1. Rick from American Beauty This wouldn’t have been obscure 12 years ago, when the movie came out, but now it’s an oldie-but-goodie (at least in our Internet age, where 12 years in an eternity). Though, with this one, it might be important to let everyone know you aren’t just a creepy dude working on his Halloween documentary, but the camera is actually part of a costume. [Source]

2. Roland (The Gunslinger) from the Dark Tower series Showing up as anyone from literature is going to, by default, probably be a pretty obscure Halloween costume. And this way, as Stephen King’s creation, you get to wear a bandana. And really, how can you pass that opportunity up? [Source]

3. TI-89 Platinum from your college-level physics class Maybe it wouldn’t have been obscure to show up as a TI-86 calculator with a half-forgotten game of Tetris or Snake on the screen, but this calculator (and costume) means business. And on the plus side, this costume has to cost a few hundred less than its inspiration. How’s that for absolute value? [Source]

4. Wolverine Pre-Weapon X from X-Men This, and the next two costumes, pulls the classic trick of taking something popular and making it obscure. Wolverine is obviously an extremely popular costume, but Wolverine back when he was still James Howlett? Yeah. Thought so. [Source]

5. Supersonic from Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games, Etc.)
Sega’s answer to Mario is a popular character, but rarely does Super Sonic — a.k.a. Sonic with 50 rings or seven emerald stones (well, what do you do with your time?) — get his due. That is, until now. [Source]

7. Black Dynamite from Black Dynamite The king of cool. If you don’t know Black Dynamite, you should be ashamed. Then you should learn about Black Dynamite. It’s an easy costume, if you happen to be cool as hell. If not, you might have some trouble pulling this one off. [Source]

8. Black Bolt from Marvel Comics Maybe this one is on me, but Black Bolt’s so obscure, I had to look up his powers. According to Wikipedia, it’s electron manipulation, which makes this costume not only obscure but nerdy enough for most chemists and physicists! Double points! [Source]

9. Tarman from Return of the Living Dead Zombie costumes, while not original, are always fun. This one takes it a step further: a specific zombie from a pretty great (and obscure!) movie from 1985. An absolute winner. [Source]

16. Leonard Shelby a.k.a. the dude who can’t remember anything from Memento One of the easiest costumes on the list, but one you won’t see too often. Take an ink pen and write notes on yourself (though, if you remember the movie, you’ll remember to be careful how hard you press with that pen) and, bam, you’re Leonard Shelby a.k.a. the dude who can’t remember anything from Memento. [Source]

11. Aku from Samurai Jack There are all types of evil in this world, and most of them are represented on the streets either begging for candy (under 18!) or something else (over 18!) one day a year. But Samurai Jack’s arch nemesis doesn’t tend to be among them. [Source]

12. Tyler Durden (not obscure) and Narrator (a lot more obscure) from Fight Club So, Tyler Durden has been done to death, but does anyone ever think to dress up as the narrator? And no, his name is not Jack. But you can walk around all night saying “I am Jack’s Halloween costume” and give everyone déjà vu for the confusion they felt about halfway through the movie (assuming they watched it in 1999 and not in the 12 spoiler-filled years since). [Source]

13. The Secretary from Beetlejuice It’s the secretary from Beetlejuice. It’s awesome, confusingly attractive and obscure as hell. Does anything else really need to be said? [Source]

17. Joey Cramer from Flight of the Navigator Remember Joey Cramer from Flight of the Navigator? Well, then you’re one of the few. This might be the most obscure costume on the list, and all the more props for it. Easy to make and even easier to confuse just about whomever you’re around. [Source]

18. Random test subject from Portal in a portal While Portal and its sequel are pretty popular games, dressing as Chell going through the freaking portal isn’t quite as popular. Brilliant if not somewhat terrifying costume, but now I kind of just want to skip Halloween and stay home trying to beat Portal 2, which I still haven’t. Hmm… [Source]

19. Deadpool from Marvel Comics Hard to say if Deadpool, the anti-hero who first made an appearance in Spiderman’s world, has lost his "obscure" status yet. But as he becomes more popular, he definitely will. This is probably the final year the anti-hero can still be a unique costume, to wear it while it’s hot! Or, not hot, I guess. [Source]

10. An Old Mac from, I don’t know, like, 1940? If one were offering a bet of how many who read this blog have actually seen one of these things, I’m not sure which way the odds would tip. What’s more obscure than being something that is already obscure? Wrap your head around that one, and then maybe wrap an old computer around your head. [Source]

14. Gameboy from Your Childhood Another costume that, at one time, would not have been obscure whatsoever, but here in cushy 2011, it’s a rarely seen gem. Rarer than gold, this "original" brick-like Gameboy costume brings up great memories of riding in the backseat on road trips (and the subsequent nausea that inevitably followed). Today? Kids have their work cut out for them trying to figure out how to dress as a DS. [Source]

20. Krang from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle This should really count for two costumes. You've got Krang the brain chilling down there in his little box, and his dopey robotic body. Not only is this a faithful rendition of TMNT's coolest-villian-that-ain't-Shredder, it moves and talks, too. [Source]

6. Super Grover from Sesame Street Another classic character in his "super form." While some might claim there are hundreds of superheroes "cooler" than Grover Kent’s super alter ego, some might simply be wrong. By far the coolest costume in this list. [Source]

15. Syndrome from The Incredibles Okay, I admit this one is kind of cheating. He’s not obscure, but it’s a pretty great costume, and I’m willing to bet if you waltzed into a random bar on Halloween night, most people wouldn’t be able to guess it. [Source]