Carbon Costume Men
Davy Jones from Pirates of the Caribbean
What horrors love can turn a man to do, Davy Jones knows only too well. The dreaded Lord of the Deep, once charged with guiding the souls of those who died at sea, turned cruel when the goddess Calypso did not return his love. Played by Bill Nighy, he stops at nothing to show us why we (and Will Turner) should fear the deep in the Disney series Pirates of the Caribbean.
There’s a lot that goes into a costume like Davy Jones. Most of the look in the movie relied on CGI so getting something accurate isn’t particularly easy. Makeup tutorials like this one help, though. And you will need to distress the pieces of the costume to fit Jones’ ages-old and sea-weary look. You’ll also want a large quantity of sea shells and sand to give your clothes the look of a man who has slept at the bottom of the sea for centuries.
Of course you need the actual costume pieces too. A Cthulhu mask gives you some of Jones’ beard tentacles while tentacle “horns” add some on top of your head. You can either use these with a bald cap or attach the tentacles to your pirate hate .
For the rest of Jones’ clothes you’ll need a shirt, vest, overcoat, pants, thick belt, and boots.
And Davy Jones would not be Davy Jones without the music box to remind him of the past that led to his fate.
Klaus Daimler from The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Klaus Daimler (played by Willem Dafoe) is the German first mate of the Belafonte research vessel in Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Klaus views Steve Zissou as a father figure, and becomes jealous of Ned Plimpton as the latter’s relationship with Steve grows. Klaus always wears shorts, no matter the occasion, so this is a great costume option for someone who really wants to show off their legs.
Bobby Hicks from The Florida Project
Bobby Hicks (played by Willem Dafoe, who received an Academy Award nomination for the role) is the manager of the Magic Castle, a gaudy motel in Kissimmee, FL in Sean Baker’s film The Florida Project. Bobby is not supposed to allow long-term rentals, but offers a place for a handful of people to stay who would otherwise be completely homeless by bending the rules. He has a soft spot for many of the children who live in the motel, including Moonee. Bobby’s costume is an easy one to recreate because he dresses simply, opting for durable denim jeans, sensible footwear, and a variety of plain t-shirts throughout most of the movie.
Pitch Black from Rise of the Guardians
Nearly every child knows you should be afraid of the dark. Adults just forget. But in Rise of the Guardians, Pitch Black makes sure we remember. Voiced by Jude Law, DreamWorks’ Pitch Black is equal parts nightmare, bogeyman, and the shadow under your bed that keeps your feet tucked up tight under your blanket. He is every bit as terrifying as he in the original books by William Joyce. And it has made him one of DreamWorks’ most enduring villains.
There are two ways to go about a Pitch cosplay. The first is to forgo any body paint and let the clothing speak for itself. The other is to use grey body paint to mimic his otherworldly look. Either option works!
Regardless of which option you choose, there are a few things you will need. A black wig and black boots to start. If you want to go with the canon interpretation of Pitch you will also need a long black robe. If you want a more fandom-based version you’ll need black pants, a black shirt, and a long flowing black sweater.
(This costume also converts easily into a Sandman costume if you’re going to a multi-day con!)
Quackerjack from Darkwing Duck
Quackerjack is a recurring villain in both the Darkwing Duck animated series and comic books. He used to be a toymaker, but he was put out of business by the Whiffle Boy video game market. His hatred and jealousy spiraled him into madness, leading him down the path of evil. As Quackerjack, he dons a jester’s appearance and robs banks to fund his toy-making, as well as supply his arsenal of deadly toys. He has since become one of Negaduck’s Fearsome Five alongside Megavolt. His catchphrase is “It’s PLAYTIME!” You can assemble your own Jester’s hat and outfit, but Smiffy’s provides a good base. However it doesn’t come with tights or shoes, so we included mustard yellow tights and red jester shoes to better match the character.
Morshu from Link: The Faces of Evil
Morshu is a merchant who sells lamp oil, rope, and bombs to Link in The Faces of Evil video game from the Zelda series on the Philips CD-i system. Morshu is a shrewd businessman and will not sell goods to Link if he does not have enough rubies. Morshu wears green pants, a matching hat, and an orange shirt with a brown and yellow vest over top.
Jim Morales from Code Lyoko
Jim Morales (voiced by David Gasman) is the physical education instructor at Kadic Academy in the cartoon series Code Lyoko. Jimbo is boisterous and clumsy, as well as committed to his students’ success and making sure they follow the rules of the Academy. In seasons 1-3, Jim wore a red and black button down with matching pants, but switched to a more comfortable sweater and tan track pants in season 4. Whichever version you choose to emulate, make sure to include a whistle or stop watch to truly embody his gym teacher persona, and don’t forget his signature headband and face bandage.
Elrond in Lord of the Rings
Elrond is a minor character in Lord of the Rings. He is the wise and noble half-elf who rules Rivendell, as its original founder. He is also the father of Arwen. When Gandalf resists asking more from Frodo, he persuades Fellowship to continue its journey of destroying the Ring. This leads to his formation of the Council of Elrond. In the film adaptation, Hugo Weaving plays this role. This look requires some minor crafting, as you’ll need the silver puff paint to draw the pattern on the coat. Tuck the red scarf into the brown cummerbund so it drapes over.
Asta from Black Clover
Asta (voiced by Gakuto Kajiwara and Dallas Reid) is one of the main protagonists of the Black Clover anime series. Asta is an orphan raised by Orsi Orfai alongside his foster brother Yuno. While Yuno excels in the magic arts, Asta exhibits no talent for magic despite a strong desire to become the Magic Emperor. To make up for his lack of skill, Asta trains his body relentlessly, resulting in a very muscular physique for his size. Asta’s costume consists of blue knickers, a white tunic, and a blue cropped jacket, as well as a headband and, later, a matching cloak.
Major Bedhead from The Big Comfy Couch
Major Bedhead (Fred Stinson) is a recurring character on The Big Comfy Couch, a Canadian children’s show from the 90s. He is a clown who delivers the mail on his unicycle. He stops by to give Loonette postcards from her Auntie Macassar or Uncle Chester. However, he comes off as quite irresponsible for spending so much time chatting with Loonette and Granny Garbanzo and not delivering packages. Goofy yet clumsy, Major Bedhead possesses many clowning skills such as juggling and pogo sticking. His pet peeves are lying and dishonesty.
