Last week I took great pleasure in celebrating Halloween. Here in Harlan, for a great number of years, an entire family has been donning costumes and giving out treats to the little ghouls and goblins that come calling. The thing about this which is so unique is that everyone participates, grownups as well as children. On Oct. 31, the John Lewis family and the Darrell Cohelia family all gather on the large front porch at the home of Susie Lewis on South Main Street. For the most part, their costumes are homemade and center on a theme. This year it was superheroes and villains.

I think one of the most outstanding and unique outfits was made and worn by Elizabeth Lewis. She portrayed the DC comics book character “Big Barda.” Elizabeth labored for weeks creating her costume to make it as authentic as possible. She was clad in a black wig and a shiny blue bodysuit with a golden breastplate, along with golden boots and gloves. She very skillfully transformed a canine e-collar — a plastic contraption used by veterinarians after a dog has surgery to keep it from disturbing the wound — into a helmet which she painted black and trimmed with golden braid. A long flowing red cape — fashioned from a Goodwill store dress — kick pleat skirt made of gold metallic fabric with black inserts, and a utility belt completed her look.

Elizabeth’s sister, Jennifer, was the spitting image of “Wonder Woman” and her mother, Susie, was “Cruella Deville.” Her Methodist Mission fur coat cost $5 and into its pockets she stuffed dozens of miniature toy puppies. Family friend and former Marine, Jimmy Chasteen, was hardly visible, due to being dressed in full camouflage uniform and makeup.

Stephen Lewis and his wife, Kathy, came dressed as “Two-Face” and “The Joker” from the DC comics Batman series. Stephen’s costume and make-up were cleverly fashioned to make him appear as if half his body had been burned. Kathy’s attire was skillfully created, again with Methodist Mission finds, after the Jack Nicholson portrayal of “The Joker.” Their daughters also participated with Taylor dressed as the “Huntress” and Sydney as an “Amazon Warrior.” Their little brother, Jon, was an excited and animated zombie walker from the popular comic and television series “The Walking Dead.” Their grandfather, well-known greeter at Don’s Super Saver, John Lewis, portrayed a railroad engineer in overalls, authentic L&N cap and red kerchief.

Darrell Cohelia was attired as a mad Antarctica scientist, in hospital scrubs, a bloody bandaged head, parka and purple latex gloves. His daughter, college freshman Katharine, was the carbon copy of a beautiful “Poison Ivy,” an easily recognized villain from the DC Batman comics. Her friend, Eric Young, accompanied her and was dressed as the DC superhero “Black Lightning.” The driving force behind the family tradition, along with designer and seamstress of many of the costumes, is Rose Cohelia. She chose to portray a zombie walker from “The Walking Dead,” complete with gory facial makeup, shredded clothes and a necklace made of body parts, such as fingers and an ear.

Rose, who can make something out of nothing, transformed me into “The Penguin,” fashioned after Burgess Meredith in the 1960s Batman television series. From head to toe, I was dressed as the character with such props as: a black top hat with a purple satin band, shimmery gray metallic vest, purple bowtie, white shirt, black cut-away tailcoat, purple britches, white spats, black umbrella, unusually long cigarette holder and monocle. It was the most authentic costume I’ve worn since I portrayed “Mammy Yokum” in “Li’l Abner” many years ago. I hope you had a happy and safe Halloween and as Mammy would have said “Ah has Spoken.”