Why Are Furries On 'X' Mad At A 'Bomb Voyage' Cosplayer? The FWA 2024 Controversy Explained

The furry convention "Furry Weekend Atlanta" took place this past weekend and while it mostly went off without a hitch, X / Twitter users are now expressing anger at a particular cosplayer who attended the convention as The Incredibles villain Bomb Voyage. In particular, the FWA 2024 Bomb Voyage cosplayer is being criticized for aiming a prop firearm at convention attendees, which has prompted him to respond. Here's what you need to know.

Who Is The 'Bomb Voyage' Cosplayer at FWA 2024?

The FWA 2024 Bomb Voyage cosplayer is X user @Superb__Pedro, aka Pedro. Pedro has worn this specific cosplay to numerous conventions, with a photo of him wearing the cosplay even ending up on the "Images That Could Be Album Covers" gimmick page in 2023. Presumably, it's a popular cosplay for Pedro, so naturally, he wore it to FWA 2024.

Photos and videos of Pedro in the cosplay started popping up on X between May 9th and the 12th as the convention took place. Many of these posts gained thousands of likes and reposts, with commenters praising the authenticity of the cosplay and the way Pedro played the character. Then photos of Pedro aiming prop guns at the convention started to surface and the tide turned.

Why Are 'X' Users Mad At The 'Bomb Voyage' Cosplayer and How Did He Respond?

One post sharing the firearm photos went particularly viral, gaining thousands of interactions. Some X users, including members of the furry community, began quote-reposting it voicing concerns over Pedro's use of the firearm props. Some found it tasteless and inappropriate to wander around a convention center with a prop firearm, particularly due to the unfortunate reality of mass shootings in the United States.

One complainant even wrote that the firearm prop was "unmarked," meaning it was not obvious in any way that it was fake, in a post that gained over 100,000 likes in only two days. This comment prompted Pedro to respond.

In Pedro's response, he apologizes for pointing the prop gun at convention-goers, writing that it was "inappropriate" and that he "did not intend to scare or threaten anyone." However, he also spends time defending himself from the backlash. He writes, "It’s honestly sad how much attention this is getting. There are far more important things to focus criticism on at conventions."

He makes it explicitly clear that the firearm was a prop, writing that it is marked as a prop with an orange tip at the end of the barrel. Further, he claims that the firearm was not his and that he borrowed it from another convention-goer who had it approved by convention staff and Atlanta police as a prop.

As the cosplayer of Bomb Voyage in these photos and this video, I have a few things to say:

1. The “weapon” I am holding is a prop which is marked with an orange tip and ribbon. The orange tip was very visible to everyone in the atrium, it's just difficult to see through the pictures.
2. The prop was cleared as okay to use by the convention staff and Atlanta police.
3. The prop is not mine. It was borrowed from another cosplayer for a brief period.

It’s honestly sad how much attention this is getting. There are far more important things to focus criticism on at conventions: SA, inappropriate behavior, inappropriate attire in public places, and the list goes on.

I do apologize for pointing the gun at people as I realize that was inappropriate of me to do that. I did not intend to scare or threaten anyone.

For the full history of the Bomb Voyage cosplayer at FWA 2024, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.