Additive manufacturing is one of the most important technological advances of the 21st century. It's revolutionized the way we build everything from airplanes and wind turbines to medical implants and nano-machinery -- not to mention the tidal wave of creativity unleashed once the tech made its way into the maker community. In Cosplay: A History, veteran cosplayer and 501st Legion member, Andrew Liptak explores the theatrical origins of the craft and its evolution from costuming enthusiasm to full-fledged fandom. Liptak also looks at how advances in technology have impacted the cosplay community -- whether that's the internet forums and social media platforms they use to connect, the phones and cameras they use to publicize their works, and, in the excerpt below, the 3D printers used to create costume components. Excerpted from Cosplay: A History - The Builders, Fans, and Makers Who Bring Your Favorite Stories to Life by Andrew Liptak, published by Simon & Schuster.

It took Michelle Anderson a month to create her E3 2019 outfit. It took her another hour to put it on. She wore a wig with red Afro puffs, an army-green tactical vest and fake bloodstained bandage. She completed the look with medical gloves and a mask looped around her neck, then took one last look in the mirror before she headed out the door. She was dressed as Lifeline, a playable combat medic from the video game "Apex Legends."

Cosplayer dressed as Aloy (left) and Spanish actress Dafne Fernandez present the "Horizon: Zero Dawn" video game on Feb. 15 in Madrid, Spain. Cosplayer dressed as Aloy (left) and Spanish actress Dafne Fernandez present the "Horizon: Zero Dawn" video game on Feb. 15 in Madrid, Spain. There is a certain kind of look I get when I tell people how much I love video games. It lies somewhere between "You're not serious" and "Oh my God, you are serious." And by "people" giving me these looks, I mean adults of a certain age and outlook.