Memories of Halloween

I am really proud of the bus I did for Bitmap World.  It's a VW Bus.  Of course, I had to look at a ton of real-life pictures in order to get it down.  I always knew there was a following for the vehicles (the Bus and the Beetle), but never knew HOW big.  I also did not know that VW had made a modern version, much like the modern Bug.  I don't think it was every introduced in America.  I think it's cool, but not quite as cool as the clunky hippie-mobile version.  

The strip has the family going to the local novelty store to get their costume.  Funny thing is, that store was my life.  I have one of those lives that no one really believes.  There are certain aspects to my childhood that people automatically think are made up. Like that fact that I grew up in an apartment behind my dad's trick shop. Octobers were hectic.  In those days, you didn't have Halloween costumes in Kmart, or those costume superstores.  We would have people waiting down the street to get into the store.  My sister and I both worked too.  I can't remember how many times people would ask me, "aren't you too young to be working?"  Since my parents owned the place, I was allowed.  I don't know if child labor laws are that lenient anymore.

One of the coolest things to living behind a novelty shop was that every year I had the best costumes.  That is, on the years I wanted a good costume.  I remember it driving my dad nuts that I wanted one of those cheapie plastic mask costumes that use to come in the box (remember those?) when there was literally hundreds of better costumes around.  As I grew older, though, I learned better.  Just a few years later, I dressed up in three different costumes so that I could go trick-or-treating at the same houses over and over again.  Yes, I was quite the con artist at 10!

I know how to do theater make-up.  Liquid latex, greasepaints and more.  Ah, the memories. My all-time favorite costume was in my late teens when I dressed up as an alien from "V".  I had a half lizard face--using foam prosthetic pieces--and fake skin hanging down.  I found the most awesome red jump suit.  It was a blast.  Another year I was a superhero and I wore this neon pink wig.  I had about 2 dozen girls ask me how I got my hair that color.  Of course, I never gave my secret away. 

In my other comic, I have a character based on my dad.  He's a cross between Groucho Marx and Mr. Krabs.  I do have to admit to giving his shop a nod in BMW's current strip.  No, it's not advertising, which would imply I was getting PAID for it--remember I said he was Mr. Krabs? It's just a little nod and a bit of nostalgia. 

My life is far different now, and my own kids enjoy visiting Grampa's shop, but it's not quite the same.  That's probably a good thing.  For the most part.

So, what was your favorite Halloween costume?