Well, here it is- Hellboy costume Stage 1. Since I've pretty much squandered all my time lately (though that bbq/disc golf all afternoon yesterday was totally worth it), it's nowhere near complete. For one, I didn't have a tail, cloven boots, belt pouches, a gun, or a B.P.R.D patch. I did have the stogie, though after chewing on it for two hours it looked like I was sucking on a greasy turd, and pretty much tasted like it too.

I'm posing here with Meagan (Wonder Woman) and Ashley (generic manga chick). Meagan was by far the most appreciated, and she was having her picture taken with damned near everyone. It was great, though, because she pulled hers off better than the "professional" super heroes they had there. Granted, she's no Linda Carter ("sigh"), but who is.

They day itself was a comedy of errors all around. Since I screwed off all of yesterday, I was up until 2 am applying latex and face paint to non-porous plastics. This also meant that I didn't have anywhere near enough red paint, and no spirit gum to attach the horns with, never mind the costume pieces that I just left out altogether.

Got up at 7 to gather my stuff and get the mainstays prepped, since the original plan was to meet at Ashleys. Meagan calls me a bit after 8, becuase her make-up artist cancelled on her 10 minutes before her appointment (apparently she was having "an argument with another girl"). This throws them behind schedule, but kinda works for me since I have to wait until 10 am for Party America to open up for paint. The open, I grab my paint and head to Ashley's. The girls are supposed to be there around 10:30, and I get there at 10:15 and start putting on the make-up. I'm rushing, becuase I need to leave the Con by 1, or as it turn out 2. I end up smearing make-up all over my car, dumping the mini-grill I'd forgotten to take out of my car, and getting sealer powder over everything, it seems, except my make-up.

The girls finally show up at almost 11:30. I've been taking sessions with my car running with the AC full bore because if I sweat too much not only does the make-up run but the latex I've used to adhere my horns with will fall off too. The coup de gras was when I bent over to grab my supply box for last minute fixes and smash my forehead into my car, knocking one horn off. Luckily Ashley had some Krazy Glue. Better than nothing.

We finally get to the 'Con (after going where it was last year and finding out that particular location was now the gold jewelry expo), and it was good times. I wasn't buying a ton of stuff, partially because I couldn't touch a whole lot, but it was still pretty fun. I had to leave around two when my right horn fell off and I'd lost a knuckle from the Right Hand of Doom. Got back just after two, and proceeded to scrub paint from my body in a sud-filled frenzy. Now, it's off to work.