Galway costume designer proves it – Batman always wins!

If you’re planning a fancy dress competition this Christmas, it might be wise not to go up against Julian Checkley – after the Connemara-based designer took an international prize for his seven foot transformation into Batman!

The contest was run by the Stan Winston School of Character Arts – the same studio that created some of Hollywood’s most iconic monsters and movie characters including Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator, Predator, Alien and Jurassic Park.

Working out of his small workshop in Spiddal, Julian wowed the judges at the contest with his Batman suit – fited with its own smoke machine lighting and exo-skeleton.

The costume – which stands at an imposing seven feet tall and weighs 80kg – was moulded in silicone rubber, metal and fibreglass. The suit was then precisely painted and weathered with each piece individually sculpted.

The contest was set up to highlight Halloween costumes from artists around the world and from thousands of entries Julian’s custom-built Batman suit was chosen as the grand prize winner.

A delighted Julian spoke to the Connacht Tribune about his shock at winning the revered prize.

“It was really a big surprise. We had only just finished the bloody thing after two years! I had seen the other entries online and I thought there was no way, not a chance,” he says.

The 48-year-old, who is originally from Windsor started making costumes at an early age and has been working in the area ever since.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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