We are just one day away from Halloween, and how many of you are still scrambling to figure out your costume plans? We’re here to help with the lowdown on a costume line called Dark Bazaar featuring designs from the mind and artistic eye of Clive Barker, presented by Disguise!
If there was any doubt that Halloween horror is here to stay, we’d say the Dark Bazaar line of costumes designed by Barker will change your mind quickly! The fine people at JAKKS (parent company of Disguise) allowed us to show off a bit of the line at Rock and Shock, and we’ve been snapping pics here and there ever since to let you in on the fun. Click HERE to jump into our gallery with enough eye candy to send you running into the night to score these costumes for yourself.
But we know some of you are hard sells so here’s a rundown on each piece and how they stack up.
Tormented (mask with teeth over eyes and printed shirt with fake buckles): Looking like something that hunts down sinners for the Cenobites, the Tormented mask utilizes a fairly uncomplicated design that still comes off 16 shades of creepy. With the psychotic looking shirt under your extra large trench coat, you’ll be able to pull off a slow reveal into madness. This set looks just as good in person as it does in pics. Excellently executed for a costume as simple as things you might buy in Walmart!
Serpent Seductress (Medusa looking dress with plastic mask): Take this vacu-form plastic mask and simple little dress decorated with dragon-like snakes and wrap it around a body like our dear Emma’s, and you instantly see how great it can all come together! The crazy part is, Emma literally walked up and slid the dress on minutes later. You’re looking at maybe five minutes of primping time here. If that’s not a ringing endorsement, I don’t know what is.
Queen of Skulls (Gothic looking dress with under-frill, neck piece and headband): Okay, this took Lori ten minutes to throw on as she had next to zero makeup on beforehand. You can see it doesn’t take much to make an impact when you’ve got a costume so well thought out. The design flows very nicely, coming off like some Alice in Wonderland nightmare. Look deep into the head piece, and you’ll find a skull within! Attention to detail is an understatement. Pull off the lacy neck piece and reveal the finished neckline for a less regal, more sexy outcome.
Tattu Furio (reptilian demon mask with tattoos): This may be my least favorite of the bunch, but no doubt others will disagree. The demon design is fun enough and I especially like the mouth on the damn thing, but the tattoos are a little too faithful to Clive’s painting style and so come off looking like they were drawn on in crayon. This didn’t stop the folks at Rock and Shock from asking for a closer look as they instantly recognized Barker’s hand in the work. Judge for yourself!
Faces Half Mask (white plastic mask): This would be a great piece to own if even just to mount on the wall. Not only does it SCREAM Barker, but it would look killer worn with a suit for a masquerade event. Very simple, very well crafted…and you’ll be shocked that it is just vacu-form plastic!
It’s Behind You Full Deluxe Mask (two-faced, double-sided rubber mask): This thing is the most interesting creature I’ve ever seen on a mask in my life. Not only is the front side designed to look like a man in mid-transformation into some H.P. Lovecraft horror, but you get a second face on the back that looks like a creature from the movie Freaked! Hysterical. This is well sculpted, excellently painted and feels like great quality as you slip it on. You may have a bit of trouble figuring out where your face goes on the back side, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly.
Lion/Man and Nail Head/Devil Paper Masks: These come in two sets: the Lion & Man and the Devil & Nail Head. If you’re looking for something that best represents Barker’s art while still maintaining that creepy sensibility, these are for you. The masks are glossed to a sensible finish with colors that pop on a substantial paper material that doesn’t feel like you are going to destroy it when you slide it on your head. Yep..YOU CAN REALLY WEAR THEM!!! Color me amazed.
Demon Stone Staff: I chose this as the only accessory to shoot because of my love for Clive Barker’s Nightbreed. The little demon perched atop a stone on this staff reminds me of a creature that might have been climbing the walls in any given scene so i knew you’d want a closer look. Materials used don’t feel cheap, though the staff itself is only hallow plastic, so it can’t be THAT durable. A nice feature is a chord running through it, allowing you to collapse it to half its size. Another nice surprise, though it probably would never be listed as such, is a little plastic hook coming out of the top of his head. Surely the Nightbreed fans that see this will fall in love instantly (as they did at Rock and Shock) and want to display it in their homes. The little hook offers a perfect solution for how to do this! Paints on the creature are as striking as the scuplt itself, making the Demon Stone Staff the must buy of the bunch.
Disguise is a major manufacturer of costumes so it’s a safe bet you’ll be able to track down a store that carries at least some of these fiendish offerings. Hedge your bets with the Disguise store finder.
