Shazam! It's...Superbug? Fantasmaworm?

October 15, 2007 6:25 AM

Halloween filter: Seeking ideas for a name and back story for a bug/caterpillar/worm costume. Difficulty: Must be "Super."

I'm having the devil of a time coming up with a schtick for Halloween. The setting; A super hero slash super-villain party at the home of dear friends in 2 weeks. There will be up to 90 people in attendance. So it's important to be impressive. My costume: The Caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland, re-appropriated. (I made it for another theme party earlier this year.) It's basically a long tube dress made of sparkly bright lime green lycra. It has 6 sparkly purple arms (8 if you count my real arms). On the back are 6 decorative purple pointy things evocative of those, um, pointy things that caterpillars sometimes sport...just to add a bit of panache. It's a pretty neat costume actually. I will be adding a helmet with some sort of logo and bobbling antennae, fabulous bug-eye glasses, and a short cape.

So, dear Mefites; any ideas on how to make a green and purple caterpillar "Super"? Either a hero or bad-guy character is fine. I need a Super name and back story (ie: what's my super power or my method of evil, etc.). Preferably not an existing character from comics or cartoons but willing to explore options. I'd sure appreciate any help brainstorming!

posted by cuddles.mcsnuggy to grab bag (14 comments total)

Agamotto as caterpillar in the Marvel Vishanti?
Agamotto is a non-corporeal entity that can take on any form. Often while appearing on Earth he takes the form of the head of a catlike being. On one of these occasions Agamotto resembled a lion, while on another he looked much like a tiger. When Doctor Stephen Strange has visited Agamotto's own dimension, Agamotto has appeared to him as a gigantic caterpillar. Agamotto explained to Strange that that he had made himself an image from Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" that he had seen in Strange's mind.
posted by methylsalicylate at 6:33 AM on October 15, 2007

I don't have a name for you, but here's a possible backstory: You are the spawn of The Monarch and his bride Dr. Girlfriend. (The Monarch is a sort of quirky super-villain from The Venture Brothers.

You could also say the Monarch is supremely disappointed that you turned out to be an actual caterpillar, as he thinks all wormy things are disgusting. (And he's actually just a guy with a lot of money who decided monarchs were cool.)
posted by brina at 6:44 AM on October 15, 2007

The Book Worm:

Definitely a super-villain. Bent on the destruction of technology and academia (sort of like the Unibomber). Super powers: can bore through or climb most surfaces, can spin a silk-like material either to ensnare super-heroes or to wrap around herself for protection. Super-cool super power: if she eats destroys (consumes) a book or a computer she absorbs all the information from within.
posted by Pollomacho at 6:57 AM on October 15, 2007 [1 favorite]

I love the Bookworm idea. So obvious but it never occurred to me. (go figure) Always taking more suggestions too.... oh, and I forgot to mention that racy, scandalous, and utterly absurd themes are encouraged. :-)
posted by cuddles.mcsnuggy at 7:15 AM on October 15, 2007

Frass Master
posted by plinth at 7:41 AM on October 15, 2007

Dr. Worm? You wear a doctor headlamp and maybe a stethoscope and you carry a pair of drumsticks. Your superpower is twirling the stick. No?
posted by thirteenkiller at 7:55 AM on October 15, 2007

Supa' Pupa! And your super power can be encasing the forces of evil (or good, depending) in cocoons!
posted by birdlady at 8:00 AM on October 15, 2007

If you're up for some preparation: bring a little black dress with butterfly wings concealed in a bag. Halfway through the party, sneak into the bathroom and change. How's that for a superpower?
posted by Help, I can't stop talking! at 8:04 AM on October 15, 2007 [1 favorite]

When they tried to roll out the metric system here in the states, there was a kids program based on indoctrinating children into the strange realms of hectares per liters. The "villain" of the story was named The Inch Worm and he delighted in tormenting the hero with various problems that were a hassle to solve in inches and feet but a delight to solve in centimeters and meters.

He was green and had, I seem to recall, a cape and a nefarious lair.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 9:06 AM on October 15, 2007

Part of the Captain ("Shazam") Marvel milieu: Mr. Mind

More pics here.
posted by kimota at 9:49 AM on October 15, 2007

The nefarious Tapeworm?

(good excuse to carry around some duct tape and tape up people)
posted by mikepop at 10:15 AM on October 15, 2007

Going off Pollomacho's inspired suggestion, you could be Eric Carle's Very Hungry Caterpillar after encountering radioactive waste, growing 100x your normal size, and attacking New York.
posted by roger ackroyd at 10:57 AM on October 15, 2007

You're Mothra Jr. In your immature state, you're only able to harass smaller Japanese towns ... but you can eat holes in knitwear of any size. Obviously, your powers are negated by camphor.
posted by rob511 at 3:26 PM on October 15, 2007

I'd go with Mr. Mind, and bug (no pun) the hell out of anyone dressed as Captain or Mary Marvel.
posted by vrakatar at 6:20 PM on October 15, 2007