By Dustin J. Seibert
Enquirer staff writer

Larry Malott may not yet have hit the big time, but the Hebron man has caught the attention of people who have.

The 26-year-old costume designer turned up at the June 22 Los Angeles premiere of Spider-Man 2 in a homemade, spitting-image replica of the costume worn by Tobey Maguire in title role. He says he was complimented by actress Kirsten Dunst and director Sam Raimi on his handiwork.

"Sam's eyes bugged out when he saw me," says Malott, who was in L.A. to see a friend. "He said, 'Cool costume!' and asked me if I made it."

Malott, who works freelance from his Northern Kentucky home creating costumes, sculptures and props for local companies and private collectors, says it was a huge compliment coming from former cult movie director Raimi (The Evil Dead), who went mainstream with 2002's Spider-Man.

Malott said he is currently working for DC Comics on a helmet model for its character Dr. Fate. He also created the Phantom of the Opera mask that actor Robert Guillaume wore for the Cincinnati Pops Halloween Special, which aired on PBS in 1996.

Malott, who said he mostly taught himself how to make costumes, created his Spider-Man outfit before the first movie was released based on pictures from the Internet, bringing it to life with spandex and fabric paint.

---

E-mail dseibert@enquirer.com