SDCC 2026 Masquerade Winners: A Giant Optimus Prime Takes Best in Show

Comic-Con International wrapped its annual costume competition Saturday night in Ballroom 20, and the trophy list runs from a towering Transformers build all the way down to two kids in matching cookie costumes.

A Giant Robot Rolls Away With the Top Prize

Comic-Con's costume contest closed out this year's convention on Saturday night, July 25, kicking off at 8:30 in Ballroom 20 after months of build logs, fittings, and last-minute repairs backstage. The top honor, Best in Show, went to a towering Optimus Prime costume worn by Maksym Dokiienko, who built the piece with fellow costumers Vadym Lukhtyzskyi and Hannah Lukhtyzskyi.

Masquerade judges score entries on presentation, stage performance, and construction quality, so a Best in Show win at this scale usually means a costume that moves, transforms, or lights up in ways a static photo can't capture. Trophy winners across every category also earn a free four-day badge to next year's San Diego convention, on top of whatever bragging rights come with the crown.

Villains, Cookies, and a Broadway Pairing Rounded Out the Field

Eight trophies were handed out in total, and the range of source material is part of what makes the Masquerade fun to follow every year. Judges' Choice went to a Warhammer-inspired build called The Horus Heresy, while Kstroobz Cosplay picked up Best Re-Creation for a faithful take on the Evil Queen from Snow White. Best Workmanship landed with Nina London's Hazbin Hotel-styled entry, and a Wicked-themed pairing of Glinda and the Wicked Witch took home Most Beautiful.

A group build called Berry Demure, Berry Couture won Best Original Design, and an ensemble comedy number, The Muses, Zero to Hero, took Most Humorous honors for its stage bit. On the younger end of the roster, two young costumers behind a matching Black Sapphire Cookie and Candy Apple Cookie pairing earned Best Young Fan, proof the contest still leaves room for kids building alongside seasoned veterans.

That spread, from a giant transforming robot to a pair of cookie mascots, is exactly why the Masquerade draws a bigger crowd than almost any other single event at the con outside Hall H itself.

The Category Names Are a Free Judging Rubric

What's useful for anyone building their own costume is how specific those category names are. Best Re-Creation rewards nailing an existing character exactly as drawn or filmed, while Best Original Design rewards inventing something new from scratch. Best Workmanship is scored almost entirely on construction, seams, articulation, finish work, regardless of how flashy the final look reads on stage. Sponsors add real weight to those wins too, with a $1,000 cash prize from Frank & Son Collectible Show and scholarship support from Costume College going out alongside the trophies this year.

Borrowing that same rubric is a solid way to self-critique a build before Halloween ever shows up. Ask which category your costume would actually win, recreation accuracy, original flair, or raw workmanship, and build toward that strength instead of trying to do everything at once.

Bring That Same Craftsmanship Into Your Halloween Build

You don't need a Ballroom 20 stage to use these same tricks. Foam armor plating, weathered metallic paint, articulated wings, and clean wig styling are the exact techniques that separated this year's trophy winners from the rest of the room, and they're all approachable with the right supplies and a little patience.

If any of these builds, robot, villain, or Broadway-flavored duo, has you itching to start your own Halloween project, stop by Las Vegas Costumes. We stock the foam, fabric, wigs, and finishing touches that turn a good costume idea into a stage-ready one, and our team is happy to talk through which techniques are worth the extra weekend of work.

Every Trophy From the 2026 Masquerade

Here's the full winners list from Saturday night's competition, in case you missed the Ballroom 20 livestream.

1. Best in Show: Optimus Prime: Worn by Maksym Dokiienko and built with Vadym Lukhtyzskyi and Hannah Lukhtyzskyi.
2. Judges' Choice: The Horus Heresy: A Warhammer-inspired build from a team crediting Beyonder Joe, Michael and Noah Ramirez, and Dominick Hansel.
3. Best Re-Creation: The Evil Queen (Snow White): Built and worn by Kstroobz Cosplay.
4. Best Original Design: Berry Demure, Berry Couture: A group entry credited to Lynn Leigh Sato and an ensemble of collaborators.
5. Best Workmanship: Rosie's Hungry for... Power: A Hazbin Hotel-inspired build from Nina London.
6. Most Beautiful: For The Better: A Glinda and Wicked Witch pairing built by Chad Hatter and an ensemble cast.
7. Most Humorous: The Muses, Zero to Hero: A comedic group number led by Jordan Munn-Hughes.
8. Best Young Fan: Black Sapphire Cookie & Candy Apple Cookie: A matching pair built by young costumers Kai Moussette and Cole Hall.

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