Superheroes out-rank politicians this Halloween

• Avengers, Spider-Man and Batman are best sellers
• Presidential candidates also popular

Iron Man is more likely to knock on your door this Halloween than President Obama.

Presidential Halloween costumers are popular every election year, but during this race, neither Obama nor Romney are coming close to movie characters and superheroes.

For adults and kids alike, the top-selling costumes are Spider-Man, Batman and The Avengers, including characters such as Iron Man, The Hulk, Thor and Black Widow.

"Each year, there are several stand-out requests often based on a popular TV show, movie or current event," says Marilynn Wick, CEO of Costume World. "This year is an election year, so political masks, elephants, donkeys and other red-white-and-blue costumes are asked for. We remember in past years Clinton with a cigar, Nixon in a convict suit – so far nothing like that has come to pass this year, but who knows."

Political masks may not be the top-selling costume, but Spirit Halloween's CEO Steven Silverstein says they are still a pretty big deal.

"Our mask sales have accurately predicted each presidential election since the mid-'90s," Silverstein says.

As of Monday's sales, Obama makes up 63% of mask sales and Romney has the other 37%.

First lady Michelle Obama and former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton each have inspired masks.

It's not just the candidates making political statements this Halloween.

Big Bird left the other Sesame Street characters in the dust when he flew off the shelves after Mitt Romney's comment about cutting subsidies to PBS. Now those costumes are out-of-stock and big, yellow wannabes are going the do-it-yourself route.

Sara Gaugl, a spokeswoman at the Bellevue, Wash., headquarters for the large thrift store chain Savers and Value Village, said managers of the nearly 300 second-hand stores across the United States and Canada were busy helping customers put together DIY Big Birds.