Every year I have at least three or four costumes in mind for Halloween, but it just creeps up so fast that I rarely have time to pull them off. Know the feeling? Well here are eight of my favorite costume ideas... some of which may have to wait until next year ;)
8. Dinosaur Skeleton- Although I adore skeletons and the beauty of Día de los Muertos, I've seen enough human skeletons to last me an after-lifetime (with one exception....see below) What I'd really like to see is some dino bones dancing around.
7. Manny Calavera- Grim Fandango was one of my favorite computer games growing up, and Manny, the main character, was a film-noir travel agent of the underworld. Sure, he may have been a skeleton, but he had style, humor, and was more of an all-bones Humphrey Bogart than just some cheap plastic skeleton costume with a little fake blood splattered on it.
6. Sophisticated Creature from the Black Lagoon- This idea comes more out of necessity than anything else. The film is still my all-time favorite classic monster movie, and the creature's mask, hands, and feet are readily available to purchase online. The torso, however, is another matter. Flashback to third grade me wearing a Creature From the Black Lagoon mask... and green sweatpants. Now picture the creature handsomely fitted into a three-piece suit. Eureka! Check out Albino Raven for more amazing artwork. Glen Brogan has some of the most inspired 80s referenced work I've ever seen!
5. The Deer God- I love the Deer God from 'Princess Mononoke,' especially when he grows into the sky and becomes the nightwalker. If I can figure out how to make my skin glow with blue hues non-toxically, keep an eye out for this guy.
4. Link- Who hasn't dreamt of having their own Link costume? The Legend of Zelda mixes just the right amount of magic, folklore, and adventure to keep it's legend alive and strong. With fifteen game titles in the series, and another to be released later this year, there are plenty of character versions to choose from. My top three are: classic Link from any of the games, Zora Domain Link from The Ocarina of Time, and cartoon-style Link from The Wind Waker.
3. Anubis (aka Inpu)- The Egyptian culture is one that calls to many, and I am no exception. Anubis is a deity I cannot help but admire. Whether he's just a powerful subconscious archetype or a true existing entity, he has definitely visited me in my dreams. Now I just have to figure out how to cover myself in skintight black fur.
2. Krang- The most evil warlord from Dimension X, and my most favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle character. An alien brain that controls a robotic human suit? How could that not look cool?
1. Madman- Madman is my all-time favorite comic book character EVER. Not only is Mike Allred's art phenomenal, but his characters really stick with you. Madman is a reanimated corpse that fights to rediscover who he was in his previous life. I've been kicking this costume around for years, but it just has to be perfectly executed. How else would I justify to Jessica wearing it every day?
