A Year in Review: Batman, Boobs, and the Bizarre

It was a break out year for us at HalloweenCostumes.com! We created some pretty rad content - stuff that you might have seen out there in internet-land that made you chuckle or hopefully, shake your head disapprovingly at the very least. Between it all, we wanted to take stock of our strange works of mischief and mayhem by sharing a recap of the year we'll never forget. So without further pomp and ado, we present HalloweenCostumes.com's 2014 Year in Review!

The Many Faces of Lara Croft: Tomb Raider Infographic

January brought in a new year, and to date, HalloweenCostumes.com's most popular original content piece ever. The Many Faces of Lara Croft highlighted the ever-changing face of the unmistakable character from the Tomb Raider Franchise. A star not only for her treasure hunting antics, but also her undeniable sex-appeal, Lara Croft is a powerful female in a male-dominated industry. (We like those types!)

The Mark of Batman: The Evolution of an Icon

This year brought about the announcement and further details of a new film from Warner Bros. Entertainment - Batman v. Superman: The Dawn of Justice. We jumped at the chance to feature Batman in a content piece, and being experts in all things costume, that is exactly what we covered. Batman has taken a number of different forms, and The Mark of Batman gave you the lay of the land. Now we're just waiting for that bat signal to finally hit the clouds in the coming years!

Jessica Tridevil: DIY 3 Breasted Woman Costume

September was a stellar month for HalloweenCostumes.com (more on that later). We saw this article on TMZ about a woman from Florida who apparently had plastic surgery to add a third breast. We thought, "we can do that (sorta)," and proceeded to gather together our own DIY version of the truly bizarre costume. We since found out that it was simply a stunt. But wow did it make for a memorable costume!

#BendGate

Strike while the iron is hot enough...to bend your new iPhone 6. Yes, we will never forget that moment when the first iPhone 6 unpackaged on live TV was dropped unceremoniously on the ground, or more notably, how iPhone 6 users reported their phones bending in their pockets and sometimes yanking out hairs. Since this started making news right in early October, we just couldn't help ourselves and made a #Bendgate costume.

Minimalist Horror Movie Posters

That chill running up your spine can usually be summarized in a single image when it comes to horror movies. From Jack Torrance's axe and the bucket of blood in Carrie to the TV in The Ring and the paper boat from It, we wanted to capture all of these putrid morsels and give our readers a challenge to "Name that horror flick"! Unsurprisingly, being the loyal bunch they are, fans ate these posters up voraciously, even printing them to hang on their walls. Now that just made our year.

31 Days of Halloween

As one could imagine, October is a bit of a busy month for us - being the kings and queens of all things Halloween and all. To show our appreciation we tried to challenge ourselves by putting out some sort of post to you every day of October. We succeeded, adding a massive library of DIYs, pop culture costumes, and just plain fun.

We hope you've enjoyed reading and playing with HalloweenCostumes.com. We sure have enjoyed having you! So here's to 2015 and another year of content glory!

The raw athleticism. The rich history. The legacy of a nation’s tradition passed on throughout the years. The biggest sporting event of the year is almost here. Puppy Bowl 2015 is knocking on our front door, but are you ready? Luckily, we have an entire team of people at HalloweenCostumes.com that jumped at the chance to learn all the ins-and-outs of Puppy Bowl history just so we could pass this knowledge on down to you. With our help, you, too, can be an expert this Puppy Bowl Sunday, February 1st.  

Know Your Puppy Bowl History

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Fact 1: The very first Puppy Bowl aired in 2005 on Animal Planet. The TV special has been growing in viewership since its first year, with over 13.5 million pet-lovers tuning in during 2014's day-long broadcast.

Fact 2: 66 puppies were involved in the 2014 game! That’s a lot of doggies to take a drink from the water bowl cams.

Fact 3: Speaking of cameras – at last year’s event, there were ten full-size cameras on set, as well as five mini GoPros around the field, as not to miss a single bit of cuteness during the game.

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Fact 4: Feline cyber-celebrities that were featured in Puppy Bowl X in 2014 included Keyboard Cat and Lil Bub. Also there: penguin cheerleaders. Because, duh. (Rumors of a “Katty Furry” performance at this year’s half-time show are flying around the internet as we type.)

Fact 5: Hallmark Channel and Nat Geo Wild were inspired by the Puppy Bowl’s success and created both the Kitten Bowl and the Fish Bowl, respectively.

Know Your Puppy Bowl MVPs

Every year, a particularly prominent puppy is voted MVP. This dominant doggy is one that demonstrates a dedication to the game, a fervor for all things furry, and well … it’s, like, soooooooo cuuuuute. Here are some pictures of the most recent Most Valuable Puppies. You know, for information’s sake.

Loren (Puppy Bowl X)   |   Marta (Puppy Bowl IX)   |   Fumble (Puppy Bowl VIII)

CB (Puppy Bowl VII)   |   Jake (Puppy Bowl VI)

Know Your Puppy Bowl Rules & Regulations

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Yes, even though this is a made-up sporting event played exclusively by canines, there are rules! And rules have to be followed. Here are a few to remember – penalties, too! – so you can sound like a seasoned veteran of the Puppy Bowl lifestyle. 

• The dogs involved in the event are all actually puppies! The rule is that they have to be between 12 and 21 weeks old to play.
• A touchdown is called whenever a puppy carries the stuffed football to the end zone.
• There are mandatory timeouts for water. Gotta keep the puppies hydrated.
• Penalties include: Unnecessary “Ruff”-ness, “Paws” Interference, “Rough” Sides, and “Dog”-Collar Tackle.
• Other situations that may result in removal from the field: howling, illegal bathing, napping, and premature watering of the lawn. (You can guess what that last one means.)

Host Your Own 2015 Puppy Bowl

Now that you know the rules and the history of the cherished Puppy Bowl legacy, you’ll be the ultimate font of knowledge at your get-together on game day. What if you want to host your own event, though? Easy! Here are a few doggy jerseys and other pet costumes for dogs that’ll make your group of puppies look like they’re ready to go pro.

Football Costumes for Dogs

Green Bay Packers Dog Mesh Jersey – Shop    Denver Broncos Dog Mesh Jersey – Shop

New England Patriots Dog Mesh Jersey – Shop    Seattle Seahawks Dog Mesh Jersey – Shop

Cheerleader Costumes for Dogs

Chicago Bears Dog Cheerleader Outfit – Shop    Pittsburgh Steelers Dog Cheerleader Outfit – Shop

Indianapolis Colts Dog Cheerleader Outfit – Shop    Detroit Lions Cheerleader Dog Costume – Shop

Green Bay Packers Dog Cheerleader Outfit – Shop    San Francisco 49ers Cheerleader Dog Costume – Shop

Want more more more pet and dog costumes? Look here for the rest!

WWE's annual Royal Rumble has produced more than just a list of winners. For nearly three decades, the stats have piled up as records have been made and broken. Only time will tell what will happen at this year's Royal Rumble, but to best understand the future we must understand the past. While you could watch every Royal Rumble ever on the WWE Network for a mere (say it with us) $9.99, you'll get much of the same info with our handy Royal Rumble Stats & Records infographic!

Will Roman Reigns be able to win after getting so close last year? Does Daniel Bryan have what it takes to outlast 29 other Superstars, (Yes! Yes! Yes!) or will he turn out to be a B+ player after all (No! No! No!)? Will The Authority try to interfere and influence the outcome? And if they do, will Sting be around to thwart their plans yet again? The only things we know for sure are that there will definitely be some surprises (like Kevin Nash and JBL entering the match last year), and that Kofi Kingston won't be eliminated the first time he goes over the top rope. Away we go!

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Highlights and Heroes

That was a lot of info, right?? Here are some of the most notable Royal Rumble tidbits...the kind that you can easily pull out of your singlet to share at your viewing party:

• In 27 Royal Rumbles, there have been 28 total winners (including both Bret Hart and Lex Luger, 1994's co-winners)
• Not counting multiple wins by a single Superstar, there have been 22 individual winners (Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, John Cena, and Batista have each won twice, while Stone Cold Steve Austin won three times)
• Only once has the WWE Championship been awarded to the Royal Rumble winner (Ric Flair in 1992)
• Only once has the reigning WWE Champion won the Royal Rumble (Hulk Hogan in 1990)
• Since 1993, the Royal Rumble winner has been granted a title shot at WrestleMania

Regardless of whether or not they capture championship gold at WrestleMania, the Royal Rumble winners join a list of "who's who" among WWE Legends and Hall of Fame inductees. Here is the complete list of Royal Rumble winners by year, including their entry number and the result of their match at that year's WrestleMania:

All of this wrestling info has definitely gotten us in the mood to throw on some neon spandex and snap into a Slim Jim. You too? Stop by our ever-expanding selection of wrestling costumes HERE and do your worst!

Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch has a volatile history in the NFL. He has been perceived as a bad-boy ever since a weapons charge in 2009, and if anything, he seems to embrace that persona! He furthers his infamous status through strange pre-game rituals and a very odd relationship with the media. Marshawn's 2014 football season hasn't disappointed in this regard, and he has been trending on social media recently due to his exceptionally brief responses to all media questions. Remarks include, "fine," "yeah," "you know why I'm here," and most famously, "I'm just here so I don't get fined."

Another of Lynch’s notable quirks is the oxygen deprivation mask he wears while training/warming up. Marshawn and his various masks have made their way into a number of different sports news sites, and being that we at HalloweenCostumes.com fancy ourselves mask experts, we got to thinking...what mask might he wear to Super Bowl XLIX? What mask would we LIKE him to wear? What mask would it be HILARIOUS for him to wear? We bring you "Masking Marshawn," our 8 recommendations for the mask we’d love to see Beast Mode sport for the big game!

1. Guy Fawkes, V for Vendetta

"Beast Mode should not be afraid of the Patriots, the Patriots should be afraid of Beast Mode."

2. Bane, The Dark Knight Rises

"You think the mask is your ally? I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't taste fresh air until I was already a man."

3. Face-Hugger, Alien

"Mrrphhnnn Hummphhhefff Hfffmhhhh."

4&5. Scorpion and Sub-Zero, Mortal Kombat

"Get over Here! This fight will be your last, New England."

6. Masquerade Mask

"Why so silent, Marshawn?"

7. Shredder, Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles

"Tonight I dine on Brady Soup."

8.  Hannibal Lecter, The Silence of the Lambs

"A reporter tried to question me once, I ate his recorder with some fava beans and a nice bottle of Budweiser."

Which is your favorite of the many magnificent masks of Marshawn? Any ideas for other masks he should pick up in the future? Take a look at our selection of masks HERE and let us know in the comments below!

When it comes to saving the day and winning the hearts of all, heroes like Mario, the princess-saver, Han, the sweet-talking bounty hunter, and Tyrion, the undeniable casanova, get all the attention. You can imagine that if this was elementary school, the Valentine boxes sitting on their desks on February 14^th would be stuffed to the brim with love letters and sweet treats. But, doesn’t that make you feel bad for the less-than-loveable characters? We love the underdogs here at HalloweenCostumes.com, so we came up with 14 shareable, printable, kissable Valentines featuring some of our favorite villains, from Gus Fring to Bowser, Joffrey Baratheon to Team Rocket. Because, bad guys need love, too!

For the Disney Fan

1. Hans from Frozen

"I love crazy!"

2. Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty

"You stole what was left of my heart."

3. Ursula from The Little Mermaid

"So long, lover boy!"

For the Movie Fan

4. The Chestburster from Alien

“Hello, my baby! Hello, my honey!”

5. Darth Vader from Star Wars

"Search your feelings; you know it to be true."

6. Gollum from The Lord of the Rings

"It came to me, my own, my love ... my precious!"

For the Superhero Fan

7. Catwoman from Batman

"You're catnip to a girl like me. Handsome, dazed, and to die for."

8. Loki from Thor

"I like her."

9. Magneto from X-Men

"You are a god among insects. Never let anyone tell you different."

For the TV Fan

10. Gus Fring from Breaking Bad

"Look. At. Me."

11. Ice King from Adventure Time

“J.T. Dawgzone always says, ‘Ladies are drawn to bros with tortured pasts.’ And I’ve got a WAY tortured past! I think.”

12. Joffrey Baratheon from Game of Thrones

“I'll tell you what. I'm going to give you a present. After I raise my armies, and kill your traitor brother, I'll give you his head as well.”

For the Video Game Fan

13. Bowser from Mario

"Gwa ha ha ha haaaaaaa!"

14. Team Rocket from Pokémon

"Face it, kids. The opposite sex is nothing but trouble."

Like what ya see? See what ya like? Wanna print some of these little love-notes to hand out to your girlfriend, boyfriend, best friend, worst enemy, and so on? Here are some PDF files you can download, print off, and cut out to hand out to your special Valentine this February 14^th. Mwah!

With Resident Evil: Revelations 2 reanimating the survival horror genre February 25, let’s not forget ground zero. The ambiance was that of a séance as your PlayStation lit up the screen with Resident Evil - the room aglow from your old box TV. (Remember those?)

From that first choppy helicopter ride over the woods of Raccoon City, you were slammed face first into the evils of the Umbrella Corporation. You know the scenes - the things of your adolescent nightmares. Either when that first zombie turned, face bloodied and skin taught like rawhide, or when the skinless dogs burst through the hallway windows – oh, what you wouldn’t have given for Barry Burton’s Colt 45 on the first floor of the mansion – you were hooked (and admittedly drunk on adrenaline).

Fast forward. The system has changed and the graphics have become troublingly lifelike, but the same terror grips you. We hope you thoroughly saturate your controller in palm sweat as you dive into Resident Evil: Revelations 2. But, before that, feast, zombie, feast! on the Complete Resident Evil Chronology.

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So, which was your favorite Resident Evil game? Lead protaganist? Let us know in the comments! In the meantime, you can peruse our zombie costumes to help you get in the game spirit.

The new movie Minions is set to hit theaters in July and we can’t contain our excitement any longer. Seriously, who doesn’t love watching little Minions dressed up as the Village People, singing and dancing to “YMCA?" Try to watch 90 minutes of countless shenanigans without cracking a smile – we dare you! While these little, jar-headed, yellow creatures were initially part of evil plots in the original Despicable Me movie, they’ve since won the hearts of children and adults everywhere. Not only that – they’ve managed to steal the show without even speaking many words of decipherable English – it’s all part of their charm!

So, what language do the minions speak, exactly? Some call their speak “minionese” and others refer to it as “banana language,” but according to Director Pierre Coffin, the Minion vernacular’s true roots stem from a combination of many languages including English, Spanish, Italian, and Korean, to name a few. Since many of us aren’t fortunate enough to be multi-lingual, though, we watched the movies several times to crack the code! (You can thank us later.) Here are some of the most famous minion lines translated to English:

How to Talk like a Minion

Hello and Good-bye

Let’s start with the basics: Hello and good-bye are arguably two of the more commonly used words in any language. And seriously, who wouldn’t want to say poopaye over and over again? It’s no wonder those minions are always giggling!

Thank You and What?

Po-ka? Did you say something? I thought I heard you say poopaye! Po-ka?! Alright, enough of that. We can move on to other commonly used words that you will hear throughout the movie.

I'm Hungry and Apple

Not only do Minions resemble Chiquita bananas, they love to eat them as well. After this lesson, you can speak the banana lingo right along with 'em.

Ice Cream and Toy

Did you also notice how much Minions love ice cream? (Would banana ice cream be the ultimate??) At least we aren’t alone in chasing ice cream trucks down the road yelling GELATO! Fact: the word gelato is Italian for ice cream. Speaking of which, we hear an ice cream truck now… Poopaye!

We Love You and Marriage

We think it is safe to say that we love Minions even more than Agnes loves unicorns! Hard to say though, since unicorns are AWESOME! When Gru decides to abandon his evil plots, we learn that those cute little Minions were never destined for evil and they have a soft side to them! Tulaliloo ti amo, little guys!

Ugly and I Hate You

Just because these lovable yellow friends have a soft spot for Margo, Edith, and Agnes, it doesn’t mean they are always nice to each other. We have seen a gibberish squabble or two and we were able to identify a few insulting words amidst the nonsense. Use with caution!

Fart and I'm Sorry

In case you need to apologize for your banana language insults, we have you covered! A simple bi-do should do the trick. The other word up there? You can come up with your own situation for that vocabulary. (And at least you'll know how to apologize, too.)

Fire! and One, Two, Three

Bi-do and bee-do are two words you do not want to confuse! When learning the jargon remember to keep your vowel sounds on bi-do short and emphasize your vowels on bee-do to differentiate the two. We don’t need any unnecessary fire drills!  Bee-do-bee-do-bee-do!

I Swear

Just when you thought you were getting minionese down pat, the creators had to throw us for a loop! An English word with a different meaning? Po-ka?!

Who can resist watching a little minion singing about underwear? You just have to see it for yourself!

How to Dress Like a Minion

Adult Gru Costume - Shop     Women's Minion Costume - Shop     Boys Minion Costume - Shop

Deluxe Agnes Child Costume - Shop     Girls Minion Costume - Shop

Minion Pet Costume - Shop

Are you excited for the new Minions movie this summer? How about Despicable Me 3 coming out in 2017? We can hardly contain our excitement. You can scroll through all of our Despicable Me and Minion costumes here as you impatiently await for these films to premiere. Poopaye!

What is Purim?

Purim is a Jewish holiday known for its fun and festive Mardi Gras-like celebrations. Purim customs include a festival of food, song and dance, the giving of gifts to charity, and (our favorite part) the wearing of costumes! The story of Purim comes from the biblical Book of Esther. Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai triumphed over the evil plot of the king’s wicked advisor, Haman, and the Jewish people of ancient Persia were saved. Hamantaschen cookies, which represent Haman’s tricorn hat, are traditionally served and given as gifts during the celebration.

When is Purim?

Purim falls on the 14^th of the Hebrew month of Adar (Jewish calendar). Purim will be celebrated in 2015 from sunset on March 4^th through sunset of March 5^th.

Purim Costumes for Adults

Classic Captain America Costume - Shop     Authentic Iron Man Mark 6 Costume - Shop

Stormtrooper Costume - Shop       Wonder Woman T-Shirt Costume - Shop

Superheroes are always in style for men and women alike, but the premiere of The Avengers: Age of Ultron on May 1, 2015 means that Marvel costumes are particularly popular right now. Star Wars Episode VII will hit box offices in December, so suiting up in a Stormtrooper costume will guarantee admiration from partygoers everywhere.

Women’s 1920s Flapper Costume - Shop     Renaissance Queen Adult Costume  - Shop   

Blue Princess Renaissance Costume  - Shop

Purim is also the perfect time to celebrate Queen Esther’s bravery and beauty, and ladies can’t go wrong with queen and princess themes and accessories. Flapper dresses from the 1920s are always in style and make an excellent costume choice for all ages and sizes!

Purim Costumes for Kids

Kids Batgirl Tutu Costume - Shop       Pink Princess Costume - Shop

Toddler Girls Minion Costume  - Shop       Girls Robin Costume  - Shop

 Superheroes and royalty are popular costume selections for kids as well, but really anything goes on Purim as long as the idea is fun and cheerful. Minions, the most anticipated children’s movie of 2015, will be inspiring costumes both for Purim and Halloween in 2015.

Child Captain America Costume - Shop      Deluxe Kids Flash Costume  - Shop  

Deluxe Child Leonardo Costume - Shop

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot in 2014 brought the pizza-loving heroes in a half shell into the hearts of kids everywhere, and the colorful turtle costumes will be a hit at Purim parties. To stay on budget, consider selecting a costume that can be altered or reused for Halloween!

 
Masquerade Accessories

Deluxe Mardi Gras Mask - Shop     Color Change Mardi Gras Mask  - Shop   

Black and Gold Sequin and Feather Mask - Shop

Not planning to don a full costume for your Purim celebration? Accessorize with a fun and colorful Mardi Gras mask that matches the carnival spirit of the holiday!

There are plenty of exciting costume options for Purim, and HalloweenCostumes.com has the largest selection of costumes anywhere (we really do)! So don’t be shy - check out our other costumes here, and have a very Happy Purim!

Since the 2010 release of Despicable Me, the little yellow creatures we have come to know as Minions have topped the popularity scales. Many people fell in love with the cute little guys and their myriad of tomfoolery. Sure, these mini-fellas are adorable now, but the original concept for Minions in the first Despicable Me movie might surprise you. Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know about Minions!

1. MINIONS HAVE BEEN AROUND SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME

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The story behind the Minions is that they have existed for many years and it was kind of a mystery as to where they came from. We don’t know their origins, but we do know that their lives have been dedicated to serving evil overlords. The new Minions movie coming out in July will take us back to their lives before Gru.

2. MINIONS WERE ORIGINALLY LIKE STORM TROOPERS

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Okay, this probably wasn’t the picture the directors had in mind, but Minions were originally intended to be Gru’s henchman, modeled after Storm Troopers from Star Wars. The goal was to make them cloned drones because they were supposed to help with evil plots. Can we just be the first to say we are glad that didn’t happen?! The creators were worried that with this evil Henchman concept, Gru would not be likeable enough, therefore they scrapped the henchmen idea and took a more pleasant character approach.

3. MINIONS WERE AT ONE POINT THOUGHT TO COME FROM EGG YOLKS

Once they started to reconsider the original design of Minions, the movie makers thought that they would incorporate a fun idea into the movie regarding how Minions are made. Early ideas were hatched (eh?) to show that they were created from the yolks of eggs, but the filmmakers ultimately decided to eliminate that component all together. As of now, we do not know how the Minions are created and we may never know.

4. MINION BODIES ARE MODELED AFTER TWINKIES

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With the henchman idea out of focus, the directors had to brainstorm other style concepts for the Minions. Eventually they drew inspiration from Twinkies, Tylenol capsules, and tennis balls to create the famous look we have all come to know and love!

5. MINIONS HAVE ONE 36 POSSIBLE LOOKS

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Minions have three different body shapes: short and squatty, tall and skinny, or a medium build. They also have a variety of hairstyles, six to be exact, which  includes short spikes, a comb over, and bald. (Is that even a hairstyle?!) Mathematically speaking, when you consider some have one eye ball and others have two, there are 36 possible Minion variations.

6. MINIONS ARE INNOCENT SO MORE PEOPLE WOULD LIKE GRU

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In order to make Gru a likeable character, animators had to make the Minions likeable as well. For this reason, the goal was to write the Minions into various story lines as innocent and irresponsible creatures with a sense of humor.

7. MINIONS CAN ONLY BE SEEN BY CHILDREN

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Due to the silly nature of Minions, the directors thought it would be a good idea to create a “rule” for the yellow guys to only be seen by children. However, that fact is never mentioned on screen and the idea sort of faded out with plot progressions. 

8. MINIONS COULD ONLY APPEAR IN DAYLIGHT WHILE IN COSTUME

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Another interesting Minion fact is that they were originally never supposed to appear in daylight, and, if they did, they would be in costume. While we see several costumes on the Minions in the movie, this idea also faded out of the storylines.

9. MOST OF THE MINIONS WERE VOICED BY THE DIRECTORS

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The director Pierre Coffin (left) voices most of the Minions with a little help from the other director, Chris Renaud (right). Pierre used his native French language to help create the Minion “banana language." (Want to know more about the banana language? Here's a quick Minion-ese tutorial!)

10. MINIONS ARE MADE OF GLOW STICKS

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In one of the scenes, we see the directors imply that Minions are made of glow sticks. If Minions have been around for a long time, longer than glow sticks, how do we know that glow sticks aren’t actually made out of Minions? MIND BLOWN!

Don’t forget to catch the new Minion movie in July. Do you think it will answer any of our questions? Where do you think Minions come from? Let us know in the comments! Be sure to check out our Minion costumes here to get yourself into the Minion mood. Poopaye!

Most people can’t fly, can't shoot lasers from their eyes, and don't have suits of high-tech armor that allow them to save the world from criminals and supervillians. BUT, tie a towel around your neck, place your hands on your hips, and see if you don’t feel heroic! Superheroes are as much about what they wear as they are about what they can do. While most superheroes keep the same look issue after issue, movie after movie, sometimes even they change it up a bit. Next time you think about costuming up to head to your favorite con or just to play pretend, conside these awesome alternative costumes to the classic superhero looks you know and love from the Marvel Universe.

Iron Man

Here’s a guy who knows how to dress; his costume IS what makes him super. As of Avengers 2: Age of Ultron, Tony Stark will be on Mark 43 of his iconic Iron Man armor sets. 43. That’s right, he has built 43 costume variations of the Iron Man suit. In comics, he has even MORE variations. Here are a few of our favorites.

The Hulkbuster

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For when you need to bust Hulks. Tony developed this specifically to battle The Hulk.

The War-Machine Armor

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How do you make the Iron Man armor more awesome? Give it a chain gun, rocket launcher, and throw some extra BOOM on it.

The Iron Patriot Armor

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Did somebody order freedom? Because we got your freedom right here.

Spider-Man

For one reason or another, Spidey has a ridiculous amount of costumes. There are so many variants of Spider-Man in the comics that they even created a mash-up comic called “The Spider-Verse.” From clones, imposters, or just plain new costumes, here’s how to bump up your Spider-Game.

Black Suit Spider-Man

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Warning: May cause horrible sequels and bouts of bad emo hair (lookin' at you, Tobey Maguire). The alien suit made Spider-Man even more awesome in black.
  

The Iron Spider

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Spider-Man tested, Stark approved. Tony built this costume to augment his powers during the “Civil War” story arc. It comes with three extra arms and a bunch of fun Stark-tech. 

The Bombtastic Bag-Man

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When Reid Richards of the Fantastic Four separated the Black Suit from Spider-Man, Spidey was left costume-less and mask-less. In order to get home (and fight some crime on the way), he became “The Bombtastic Bag-Man.”
 

Deadpool

The Merc with a Mouth, Deadpool, is a comic fan-favorite. He is known for his ability to break the "fourth wall" and address readers directly. He knows he is a comic book character, which makes for some pretty zany moments. Thus, this crazy and off-the-wall humor naturally leads to some interesting costume moments.

Deadpool: X-Men

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After begging and pleading (which actually consisted of Deadpool following the X-Men on missions), Deadpool was allowed to join the famous X-Men team. This is his take on the classic blue and gold costume combo — notice the out of place Deadpool mask.

X-Force Deadpool

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Deadpool’s best friend is Wolverine. Wolverine had a black ops team called X-Force. Deadpool went with on missions in this stealthy costume. Wolverine LOVED it. (Not.)

Pirate Deadpool: Piratepool

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What’s better than sailing the seven seas and hunting for booty? While we’re not sure we’d trust Deadpool at the helm of a ship, we’re pretty sure he’d hunt for booty like a pro in this pirate outfit. Piratepool loves treasure.

Jean Grey: Marvel Girl/The Phoenix

One of the original members of the X-Men, Jean Grey has had a turbulent history. As the avatar of The Phoenix Force (to spare you the comic book mumbo jumbo, let’s just say she’s got a fiery temper), her look has changed a lot, from her first days as Marvel Girl to her more modern look as The Phoenix.

First Appearace: Jean Grey, X-Men

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many folks may not remember Jean’s first appearace as Marvel Girl, which was in the original X-men: Cyclops, Beast, Angel, Iceman, and Marvel Girl. They wore identical outfits. Not exactly the most jaw-dropping costume in Marvel history.

Marvel Girl

[source]

In “The All-New X-Men,” the heroes were given their own looks in addition to new teammates. Jean takes on this feminine look in green and gold, which would go on to become her signature colors.
 

The Phoenix

[source: left | top right | bottom right]

Jean eventually becomes possessed by an entity known as The Phoenix Force, vastly increasing her powers and her awesomeness. While possessed, her outfit changes according to her mental state. When she’s evil, she’s Dark Phoenix in red. When she’s good, she’s rocking either green or white. Whatever the case, this is one awesome look for this X-Woman.

Captain America

The First Avenger, the ol' Stars 'n' Stripes: Captain America, one of the most iconic characters in the Marvel Universe. His winged mask, the shield, and the red, white, and blue color scheme are classics. Thoughout his long service as superhero and leader, Steve Rogers has adopted a few different looks.

The Captain

[source

Steve gives up the mantle of Captain America for a time and retires. Falcon and some other buddies find him and talk him into taking up the shield again, this time as "The Captain." The costume features less blue, more black, and is still based on the orginal Captain America costume.
 

Steve Rogers: Director of SHIELD

[source]

After the comic event "Siege," Rogers passes the mantle of Captain America to Bucky. He becomes the Director of SHIELD and dresses in this Captain America/SHIELD mashup costume. His iconic shield is replaced with a piece of Stark tech that gives the accessory a holographic look.

Falcon/All-New Captain America

[source]

In the current stories, Steve Rogers had the Super Solider Serum drained from his body. He has since passed the mantle to The Falcon, Sam Wilson, who has become the All-New Captain America. This unique costume combines elements of both The Falcon and Cap, logically.

WHEW! That was a lot of costumes. Did you see anything you like? Learn anything while you were at it? Do you have an alternate costume that you consider to be your favorite? Comment below! To take a look at the classic classics, here are our superhero costumes.

Unlike certain franchises that seem to never end (The Land Before Time 14?! Now That's What I Call Music! 89?!?!), Mario Party is one pop culture staple we will forever welcome new editions of. In fact, we are practically giddy that Mario Party 10 was released for the WiiU earlier this week, and we fully plan to spend the weekend swimming in a gleeful sea of new brand minigames. If you, like us, can't think of many better ways to pass a Saturday than getting together with a group of your young-adults-by-law-but-kids-at-heart friends and throwing a Mario Party party, then read on! We've put together some easy cocktail, food, attire, and activity ideas to help you throw just such a "party party."

Mario Party Party Cocktail Ideas

Mario 1UP Beer Koozie - Shop

Mario Party 10 is rated E for Everyone, but there are already plenty of ideas floating around the web on how to throw a Mario party for kids. (Just log onto Pinterest and you'll be up to your eyeballs.) As such, we're gearing our party towards Mario-loving adults! And what's the one thing that basically every adult party needs? Cocktailssss! Here are some ideas ranging from fancy shmancy to 0.000 effort:

• DK Daquiris: Bananas : Donkey Kong :: Cookies : Cookie Monster. And not only does Donkey Kong love these fragrant fruits, bananas are a celebrated resident of the entire Marioverse! Toss some light rum, nanners, and ice in a blender, garnish, and enjoy.
• Bowser Bloodies: Bowser is THE star of this latest game in the Mario Party series, so something red, fiery, and spicy is a fitting tribute to this bad-to-the-bone boss. Generously garnished bloodies with an extra dash of Tabasco ought to do the trick. 
• Princess Peach Bellinis: Any type of Bellini is a crisp and refreshing beverage worthy of any princess, but of course at your Mario party, peach is the only option! Combine chilled prosecco with pureed peaches, and bask in the beautiful pink glow.
• Mystery Block Punch: Talk about a convenient way to use up a bunch of leftover alcohol! Sometimes these "?" Blocks hold lovely twists of fate, and other times the surprises inside are not so sweet. So, no matter how your punch mixture turns out, it will fit your party theme perfectly.
• Beer: You don't need fancy punches and blended beverages to have a good time. Grab a 12-pack of your favorite cheap beer, stick the cans in 1Up Koozies, and your guests will still be mighty impressed with your attention to detail.

Mario Party Drinking Game

[Source]

What to do now that you have your cocktail menu planned? Drink up, of course! THANK YOU to the cool cool cool person that took the time to invent this, so we didn't have to. The rules are pretty straight-forward - drink when you lose a minigame, drink when you win a minigame, drink, drink, drink, and have fun!

Mario Party Party Food Ideas

[Source: Top Left I Top Right I Bottom Left I Bottom Right]

NO ONE expects you to make artisinal pizza rolls topped with pesto and sculpted to look like Mario Mushrooms for your party. If you DO make them, though, you might just win someone's heart instead of just some minigames. For a similarly savory, but far more achievable idea, arrange a store-bought veggie platter to look like a Fire Flower! It's borderline too cute to handle, and is guaranteed to be gobbled up in no time.

As for sweeter fare, this is the perfect reason to bust out that novelty mustache ice cube tray you got for Christmas. Chocolate 'staches on a stick are not only delicious, they provide great selfie photo ops. And, of course, nothing is a better treat than sugar cookies for guests with the drunk munchies. These star / mushroom shaped cuties would be a welcome addition to this [and any] gathering.

Mario Party Party Activity Ideas

Inflatable Banana Prop - Shop        Inflatable Mallet Prop - Shop       Plush Mushroom Purse - Shop

Giant Cartoon Gloves - Shop        Adult Mario Hat - Shop        Adult Luigi Hat - Shop

Bowser Shell Backpack - Shop        Bowser Wrist Cuffs - Shop        Bowser Stick-On Eyebrows - Shop

Princess Peach Crown Headband - Shop       Long White Gloves - Shop       Mario Star Wand - Shop

Plastic Stone Wall Backdrop - Shop

[Source: Top I Bottom]

You certainly needn't go out of your way to construct some crazy DIY booth either - just tape up our plastic stone backdrop on an open wall and you'll instantly be transported to Bowser's Castle! Again, since Bowser is the showcased character in this new Mario Party WiiU version, it would be apropos to have the background look like his grey stone castle (which has been around since THE LITERAL MARIO BEGINNING (see above)), as opposed to the typical bright red "Mario brick."  

Fun Fact: Mario Party 10 marks the first time that Bowser will be a playable character. You can play with up to 4 players using the regular Wii Remotes, and an additional player can control Bowser from the Wii U GamePad. GAH - sorry - geeking out. We're excited!!

Mario Party Party Costume Ideas

Exclusive Princess Peach Costume - Shop    Women's Mario Jumpsuit - Shop    Sexy Wario Costume - Shop

Men's Luigi Costume - Shop      Exclusive Princess Daisy Costume - Shop      Men's Bowser Suit - Shop

Men's Exclusive Yoshi Costume - Shop      Adult Toad Costume - Shop      Exclusive DK Costume - Shop

You're on a Halloween costumes blog in the middle of March, so don't try to pretend like you're not one to take advantage of every possible costume-wearing opportunity that arises throughout the year. Encouraging your guests to dress up as one of the colorful characteres from the Super Mario crew would undoubtedly catapult your Mario Party party to the next level of awesome. If you're not prepared to go full-costume, you could always opt for a character hoodie, costume tee, or just carry around one of those yummy chocolate mustaches on a stick.

Mario Party Party Decoration Ideas

You're a grownup. You're probably putting this party together the day before you're hosting it. You don't need decorations to have a good time. Plus, if you took our advice earlier, you've already got a sweet Mario photo booth in the works that will soon be occupying a sizable portion of your living room. However, if you're down to really let the Mario Spirit move you, we suggest you focus on one key element of decor: B A L L O O N S! Balloons are the cornerstone of the Mario Party world, afterall.

Don't believe us? Below are just a FEW of our favorite balloon-focused mini games from Mario Parties past. Balloon Burst? Bumper Balloon Cars? Shy Guy Says? Balloon of Doom? Balloon Busters? MERRY POPPINGS? #NostalgiaOverload

[Images from MarioWiki]

Just purchase several bright, multicolored balloons, and go wild! Attach them to the chairs where your guests will be perched, set them on the bar and snack tables, pepper them liberally throughout your game room, and save a few for some beer-fueled, minigame-inspired competitions with your party peers that are sure to sound like a great idea later on in the night. The most important rule when hosting a Mario Party Party, though, has already been succinctly stated in rule number 8 of the Mario Party drinking game: 

Are you really planning to host a Mario Party Party? Can we come? What's your favorite minigame? Feel free to share in the comments below!

As the world prepares for the second coming of the Avengers in The Avengers: Age of Ultron, we want to prepare you by giving you a background on the new villains and heroes in the film. Check out this The Avengers: Age of Ultron primer featuring profiles of the super-twins Quicksilver and The Scarlet Witch.

(Note: There are potential spoilers throughout this post — continue at your own risk.)

Names: Pietro & Wanda Maximoff
Aliases: Quicksilver & Scarlet Witch

Interesting History

Getting The Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver on the big screen was no easy task. In the comics, the Maximoffs are actually mutants — think X-Men — but, that is not made mention of in the films. Why? Fox owns the rights to the X-Men universe, which includes the name mutant and all the things that go along with it. However, not ONLY are the Maximoff twins mutants, they're also the children of a particularly famous mutant: Magneto. Their powers, as well as their relationships with both the Avengers and newcomer The Vision, make them the perfect addition to the new roster of super-powered beings in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Special Powers

Quicksilver

Pietro is a speedster, capable of running at speeds well over the speed of sound, even pushing Mach 5. In the comics, Pietro has control over his body at a molecular level, allowing him to use his rapidity for more than just moving fast. He has super-strong leg muscles and an enhanced metabolism. His speed and control over his molecules allows him to pass through solid objects and to become intangible (like a ghost - spooky!). He is even able to think and process information at a super-sonic rate.

[source]

Pietro goes fast. Like, really fast. 

Scarlet Witch

Master of the mind and magic, Scarlet Witch’s powers are more mysterious than her brother's. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it has been shown that she has some sort of telekinetic abilities in addition to shooting energy blasts (pew-pew!). It has also been guessed that in the upcoming film, Wanda will have the ability to project visions into the mind of her enemies and maybe even control minds outright. When you cross that ability with, say, the Hulk, you have a recipe for some Hulk-Smash goodness. See the images below for our thoughts on THAT matter.

[source]
Hulk + mind-control magic = Hulk Smash. Notice the red eyes match. Yeah. The Avengers are in trouble.

POTENTIAL SPOILERS! REMEMBER THOSE SPOILERS WE TALKED ABOUT? THIS IS THEM.
(Please note these are only speculation, but if we turn out to be right, we don’t want to ruin the fun.)

Age of Ultron: Role of the Twins

As of right now, we don’t know much about “The Twins.” They were first featured in the post-credits scene of Captain America: The Winter Solider, under the ever watchful care of HYDRA leader Baron von Strucker. Strucker says something about the “Age of Miracles,” while being all ominous and such. It is implied that Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch received their powers while undergoing HYDRA experimentation.

[source]

Post-credits scene from Captain America: Winter Soldier 

It seems both Wanda and Pietro are chummy with Ultron in the trailers for Age of Ultron, leading us to believe that Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch will go toe-to-toe with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes before joining their ranks. There is a good chance we’re totally off, though; Director Joss Whedon has a knack for throwing surprises into the mix, even when it seems like the trailers, gossip, and speculation give it all away.

We hope this little background has gotten you even MORE excited for The Avengers: Age of Ultron. While you wait for these last few days to tick by, check out our HUGE selection of Avengers Halloween costumes and gear to get you and your own super-squad suited up for the big premiere.

It's not easy being green... or is it? We think so! In honor of Saint Patrick's Day we've compiled our top green costumes to make it easy for anyone to be green. Whether you're a video game whiz, pop culture debutante, or chic geek, HalloweenCostumes.com has the perfect green costume for you!

Gaming Characters

We have yet to see someone wear a Link costume to the bar on Saint Paddy's Day, but there is a first time for everything! If you want to maximize your girl power and send the message that you came here to kick some booty, perhaps the Mortal Combat Deluxe Sonya Blade Costume is the perfect outfit for you. If you really want to get things done in your green costume of choice, you can't go wrong with Deluxe HALO Master Chief armor. Just make sure to leave those green aliens alone... they're just trying to get their Irish on.

Adult Elf Warrior Costume - Shop      Mortal Combat Sonya Blade Costume - Shop 

Deluxe Halo Master Chief Costume - Shop

Luigi deserves some credit for being green on Saint Patrick's Day. Normally resigned to his position as "player 2," the greenest of holidays provides Luigi a time to shine. Be Luigi. Go on, we know you want to? It's the year of the dinosaurs, and everyone's favorite gaming dinosaur, Yoshi, will be on full display in vixen mode. Paired with thigh high white stockings and sexy white heels, this is the ultimate "geek chic" gaming costume.

Adult Luigi Costume - Shop

Womens Yoshee Costumes - Shop     White Stockings - Shop     Sexy White Heels - Shop

Comic Book Characters

Speaking of "geek chic," with the debut of the Guardians of the Galaxy movie in 2014, Gamora officially entered the arena of most powerful green women. And no one can deny that the Hulk makes for the most imposing of greeness. Sporting the Hulk Sublimated Costume Hoodie says, "I came here to be green and have a good time, but don't test my patience." Even if you didn't care for the Green Lantern movie in 2011, you have to respect the hero's green costume. You're more of the classic superhero type, you say? Put on a green fedora and embrace your super alter-ego as The Green Hornet!

Deluxe Adult Gamora Costume - Shop     Hulk Costume Hoodie - Shop

Adult Deluxe Green Lantern Costume - Shop     Adult Green Hornet Costume - Shop

Looking for something a bit more...batty? We've got multiple options for you! The Riddler is always a good choice for the feisty types looking to get all up in their greeness. For the more deadly females (the female of the species is more deadly than the male, btw), embrace your green thumb (and spandex) with our Ivy Vixen costume.

Grand Heritage Classic Riddler Costume - Shop       Ivy Vixen Costume - Shop

Pop Culture Characters

"But... but," you say, "I want to truly express what it means to be green!" Look no further than the source of the spirited color of green, verde, vert, grun, and groen! Pick up your crayolas, boys and girls, and let's get creative! Pair an adult green crayon costume with a black leather jacket and you too can be "true green."

Crayola Glitz Emerald Dress - Shop        Adult Green Crayon Costume - Shop

They say green is the color of lust and these ladies' green costumes are here to prove it. The green M&M is by far the most popular candy color for a reason. Strut your green stuff in this Women's Green M&M Costume. Or, if you're looking for a nostalgic trip down early 90's memory lane, maybe the Green Power Rangers Dress is the right choice for you. That way, if a giant robot attacks the city while you're out celebrating your Irish heritage, you can keep things in line by harnassing your super power rangers powers.

Women's Green M&M Dress - Shop        Green Power Ranger Skater Dress - Shop

Fantasy Characters

Maybe when you think "green" you think of lush, mystical forests, dragons, and classy heroines from another era? Ok, we've got those too! Check out our green sequin flapper dress, because... well... it's shiny! And goodness knows you love shiny things. Accessorize this gorgeous dress with white gloves, a feather boa, cigarette holder, beads, and practically anything else your heart desires! If you're the rugged, take-from-the-rich-give-to-the-poor, manly type, perhaps Robin Hood is the costume character for you. The ladies love a strong, silent type and the hood helps with this presentation. Let's say you're the type to breathe fire after a few Guinesses at the local pub. You're probably Irish. And you're probably a perfect fit for this sassy Magic Green Dragon costume! Add green furry leggings to complete the sexy ensemble and you're good to go (green)!

Green Sequin Flapper Costume - Shop     Fishnet Stockings - Shop     White Feather Boa - Shop

Deluxe Cigarette Holder - Shop     Long White Gloves - Shop     Wingtip Heels - Shop

Men's Robin Hood Costume - Shop      Magic Dragon Costume - Shop     Green Fur Boot Covers - Shop

Didn't find the perfect green costume in our lineup of 18? We've got lots more where that came from! Take a look at more green costumes and accessories HERE!

If you thought that The Avengers: Age of Ultron premiere was the the only Avengers related release you had to look forward to in the next few weeks, boyyyy were you wrong- or should we say mistEGGen! We have something arguably more eggscelent, more eggstravagant, more eggsceptional! Did you guess that it's egg-related? Well you must be an egghead because you're right! We created a dozen printable Avenger Easter Egg costumes that are simply...to dye for. We have dubbed this collection Eggvengers: Age of Yolktron. Get ready for some ova-the-top egg puns, and read on!

Take a look at the whole super gang! You may think these guys would be eggceedingly difficult to create, but with our printables they're suprisingly easy. OVER easy even! ;) Oh and that big green egg? Yeah that's Hulk. We used an ostrich egg for scale.

The Good Eggs

Everyone loves to root for the good guys. They shell out justice like it's their jobs! (One could easily argue that it IS their jobs.) At any rate, we hope you crack up at these photos of the good-natured Avengers that make it their business to crack down on crime.

Black Widow

Like a Black Widow, baby. Wait that's not an Avengers line, that's a popular song by Eggy Azalea!

[Click Image for Printable]

Captain America

Bravely brandishing his shield and shelling out justice, it's Captain America!

[Click Image for Printable]

Nick Fury

Nick Fury is the perfect costume for any of your eggs that may have a small crack - just "patch" it up!

[Click Image for Printable]

Hawkeye

Those sunglasses help Hawkeye come across as a hero that is calm, cool, and colleggted.

[Click Image for Printable]

Iron Man

Eggs normally contain just a couple mgs of iron, but something tells us that this egg has more...

[Click Image for Printable]

Thor

Did you know that Thor assumes the secret identity of an American physician named Dr. Donald Blegg?

[Click Image for Printable]

The Bad Eggs

That's it for the heroes. Now onto the bad eggs - the rotten ones, if you will. These eggs feel that it's good to be bad, and have some serious villain swegger going on, so it's hard for us to disagree!

Loki

Loki has been positively evil since day one - you may even say he's an addict! A benedict, that is.

[Click Image for Printable]

Ultron

This guy needs hardly eggsplaination, since he's the The titular character of the upcoming film: Ultron!

[Click Image for Printable]

The Scrambled Eggs

Sometimes in this world, this world being the completely fictional comic world of The Avengers, things aren't merely black and white. These costumed eggs represent some of the characters from Age of Ultron that are particularly hard to classify as good or evil. What it all boils down to is this: It's all a matter of perspeggtive...

Quicksilver

As the son of Magneto, there's no way we could put this guy in the hero column!

Only time will tell if Pieggtro uses his powers for good or evil.

[Click Image for Printable]

Scarlet Witch

We'd hate to classify this mutant as a hero, only to get egg on our faces when she strays.

[Click Image for Printable]

Vision

An occasional member of S.H.I.E.L.D., an occasional evil-doer, seems like Vision really waffles!

[Not an egg pun eggsactly, but don't waffles sound like the perfect eggcompaniment?]

[Click Image for Printable]

Hulk

Rounding out (ovaling out) our lineup, it's The Incredible Edible Egg! Hulk!

[Click Image for Printable]

What do you think?? Is this project something that you might try this Easter, or are you hatching your own ideas? Let us know in the comments, but for now, that's all, yolks!

May 1st draws ever closer and on the horizion a Vision! As we prepare for the arrival of the newest members of the Avengers, in The Avengers: Age of Ultron, check out this superhero profile on the mysterious Vision.

(Note: SPOILERS. You heard us—SPOILERS! )

Background and History

Comics Background

[source]

In the comics, the Vision is the creation of Ultron. Originally created to infiltrate and then trap Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, Vision would go against his programming and his master to save the Avengers. When the Avengers and Vision first meet, the character Wasp calls him “an unearthly, inhuman vision,” thus — The Vision.

Age of Ultron Background

[source]

We’re not quite sure about the origins of the Vision in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but we’ve got some guesses. We know that Ultron will be a creation of Tony Stark and that the Vision will be played by Paul Bettany, the same individual responsible for the voice of JARVIS (Just a Rather Very Intelligent System), Stark’s home computing system/butler. We can assume that JARVIS and Vision will be related in some way, but how remains to be seen.

Vision's Powers

[source]

The Vision has a very unique power set. As an android, he is not susceptible to fatigue or poisons. He is capable of increasing or decreasing his mass at will (though not his size), meaning without changing shape he can be as heavy as steel or as light as air. His density-manipulation powers can also make him intangible (Vision can pass through objects and people) or harder than diamond, making him especially durable. When he lowers his mass to a certain point, Vision gains the ability to fly. At the higher end, his durability, weight, and strength increase allowing him to lift over 50 tons. The Vision is also equipped with a type of solar reactor, enabling him to shoot energy beams.

Warning — Potential spoilers ahead!
(Ok, it’s only speculation, but we don’t want you reading something that ruins your fun.)

The Avengers: Age of Ultron: A Vision of the Future

[source]

Marvel has been very mum on what role the Vision will play in the new film, even going so far as to feature him in only one of the three trailers released. What we DO know is that the Vision will be played by Paul Bettany — the same actor who voices JARVIS — which leads us to believe that Tony Stark will be involved in his creation. We’re thinking he’s created to combat Tony’s other little mishap, Ultron. There's also speculation that the Vision may have a connection with the Infinity Stones Marvel has featured in their films (check out that image above).

What vision do you have of this new addition to the Avengers line-up? Comment below with your thoughts! While you're waiting for the movie, you can check out our Avengers costumes. We mean, you have to dress up for the movie premiere, right? 

Most of us aren’t billionaire orphans with a grudge against crime, or the last surviving member of a race of super-beings, or the daughter of a god — but throw on a mask and a matching outfit and suddenly you’re a superhero. As much as Superman’s heat vision and super strength or Batman’s endless supply of gadgets make them super, their costumes make them heroes and, boy, do we love dressing up as our superheroes. For cosplay inspiration and extra-impressive Halloween costumes ideas, we outlined variations on those most-classic of costumes.

Superman

The original super hero: Superman defined what a costume meant for generations of tight-wearing kids. Slap a bath towel on a kid’s neck and you’ve got yourself a near-perfect superhero costume. However, even the original got tired of the old red, blue, and yellow color scheme. Check out these alternate versions of the original Superman costume.

Godfall

[source]

This was a weird series where Superman ends up in the bottle city of Kandor and doesn’t remember he’s Superman. But, check out his new Kryptonian costume!

Red Son

[source]

A "what-If" type story. What would happen if Superman landed in Soviet Russia? You get Comrade Superman.

Superman Red/Superman Blue

[source]

Superman loses his powers, gains new powers, and splits in two. Costume provided containment of new powers and two snazzy new looks.

Batman

Batman’s costume has changed a lot over the years, from black to blue and back again. Although, as a billionaire, this shouldn’t surprise anyone — Wayne has money to burn. From the future, alternate realties, and even his newest foray into video games, check out these bat-costumes.

Batman Beyond

[source]

Terry McGinnis befriends an old and ailing Bruce Wayne, who outfits him with this high-tech variation of the Batsuit in the future. Rocket boots included.

Batman Arkham Knight

[source]

The wildly successful series of Arkham games have done little to change up Batman’s costume. The newest iteration, however, looks closer to one of Tony Stark’s creations than Bruce Wayne’s.

 Flashpoint: Thomas Wayne

[source]

The Flash changes the time-stream. Bruce is killed in the alley, instead of his father, who becomes a Bat-themed vigilante. What’s the biggest difference? This Batman has no qualms about using guns.

Wonder Woman

Amazonian Princess Diana Troy has one of the most iconic costumes in comic book history. While her look has not changed all that much, Diana does have a knack for showing up to big brawls in some pretty snazzy looking armor. As the daughter of a god, it is only fitting she look like a goddess.

Armored Wonder

[source]

Sometimes you need a suit of armor. When Wonder Woman needs to bring the pain, she does it in style.

Justice League War

[source]

In a retelling of the formation of the Justice League, Wonder Woman arrived as ambassador of the Amazonian Themyscira donned in this updated garb.

Convergance

[source]

DC’s newest story series has seen Wonder Woman return to a more tradional, and more modest, take on her costume. Complete with built-in swords, and pants.

The Flash

When you can see him long enough to get a look at him, the Flash has a pretty simple costume. The all-red jumpsuit with yellow highlights is standard for all the variations of the Flash. However, some of the villians, and even Barry Allen’s predecessor, Jay Garrick, have some interesting takes on the original Flash costume.

Reverse Flash

[source]

Professor Zoom is to the Flash what the Joker is to Batman. The Reverse Flash’s costume is literally the reverse of the Flash’s.

Black Flash

[source]

The embodiment of Death for all speedsters in the DC Universe; even the Flash can’t out run Death.

Jay Garrick: The Original Flash

[source]

The speedster from the Justice Society of America (the precursor to the Justice League). Jay Garrick's costume is less practical, but maybe even more flashy.

Green Lantern

For police who get their costumes from their Power Rings, you’d think there wouldn’t be much of a variance in looks, but did you know that Green Lanterns aren’t the only Lanterns out there? There’s actually a ring for many of the major emotions in the spectrum! Red for rage, yellow for fear, purple for love, blue for hope, and orange for greed. Hal Jordan has worn a couple of these rings over his career.

Sinestro Corps

[source]

Hal for a time joins, (though not completely by choice), the Sinestro Corps, who uses the power of fear to wield their Power Rings. Their costumes bear the mark of Sinestro.

Red Lantern Corps

[source]

Beings who get mad, like raging mad, get chosen by the Red Lantern Corps.

Parallax

[source]

No new ring this time. Hal Jordan gets possessed by a being called Parallax and becomes a villain (for a while).

WOW that was A LOT of costumes. Did you keep up? See anything that peaked your interest? Comment below with your favorite from this list or any of the costumes you think should've made the list. Be sure to check out our collection of classic Super Hero Costumes.

In our final profile for Avengers: Age of Ultron, we cover the titular villian himself: Ultron. Check out why Earth's Mightiest Heroes are going to have their hands full when Avengers 2 releases on May 1st.

(NOTE: SPOILERS. You've been warned. Now, Avengers, Assemble!)

Background and History

Comics History & Background

[source]

Ultron is an Artificial Intelligence created by Dr. Henry Pym, the original Ant-Man. Pym created Ultron while experimenting on high-end technology, A.I., and Robotics. Soon after gaining sentience, Ultron went on to begin upgrading his body. His most well-known form was that of a humanoid robotic body composed of Adamantium, the same super-durable metal that comprises Wolverine’s skeleton. Ultron is a longtime foe of the Avengers.

Cinematic Background

[source]

 Marvel has released a few details around Ultron in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Tony Stark creates Ultron as a world-wide police-type force after the destruction of SHIELD, using a piece of Chitauri (those aliens from the first Avengers). Ultron goes all super-villain on them, and because he’s got all Tony’s smarts, he becomes a challenge for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to handle.

Ultron's Powers

[source]

Ultron’s powers are derived from the fact that he’s a computer. He can think faster than any of the Avengers, even Tony. He's also capable of controlling multiple bodies, which we can see in the trailers already released. Ultron can also fly and shoot lasers from his hands. The power that makes Ultron the toughest, however, is his ability to transfer his consciousness into any computer-based system. Even if you HULK SMASH Ultron’s body, chances are you’ll be seeing him again.

(SPOILERS! Did we mention that before? Ok. Yes. SPOILERS!)

Age of Ultron Background

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Ultron is created to protect the Earth by Tony Stark, but something happens along the way — and he alters his programing to "save the earth by killing every living being on the planet." This obviously doesn’t sit well with the Avengers, and the two sides go toe-to-toe. It seems like Ultron has some help, at least in part from the twin super-powered beings, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. We also don’t know if The Vision will be a creation of Ultron’s as in the comics, or a creation of Tony Stark as a way of redeeming his creation of Ultron. What we DO know is Ultron goes from being a pile of scrap to a flying, talking, blasting, maniac with an army of Ultron-bots at his command. The Avengers may have their work cut out for them.

It's pretty clear the Avengers are going to be in a spot of trouble come May 1st. What predictions do you have about Ultron's evil plan to eradicate humanity? What or who is going to save the Avengers from Ultron? Comment below with your thoughts, and be sure to check out our Avengers: Age of Ultron Costumes in our shop!

Responding to a high consumer demand for sexy pet costumes, HalloweenCostumes.com has risen to the challenge in 2015. The Halloween costume provider reveals a brand new line of costumes just for pets, and they are every bit as sexy as any costume designed for humans.

Meow! Purrfect Native American Cat Costume - Shop

The new line of sexy pet costumes, called Animal Instinct, will be available for purchase going into the 2015 Halloween season. When asked for comment, HalloweenCostumes.com VP of Marketing Troy Eaves responded, "We continue to be sensitive to the needs of our customers, and the Animal Instinct sexy pet costumes line is just one way we are hoping to further engage the growing number of pet owners in the U.S. and other countries."

Magical Mermaid Fish Costume - Shop

According to the U.S. Pet Market Outlook for 2014-2015 by Packaged Facts, pet owners are increasingly interested in buying high quality, premium products for their furry friends. The growing popularity of the online shopping experience also captured a much larger percentage of the pet supplies market in 2014. These were just two of the factors that led to HalloweenCostumes.com's leadership team making the decision to invest in new pet costume products.

Pretty Officer Chihuahua Pet Costume - Shop

But why sexy pet costumes? Troy Eaves says it's because pet owners want their pets to feel just as attractive on Halloween as any human, and there isn't currently a product available that meets this need. "We saw that there was a gap in the sexy pet costumes market, and we've stepped in to fill it," said Eaves.

Pot Bellies Up German Beer Girl Pig Costume - Shop

Scandalous Jessica (Literally A) Rabbit - Shop

The new line of Animal Instinct sexy pet costumes can be found here.

Based in North Mankato, Minnesota, HalloweenCostumes.com is a world leading retailer of costumes and accessories. With the largest online selection of Halloween costumes, we can’t guarantee your choice will be easy, but we can guarantee an exciting shopping experience that includes unequaled customer support and tools to ensure you find a costume that’s your perfect fit!

There are times in the Despicable Me movies where over 10,000 Minions are shown on screen at once! Considering that they look fairly similar, some nearly identical, it’s almost impossible to keep track of who is who. If you have seen the movies, you likely remember a few of the names, but do you remember what kind of shenanigans each one gets into? We wanted to prepare you for the new Minions movie coming out in July, so we created these character profiles for 8 of our main Minion men. Let’s see how well you know your Minions!

1. STUART THE MINION

Stuart is one of the three main characters of the upcoming Minions movie. While he acts fairly innocent in the first few movies, he plays a teenage rebel for his new on screen appearance. Distinguished by his one brown eye and center combed hair, he has been fairly easy to keep tabs on. 

During the first two movies, Stuart was involved in a lot of mischief. A few of his most memorable moments include flirting with a yellow fire hydrant, spraying Carl with the fire extinguisher while he was dressed up as Lucy, driving a car with Dave, being used as a glow stick, and parasailing behind Lucy’s car, bound by his bibs.

2. KEVIN THE MINION

In the new Minions movie, we will get to see Kevin take on a leading role. While Kevin was a household name in both Despicable Me movies, the two depictions are actually quite different. The Kevin in the original Despicable Me film was much shorter and only had one eye, nearly identical to Stuart. It is unclear if the directors gave Kevin a redesign before the second film or if these are different characters all together. 

The Kevin that we will see in the upcoming film is the one you likely remember as the golfer (he tried to hit a golf ball off of Jerry’s mouth in the second movie). Shortly after, they hear rustling noises coming from outside which they discover it's just a cat in the garbage. Kevin teases Jerry for being a coward and then both of them are abducted by Dr. Nefario and taken to the Minion beach before they are turned evil. Kevin was also the only Minion cured by the actual PX-41 anecdote.

3. BOB THE MINION

Alongside Stuart and Kevin, Bob is the final main character in the new Minions movie. He is short, plump, bald, and is the only Minion that has two different colored eyes (green and brown).

Although Bob doesn’t have much screen time in the second film, you likely remember him from the end credits where Kevin, Stuart, and Bob auditioned for the new movie. His childlike antics were hilarious as he tried tirelessly to keep the audition screens open.

4. DAVE THE MINION

Dave isn’t going to be one of the main characters in the new movie, but he was up to no good quite frequently in the Despicable Me films. He has two brown eyes, combed hair, and you will often find him causing trouble with Stuart.

Perhaps you remember the Minion that shot the bazooka full of other Minions? That was Dave. He also steered (held the wheel, rather) Lucy’s car around the mall while Stuart pressed the pedals. Along with Stuart, he was one of the only Minions to not be abducted by Dr. Nefario and turned into an evil Minion. Gru then painted Dave and Stuart purple to try to save the other Minions, but when Dave tried to communicate his paint began to smear. Busted!

5. PHIL THE MINION

Phil is a two-eyed, spiky haired Minion who doesn’t get a lot of screen time, but is infamous for his lovely French maid attire. While Phil was cleaning the house, there was a knock at the door. When he answered the door, he was abducted. Although we never see who abducted him, it is assumed that it was Dr. Nefario. 

We also hear Phil’s name mentioned in the first film. He is the Minion who dresses up like a baby and goes to the store to get Agnes a new Unicorn toy. However, there is one huge difference: this Phil only has one eye. Just like Kevin, it is unclear if this is the same character with a new design, or a completely different Phil. 

6. TIM THE MINION

Tim looks a lot like Kevin - tall, with two eyes and sprout hair. It can be extremely difficult to tell the two apart, but when we see Tim, he is often dressed like a dad. In the first Despicable Me movie, a mustache and a hat gave him the dad-like quality. During the second movie he is seen with a beard when Gru announces his new job. Strangely enough, Tim appears bald in this scene. We have also seen him with Phil and Mark singing (attempting to sing) Copacabana.

7. CARL THE MINION

Bee-do-bee-do-bee-do! One of the most memorable lines happens to be Carl’s only line in either movie. Carl has one brown eye and spiky hair, but you can’t see it beneath his siren hat. After Gru sets his phone on fire, Carl comes into the room saying “bee-do” on repeat through a megaphone. Stuart, who is dressed like Lucy, then sprays him with the fire extinguisher and launches him across the room in a not-so-subtle effort to tell him to be quiet.

8. JORGE THE MINION

This plump little two-eyed, spiky-haired Minion is not very well-known by name, but it’s hard to forget him. If you don’t know who Jorge is, you will likely remember him as being the Minion who photocopied his own butt. How can you not laugh at that? “Bottom, bottom. He he he.” Jorge was also one of the firefighters carrying the hose and busted through Gru’s wall.

ALL of these 10,000+ little guys are so cute, we just can’t get enough. Do you have a favorite Minion? Let us know in the comments. And don’t forget to pick up your favorite Minion costume so you're prepared for the new film release!

Ahhh the viral internet sensations of 2014. Who could forget Jasmine Tridevil and her triple breasts, bent iPhone 6s, Sharknados, or of course, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? These events served as great inspiration for some of last year's most unforgettable and gossip-worthy Halloween costumes. It looks as though 2015 may have recently secured one of its first viral-event-with-great-costume-potential moments, in the Banana Bunker!

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This conspicuous looking contraption, which was recently a featured product on Groupon, has inspired some extremely witty, tongue-in-cheek commentary...so much so that the story has been covered by the likes of Business Insider, Forbes, AdWeek, Us Magazine, the list goes on! If you're prepared to elicit some tongue-in-cheek commentary of your own come October 2015, then here is an easy DIY tutorial on how to put together a Banana Bunker Halloween costume!

Supplies Needed

To put together your Banana Bunker outfit, you'll just need a couple of things:

• Plastic Sheeting (Chances are you've got a roll gathering dust in your garage).
• Hula Hoops (We picked up five from our local dollar store).
• Clear Packaging Tape.
• Scissors.
• A Banana Costume!

Adult Banana Costume Tunic - Shop

The Finished Costume

Once you have procured a banana costume, the rest of the DIY is very straight-forward. We secured our five hula hoops to the inside of the plastic sheeting using a liberal amount of clear packaging tape. You can add more or less hoops as you see fit, but the flexible ribbing on the Banana Bunker case is one of this product's most...commented on?...features, so don't leave them out! Don't forget to cut a breathing hole for your face, and you're all set to hop in your costume and start brainstorming inappropriate pick-up lines! Here are some of our favorite bits of "banana banter" from Groupon:

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WE say a Banana Bunker is ripe for the Halloween costume picking, but what about you? Would you wear this silly ensemble? How would you modify your Bunker costume to stand out from the Halloween crowd? Tell us in the comments below - puns are always welcome...or should we say a-peel-ing?