Intro and beginning of TDK

[CharlzO]

After reading all the posts on FB, I'm glad I'm not a BvS aficionado. Seems to be a general dissatisfaction upon initial reviews. Then again, they've actually received theirs and I'm still anxiously awaiting word. Can't wait to check out my cowl and neck tonight.

 

[CharlzO]

Well looks like I get to wait til the tail end of the UD shipments so according to the latest update, should be shipped out no later than Tuesday which means I should finally have it in my hands by next Fri. To say it's anticipated, is an understatement. But no point in dwelling. Onto the update as of yet:

Bane vest from Blingsoul will be arriving quite literally any day. DHL doesn't provide tracking, just a range, so from Oct 5th - 13th. The mask from ministryofmasks was shipped out on the 6th, so now it's just a waiting moment for that as well. That basically wraps up my co-worker as Bane. I doubt he has a pair of pants in accurate style, but really, all anyone sees of Bane is the vest and mask, and no one ever remembers what else he's wearing, so I'm just going with that.

For Catwoman, I found a pair of Aldo thigh-high leather-look heels that happened to be the right size from what my other co-worker told me she wears. Hopefully they fit, but they weren't horribly expensive either way so if not, I'll resell and find something else. The mask, I went with (I know, I know) the Rubies cheap set. I figure I can do a few minor modifications to it if I get that ambitious, but it's only a single day thing for her, so I might just leave it. The gloves, cheap opera gloves as suggested by other build threads, and the belt.. god that belt is the bane of my searching (no pun intended). The costumebase belt, found on bonanza.com and e-bay, is the closest to accurate that I've found to purchased. Which, in itself would be fine, and it's not horribly expensive, however I couldn't get a reply back after almost a week, and coming from Singapore I just can't take the chance on shipping, and I'm not going to double the price of the belt just to ensure it arrives fast enough. Since whatever clothes she's going to be wearing are sure to not even be close to accurate, why start at the belt, right? So I picked up a Fox Military utility belt in black on Amazon for cheap. I certainly don't need the ten pouches it comes with, so I'll remove a few, and I ordered some foam to make something to cover the snap fastener on it with something at least a LITTLE more screen-like. All of those items are expected to arrive throughout next week.

No self-respecting Batman sits in a plane cubicle all day, so I lucked out that there's a gent on e-bay that sells a decent enough looking stone wall 5x7' printed piece of vinyl backdrop for photographers and such. I don't know if it's relatively new, or just a new pattern, but I certainly didn't find it a month ago when I was looking.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Generic-57f...id=100033&rk=1&rkt=8&mehot=lo&sd=131957528042

I will say, apparently he wasn't expecting it to be popular, as I purchased one at about 33 bucks, then the next day another was available, for 38. And now it's.. $150? Thank goodness I only need 2! But the pattern is certainly pretty Dark Knight-ish for a cave, so that will comprise the cubicle walls. I picked up a couple of the cheap plastic Batarangs for about 5 bucks a set, with some neodymium magnets that I'll superglue on the back, and those will be what holds the fabric panels up on the cubicle walls (the top rails are metal). Some black fabric will line the desk just to complete that. If I have time, and can find a way to make them, I want to make a 4-monitor stand with fake flat-panel monitors with printed screens of things that you'd see in the Bat Cave - the standard things, Selina Kyle file, etc. That's the optional part though, as I am at my budget's end with other things too.

All told though, in my head, everything looks like it's working fine. All I have to do on my end, is test-wear the UD suit for a day at home to see how I can hold up throughout the day in it, even sitting at a desk most of it. Then, it's a matter of *gulp* cutting the collar off the jacket, and seeing if I have the nerve to cut cape slits also, or if I'll save that until afterwards. Time... all I have is time.

 

[Rickhemingway]

Thanks for the update bud! Sounds like it is coming along! It'd be cool to see pictures of the props as they come along if possible?

 

[CharlzO]

As requested: This is a quick shot of the Bane jacket, which looks really close to one sold by Blingsoul as a Distressed Brown sheepskin jacket (https://www.amazon.com/Distressed-Leather-Sheepskin-Jacket-SELLER/dp/B00C7APF6A) though I didn't have the collar buttons buttoned, nor the pockets, but you get the idea. Considering the price I actually paid - $49 plus shipping on e-bay, I could care less how accurate it is. When it'll be combined with the vest and mask, it'll be easily recognizable.



And of course, I won't be the one actually wearing it I don't have nearly the bulk to pull it off.

Kevin's cowl and neck, ready to go. I still need a better shot with me actually wearing it, but I haven't mastered the padding just yet.



Also re-thinking my Catwoman belt - I might have to actually do this by hand, since I didn't realize the tactical belt I ordered doesn't have individual pouches that can be removed. We'll see when it gets here, but I might end up just getting a leather strap, velcro in the back, and learning how to make foam pouches to make it look close.

Side note: The ebay seller that I bought the backdrops from, cancelled my 2nd purchase solely for the purpose of re-listing it for that much higher price, under reasoning of "out of stock or other reason". Obvious ebay seller violation (as the auction, bought, and paid, before he cancelled), but there's not much recourse, and I certainly won't pay that much for another one (the first I bought was 33 bucks, 2nd was 38, that he cancelled, now has it listed for $150). So I wrote a seller message suggesting they honor my 2nd purchase as well, for the original price. Granted, all I can do is wait 7 days and leave negative feedback and seller reviews, but still. Grr. lol.

 

[Rickhemingway]

Looks great! So far so good!

 

[CharlzO]

Tonight's update: I get a message from the house that I received a package (UPS and FedEx still deliver on holidays), so naturally, I ask "where did it come from?" And the reply? Pakistan. My first thought was "what the hell would be coming from there?" followed by "Oh no! Someone discovered my secret identity and is going to blow me up!" So then I asked how it came. DHL? Oh,in that case, it's my vest from Blingsoul.

Initial impression: VERY nicely done. For as relatively inexpensive an item as I thought it was, it comes with a separate bag to store it in, it's made nicely, and even without a shirt underneath, the mesh doesn't bother my skin. Which really doesn't mean much, since it doesn't fit me anyway How Chris does, that's not my problem. I simply don't have the physique, though I guess if I bought a more fitting size for myself, I could half-pass, based on the pictures I took. Or at the least, if I did a month straight of arm work, maybe? I dunno, I don't do weights, aside from a few dumbbell curls here and there. But the fit and finish are great, and even have the red "flags" on the straps, even though some reviews mention they weren't included. I might find some more appropriate ones, as these are just thin ribbons, but maybe that's what they are in the movie? I'll have to revisit that.

But, and again remember the vest isn't sized for me, here's a couple quick shots in the meantime. Yes, it's the crappy front camera on my phone, I just got done doing this week's Insanity Fit Test, and no, I won't shave my head to test the mask when it gets here, even though my hair would be about this long again by Halloween. People already think I'm crazy enough at work.



E-bay seller replied to a Contact Seller mail I sent, calling them out for what they did, and then they blatantly lied to me about stock and said they're still out (when they STILL have the ridiculously priced one up, AND revised the price down to $148 from $152 just today). And then also made the mistake of telling me that they didn't profit from the first one I bought. Yep, pretty obvious, ebay seller "romi140". Power-seller status all you want, but you're still not holding up your end of the deal. They haven't replied after I called them on their lie, surprisingly.

Tomorrow is Tuesday, the final guaranteed ship-by date from my suit.... unless it's not, in which David has said he'll let us know. Guess we'll see what shows up in my e-mail tomorrow. Likewise, should be seeing some other things starting to trickle in.

Side note, I'm starting to think I'm seeing "inexpensive" to be a term relative to what the UD suit cost me. If someone had once told me that dropping a hundred or two dollars on stuff like a vest, or a mask, or any OTHER part of a costume would strike me as inexpensive, I would've laughed them right outta my bank statement. The most I ever spent was like, 50 bucks on an elephant one a couple years ago for work. Though I do usually spend a lot on the decorations... I need a better sense of monetary appreciation.

 

[CharlzO]

Chris is a lot bigger around the belly than we expected. So, even the 2XL doesn't fit lol. I dropped the vest off with my mother who is more versed in the knowledge of fabric working, to see if she can come up with a close match to make an "extension" piece to go in the middle where the zipper is, to give us the 3" more clearance around him it needs. Dude is seriously a barrel.

But on the plus side, did get a few more things today. The Rubies catwoman goggles, that will work for the day, just need to get the mask to fit form a little better and epoxy one cracked spot of the hairband/ears. No biggie there. I got the one backdrop that was actually shipped. And, I got the mask from Ministry of Masks. That thing is just priceless.



Certainly glad I went for the painted version, as it would've taken me a lot more effort to get this thing this close on my own. I do question if it fits his fat head, but I figure in the worst case, I'll cut the strap from the rear, and re-glue it with a piece of elastic backing to give it more flex. Last resort though, but we'll see.

Today was Tuesday, no update on the suit, though I guess at this point I'm not surprised. Maybe we'll get a reply tomorrow on the posts. My status did change on the UD site to "Completed" instead of "Order Accepted" so maybe that's a faint light in the end of the batcave. Also should get some car parts tomorrow (unrelated) but also a few more goodies towards this, like.. the cheap Batarangs maybe?

Still coming are: Batarangs, Magnets, Utility Belt (last resort option), Opera Gloves, Boots, leather strap for homemade belt, some craft foam, EVA foam pads, and some carbon fiber sheets to accent the homemade pouches.

Did I mention that the row at work in which I sit, half the people won't even be there? But that's ok, I have $94 worth of candy, and a kick-ass costume in the works to ensure that my row is still the most popular!

 

[CharlzO]

So got a few things yesterday, down to only a few more things. First up, the Rubies Batarangs. Very glad I didn't want them for anything but cheap magnets for the desk, they're totally not what I was expecting (then again, it IS Rubies, so....). The labeling on the listings, show "Plastic and PVC". What they don't tell you, is that it's basically a pvc-film covered piece of foam squishy stuff. And it's not beveled in one direction - these things are 3/4" thick. If you just looked at the package from a distance, you'd go "eh, ok." But up close, they're definitely a kid's toy at best. But, since I'm only using them as cheap magnets, they'll do. I'll order some of the ones from the ongoing Run after the holidays are over, to save for a real utility box.

Speaking of magnets, um... oops? I wasn't paying attention or reading or something when I ordered the ones I did. I think they're 3mm x 1mm? Holy tiny. I'd have to glue a dozen on each one to make that work. So, in the drawer they go for something later, and ordered some 1/2" ones instead. Those will be here next week, and will work a lot better.

The gloves for the Catwoman suit came, packaged nicely, and the belt came in that I definitely won't be using. Even at it's smallest, it would never fit her, and the pouch issue is just too much for my taste. But I did end up with a double package of the 2mm craft foam. So instead of going through and having to buy a 6-pack of EVA foam mats just to cut one up for pouch bases, and having a bunch left over for nothing to do, I'll just glue a bundle of those together, cut them out, and call it good. Slap some of the details with another layer, plastidip over them, and then stick a couple carbon fiber accents on and call it good. I just have to see if I can find glue that will hold the velcro to the back, or see if I can get a machine to sew through them. We'll see.

Chris test-fitted the Bane mask two nights ago, fits like a glove. Which to me is a relief that I won't have to modify it, it really would be a shame to have had to cut into it at all.It even covers most of his beard, so he might just not even bother shaving (up to him, really. I'd say make it right, but whatever. The effect is still the same).

Found a couple cheap black tablecloths at Wal-Mart last night for 50 cents each, that will serve as a backdrop and desk cover, for the rest that isn't covered up by the backdrop that did come in. I'm actually glad I didn't get the 2nd one shipped. It would've been nice to have the whole thing matching, but it's a little lighter in shade, and a touch more blue hint in it than I would like, but it'll at least be something. Pictures for the desk will have to wait until Halloween though, since I won't be putting it into place until the 29th after work (I don't work the 30th).

And the biggest piece of news, is that last night, FINALLY, a tracking number in my e-mail from the UD shipment. Granted, the original date listed on it didn't make sense, but now we're just updating and waiting. I guess the way FedEx tracking numbers and customs and all that can be a little funky. But it is something, finally. It could show up today, or not til Mon/Tues depending on how fast it comes. I'm not too far over the other side of Lake Ontario, so I'm hoping it's sooner, than later. Obviously I hope today so I can jump in it when I get home. Our town has it's Homecoming football game tonight (where our team will be utterly slaughtered, I'm sure) and there's a part of me that says sneak through the woods as Batman and stand on the hillside to make people say things. But I don't wanna give away my costume just yet, people around my area don't usually have something that high quality running around.

Good times to be had though. I might work on the belt pouches tonight if I can find my glue, and save them for when the belt arrives.

 

[CharlzO]

Not a whole lot today, since obviously work was in the way. But I did get the leather strap for the Catwoman belt today, so I figured why not see what the fuss is about this foam stuff. I will say, I can see how it gets addictive, and it was all I could do to just do this as a quick and simple thing, instead of breaking out protractors and slide rules. It's very obvious how people can suddenly be hundreds of hours deep into foam builds. But for the very first time I've ever done anything like this, I think it's passable for a cheesy work day.

For this, I just wanted to make a few pouches, loosely based off the pictures I've seen of the suit, without getting super crazy over details. I varied a couple of them very slightly just because why not. I'll form a little curve to them tomorrow after all the glue has dried fully, to fit the strap when I attach them, so they don't pop off once Sunshine (yes, that's her name) puts it on for the day. After curving them, a layer of plastidip to give it a little better look, and then I have some carbon fiber film to cut out and place on them for that little extra bit. If I had thought about it, I would've gotten a little more silver tint instead but this will work just fine, I'm sure.

As it sits tonight, this is where I left off - pouches sitting on the strap on the desk, obviously will be spaced farther when it's actually attached lol. I still have to measure and cut the strap to length for the belt.

 

[Rickhemingway]

You're doing a great job with everything so far! This event is gonna be sweet!!

 

[CharlzO]

In the midst of other projects today, I managed some belt-work. First, was to form them a little more with some heat from the heat gun (and apologies to my carpet, I seriously didn't think I was that close...). I then tossed a little more superglue into the folds where needed, and let that set up. Then, hitting them with a few coats of the Duplicolor equivalent of Plastidip, and letting that dry before applying the carbon fiber stickers.



Afterwards, it was just a matter of taking the time to glue them to the leather strap. I figured about a 26" belt size, with room to spare.





If this had been for a longer lasting idea, I would've taken the time to sand down the sides smooth, and seal them properly before painting. However, since it's just basically a one-day thing, I just left it the way it was. I figure it should be plenty fine for what it is. I'll have her measure her waist tomorrow, and fashion up some fastening. In other news, the material and zipper for my Bane vest extension has been sourced so just waiting for that to get taken care of.

And, down to the last day/two for the UD shipment. FedEx is notorious for failing to update tracking, so I really can't say much until tomorrow anyway. Fingers crossed!

 

[CharlzO]

Well, not much happened today, I did get the newer magnets to glue to my ridiculous batarangs, so at least that's something. They're hefty strong too, so I actually have hope that the ones I ordered to try a cape attachment might work. They're three times as big, so they might hold through the leather on the jacket. We'll see.

Oh, and then there was the e-mail I got tonight from FedEx. Apparently they consider the shipment "Picked up" from their end once it hits US soil, since it showed "picked up" from Cheektowaga, NY, even though obviously UD is in Canada. But regardless, it shows an estimated delivery date of Wednesday. Granted, it's only 3 1/2 hours away, so maybe there's be some early Christmas miracle and it'll show tomorrow, but I'm not counting on that.

Then I just need to find a model to strap the jacket on so I can try to figure the cape out, where I want it to mount and all that, and... buy some sharp scissors for the collar.

 

[CharlzO]

A box came today. And then FedEx came too. So I put my box of candy away, and fired up the camera off my drone to take a video un-boxing and all that. I still have to put that together, and whatnot, but in the meantime..

Upon opening the box, My first thought was "holy cow". And at the end of it, I had no idea how they fit it in the box.

My first fears were that the quality control that seemed to be an issue with the DoJ suits would filter down to these runs, and I am completely pleased that those fears were unfounded. The quality is spot on, no blemishes to be found. Granted, I didn't go over it with a magnifying glass, but nothing jumped out. I un-boxed it all, and felt overwhelmed.

Step one, put the jacket on. Step two, take the jacket off and removing padding and the inner liner. The back pad in the jacket, was able to be removed without damage. I wasn't sure about it, since one video I saw did mention that the opening for it was way too small, but I was able to curl it up inside the pocket for it and pull it out intact without folding or damaging it. I also removed the crash pads from the knees and elbows, as well as the hip pads. Thankfully, I'm on a diet. Full admission, I did not call David for sizing. I did measure a bunch of times, followed their sizing charts, and prayed. Here's the stats:

I'm 6' tall, and right now, 193 lbs. I couldn't tell you what my chest size is at the moment or anything of that sort. I have about a 34" waist at the moment. So I ordered Medium Pants, Jacket, and their size 43 boots (I normally wear 12/13 sneakers). Gloves I went with Medium as well, but I could've gone a size smaller on those. They'll be fine for the time being, but I'll likely order another pair for when I start going out and doing more and more things. Belt, I went Small, as they say to do so. And it fits on the 3rd hole in the clasp, with just enough that I can actually clasp it myself in front and then spin it around my waist. In fact, the only thing I can't (haven't tried to) do, is zip the jacket to the pants in the rear. The jacket fits snug and basically perfect. Thankfully, I'm down a couple pounds since I put the order in, and will have another 5 or so lost by Halloween. And all this time I thought I was going to be swimming in these things. But the fit is spot on, so I got lucky there.

So the first thing I did after I took the jacket off, was grab my scissors. Yes. I did. Originally I intended to be cautious, but once I had my hands on it, it took very little to convince me to chop the collar off in favor of using Kevin's neck piece. Fortunately, it isn't actually the leather you're cutting off, but rather the mesh underneath the collar. So that went easily. I Then suited back up, trying to find the right order in which to get dressed. First I tried with the jacket on, and then realized that I didn't have the flexibility to reach up and tuck the neck piece mesh in. So then I unzipped the jacket a ways, enough to open the collar area which let me put the neck piece in place. And then I realized I forgot to put on my balaclava. So, off comes the neck again, unzipped jacket, then repeated it all. When you see the picture, you'll notice I still have to get the neck in better position both top and bottom, to slim it out a little, but it's the little things I don't worry about as much yet. I also forgot to put the padding in my cowl, so off it came, and on the padding went, and then finally, all together minus the cape;



Again, this is the very first time I've worn any of it aside from the cowl, and no cape. I'm told the chest guard is a little low on me, but in my defense, I wear glasses, and am damn near blind without them. I didn't get my contacts out, so I was kinda half blind even getting it where it was (to give you an idea, I spent two minutes trying to attach it upside down before I realized what I was doing). The neck piece is really the only part I need to smooth out, and the cape, I'm waiting to see how the magnets work when they get here tomorrow or Friday. Worst case, I'll get some of the velcro straps and do it under the chest for the initial try, which might actually be a costume party on Saturday. Would give me a test run in public for more than a few minutes, to see how I need to prepare myself for a full day of work on the 31st.

Oh, and I need to put some holes in the cowl nose. Totally forgot about that until I started trying to breathe.

 

[CharlzO]

Alrighty. I'm 99% done, I believe. I think? Well, what's in a number. Tomorrow night, there's an adult costume party (not nearly as exciting as the title sounds, I've been told). I figured what better way to break in the suit, AND, break in my own tolerances to see how well Halloween is going to go, than to attend a party for a couple hours. So after work, I got home, and pulled pieces from the box and bags. First step, was to try to figure out the neck piece and how to make it (no pun intended) mesh with the collar of the jacket. I had read some posts that people had used velcro to keep things in line. But with Kevin's neckpiece, it zips in the back so trying to make that work, would be really tricky. I did discover that if I put the neck on first, then the jacket over it, it would smooth it out a little and not make it so bunched up as it does when I try it the other way around. Then, just a matter of tucking it up into the cowl enough to keep it decent. With practice, I should be able to.

So then I decided that I should see about how I can mount the cape. I can't be Batman without a cape. It just doesn't work right. I had purchased some 1 1/2" long, bar magnets. Doubled up, they would just about hold the cape through the leather, but they weren't very solid, and these little suckers are fragile. I broke a couple just from them snapping together. Out of frustration, I junked them, and grabbed a knife. Five minutes later, I had slits cut in the jacket, and the cape pulled through. So deciding to suit up, I remembered I need nostrils in my cowl. Oh look, soldering iron. Kevin mentioned that somewhere. So I melted a couple small holes in the nose, and freaked out when I saw the melted urethane around it. How will the shiny holes ever look good Then I realized I could just wipe it clean, and voila! Perfect. Well, maybe not perfect, but much better. I can breathe through the nose now.

So finally, I get around to suiting up, in full, complete with cape. The only thing missing, was the eye black, and my contact lenses. I didn't get the neck fully tucked, as I mentioned, but I'm very happy with where it is right now. And for the 20 minutes I was in it, my moisture-wicking undersuit was already feeling it. But, I'm freaking Batman, so I don't care!

 

[CharlzO]

Test run a success. I think. Dressing began approx 9 PM, and I even used eye black this time! Just grabbed cheap stuff from K-mart (yes, there still are some of those), Rawlings or whatever brand it was. We didn't leave the house for about 45 minutes while they got ready, and then it was another hour at the party, so almost 2 hours fully dressed. So my thoughts are...

Driving in this thing - not so easy. Not because it's not as flexible, but that's a little bit of it, but it adds so much bulk to me, and more so if I leave the chest piece on, that it's hard to get into the car. And since the cape is something I leave attached, I get to do the thing like brides do when walking somewhere - holding it up and falling into the car.

I seriously need better contacts. The ones I have aren't full strength, but they're passable. Just an annoyance.

The cowl doesn't get TOO bad for me, though I still haven't figured out the perfect padding placement, but I'm getting closer with that. More practice, and that'll be figured out. Just like getting my mesh in the right spot.

It hasn't gotten as hot yet as I expected, but the work day is five times longer, So we'll see.

I got a lot of compliments, random people who've never met me, and got groped up before getting in the door by a drunken older woman who was quite impressed with the UD cod piece. Not sure if I'm proud of that part yet or not. My friend had put on her catwoman-style costume, and even though we hadn't really planned it, we won "Best Couple" in the costume judging. Soon as someone posts pictures, I'll post them here. My phone was too big for my pouches, so I left it in the car. Plus, hard to take a nice selfie when you can't raise your arms far enough

I can see how people get hooked on this stuff. And I am REALLY looking forward to getting to Halloween to let the kids enjoy the fun I'm having too. Most of the groups are coming in the morning, soon after I get there. So I figure I'll wait until just before I get to work before I put the jacket on, and button everything up. So then I'll have been at work for only a half hour before the majority of the kids come through. The other group isn't until three, so that means I can pull the cowl off and probably unzip a little bit in between, to keep myself going. It's also getting cooler outside, so it'll be good to go out and cool off every couple hours. Did I mention I'm looking forward to this?

Edit: slightly blurry picture that someone snapped, but here goes:

 

[CharlzO]

There is a storm coming...

 

[CharlzO]

The Dark Knight Cubicle - simplified:

Did my desk up a bit today in preparation of Monday. Was rather limited in scope, just because they would frown upon me setting up a quad monitor stand off a laptop lol. And I don’t know why I bought orange candy bowls, but whatever. Matches the rest of it. So, with some obvious creative liberties, I did what I could on a limited budget and time-frame. And we have apples and stuff coming too, so it's not ALL candy. And there are popcorn balls and pretzels too. But like the kids won't go for the pixy stix...



The black backdrops are just black tablecloths from Wal-Mart, 97 cents each, I used two, and have a third extra. The "stone" backdrop is one I referenced from e-bay earlier. I did eventually track it back to a Chinese seller that at last look, was selling them for around $25. It's meant to go height-wise and be used as a photography backdrop, but I just turned it sideways and trimmed it. It's a little extra blue than I hoped, but if there had been more available, I would've done my whole desk that way. Unfortunately, well... that story is above too. So the black was a backup plan. Would’ve liked to have more weathered looking paper for the printouts, but oh well. I also have a small speaker that will run a loop off a microSD card that will play a rolling sequence of the theme music from the trilogy in the background softly. Everything is Nolan-themed with the exception of a Harley Quinn wanted poster, since there’s a girl here spinning on her a little, and was just a way to tie her into my fun too J In addition to the Bane and Catwoman people I have set up, there are also a few people doing Batgirl, Robin, and I’m also told Joker. I think there’s another Catwoman too, but I think that’s more the Comic style, whereas Sunshine will be pulling the Hathaway.

And before anyone asks, the "blue thing" is a homemade fan/ac job I put together two years ago when I got really sick of it being way too hot when the AC would act up in here. The top of the box is removable so it can be filled with ice, to blow cooler air out. It does actually work, and on 78 degree days, ice lasts about an hour, hour and a half before it needs to have the water dumped and refilled. But it looks weird enough in place that I just left it there.

More pictures coming Monday night after the fun!

 

[Sith Lord]

Can I be polite and encouraging, saying too many words, not enough pictures. I'm sure most people like me, just hit the back button when we see all this sea of text. Just an idea to get more involvement from the community

 

[CharlzO]

Always appreciated, of course! Part of it, is my thinking of documenting my progress, kinda for myself just as much. It's hard when I don't have everything all ready, but the next post from Monday will be a lot more pictures than anything That, and the desk picture, is pretty much self-explanatory, so I didn't know if I should take more pictures of it. I'll try to vary my approach better going forward!

Can I be polite and encouraging, saying too many words, not enough pictures. I'm sure most people like me, just hit the back button when we see all this sea of text. Just an idea to get more involvement from the community

 

[CharlzO]

Alright, the big day has come and gone. Only thing I really need to do, is come up with a better way to mount the neck or slim it down, because of how it fits, but that's something for once I have a mannequin to mount it on and play with. But considering, I was very happy, and it was very well received. Took Best Individual Costume in voting (and considering it usually is a popularity thing, maybe it's better people didn't know who they were voting for, just 'Batman' ) Bane couldn't close his vest, and had to leave the mask off half the day - to answer phones, and to avoid scaring the younger kids. But in the afternoon he had a good time too. And as promised, some pics.







I would consider going to the dark side for Harley

I had a lot of fun, and had plenty of people taking pictures with me. Countless times I heard people say "That's a legit Batman right there!" which made me smile (on the inside, of course). Went to my sister's and saw her kids and she was like "it's only uncle Charlie" to which I whispered to them "but don't tell anyone that uncle Charlie is Batman!". And then to mom's and walked around an hour, and had a lot of fun with the people walking by and exclaiming "omg look at Batman". I could not be happier with this investment. PLUS, I stopped in the local hospital and surprised two little kids in with their mom who lit right up, and I even got a line on someone who works for a Pediatric center upstate so I might be able to do some visits soon, which would be cooler than anything.

Happy Halloween, indeed!