We’ve already blogged about the celebrities and paparazzi who attended the Celebrity Gala, so now let’s take a closer look at the Superhero exhibit itself.

The Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy exhibit runs until September 1, 2008 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

“Through the years, the superhero has been used to embody—through metaphor—our social and political realities. At the same time, it has been used to represent concepts reflective of sexuality and corporeality through idealized, objectified, and hyperbolic visualizations of the human body.”

The Graphic Body
The “S” emblem inscribed on Superman’s chest and cape functions as a simplified statement of his identity. Almost every superhero carries a similarly expressive bodily marking.

Read more…

The Patriotic Body
Superhero comics both reflect and respond to real-world social and political conflicts…which usually involves upholding American utopianism as expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Read more…

The Virile Body
While phallic symbolism is implicit in the representation of most superheroes, it is made explicit in the case of the Hulk. With his thick neck, bulging tendons, and throbbing veins, he suggests the turgidity of male arousal.

Read more…

The Paradoxical Body
Nowhere are these biases more blatant than in the representation of female superheroes. With unabashed and unapologetic obviousness, women are portrayed as objects of male desire and fantasy with absurdly exaggerated sexual characteristics.

Read more…

The Armored Body
Like Batman, Iron Man serves as an effective metaphor for paranoia, but also as a metaphor for the quickly disappearing distance between the body and technology.

Read more…

Wow, these are some deep, psychological analyses!
Check out their website for the entire online presentation!

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I don’t think most people need further proof that geek culture is really sheik these days. However, for those of you who do, I’d take a look at any fashion magazine or blog today.

On Monday night, big named celebrities sardined packed themselves into the Met’s Costume Institute Gala to get a glimpse of the new designer exhibit to go up at the Institute. For those not in the NYC know, it’s called “Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy”. That’s right, the world of high fashion has jumped on the Super Hero spaceship and is making a contribution. Who would have thought?

The attendance of Tinsel Town A-listers was high, and so was the paparazzi. Although none seemed to come in mask and cape, there were some “costume-esque” getups sported by a few celebs. Maybe some of them are superheroes in disguise? I have my suspicions. Check out the most extensive fashion coverage at PopSugar.

Our interest centers back on the actual exhibit, of which is likely to not be so fantastic without seeing it in person. We found this YouTube friendly exhibit, but if you want something more high quality check out this link.

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With the new “The Incredible Hulk” movie coming out next month, I thought it would be fun to take a look at our giant green friend throughout the years.

“The Incredible Hulk” TV Show (1978)

Before CGI animation existed, the Hulk was played by *gasp* a live person. Bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno painted his skin green and played a pretty good Hulk.

The show ran for several years and was cancelled in its fifth season in 1982. Six years later, three “made for TV” movies were produced with Lou Ferringo reprising his role as the Hulk.

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Buzz is everywhere for summer blockbuster movies, and since the season is just beginning the stream should be steady.

Amidst that, a second trailer for Steven Spielberg’s new installment in the Indiana Jones series has just been turned loose and is already getting people pumped. Here’s the high quality version from the site.

So it’s not surprise that everyone is uncaging their retrolust for this movie. However, we have seen some IP rehashes that were less than what was expected. Indiana Jones movies have always been the perfect mix of fun, humor, action, adventure, and cheesy romance. We’ll see this time around if Spielberg still has it. As for me, I’m not getting psyched and overshooting my expectations.

How do you think this one will turn out. Leave some thoughts in the comments section.

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Baton Bob is a street performer in Atlanta, Georgia. The self-proclaimed “Ambassador of Mirth,” Baton Bob dresses in a variety of costumes and marches around midtown Atlanta, spinning his baton. His goal is to “lift people’s spirits and put a simple smile on people’s faces during their daily routine.”

He frequently wears a tutu or wedding dress, and sometimes dons a superhero costume. When Christopher Reeve died, Baton Bob dressed as Superman to pay tribute.

He often participates in local parades and festivals. He was recently named one of the 2008 10 Best Colorful Characters in Atlanta. In 2007, he won “Best Local Hero,” “Best Local Celebrity” and “Best Street Character” in a local newspaper, and was Grand Marshall of the Inman Park Festival Parade.

“Very rarely does a single street performer capture the imagination of an entire city, but Atlanta has embraced Baton Bob with open arms. His infectious good humor and broad smile have been welcoming guests and locals to Midtown since 2005. If you have a chance to see him, Bob’s sure to make your Atlanta visit memorable.”

Keep twirling that baton, Bob. You are a true hero.

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It’s one thing when you dress up and find yourself imitating a costume for fun. It’s a whole other thing when your every day clothing seems to dictate your favorite alternate reality. This guy better watch out.

Nico Bellic look-alike from GTA4 [via gamegrep.com]

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This is probably the best fan-made costume I’ve ever seen! Custom molded and painted, this looks EXACTLY like the Iron Man suit in the movie. You can read more about the creation of this costume on the Replica Prop Forum.

All the armor parts are fanmade out of glassfiber with strong and sharp details, then carefully painted in rich red and gold colour. The midsection armor and neckseal is made from flexible plastic, painted in rich red colours. The gloves are made of foam rubber. The helmet comes with see through eye lenses. The lenses reflect light and does not allow anyone to see your eyes.

SIZE RANGE:
The armor is made to fit a person approx. size 6 -6.4 foot tall with from 32 - 38 inch waistline. Ideal size: 6.2 tall, 35 inch waistline, approx. 220 lbs.

Well done, sir. You are a costume master!

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With Maker Faire only hours away, news is pouring in as to what we should expect. This time, they’ve got something planned for the steampunk fans.

Comedian and self-proclaimed geek Heather Gold is broadcasting a live show from Maker with a panel of steampunk senseis that are sure to answer your questions and get you thinking about the forward progress of steampunk DIY.

Steampunk tinkerer and master of The Steampunk Workshop, Jake Von Slatt, will be in attendance. Heather will also be discussing matters with Steampunk Magazine editor and purveyor of authentic steampunk fashion Libby Bulloff as well as Abney Park lead vocalist Captain Robert.

The agenda is to dig deeper into steampunk culture, address the emergence factor, discuss it’s place in modern pop culture, and get down to the nitty gritty of this cultural disguise that is capturing more and more.

The panel will be at 4:00 p.m. at Maker Faire, and Abney Park will be playing the event. If you have golden tickets, bring us back some videos!

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Portland, Oregon is definitely a great place for costume lovers. Meet the Alter Egos Society. From their website:

“The ALTER EGOS SOCIETY is a loose collection of artists and functional nerds who band together in times of crisis to create an opportunity for people to wear tights in public.”

Sounds fun! In association with DrunkenRampage.com, they recently put on a huge Alter Ego bash where Superheroes and Super Villains Heroes were given a chance to prove themselves through contests, games and, apparently, lots of drinking.

[Photos via Northwest Bookworm]

Looks like a great group of people. The Alter Ego Society also makes superhero short films and they donate to p:ear, a charity that helps the homeless and transitional youth.

We’re going to keep our eyes on these guys. Very impressive!

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More and more, this becomes. Art meshes with fashion, fashion partakes in fantasy, fantasy masks imagery, and masks hide monotony. The costume stands in as a qualifier of culture and life.

jing’s artwork describes this most efficiently.

via the artist’s site:

jing’s SUPERHYPERREAL world is full of people infused with visceral, unsentimental, in-your-face attitudes!

With shiny-eyed optimism and close interaction with everyday people,

jing combines his eye for subtle gestures and expressions with a tropical color palette and the classical formality of the tableau,

instilling the colorful character of his subjects in his images.

Utilizing a healthy dose of kitsch and humor to disarm viewers’ expectations,

jĭng explores the social instinct of people to form communities and identities,

and questions our tendency to define characters and cultural stereotypes.

jing’s appreciation of cultural references and authentic environments, coupled with strong conceptual direction,

help to create contemporary fictions, alternate realities and mythologies in our urban social narratives.

Peek in the gallery to get a closer look at jing’s depiction of culture through movement, apparel, and color as perceived by society. Head over to the main site for a closer look at the merging of art with costume by jing.

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Oh man, oh man, oh man! The Maker Faire is upon us very soon and we have every reason to latch on like a fly to his favorite flourescent. Infos have been peeping out the Interpipes for at least a few days now and we’re getting a better grasp of what to expect. In fact, a schedule has been whipped up courtesy the Maker site that will tickle your geek fancy:

[via Makerfaire.com]

Boiler Bar Stage
Jon Sarriugarte’s Boiler Bar Theater Presents
Craft Demos
• Soft Circuit Embroidery • How to Make Your Own Shoes…the Easy Way! • Make Your Own Free Range Mini-Monsters • Finger Puppets Who Wish To Not Die • Making Jewelry • Felt Faux Fruit • Create Ribbon Straw Flowers on Vintage Flower Looms • The DIY Bride: Quick & Easy Wedding Projects for Any Budget • Fashioning Technology: DIY Style • Pops! Icy Treats for Everyone • Guerilla Pattern Drafting • Create Your Own Photo Flip Book • Photojojo DIY Photo Blocks
Festival Stage
• EepyBird
Lion Brand Booth
• Lion Brand Yarn Unique Activities

Click through to see more!

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Well, today is an exciting day for Batman fans around the world. Lots of new promotional pictures and posters have been released for the upcoming “The Dark Knight” movie. Here at MyDisguises, we are salivating at all the costume goodness.

This movie keeps looking better and better!

Also, keep your eyes on this website - a new Dark Knight trailer will be released this Sunday.

In closing, I’d like to pay tribute to the 1960’s Batman TV show and the infamous “Batusi” dance. The Dark Knight sure has come a long way, hasn’t he?

Why so serious? Indeed.

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ZION, ILLINOIS – A group of students at Zion-Benton Township High School landed in hot water when they pulled a costume prank that disrupted classes. Ten seniors dressed as large bananas ran wildly through the school as they were chased by another student wearing a gorilla costume.

Hah, great costumes! Sounds like an innocent prank, right? But the school administration didn’t think so, and the students found themselves suspended for seven days. That seems too harsh to me, especially when, according to the New-Sun, Zion students recently caught fighting only received a five-day suspension.

Many students planned protests in support of the “Banana Boys,” but the pranksters asked everyone to “relax” and stand down, fearing they might get banned from attending prom and the graduation ceremony.

Well done, Banana Boys, and congratulations on surviving high school. We all know it’s a jungle out there.

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Duct tape has so many uses, and can solve all sorts of problems. So should we be surprised that it’s also great for making costumes?

Take a look at Kimberly Timmons and Christian Price as they attend their high school prom. Wow! Using over 50 rolls of blue and silver tape, they created costumes that rival the elegant dress of Cinderella and Prince Charming.

Kimberly entered a contest sponsored by the Duck brand duct tape company, hoping to win the $3,000 prize. According to GTR News, her dress weighed a hefty 25 pounds. Let’s hope she wins.

Looks fun, but is it painful to take off? Fortunately for Kimberly, she planned ahead. By sticking two pieces of duct tape together, she was able to don the dress without having it stick to her skin.

Apparently, duct tape costumes are immensely popular these days. Many duct tape companies and organizations sponsor these artistic contests. Check out more great pictures from ducttapeclub.com and ducttapeguys.com.

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Ning… does that word ring sweet in your ear? It should. We’ve become closer to Ning than Joan Rivers to a plastic surgeon.

Ning is a site that lets you set up a social network, and that’s just what we did. We figure that it’s not enough to just have our site bursting with articles, but we need a place for people to talk, share, and make a name for themselves. MyDiguises’ new social network will do just that. What can you do?  Well for example:

• Profiles - Make a page for yourself that identifies you as a real costume buff.
• RSS Feeds - Our blog feeds directly over to NING and will be there for you to read as it updates.
• Events - As we find great events going on, we’ll post em up there and you can know everything that’s going on exactly as it happens.
• Personal Blogs - Did you have a great costume you made? Any classic stories? Yeah, blog em for us.
• Photo Contributions - What’s a costume site without photos??! We believe in the “Pictures, or it didn’t happen” philosophy.
•  Forums and Groups - Link up with people, become a thought leader, be famous, tell all your friends, they’re already jealous.
• Share Videos - Like pictures, but they move all around and have sound!

So basically, you get the idea. Get on the network! Have fun. It will be the best and only community that will let you unleash your passion for costumes on all levels!

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I was late to the Twitter party. I also don’t do much photography, so Flickr was always out of the question. I’ve been on Facebook for awhile now, but haven’t used it for its costume powers. You might say I’m a tad old school. Funny, since I proud myself on my unbearably geeky nature that seems to have no end.

I’ve come to the light, however, and have seen the future of costume fans across the globe. The web has grown up a lot and is always giving out more tools to keep people together. With more and more collective genius mixing into the pool with the social revolution, it’s without hesitation that any costume fan can immediately jump into the mix.

So here’s our mash up of web tools that will put your disguise on the map and open the floodgates of costume fan goodness to you.

Tools To Get You Known

Flickr is the ideal photo sharing website. Why? Well it just is. It’s clean, easy to use, attractive, and a repository for all images that are interesting. There are so many widgets and tools developed around Flickr that you can even add your Flickr album to your blog. Flickr is all about empowering the user to get their photos out and across the web.

Hit the jump for more of our ideas…

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Do your friends think you spend way too much time on the Internet? Yeah, well mine do. It’s okay I’m over it… really.

Whatever, my problems aren’t the point. I’m here to lull you into a haze of Internet obsession you won’t want to cure. Unfortunately, I’m not clever enough nor do I have the resources to build an empire of distractions fit for your attention deficit disorder pleasures. Therefore, I will employ the masterful art of sharing links to keep your brain satisfied.

In my never ending search for jolly good costume weirdness I find some gems. But few are as gloriously self exposing and yet simultaneously gratifying as the page of Unfortunate Star Wars Costumes. Yes, that’s right. Captain Wacky is here to deliver a good list of fully embarrassing costumes that are enough to make you turn to the dark side. It makes me wonder why I don’t have friends who do things like this.

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According to a note posted on Mediumatlarge.net at least 64,000 people were in attendance at the New York Comic Con over this last weekend. That’s a hearty boost up from the previous year which rolled in just under 50k.

Yeah, comics and comic book culture are big in a big way. It seems to only be getting better too.

Put together the combined efforts of film, print media, and now a growing video game market and it makes a lot of sense. This kind of growth has been a common trend for the last seven years, and it looks to grow even more through 2008 with the big Iron Man release.

With so much going on, it’s hard to highlight just one thing. However, I’d say the emergence of Frank Miller’s new on screen project will do just fine. This time, Miller is taking on The Spirit in tribute to Will Eisner’s core comic classic. Fans will be watching this project and trying to keep pace with the success of the artsy combination of animation and live action that Miller does so well.

Here’s a bit of a teaser to sharpen your comic wits on for now…

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I’m officially going to get a bit unofficial right now.

I believe that everyone needs to live a Polaroid lifestyle. What does that mean? It means that on a nearly daily basis you should be doing something that’s worthy of at least a Polaroid shot. Life is, afterall, such a heavy grind and it takes real effort to make sure you do something memorable and fun on a daily basis.  And well, if life is a grind, then my weekend was industrial sized.

So, it came as a huge surprise then when I was sitting at a friends apartment for a visit and Lord Vader came to the door. Yeah, that’s no joke. The man/Jedi loomed over standing at about 6′5″ (yeah I’m short). It definitely warmed my heart. Sadly, no camera was present and I couldn’t get a shot.

The guy who came by just wanted to show off his creation. It was a totally homespun version and looked pretty amazing. Costume fans seem to lurk everywhere and every once in awhile you find one with the chops to share it and not feel funny. Props to our Sith lord friend for making a public appearance.

It then got to me, it sure would be fun to try to get people to take various pictures wearing their favorite costumes in strange public places.

Right place, right time, right hobby. Sorry for no picture!

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I don’t normally read the Harvard Independent. It’s a weekly journal for the students there, and it would seem utterly silly for a “wannabe” student like me to even embrace the idea. BUT they wrote about costumes…

According to the site:

he Harvard Independent co-sponsored the Great Literary Figure Costume Contest on April 12, 2008. Along with the Harvard Square Business Association and as part of the Square’s “Bookish Ball” festivities, the Independent coordinated the Costume Contest to give contestants an opportunity to dress up as their favorite literary character and compete for a range of fantastic prizes.

(via Harvard Independent) click for higher res

I wonder if I can go in and vote….

Oh, guess what. You can. I put my money on the characters of N.I.M.H.

Leave it to the Ivy League to host costume contests based on literary icons. Voting closes on the 20th, so cast your vote now and maybe you’ll get an A+ for participation.

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