The cost of a Halloween costume
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What else is hot?
Other costume choices abound for those who don't want to walk the plank. Kids are loving princesses, witches and Spiderman this year, according to the National Retail Federation, or NRF's, 2006 Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch. Costumes popular with adults include witches and vampires.

Halloween dress-up ideas Besides pirate costumes, our costume industry insiders told us the following costumes should do well this Halloween:

Other popular costumes 1. Superman 2. Batman 3. Power Rangers 4. Disney princesses 5. Other comic characters 6. Scary costumes 7. Nickelodeon characters 8. Diva costumes

1. Superman
With sales fueled by movie mania, this superhero is a hit this year. "'Superman' and 'Pirates' are the two big movies," says Pohle. "Anything that's a blockbuster usually does well."

At the Wizard's Chest, $45 will buy the deluxe Superman child's costume with muscle chest. Most costumes at the Wizard's Chest retail for $25 to $50, although some can cost up to $300.

At Web-retailer AnniesCostumes.com one Clark Kent costume allows the wearer to rip open the overcoat, revealing the familiar yellow and red "S" logo on a blue muscle shirt. The child Clark Kent costume retails for $28 while the adult costume sells for $40.

2. Batman
The recent movie release of "Batman Begins" and two cartoon shows, "The Batman" and the "Justice League," of which Batman is a member, fuels popularity for this costume, says Shari McConahay, vice president of Extreme Halloween Inc., a network of 13 shopping Web sites that includes AnniesCostumes.com.

Children's Batman costumes start at $29, and $47 for the adults on AnniesCostumes.com. One adult-sized collector's Batman costume sells for $420.

At Austin, Texas, costume shop, Lucy in Disguise, costumes rent for $5 to $65 and retail from $10 to $1,000. At the higher end of the price scale, one deluxe, "movie-quality" adult Batman costume will cost you $1,000.