Carbon Costume

Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) returns for 2021’s The Suicide Squad, directed by James Gunn. A former psychiatrist turned crazed vigilante, Harley survives the attack on the original squad and finds herself joining a new team. In contrast to the first iteration, Harley is no longer romantically involved with the Joker. As oppose to previous films, Harley sticks to her classic red and black color palette, with inspirations from the Batman: Arkham City video game. Her second outfit is shown her, featuring a ruffled dress to match her playful, feminine aesthetic.

Thaal Sinestro (played by Mark Strong) is a member of the Green Lantern Corps. And when Hal Jordan joins the Corp, Sinestro becomes his mentor. Not that he’s happy about it, of course. And though he saves Hal in the end, Sinestro’s fate isn’t exactly a happy one.

The hardest part of Sinestro’s costume is his non-human appearance. You can either use black hair spray and then slick your hair back with pomade or you can use a bald cap and black body paint to recreate his hair line. In either case you’ll also want a pair of pointy ears and red body paint, as well as a fake mustache.

With that part covered you’ll want to get a bodysuit and the Green Lantern Corps ring next. Then you can finish off the look with green gloves and green boot covers.

Eddie Blake is not what you would call a nice man. He’s done his fair share of hero work as The Comedian and the press loves his patriotic public persona. But behind closed doors he’s not what most people would call a hero. Jeffrey Dean Morgan manages to bring a certain charm to the character in Zack Snyder’s 2009 adaptation. But it’s up to the audience how long that charm holds out.

Blake is a military man and a good portion of his costume is inspired by the military. Black combat boots, black tactical pants, and his thigh holster with a (costume) pistol all stem from his interest in the military. His chest piece is pretty easy to recreate with a paintball vest and leather belts can be repurposed as the straps over his shoulders. His belt buckle can also be recreated using black foam painted with the same silver spray paint you’ll need to modify pre-made shoulder protectors so they have the red, blue, and silver colors Blake wears.

Add a mustache, mask, and smiley button as your finishing touches and you’re good to go. Just don’t forget the cosmetics glue to keep your mask in place!

HBO Max introduced Jason Todd as Red Hood in season three of their Titans show. The look was hyped for months beforehand and not just by Curran Walters, the man under the hood. Fans everywhere were dying to see what HBO would give them and they were not disappointed.

Recreating Red Hood’s look is no easy feat. And it starts with the mask. Unless you’re an experienced crafter and cosplayer, your best bet is to get one from Etsy. They tend to sell out very quickly and you might have to purchase a 3D printer pattern and have an Etsy printer run one off for you. Then, of course, you need a red zip up hoodie and a brown leather jacket. Under that you’ll want the chest piece which is pretty easily replicated with a paintball vest and fabric paint. Because the vest is black, you’ll want to paint the bat symbol first in white and then in red so the red will show up against the background. Finally, to finish off the upper layer you’ll need a pair of motorcycle gloves.

The bottom half of the costume consists of a pair of motorcycle pants, two thigh holsters, two costume pistols, a tactical belt, and a pair of brown leather work boots. Todd also has a pair of leg bracers that go down over his boots. You can purchase the leg portion premade and then fashion the section over his toes with craft foam and silver adhesive vinyl.

It’s a costume with a pretty steep level of investment. For for Red Hood fans it is worth it.

Hippolyta wasn’t always a queen. Before the gods took pity on her forlorn soul she was a mortal cavewoman. Her mate murdered her and the gods plucked her soul from the Underworld to create the Queen of the Amazons. Her sister Amazons were women who also suffered violence at the hands of men, ultimately leading them to the secret and secluded island where they remained until their Princess Diana left to join the wider world to become Wonder Woman.

Hippolyta has had several different looks over the years but this one is closer to her classic comic appearance. Long dark hair worn loose around her shoulders, a gown of deep purple accented by a gold belt, gold sandals, silver bracers, and a small crown atop her head.

Beast Boy is a character from the DC Comics. His real name is Garfield Logan but he’s also used the alias Changeling. Beast Boy is a shapeshifter who can transform into any animal. He has a playful personality and a not so secret crush on Raven. While he currently stars in Cartoon Network’s Teen Titans with a purple and black suit, this is his original comic design. This version requires a bit crafting, but you don’t need to be a superhero to do it! Cut the sides and half the width of the arms off the white sports shirt to resemble the suit design. Then sew or hot glue it onto the red unitard. Cut a square hole in the shorts right at your belly button. You can use hair gel and holding spray to spike up the wig.

Albert Pratt known by superhero alias The Atom was a small but mighty Golden Age hero who premiered in DC Comics in the 1940s.  Al was a scientist and athlete proficient in hand-to-hand combat.  His character later went on to acquire atomic strength (which coincided with a modernized costume that covered more skin than the original bare-legged version).  While he has undergone several iterations, most of his costumes include bright yellow, blue, and red, making him a colorful choice for those interested in a bold look.

Circe first appeared in 1949 as one of Wonder Woman’s antagonists. As an immortal sorceress she’s a little hard to beat. Thankfully the good guys manage it every time. And I do mean every time. Like a good villain Circe makes repeat appearances, often changing in appearance but consistent in her evil.

This version of Circe might not be the first form she took but it is one of the most popular for cosplays. It gets back to the Greek roots of the character. She was adapted from one of the villains in Homer’s The Odyssey and you definitely get the vibe of an ancient Grecian island witch with this version of Circe.

The first thing you’ll need is a long black wig. Circe’s hair color changes with every iteration of her character but this time her hair is jet black. As an added bonus you can also use this wig for a Morticia Addams cosplay if you’re going to a multi-day convention!

Once you have your wig you’ll need a green dress in a very tight but flowing style. After that you’ll need a whole lot of gold accessories: bangles, a belt, a chalice, and an arm band. Skin tone skippers give you something close to a barefoot look. If that’s not quite your style or you can’t find a slipper in the right shade you can make a pair of invisible shoes like these.