For as long as there have been fictional franchisees, there have been super-fans. And for as long as there have been super-fans, there have been groups of them that want to get together at cons and dress up. Just because it's more popular to cosplay now than it used to be, doesn't mean the nerds haven't been at it for decades. Do you really think '70s Star Wars fanatics wouldn't mock up some lightsabers and a C-3PO?

Many of these photos come from the 1980 Westercon, which was held in Los Angeles at the Hyatt International Hotel. Cosplayers back then both mimicked popular franchises, like Star Wars, but more commonly created their own fantastical characters than people do now. I suppose there were fewer popular franchises and more time to be creative. Here are 25 cool vintage cosplays from the 70s and 80s.