My Dex-Starr accessory

I was part of the Classy Lantern Corps as the designated Red Lantern of Rage. The best part was my Dex-Starr accessory. I asked my mother to knit me a scarf that would look like a skinned cat, Cruella DeVille style. Two days and three skeins of fun fur for striped scarves later, I had a bad ass Dex-Starr skin. I added eyes and the ring for the “tail.”

I joined Jill Pantozzi (blue), Ashley Neuhaus (black), Melissa Kay (star sapphire), Ali Coluccio (indigo), Beth Kaboth (green), Lisa-Michelle McMullan (orange), and Josie Kavadoy (yellow).

Jill was responsible for all of the logo necklaces which were made by a company called Sandbox.

Some items listed on etsy

I just listed two costumes on etsy. I'm hoping the PayPal works because I have it routing to someone else's account since I can't use it (FUCK PAYPAL). However, I am extremely desperate for money and need to start selling off my suits.

Please read the descriptions carefully.

The first two are pretty simple and only worn once. A generic X-Men suit that would be fit for Rogue, Kitty or Jean Grey, pretty much any Xavier Institute student. Bodysuit only - not the buckle, belt, leggings, etc.

The second is my classic Star Sapphire / Carol Ferris. It's the suit & headpiece only, not the gloves, mask or ring.

I AM NOT TAKING COMMISSIONS. I am only selling off what I have already made in the sizes specified.

My Blue Lantern design in DC Comics

From AMBERUNMASKED.com:

Although I made this costume between 2009 and 2010 for one of my friends in the Who Wants to be a Superhero? fan club, Tech Support, it wasn’t until today that the Blue Lantern transformation became a headline in DC Comics....Dan Didio resumed his DC Nation letter in the back of all DC comic books this week. This time it featured Dan pictured with a large group of costumed fans in the various colored Lantern Corps uniforms. Some were based on existing characters while others, like Blue Lotus, were original.

Most Epic Costumes for 2010 - it's a Lantern Corps shutout!

MARGIE COX AS CAROL FERRIS

For a few years I've been a proud member of THE SUPERHERO COSTUMING FORUM (the SCF for short). While I'm not there daily like I used to be, it's still my "home" for my costuming needs, advice, tips and comraderie. *There's an application process because we choose to maintain a level of adult maturity that may not be welcome by youngsters just googling for superhero costumes.

The members of the board got to nominate their favorite Female and Male costume creations for 2010. Winners Margie Cox (Star Sapphire Carol Ferris) and Aaron Rivin (Kilowog of the Green Lantern Corps) deserve a huge round of virtual applause for what they managed to accomplish.

It should be no surprise that with DC Comics' crossover event Blackest Night followed by Brightest Day, that the various Lantern Corps were on everyone's minds. In 2010 the costumers managed to pull off some of the most challenging costumes including Larfleeze, Avarice Lex Luthor, Brother Warth and even little props like Dex-Starr, Xax of Xaos, and Ch'p. It would take days to showcase all of the wonderful Lantern Corps costumes seen in 2010. You can get a really great idea from the sister site, THE LEAGUE OF LANTERNS. Plenty of prop makers were busy sculpting masks, corps rings and power batteries long before DC Direct ever got them to market. These are fierce costumers. Some get hyped by the competition of being first; others of being the best. When I can't answer a question, these are the people I send you to.

AARON RIVIN AS KILOWOG

Margie crafted her Star Sapphire costume on her own. It's hard not to be envious of her. She's a lovely person who is always extremely gracious and generous with her time. She does a ton of charity work to raise money for Base Camp. And to top it off, she has mad skills. Her Star Sapphire costume was made WITH SCRAPS from one of her older projects. Yeah. You want to hate her but you just can't help but be in love with her. If you recall, I was first going to tackle this version of Carol Ferris but after seeing Margie whip this out in a weekend, I went with the more modest Silver Age version.

Aaron's Kilowog costume was a full-blown collaboration. The muscle suit, mask, uniform, and ring were all made by people connected to the SCF. He credits the costume to the following:

• Mask by Matt Geuther (maskmasters.com)
• Muscle suit and Hands by Brandon Lane (FlexDesigns)
• Green Lantern Bodysuit by Brian Parsley (GreenarrowFL)
• Green Lantern Ring by Shane Browning (Shane9mm)

CONGRATULATIONS TO MARGIE AND AARON! As always, an unlimited amount of thanks go out to DJ Spider and LoganAllenWolf, our illustrious admins at the SCF. You can also find us on Facebook.

Shameless plug: I designed Dex-Starr's costume for the 2010 Comic-Con International. This Dex-Starr seen with DC's Dan DiDio was co-created with Jill Pantozzi who accompanied Dex as her own Rage Lantern.

More costume tutorials uploaded

	Picnic Rogue
	Traditional Rogue
	Dex-Starr Rage Kitty
	Black Cat

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New Images Uploaded

I just added a selection of images of me as Star Sapphire from the CGS Supershow and a set of the Cowgirl photos from my last shoot. I'm still really under the weather today. I shouldn't even be at the computer right now. I need to go lie down but I had to pimp these out. I think they're great.

Thanks to photographers Jeffery and John for all the great shots! I hope to have more energy soon to finish editing videos.

Classic Star Sapphire completed / Lantern Corps.

Before there was a "Violet Lantern Corps" there was only Carol Ferris, the bittersweet girlfriend of Hal Jordan.

If you've checked back on my work-in-progress posts regarding Star Sapphire, you'll note that the fabric I ordered online is dreadful. I mean, truly horrible. There are a vast amount of words I could use to describe the radioactive neon bubblegum that is this color but I'll just leave it at horrible. This is a problem when shopping for fabrics online. I prefer to touch them and see them up which is why I enjoyed my shopping spree in NY's garment that one time I got to go. Luckily, spandexhouse.com will mail swatches; I still have problems with how their "processes." For example, the swatches I got are numbered but the numbers do not coincide with the actual item number on their website. So while I thought I ordered, let's just say #22-fuscia, what the sheet says is #109. I emailed them and they said that they keep a copy of the swatch card so they know what they sent to the customer. Ok, but still, don't they need to know what the real number is to go fetch in the aisles and floors of the warehouse? I don't know. I also can't believe that they still do not have an online secure shopping cart. Get paypal already! But to clarify, the spandex in this suit did not come from spandexhouse. I got it somewhere else online; a place with better shopping and better identifying of swatches. I made the mistake of ordering before getting swatches. After the barbie nightmare arrived, then I ordered swatches of other colors to see if any of them would work for Star Sapphire and that shop didn't have anything suitable, in my opinion. So if/when I remake the suit, I'll be using the swatches from spandexhouse to choose a better color.

It's been a very Lantern Corps winter here at Hero Fashions. I just finished a Blue Lantern suit for a sweet gal that I've done work for in the past. Unfortunately I don't have truly completed pictures to show for it because I have a chest emblem on order from someone and it hadn't arrived by the time I needed to mail out the suit. I embroidered a logo for her and included it unattached with her suit just in case she needs to hand stitch it on there before the real logo arrives. Con season has started!

While I'd love to follow Margie Cox's example of what Carol Ferris should look like (see, that's Margie in all her supreme goddessness in the modern Star Sapphire suit), I have unhappy with my weight going up again and I felt the suit was just too challenging while I'm so stressed out. I still want to make that suit but it had been months since being at my sewing machine. I needed to do something new but easier.

You'll also notice the "fubar" of the neckline. Originally I thought that I could slip into the suit like a bathing suit and not need a zipper. I kept making the neckline bigger and bigger until it could fit over my hips and damned if it just wouldn't work. So I was left with a ridiculously low neckline and a zipper in the back.

The collar is also pissing me off because the interfacing had been nicely stable or so I thought. But after putting it on a couple of times it just looks "limp." I should have used foam inside it but I thought the interfacing looked fine before I attached it. Live and learn.

The tiara - well that had its own problems. The glue wouldn't hold so I had to resort to Instant Vinyl. Then there were spots where the glue showed through the spandex like wet marks; and the foam layer had marker lines that were visible through this rather see-through fabric. (Another reason that I will stick with the milliskin from spandexhouse from now on). In order to cover the marks, I added GLITTER! Yes, GLITTER, because I had lost that much of my mind from staring at this blinding brainwashing fabric for so long. I do think there are military applications possible to torture prisoners of war with it. Seriously. Make them wear zentai suits of this fabric and they'll crack like a bad back.

The best part of the suit is the mask which was made by the leather artisan "columbina" of Ravenwood Masks on etsy.com. You can find the link in my past Star Sapphire posts. She also made my Firestar mask if you're curious.

The purple gloves came from a thrift store. Whenever you see something that you think might have a purpose somewhere down the line, just get it! The ring was made by a friend from thesuperherocostumingforum.com one of my favorite go-to places for costuming. You can get the rings really easy now that DC released them as novelty items. Just ask your local comic shop.

My plan was to debut the Star Sapphire at the CGS Supershow. I definitely don't feel its worthy of NYCC.

Star Sapphire work in progress

I'm almost finished with classic Star Sapphire. The suit is done. I just got the boots and opted for pink ones instead of purple. I had found purple gloves in a thrift store but I have to find them. The mask is leather and was purchased from a maker on etsy. The last thing I'm actually doing is the headpiece/tiara which is already giving me problems. Argh.

Even though the fabric I ordered a year ago is far from the color it looked like online, I decided to use it anyway even if I just consider it a "draft" of a future version. It's obnoxious neon bubblegum blind you pink.

If you aren't familiar with this version because the Blackest Night one is vastly different, check out some of the fun vintage images at ComicVine.

This design is a modification from the Kwik Sew figure skating pattern #3052. That's one of my "go to" patterns for starting off. I've used it for Jen's Mockingbird and for a Kitty Pryde style X-Men suit. I like those patterns because their very basic and easy to understand.

New Wonder Woman version - Should this go on my growing To Do list?

I'm so sorry if this is any kind of spoiler for those of you that are behind on reading your Blackest Night books! However, this 24-hour version of Wonder Woman as a Violet (Star Sapphire) Lantern, is pretty spectacular. Even though I completely disagree with Wonder Woman being one because I feel she'd be better suited as a different color lantern (Compassion or Willpower or even Hope), I do so love this costume design and any reason to stand out as a Wonder Woman that won't match everyone else at a con is a great idea.

I already have Star Sapphire's Carol Ferris on my To Do List. I'm now thinking of scrapping that one in exchange for this one. Both will be quite high on the difficulty scale and also high on my "self conscious" scale due to the bare belly.

Big Apple Con

I'm happy to announce that Jill the Nerdy Bird and I will be attending the Big Apple Comic Con this Saturday as women of the DCU!

Jill's Rage Lantern costume

Jill the Nerdy Bird made a great entry on her blog about every piece of her Rage Lantern costume that she debuted at San Diego's Comic Con International.

Success at SD Comic Con International

I've been somewhat depressed and jealous that I'm not at San Diego Comic Con with everyone, but I'm definitely there in spirit. I'm loving the hell out of Twitter & Facebook right now where people are live blogging their exploits.

I'm also quite proud to have at least had something go to SDCC in my place. I made the suit for The Nerdy Bird's rage kitty, Dex Starr. Apparently NB & Dex got such a great reception that she's been interviewed, talked to one of our favorite writers Geoff Johns (the one responsible for the red lantern corps) and he even tweeted about her & Dex!

If you're not familiar with The Nerdy Bird's work (where the hell have you been?), she's my counterpart at GEN, covering DC where I cover Marvel. The two of us together are a force to be reckoned with. Fangirls from Jersey - look out!

Photo from @acomicbookgirl

Rage Kitty Dexx Starr!

This is by far the most fun I've had completing a commission. It wasn't easy but the result is just so funny that I can't help laughing about it.

RAGE KITTY:

Took left over spandex and began draping it over kitty and marking it for cut lines.






Cleaned up the design of the pattern pieces a bit. Laid out on red PVC and black 4-way stretch spandex.



Began the assembly with constant testing of the fitting.



Compared it to the original artwork. The only thing left off are the waist hash marks. The rest seems pretty good.


Last step was create the embroidered patch of the Red Lantern Corps and use some vinyl glue to affix it to the back (per customer's request since it's easier to see than Dexx's belly).



And we have the 99% finished Dexx Starr! He needs to be colored blue which might possibly be done with blue hairspray.

Lantern Corps Rings + review

Highlights of this week's Green Lantern issue plus some showcasing of my talented friends in costuming.

Rage of the Red Lanterns

The only issue of Final Crisis I bothered to read was "Rage of the Red Lanterns" and for one reason only -- RAGE KITTY! I mean, I'm sorry about Bzzzt and all, but come on... bloodfilled feline of pure hate! It's genius really.

So on this gloriously bright and sunny afternoon while I'm battling a lovely first spring sinus cold, I sat down and created a simplified version of Rage Kitty for my beautiful girl:

I like this picture the best because Caico just looks so damn pissed off and her always reflective blue eyes look blood-filled.

Since I was wearing my Rage shirt too I had to get in the picture.

New concept designs

I really did try to maintain some focus with this year's costume making. That lasted about 5 minutes. Today alone I came up with two different Green Lantern uniforms (originals) and then saw a classic oldie version of Star Sapphire that is so adorable I want to add it to my "To Do" list. (Above: the steampunk v. 1.0 GL, roller derby GL, spandex goodness GL; Below: Star Sapphire)

However, I refrained somewhat when I was ordering fabric today for a customer and limited myself to just 3 yards of green spandex. I should have enough yellow left over to join it with the green to finally make my own Rogue costume (the one I had was one I had commissioned and later sold). Not that the world needs another Rogue, because it seriously does NOT; however it may be like Harley Quinn just for fun and photoshoots and shop appearances but not for conventions where there are dozens.

Since my plans for yesterday and today got mucked up due to the blizzard, I spent both at the sewing machine instead of at work. I created a test piece for a customer's commission (to be revealed only when it's finished). It's a nice classic style so I used most of the design to finally create that original/generic X-Men uniform that I've been wanting to do forever. It's just simple black with a yellow center piece, leotard style. It's not quite finished and naturally, just as I was about to begin, I ran out of black thread so it's done with grey, black and yellow thread. All it needs is some reinforcing when I get more black thread and to have the elastic around the leg holes installed.

Over the weekend I worked on new Firestar gloves made from red PVC and a Harley prop "Bang" gun:
It's a replica .44 revolver that shot rubber ammo bullets until I filled the barrel with gorilla glue and a dowel. I was going to embroider the "bang!" but I didn't like the way it came out so it's just white cotton backed with interfacing and detailed with a black fabric marker. I also made it double-sided because it always bothers me when you can only read one side of a banner or flag.

Lantern Corps Tee mod

The Green Lantern and GL Corps comics are currently DC's best mainstream line and they have been for over a year. Sometimes when spin-offs occur things just get bad. Adding to the spectrum does not always make for good storytelling (anyone else remember Rainbow Superman?). However in the case of the Lanterns, their new color energies have given a boost to the already dominate series.

The Rage/Red Lanterns are worse than the Sinestro Corps (Yellow/Fear); the Star Sapphires/Violet Lanterns believe that with enough love any criminal can be rehabilitated (they may be foolish but they're hot); and the Blue Lanterns can take Hope and charge the Green Lanterns with more energy as they try to establish Universal peace.

The Red Lantern Corps T-shirts hit the market and are pretty cool: bright red with a simple logo very similar to most the GL shirts you see. Sinestro Corps shirts are a mustard gold which aren't too bad considering they could have been sunshine yellow. The Star Sapphires just came out and I expected the shirts to be pink like the costumes in the comics. Don't argue with me - they are hot pink not violet! So because they are called Violet Lanterns, the Tees are actually deep purple and don't at all resemble their comic book counterparts. The Blue ones coming out in April are called "indigo" but are really bright blue - however in the comics, they are colored as bright blue.

I took the sleeves from my Umbrella Academy shirt and repurposed them to VL Tee. Then I marked up where I wanted to cut so that I could create a design that felt like a comic book costume. I was going for the John Stewart "pointed" look but alas, I feel I fell short and created something more like "cheerleader."

What started out solid purple, now looks like this: