#27: DIY Halloween Costume September 12, 2019.

I know, Halloween is still six weeks away, but the decorations are but in stores and people are thinking about costumes already. Here’s one.

When he was four years old, my son Paladin was a fan of Hawkeye of Marvel Avengers fame.

That was back in 2006 so the movies hadn’t come out yet. However, I had saved my old comic books from the 1960s, and Hawkeye, Captain America, Spider-man, and The Hulk were always his favorite characters.

Anyway, he invented his own alter ago, as Jaguar Man, The Hunter. Dressed in all black and wearing my black leather driving gloves, he’d run around with his kids’ bow and shoot imaginary bad guys in the backyard for hours.

He’d stealthily (for a four year old) slink through the house to attack me and mom with the rubber “Jaguar’s Claw” he’d slipped out of the sheath he’d made from an empty toilet paper roll and strapped to his leg—with a little help.

Mom’s bicycle helmet had a black detachable front-piece that, once removed, looked very similar to the mask Hawkeye wore in those early comic adventures with the upswept cool look that I wish they had used in the movies. Upon Paladin’s request, mom used a black sash/scarf or something to tie it securely for his mask. He loved this look because the extra fabric gave him “flair.” Seriously, that was the word he used at four years old.

I used some dark night camo fabric to wrap his bow and quiver with leather bindings and made a half dozen fake arrows out of some wooden dowels I had in the workshop.

His “Jaguar’s Claw” sheath was replaced by an actual knife sheath, and he was set to go.

Please understand that he did not plan this as a costume. This was a four year old kid, an only child, who developed this idea and costume over months of playing—mostly alone.

On some nights after dinner but before bath and bedtime, he’d disappear into his room for a while. On those nights, we knew to expect and unexpected visit from Jaguar Man, The Hunter.

A few weeks before Halloween, Paladin declared that he wasn’t going to the Halloween Costume Party and Contest at the local library. But he assured us that Jaguar Man will be there.

This little kid had created his own super hero character, an identity for him, his costume and his tools of the trade. The only thing we added before going to the library was some burnt cork camouflage on his face.

He won first place in the contest and the most original costume awards. He even got his picture in the local paper.

That was funny because the reporter asked him his name, and he simply replied, “I am known only as Jaguar Man, The Hunter. I have no other name.”

After our adult laughter stopped, I gave the reporter his name, and the guy wrote a really good story after interviewing Jaguar Man, The Hunter a few minutes longer.

Anyway, Jaguar Man, The Hunter is not copyrighted, so you may use it.

True, it is not as Halloween scary as zombies and such. Nevertheless, being hunted, ambushed in the shower or while asleep by Jaguar Man, The Hunter can be startling.