St. Paddy’s Day, Ireland’s national holiday with worldwide appeal, is almost here!  Whether your celebration includes attending a parade or mass, feasting or just downing a mug or two of green beer, it’s sure to be the most festive Wednesday all year long.  If you ask us, everyone needs a Celtic, Shamrock, or Leprechaun look to pay proper tribute to patron Saint Patrick, so give a glance at our Paddy’s Day costume choices and pick your favorite.  Hosting a group affair for St. Patrick’s Day?  Don’t forget to decorate your céilidh with our Green-hued and Irish-themed Party Supplies.  March 17th is mere days away, get your outfit and accessories together now so that when the time comes, there’s nothing left to do but rejoice in the revelry of St. Patrick’s Day!

Call it a case of superhero one-upsmanship. Only days after Superman’s debut in Action Comics No. 1 sold at auction for the stratospheric price of $1 Million US Dollars, the first appearance of Batman in Detective Comics No. 27 trumped it by going to a private bidder for the new record amount of $1,075,500. Heritage Auction Galleries handled the comic book’s sale, whose condition was graded as equal to Action Comics No. 1 – an 8.0 out of 10 or “Very Fine.”

So what does this previously unimaginable price tag mean for the comic book marketplace and superhero worship in general? Well, it’s a victory for all collectors who have successfully preserved their comics with hopes of a big pay day in the years to come. Attic-cleaning moms will have to devise new strategies once the children find out that their comics, given enough time, could command decades’ worth of salary from hero-hungry buyers.

Fictional fantasy figures such as Superman and Batman are at a high-water mark of popularity in the comic book community. Combine the larger-than-life reputations of these idols with the scarcity of their debut issues and you have a perfect storm leading to mind-boggling dollar amounts such as these. Few of us have the budget to afford such lucrative collectibles, but we can still live out the bravery of our comic book icons in other ways – such as costumes! While we’ve included a few Batman Costume options below, be sure to browse our site to see the full Superhero selection. Choose an adventurous alter-ego and wear their distinguished disguise but also hold onto your collection of printed character cartoons; the timeless stories of action and romance might end up becoming a sizeable retirement fund!

The first week of March is huge for costumers!  Tim Burton’s highly anticipated interpretation of Alice in Wonderland reaches the big screen on the “very important date” of March 5th.  Starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter, Anne Hathaway and Mia Wasikowska as Alice, the fantasy film will be shown in Disney Digital 3D and IMAX 3D, so follow suit and make yourself larger than life with an Alice in Wonderland costume to wear to the theater on opening weekend.  Only a few days after Alice arrives, the 82nd annual Academy Awards® will be handed out to lucky (and deserving) winners.  This year the 5 motion pictures vying for top honors in our favorite category of Costume Design are Bright Star, Coco Before Chanel, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Nine and The Young Victoria.  Celebrate all the nominees while you watch the broadcast live with family and friends on March 7th and don’t forget to decorate your OSCARS® party with our Hollywood-themed Party Supplies.  This big week in the movie world has us incredibly excited; let HollywoodToysAndCostumes.com help you get properly outfitted for it!

Setting an “official public record” for a comic book at auction, Action Comics No. 1 has sold for the incredible sum of $1 Million US Dollars. Revered for being the first appearance of Krypton’s Man of Steel, Superman, the 1938 comic fetched over Half a Million Dollars more than previous sales of the same issue due to its condition being graded higher – an 8 out of possible 10 or Very Fine. Auction website ComicConnect.com handled the private transaction, and it is believed that there are only 100 copies of this comic book remaining in existence.

With a face value of 10 cents, the Million Dollar sale has received a considerable amount of attention, making headlines in both the comic book community as well as mainstream media. In our opinion, this collectible’s value reinforces the Superman character’s continuing reputation as a symbol of all things good and true in society. His nobility and selflessness are enviable traits, ones not seen often enough these days, making Superman a quintessential hero in so many different ways. Those accolades, along with his feats of strength and speed, are among the reasons why the outfit still proves to be popular for costumers of all ages.

Take a look at our Superman costume options for adults and kids and see what happens when you don the iconic Red, Yellow and Blue outfit. With the recent auction news and a new Superman movie in the works, his stock is ascending. You might not become “faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound” but the skin tight suit is sure to draw some smiles and maybe raise a few eyebrows from those around you!

The 2010 Winter Olympics are almost here! The Cauldron will be lit by torch in the Canadian city of Vancouver tomorrow night, February 12th, starting almost three weeks of snow and ice sports participated in by over 80 countries.

5500 athletes and officials are expected to compete and judge the 15 events, including Freestyle Skiing, Ice Hockey, Luge, and Snowboarding, with a worldwide audience watching and supporting the national teams. If you can’t make it up to British Columbia over the next 17 days to experience the Games in person, we think honoring the Olympians with a Wintry, Sporty, or Patriotic Costume to wear while you cheer them on is the best way to go.

Stay warm outside the Igloo in an Eskimo Outfit, get Sub-Zero Sexy in an Ice Fairy Costume, pay tribute to the famous Jamaican Bobsledders from Cool Runnings with a Rasta Dreadlock Wig or help root the USA to victory with a Kids Cheerleader Uniform. The mythical Yeti (Abominable Snowman) even makes a rare appearance in the wild with this Hat or Full Body Suit.  The Winter Olympics only happen once every four years, so make the next few weeks count and we’ll see you on the Winner’s Podium!

Director Joe Johnston’s The Wolfman, starring Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins and Emily Blunt reaches theaters this weekend, but superhero fans are starting to get the buzz going early for his next project The First Avenger: Captain America well in advance of its tentative release date in summer 2011.

Captain America has long been a favorite for comic book aficionados, with his unmistakable shield even making a stealth appearance in the hit 2008 film Iron Man, and the veteran filmmaker recently divulged a few surprises about the patriotic powerhouse’s look for this upcoming adaptation. You can read the entire interview with Joe Johnston here or by clicking on the image above.

We’re thrilled that Captain America is finally getting some big-screen recognition after the 1990 version ended up bypassing the multiplex, going straight to video and cable TV. The trademark red, white and blue suit that Captain America wears stands proudly alongside Superman and Spider-Man as an immediately recognizable symbol of all things brave and heroic in the USA. So, what better way to pledge your allegiance to this Marvel movie muscleman than by wearing a Stars and Stripes outfit of your own. As you can see, we’ve got disguise options for men and women, adults or children, so no one will be left out as we anticipate The First Avenger: Captain America next year!

Oscar Nominations have been announced so, following in suit, we’re nominating February as a strong candidate for “Costume Month of the Year.”  While it’s tough to top October or December due to the incredible popularity of both Halloween and Christmas, February has an abundance of holidays and events going on in its favor.  Super Bowl XLIV is this weekend and we’ve got the Football Player Costumes and Football-Themed Party Supplies to help you enjoy the game to the fullest.  The Winter Olympics in Vancouver start on the 12th and kids can cheer on the US in a Cheerleader Uniform as adults host an Olympic-sized bash with Red, White and Blue Party Supplies.  Valentine’s Day is for lovers and our selection of Romantic Costumes and Valentine’s Day Party Supplies will leave you smitten.  Presidents Day follows on February 15; take your place in Oval Office lore with any of our historic Presidential Disguises.  Veteran costumers look forward to Mardi Gras most of all for the elaborate outfits infused with New Orleans’ celebratory spirit and this year there’s no down time before Fat Tuesday rolls around on the 16th.  Wrapping up this exciting month is the Jewish festival Purim and as you can clearly see, February goes non-stop, full to the brim with reasons to dress up.  We’re anticipating consistent fun right up until March 1st; join in the revelry with a costume (or two) to wear on these joyous days!

Today in San Francisco, Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the technology behemoth’s newest addition to their arsenal of popular gizmos.  Named iPad, this tablet-shaped personal computer device looks like an over-sized iPhone but functions like a MacBook with a touch-screen.  Our hastily-drafted description doesn’t do the gadget justice, visit the official Apple site to see and read more about the iPad by clicking here or on the photo above.

Only a ½” thick and weighing 1.5 pounds, iPad has a 10” screen and will be available in late March at a starting price of $499.  We couldn’t be more excited to share the news because this hybrid mobile/desktop product is truly revolutionary compared to most everything else on the market.  In fact, we’re so giddy about this release that all day we’ve been finding apple-related costumes and extras to share with our readers.

As you can see, we’ve got a round and ripe Apple Costume, a Apple Dumpling Outfit for teens, the groovy 1960s Appletini Costume, and a sweet accessory in the Red Apple Purse.  Snow White might prefer to avoid taking a bite of that poisoned apple, but the fruit decorates her dress and our Tina the Target disguise shows what happens when a knife-thrower misses the apple on her head with a trio of blades.  Even the famously apple-tempted couple Adam and Eve get in on the excitement.  Host an announcement party of your own with our Red and Green Apple-Colored Party Supplies as you patiently await using the amazing iPad – March can’t come soon enough for this hand-held wonder!

The beginning of 2010 has been a tumultuous time at NBC. Come February 12th, The Jay Leno Show will be axed from its daily 10 pm slot and word is that the veteran entertainer will return to a place in the network’s late night lineup. Of course, this news doesn’t thrill his Tonight Show successor Conan O’Brien, who is seemingly left with a less-than-desirable choice: push back his program to a midnight start, or leave NBC altogether!

These kinds of ratings-based rearrangements really aren’t anything out of the ordinary in the realm of TV, but it’s the fans and friends of each host that are making negotiations all the more interesting. Sides are being taken, lines drawn and even legendary funnyman Jerry Seinfeld has spoken up, offering a few comments on the (laughing) matter. Seeing as how his new show The Marriage Ref premieres next month on NBC, it’s no surprise he’d like to get in the middle of this potentially monumental rift.

So what can faithful viewers do as we await word of who’s staying, who’s going and why? Our suggestion is to dress up in any of these classic costumes including an NBC-inspired Peacock, Jay’s many Motorcycle Looks and a Simpsons Outfit or two in support of Conan, a former writer for the animated series.  One of Conan’s favorite segments from his time on Late Night was when he portrayed a turn-of-the-century Baseball Player, so we’ve included that one too.  We’ll keep a close eye on the trades in the next few days to see who ends up on top of this high-profile shake-up!

While moviegoers all around the world patiently await the theatrical release of Avatar for immersion into director James Cameron’s alien world of Pandora, a new trailer for Tim Burton’s vision of the classic fantasy story Alice in Wonderland has made its way online.  Click any of the posters below to view the trailer.

Both Avatar and Alice in Wonderland are being released in 3D, RealD and IMAX 3D so we’re eager to find out which of these is the best format when traveling to never-before-seen lands – whether they’re found underground or deep in outer space.

Alice in Wonderland doesn’t reach the big screen until next year, but we’re certain there will be more exciting news about the film and its stars to come. In the mean time, check out these other posters we found of Mia Wasikowska as Alice and Helena Bonham-Carter as the Red Queen, then create your own Alice in Wonderland costume look with any of our disguises, wigs, hats, and accessories. But be careful how much you try to find out about this Disney picture before March 5th because – as Alice knows – “Curiosity often leads to trouble!”