Build a Ghost Rider Costume That Smokes Using Vape Fluid

For most people, Halloween is an excuse to eat a lot of candy, party, and put on a lazy off-the-shelf costume. But, for the true believers among us, it’s a chance to show off our creativity, individuality, and impeccable taste in popular culture. For some, that means screen-accurate cosplay of a beloved character, and for others it’s all about elaborate effects. Mikeasaurus’s Ghost Rider costume is a bit of both, and his tutorial will show you how he accomplished that.

Johnny Blaze, and his alter ego Ghost Rider in particular, is a Marvel Comics antihero best known for being: a biker, a Nicolas Cage, and — oh yeah — a flaming skeleton. Dressing as a biker is simple enough if you own a leather jacket, and you can probably even pull off a Nicolas Cage if you have enough natural charisma. So, the tricky part of this costume is the skeleton part. Mikeasaurus started by 3D printing a skull mask, but you could also just purchase a mask.

To add flame effects, Mikeasaurus added flickering orange LEDs. But, the smoke effects are where this costume gets really interesting. That works with an e-cig that’s held in hand. It’s filled with vegetable glycerine, which is one of the primary ingredients in vape juice, but which doesn’t contain any nicotine or flavor itself. It’s just there to add a large volume of “smoke.” A tube leads from the e-cigs mouth piece and into the mask, with a small pump inbetween to force the vapor out. The result looks fantastic, and should be safe to breathe for an evening of Halloween fun.