Help me with my superhero costume!

May 2, 2009 9:44 AM

Help me with my superhero costume.

Inspired by the fact that everybody in The Watchmen seemed to have a secret closet with a superhero costume and press clippings, I have decided that everybody in the real world should do likewise.

Now, I can't force anybody else to have such a costume, but I sure can do one for myself. But I need some help.

My superhero name is Mr. Hypnotica, and, while I have some essential ideas for the costume, I nonetheless need suggestions for fleshing it out.

Firstly, the mask. I will be covering my face with a spandex hood with eyeholes cut out, and those eyeholes will be covered with prescription swimming goggles, which not only look like a superhero mask, but also allow me to see. I have a guy who can make the mask for me, but I want it to be printed with a hypnotic spiral. Who can I go to to get a hypnotic spiral printed on a sheet of spandex? Is spandex even the best option?

The costume itself will consist of a John Lennon cap, back nehru suit, and black boots -- very Sixties. I feel like I need to accent this with some hypnotic spiral accessories. Any suggestions.

Also, I want to make use of hypnocoins. Who can print a hypnotic spiral as a lenticular 3D image on a coin shape? Any other suggestions for hypnotic accessories?

Finally, general suggestions. Obviously, my superpower is hypnosis. What sorts of things should I have on hand to accent both my costume and my superpowers? If you were to be Mr. Hypnotica, what would you want as part of your costume?

posted by Astro Zombie to clothing, beauty, & fashion (18 comments total)

Spiral cufflinks.
posted by box at 9:48 AM on May 2

A pocket watch on a chain. "You're getting veerrry sleeeepy." Not that you need that kind of thing to hypnotize someone, but still.
posted by ocherdraco at 9:56 AM on May 2

I'm not one of these people but I do actually have a superhero costume that I keep on hand for apropos situations. (It actually saved me once when I showed up to a late October party I hadn't realized was a costume party.)

I think you need to find or have made a large lenticular of a spinning hypnotic spiral and have it in the middle of your chest where Superman's shield would be.

And a good prop might be a pocket watch on a chain.
posted by XMLicious at 10:04 AM on May 2 [1 favorite has favorites]

Oops, I am stupid. You mentioned lenticulars in the OP and ocherdraco already mentioned the pocket watch. Oh well, here's a Google search for lenticular printers that turned up lots of results.
posted by XMLicious at 10:06 AM on May 2

Hpnotiq. This must be your drink after a hard day of saving the planet.
posted by AlliKat75 at 10:14 AM on May 2

Have you given thought to your catchphrases, hypnosis routine, accent, etc? Will you want to provide business cards advertising your services? I think a very simple and mysterious calling card could really add to the mystique and allure of your alter-ego.
posted by annaramma at 10:34 AM on May 2 [1 favorite has favorites]

Umbrella with a hypnotic spiral, you can spin it to do your magic.
posted by bottlebrushtree at 10:34 AM on May 2 [2 favorites has favorites]

I just happened to be working on a superhero costume myself, last night. Since spandex doesn't get along very well with my sewing machine, I wound up affixing the chest design by using Wonder-Under fusible web. Iron a bunch of Wonder-Under to the spandex, cut out the design, peel off the backing, and then fuse it like an iron-on patch to the chestal area. It worked pretty good, all things considered. Very soft and flexible, although the very tippy pointed edges might fray a wee bit.
posted by redsparkler at 10:47 AM on May 2

You need to be able to open the jacket front to reveal the lining. To the lining you will baste electroluminescent wires in a hypno-wheel pattern (or better yet glue the wires to something else, and baste that something else to the lining), and hook them up to a sequencer so they switch on and off in a rotating pattern.
posted by adamrice at 11:20 AM on May 2

If you want to make your dominant motif the "hypnotic spiral," make sure you tuck a similar spiral-decorated handkerchief in your pocket, and perhaps have similar buttons?

On the off chance that you walk with a cane, you could figure out a pattern on the cane (probably just stripes?) that would make that similar spiral illusion when you rotate it in circles quickly (a la Gambit?)

I am similarly inspired. I'm going to need a trunk or something to lock up and hide in my attic so that my great grandchildren can discover it in 80 years when I'm a dottering old lady! A summer project!
posted by ChuraChura at 11:56 AM on May 2

Don't forget to have a pocket recorder with playback so that you can provide the MESMERIZING, STUPEFYING, ENTHRALLING and SPELLBINDING WHOO WHOO sounds that would be appropriate to your superpower's deployment.
posted by Haruspex at 12:21 PM on May 2

You might be able to get your spiral on the spandex via screenprinting.
posted by saxamo at 12:45 PM on May 2

I'm going to be contrary and suggest that you stay away from the spiral as much as possible--it's been done to death, is the M.O. of The Ringmaster, etc. Instead, I'd like to suggest a variety of optical illusion effects, used relatively subtly. How about the moiré, instead? Very 60s. Use for trim, hatband, jacket lining, etc.

A couple of other suggestions, which move well away from your ideas. Rather than using a spandex hood (which would seem to clash with your clothing), how about some Lennon-style National Health glasses--but with a third-eye lens appended? I've seen holograms of an eye that winks when you move or change your viewing angle of it. You could also add some steampunky things to the glasses for further disguise, since the purpose of the mask is not only to disguise your eyes but also the eyebrow area. Finally, and I know this is really getting away from your concept: Edwardian suit. It would allow for the suggested accessories (watch, cane).
posted by Halloween Jack at 3:47 PM on May 2

I really think that you need to work on the accent in particular. In my mind, I'd imagine Mr. Hypnotica sounding vaguely Eastern European. And I imagine some really flashy manners too - some masculine-but-distinctive hand flourishes when you use the hypnocoins.

Love the idea of the umbrella and of a simple but mysterious calling card/business card.
posted by gemmy at 5:41 PM on May 2

Yes! Gemmy is describing The Continental to a tee. That would be perfect.
posted by XMLicious at 11:39 AM on May 3

each superhero tends to have a particular colour scheme - so all your accessories should match. Blue and purple seem like the most hypnotic colours to me. What about a colourful vest under the black suit (also perfect for carrying the watch and chain) have it made out if that silk that changes colour depending on what angle it is viewed from.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 11:41 AM on May 3

The essential accessory for Mr. Hypnotica is clearly Mrs. Hypnotica, complete with black tie and tails, fishnets, thigh-high patent stiletto boots, and action hypnotic feminine wiles.
posted by Caviar at 4:23 PM on May 3

Thank you all for your excellent suggestions!
posted by Astro Zombie at 4:21 PM on May 4