Photos Of The Best Cosplay From New York Comic Con 2014

New York Comic Con isn't just about the comics and TV panels. One of the best parts of the four-day event is seeing the cosplayers.

Head straight to the cosplay »

Dressing like your favorite character from comics, video games, anime, movies, or television is a favorite tradition of the Con - one that presents a unique opportunity to let your freak flag fly in a welcoming and safe environment.

Cosplay, if you don't already know, is the combination of the words "costume" and "play." The term was likely coined at the 1984 World-Con science fiction convention, where a Japanese reporter was blown away by the attendee's outfits and returned home not knowing what to call the elaborate display.

So far this weekend, we've seen a seven-foot-tall, life-like Groot just begging to be hugged, video game villains that still give us nightmares, and a mashup of Thor and Ronald McDonald the internet has coined McThor.

We rounded up photos of the best cosplay we saw at the ninth annual New York Comic Con. We'll continue to update this post as the weekend continues.

See any great cosplay? Email us at mrobinson[at]businessinsider.com and kacuna[at]businessinsider.com.