Another Halloween is here. That means it’s time for spooky movies, sugary treats and a super drawn out costume concept announcement by yours truly. My blog “Back To Brendan” has been up and running for a few years now and using it to share my love of Halloween has been a lot fun. So whether you’re someone who has been keeping up with my antics for a while or you’re brand-new to my content, thanks for following along. And welcome to my Halloween havoc in progress.
For Halloween 2021, I explored the world of board games as King Kandy of Candy Land. The whole project was a fun walk down memory lane and was unlike anything I had ever done before. This year I wanted to subvert expectations again without losing that childhood nostalgia factor. I also wanted to lean into a theme with a little bit of scariness to it. Something spine-chilling bound to give you..goosebumps…
Halloween 2022 Costume Concept Reveal: A Tribute to Goosebumps
“Goosebumps” is a children’s horror book series penned by author and master storyteller R.L. Stine. First published in 1992, Stine was heavily inspired by the “Tales From The Crypt” comic books but wanted to adapt the horror genre into a more child-friendly format. His first Goosebumps novel “Welcome To Dead House” was met with critical acclaim, solidifying these nightmare-inducing novels as a mainstay in stores and classrooms everywhere. In no time, Goosebumps books became one of the most popular young adult series ever, selling over four million copies in just the first few years.
The Goosebumps brand itself proved to be powerful. In 1995, Stine’s work made a leap to the small screen with the “Goosebumps” TV series which ran for four successful seasons. Then in 2015 “Goosebumps” hit the big screen with a full-length movie (it’s ok) and a sequel, “Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween” in 2018, respectively. In between these ventures was a whirlwind of merchandise, clothing, action figures, board games, kitchenware, Halloween costumes — you name it. Goosebumps even had a short-lived stage show “Goosebumps HorrorLand Fright Show and FunHouse” at Disney MGM Studios (now Hollywood Studios) in Orlando, Florida. It seemed like no matter where you went in the 90’s, Goosebumps was lurking right behind you.
Goosebumps has many well-known characters, but I’ll only be focusing on three for Halloween.
“One Day At HorrorLand” – A family takes a wrong turn and winds up at a grisly amusement park. They try to escape but are locked in, held captive by green, horned creatures known as the “Horrors”.
“The Haunted Mask” – Carly Beth Caldwell is a scaredy cat and everyone knows it. That is, until she puts on a mask that transforms her body and mind into a villainous version of her former self.
“Night of the Living Dummy” – Lindy brings a ventriloquist dummy home and names him “Slappy”. That’s when unexplainable things begin to occur, because her dummy is alive.
Meet the 2022 Halloween Team
Laura Beckerdite is Studio Coordinator and Photographer with a lengthy list of notable clients under her belt such as Spotify, Reebok, Smirnoff, Sofar Sounds, Target and more. With her impressive eye for detail and a will to get the shot at any cost, she was the mastermind behind my King Kandy shoot last year. This year she’ll head my Goosebumps photoshoot, taking place at various locations across New York City. See more of her work at www.laurabeckerdite.com.
Check out the hashtag #BrendanDoesHalloween on Instagram to see more of my costumes or visit my professional site here. Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for my Goosebumps shoot on social media, October 31st. Happy Halloween!