The Way of the Editor:

Halloween on the Fly

Don't know what to wear for this year's Halloween party? Unleash the inner comic lover in you with these easy-to-put-together, last-minute costume suggestions.

 

Christmas is nice for the presents, but when it comes down to sheer silly fun, Halloween is my favorite over-hyped commercial holiday of the year. Ghastly decorations, adorable costumed tots, gory horror movies and bags of candy are all par the course, and we've definitely decked out the Human Computing office for a good scare.

But if you're anything like me, you're one of those people who stand around gape-mouthed as the end of October rolls by and once again, you've got absolutely nothing to wear. But not this time. This year, I'm prepared. And in the spirit of sharing the over-marketed fun, here are a couple easy-to-find, last-minute comic costume suggestions for the year.

The Streets of Gotham

Easy-to-find Materials: black shirt, black pants, white masking tape, toy cars, and Batman action figure.

Batman’s had all the glory, but it's time for the streets to shine! Best of all, parents can probably find half the parts for this costume lying around your living room floor.

Put on some black slacks, a black shirt (preferably a turtle neck), and line the front of your outfit with masking tape - two straight lines down either side, one dotted line in-between. Attach overturned Micro Machines™, a Batmobile, Joker and Batman action figures, and viola! – you've just become the walking incarnation of the streets of Gotham. (For extra flair, add street lights and gargoyles.)

 

 

A Variation on Death

Easy-to-find Materials: black jeans, black tank top, black boots, studded black belt, and aluminum foil.

Neil Gaiman’s Death is cute, smart, and a fairly striaghtforward costume. Black tank top, black jeans, black boots, and a studded belt are the primary clothing items, and are readily available at your local Hot Topic store, or in any teenage girl's closet. The tricky part is getting the silver ankh necklace. There are plenty for sale on eBay, but in a pinch, you can make out of aluminum foil. Don't forget to complete the look with pale facial makeup and kohl-lined eyes!