corpse-cuties-blog

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The Four Corpse Candle Sisters

Character design pages from the Materials Collection art book.

#Ayakashi no Yon Shimai #Ayakashi Sisters #Corpse Candle Sisters #Four Sisters #Sailor Moon #Materials Collection #Naoko Takeuchi #Petz #Prizma #Calaveras #Avery #Berthier #Berti #Koan #Katzi #art book #Spectre Sisters #Weird Sisters #Eerie Sisters #Nemesis #Negamoon #Black Moon Clan

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Koan Look No. 004

Crimson red pencil skirt and matching coat with black and white striped oversize lapel

White stockings

Optional white day gloves

Optional crimson red floppy hat with black mesh hatband

Series: The Beyond Issue: #5 Date: July 1951 Story: The Frenzy of Sheila Lord

#Koan #Katzi #Koan look #The Beyond #The Frenzy of Sheila Lord #1951 #vintage fashion #vintage horror #vintage comics #floppy hat #pencil skirt #day gloves #stockings

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Petz Look No. 004

Short sleeve wrap dress in green with goldenrod foliage print

Green slingback pumps with ankle straps

Black day gloves

Single strand pearl necklace

Faux fur stole

Series: Mysteries Weird and Strange Issue: #10 Date: November 1954 Story: Swamp Terror!

#Petz #Prizma #Petz look #vintage fashion #vintage horror #vintage comics #Mysteries Weird and Strange #Swamp Terror #1954 #Superior Comics #wrap dress #day gloves #necklace #slingback #faux fur

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Berthier Look No. 005

Ivory white sweater

Knee-length bubble skirt in royal blue

Red lipstick

Series: Strange Mysteries Issue: #4 Date: November 1953 Story: The Evil Stranger

#Berthier #Berti #Berthier look #Strange Mysteries #The Evil Stranger #Superior Comics #1953 #casual #vintage fashion #vintage horror #vintage comics #sweater #red lipstick #bubble skirt

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Berthier Look No. 004

Long sleeve, tea length, figure-hugging dress in midnight black with shoulder pads, flared cuffs, high collar, and keyhole neckline

Bright blue corset belt

Simple black kitten heels with bright blue spider ornaments

Bright blue spider earrings

Bright blue spider brooch worn at the collar

Simple black beret

Green handbag

Spiderweb stockings

Series: Web of Mystery Issue: #25 Date: July 1954 Story: Lair of the Silken Doom

#Berthier #Berti #Berthier look #Web of Mystery #Lair of the Silken Doom #1954 #vintage fashion #vintage horror #vintage comics #beret #handbag #earrings #high heels #stockings #spider

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The Twisted Sisters. The Weird Sisters. The Four Sisters of Deception. The Phantom Sisters. The Spectre Sisters. The Strange Sisters. Over the years, Koan, Berthier, Calaveras, and Petz have been called collectively by many different names. In their native Japanese, they are the あやかしの四姉妹 Ayakashi no Yon Shimai (lit. “The Four Ayakashi Sisters”). The question of how best to translate this term has been the source of much difficulty, all stemming from that one, tricky little word: ayakashi.

What is an Ayakashi?

In Japanese folklore, ayakashi refers to any supernatural entity or yōkai (lit. “bewitching strangeness”) that “appears above the surface of some body of water.” In many stories, they are “the vengeful spirits of those who died at sea,” but in others, they are simply atmospheric ghost lights, a phenomenon often associated with UFO sightings and most commonly known in the English-speaking world as will-o’-the-wisps or ignis fatuus.

Given there’s nothing remotely nautical or maritime about the Four Sisters, it seems doubtful that series creator Naoko Takeuchi intended to reference vengeful sea ghosts with her use of ayakashi. With UFOs, crop circles, and related phenomena at the center of the Black Moon Clan arc, it seems far more likely she was referring instead to atmospheric ghost lights.

For this reason I think the best way to translate Ayakashi no Yon Shimai would be with a word that evokes that connection, that evokes the experience of witnessing that strange and mysterious phenomenon. “The Four Eerie Sisters” is probably the best option, with “Uncanny,” “Unearthly,” and “Otherworldly” being good possibilities as well.

For the purposes of this blog, however, I will be using a different term for the sisters, one that uses an alternative, more colorful name for atmospheric ghost lights, and one I hope you’ll find as delightfully creepy as I do: The Four Corpse Candle Sisters.

Welcome to Corpse Candle Couture, a blog dedicated to the fashion of vintage horror, sci-fi, and mystery comic books that would be just perfect on these four fierce women from planet Nemesis. Enjoy.

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Calaveras Look No. 003

Sleeveless party gown with honeycomb patterned bodice and full skirt in light blue

Gold pendant earrings

Pendant choker

Bangles

Series: Crime SuspenStories Issue: #4 Date: April-May 1951 Story: Premium Overdue!

#Calaveras #Avery #Crime SuspenStories #Premium Overdue #EC Comics #vintage fashion #vintage horror #vintage comics #party gown #bangles #choker #earrings #Calaveras look

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Calaveras Look No. 002

Coat dress in rich chocolate

Low-cut blouse in light cocoa brown

Turban in matching light cocoa brown with blue pearl stud

Blue pearl drop earrings

Triple-strand blue pearl choker

Ocher day gloves

Ocher court shoes

Black lipstick

Series: War Against Crime Issue: #11 Date: February-March 1950 Story: A Bed of Murder

#Calaveras #Avery #War Against Crime #A Bed of Murder #EC Comics #vintage fashion #vintage horror #vintage comics #court shoes #day gloves #lipstick #pearl #choker #earrings #coat dress #blouse #turban #Calaveras look

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Calaveras Look No. 001

Long-sleeved blouse with plunging neckline in carrot orange

Flared pencil skirt in Spanish blue

Chunky black belt

Gold herringbone necklace

Carrot orange slingback pumps with ankle straps

Series: War Against Crime Issue: #11 Date: February-March 1950 Story: Madman!

#Calaveras #Avery #War Against Crime #EC Comics #Madman #vintage fashion #vintage horror #vintage comics #blouse #pencil skirt #belt #necklace #slingback #pumps #high heels #Calaveras look

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Christian Lacroix Haute Couture, F/W 1992

#Calaveras #Avery #Christian Lacroix #Lacroix #haute couture #avant garde #high fashion #real world fashion #runway #catwalk #1992

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Christian Lacroix Haute Couture, F/W 1992

#Calaveras #Avery #Christian Lacroix #Lacrois #haute couture #avant garde #high fashion #real world fashion #runway #catwalk #year: 1992 #Sailor Moon manga

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Koan versus Petz Look Battle

Crimson Original (Web of Mystery #5, October 1951)

vs.

Jungle Reprint (Baffling Mysteries #21, July 1953)

Which do you prefer?

#Koan #Katzi #Petz #Prizma #look battle #Web of Mystery #Baffling Mysteries #vintage comics #vintage horror #vintage fashion #Valley of the Mayan Goddess #Ayakashi Sisters #Ayakashi no Yon Shimai #Spectre Sisters #Corpse Candle Sisters #Eerie Sisters

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Petz Look No. 003

Emerald green pantsuit comprising pedal pushers and a thigh-length jacket, cinched at the waist, with oversize cuffs

Red kitten heels

Black armband

Black lace eye veil

Ruffled cravat

One black bead earring

Black lipstick

Series: Web of Mystery Issue: #8 Date: April 1952 Story: Fury of the Macabre Mannequins

#Petz #Prizma #Web of Mystery #Ace Comics #vintage fashion #vintage horror #vintage comics #Ayakashi Sisters #Spectre Sisters #pantsuit #pedal pushers #kitten heels #high heels #armband #veil #cravat #lipstick #earrings #Petz look #Fury of the Macabre Mannequins

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Petz Look No. 002

Embroidered cone bra bandeau in jungle green with gold chains

Harem pants in jungle green with tiger stripe print

Gold chain necklace with Mayan idol pendant

Gold armband

Gold chain bracelets

Series: Baffling Mysteries Issue: #21 Date: July 1953 Story: Valley of the Mayan Goddess

#Petz #Prizma #Baffling Mysteries #Valley of the Mayan Goddess #Ace Comics #vintage fashion #vintage horror #vintage comics #Ayakashi Sisters #Spectre Sisters #Petz look

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Petz Look No. 001

Dark green peineta

Fringed shawl in dark green printed with fern green roses

Black lipstick

Series: Baffling Mysteries Issue: #9 Date: July 1952 Story: Mad Matador’s Fiendish Frenzy

#Petz #Prizma #Baffling Mysteries #Ace Comics #Mad Matador's Fiendish Frenzy #vintage fashion #vintage horror #vintage comics #peineta #shawl #roses #floral print #lipstick #Petz look

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その程度のハリケーンかい？ 見せてやるよ! 邪黒水晶のこのピアスでおこすトルネードの力を!

You call that a hurricane? I'll show you! With this Grim Crystal earring, I'll generate a powerful tornado!

— Act 17. Secrecy: Sailor Jupiter

#Sailor Moon manga #Petz #Prizma #Grim Crystal #Ayakashi no Yon Shimai #Ayakashi Sisters #Spectre Sisters #Corpse Candle Sisters #Nemesis #Negamoon #Black Moon Clan #Black Moon

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Koan Look Battle

Orchid Original (The Beyond #3, March 1951)

vs.

Ruby Reprint (Web of Mystery #25, July 1954)

Which do you prefer?

#Koan #Katzi #look battle #Beyond #The Beyond #Web of Mystery #Keeper of the Flames #vintage fashion #vintage horror #vintage comics