all things spandex. Stewart Loud from Stoke-on-Trent could tell you that, but then we could just show you. And then he might have to kill you!

"I'd leave that bathroom to air out for a minute..."

Stewart has been doing the cosplay gig since Comic-Cons began in England back in 2011, but that’s only a fraction of the amount of his life dedicated to all things Punisher. He owns in excess of 700 comics, all Punisher series or Punisher-related. And to look at him in full battle gear with a cigarette in one hand and a Heckler & Koch MP5 in the other, you wouldn’t really be surprised to know that he plays with chainsaws for a living, as much of a geezer as he is. Stew is one of the true cosplayers that has no problem putting his own slant on the Punisher look, classic or obscure. With so many other cosplayers dressing the same, it’s good that he puts some extra thought into his craft to stand out from the crowd.

Visiting Tom Jane and Tim Bradstreet at the London MCM Expo, Stew brought out the heavy ordnance in the form of his Captain Punisher outfit. This was a tribute costume dedicated to two different Punisher appearances. The first is the battle suit wore by Frank Castle during the "Goin’ Out West" arc of Matt Fraction’s Punisher War Journal run, after his idol, Captain America, was seemingly assassinated after his own trial following Civil War. The second is the suit worn by Frank during Mark Millar’s Secret Avengers when he was drafted to do the dirty work that Steve Rogers refused to.

"Don't look now, Frank, but there's a gun-toting dwarf climbing your head!"

Stew never fails to make an impression, and neither does his girlfriend—Neyna Anne Scorer, aka KittehKatCosplay, accompanying Stew as Domino, her own favourite character of choice. But at the Winter Comic-Con in London, it would have been ignorant only to notice the impression Stew made on Punisher actor Tom Jane. Stew has never grinned so much, or lost his nerve, like he admitted he did that weekend. But then, Tom should remember him. Stew was the first Punisher cosplay tribute posted by the man himself!

"I don't smile much. Don't smile ever. But if I did, this would be one!"

How the other half lives, eh?! Funny I mention that. Karen Bailey from Burton-upon-Trent has been doing the cosplay scene since first attending Kapow In May 2012. Donning the title of Lady Punisher, she made quite an impression. So much of an impression in fact that she was asked to join the UK Predators in March this year and does a badass Huntress cosplay gig too!

If Predators were in Game of Thrones, though!

Yes, she’s a woman, she can multitask unlike the rest of us, and she went on to prove that by tackling both Tom and Tim at the Comic-Con...

"On two, Tim... One, Two... EAT HER!"

And Mr Jane might not know this, but Karen has a huge crush on him. It’s not because of his award winning man-ho show Hung, it’s not even because of his latest Jonah Hex sort of look. Hell, it’s not even because Stew was right behind her (and because they’re no longer seeing each other, or on talking terms, for that matter). Hey buddy, you charge for a photo, a lady’s going to cop a feel!

"Lady, you smell like Death!"

A true testament to character, from the horse’s mouth, Tom Jane and Tim Bradstreet are two of the coolest and most welcoming people you could meet. It’s hard to believe they’re “Hollywood!”

"NOT leaving. Without my SANDWICH!"

Thomas Jane and Tim Bradstreet run Raw Studios/Raw Entertainment, a talented company dedicated to bringing you outrageously fun and original comic books, such as Bad Planet and Alien Pig Farm.

They’ve also spanned out into film production, marking Tom Jane’s directorial debut, the adaptation of his own graphic novel Dark Country, not to mention the aforementioned... the Punisher short Dirty Laundry.

Raw will return to film in 2014 in a joint production with Tayrona Films, with the Tom Jane written, directed, and acted action western A Magnificent Death from a Shattered Hand, also starring the Hulk’s dad, Nick Nolte!

So, did any of our Fanboys head to this October's London MCM Expo Comic-Con? Get any cool photos and stuff? Did you get to meet Tom and Tim? Comments below, and thanks for reading!