The Mask

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This article is about the comic book character. For other uses, see The Mask (disambiguation).
The Mask
Cover to The Mask volume 1
Publication information
Publisher Dark Horse Comics
First appearance As Masque:
Dark Horse Presents #10 (September 1987)
As The Mask:
Mayhem #1 (May 1989)
Created by John Arcudi
Doug Mahnke
Mike Richardson
In-story information
Tim Avery (Son of the Mask)
Notable aliases Masque, Big Head, Loki

In comics and film version:

  • Superhuman strength, durability, speed and agility

In comics only:

Appear as any person with second life-like 'mask' of a human face formed over the wearer's green "big head"

In other media only:

A cartoon-like style of reality warping

The Mask is a Dark Horse comic book series created by writer John Arcudi and artist Doug Mahnke, and based on a concept by publisher Mike Richardson. The series follows a magical mask which imbues the wearer with reality-bending powers and physical imperviousness, as well as bypassing the wearer's psychological inhibitions. It was adapted into the 1994 film The Mask, starring Jim Carrey, which was followed by an animated television series voiced by Rob Paulsen and a sequel made in 2005, Son of the Mask.




The Mask (comic books)[edit]

The base concept of The Mask was created by Mike Richardson in 1982.[1] It first saw life as a single sketch he made in 1985 for APA-5, an amateur press publication created by writer Mark Verheiden.[1] After starting Dark Horse Comics, Richardson pitched his concept to Marvel comic book writer/artist Mark Badger, which resulted in the Masque strip that ran in the early issues of Dark Horse Presents.[1] Badger's strips became increasingly political, and Richardson ended the strip in order to bring the character back to his original concept.

Artist Chris Warner was hired to revamp the character based on Richardson's original APA-5 drawing and created the definitive look for the character. The character was given a new launch in 1989 in the pages of Dark Horse's Mayhem anthology. Aspiring writer John Arcudi and artist Doug Mahnke were hired to create the new adventures, which became the first very popular use of the character, "a combination of Tex Avery and The Terminator".[1] The Mask stories from Mayhem #1-4 were later collected as the 1991 issue The Mask #0 and in a trade paperback collection as well.


Original ongoing series

  1. Mayhem (#1-4, Monthly, May 1989-September 1989, re-printed in The Mask #0)
  2. The Mask (#1-4, Monthly, July 1991-October 1991)
  3. The Mask (#0, December 1991)
  4. The Mask Returns (#1-4, Bimonthly, October 1992-March 1993)
  5. The Mask Strikes Back (#1-5, Monthly, February 1995-May 1995)
  6. The Mask: The Hunt for Green October (#1-4, Monthly, June 1995-October 1995)
  7. The Mask: World Tour (#1-4, Monthly, December 1995-March 1996)
  8. The Mask: Southern Discomfort (#1-4, Monthly, April 1996-July 1996)
  9. The Mask: Toys in the Attic (#1-4, Monthly, August 1998-November 1998)
  10. Joker/Mask (#1-4, Monthly, May 2000-August 2000)

The Mask (#0-4)

In an antiques shop, a weak, neurotic man named Stanley Ipkiss shops for a gift to give to his girlfriend, Kathy. At the store he purchases an old jade mask which begins to speak to him. When Stanley wears it, he is transformed into a wacky, superpowered being with an abnormally large, bald, green-skinned head and a mouthful of large teeth. After exploring his new abilities, Ipkiss goes on a rampage, taking revenge on personal grudges, and earns the nickname Big Head.

After taking the mask off, Stan begins to realize what has been happening. His acts as Big Head begin to take an emotional toll on him. He becomes verbally abusive toward Kathy. She kicks him out but keeps the mask since Stanley had bought it as a gift for her.

Later Stan breaks into her apartment to steal it back just as the police respond to their earlier domestic violence call. Deciding his only way out is as Big Head, Stan places the mask back on and kills 11 cops in his escape. He returns home as Big Head and takes off the mask only to be shot in the back and killed by Kathy, who has put two and two together and figured out the identity of Big Head, before putting the mask on herself.

Kathy takes the mask to Lt. Kellaway for safe-keeping. Kellaway, who had been struggling at both the recent Big Head murders and organized crime lords running loose through his city, disregards Kathy's warnings and tries on the mask thinking she is stressed, and not thinking well. Becoming Big Head, Kellaway sets out to take down the crime lords who have plagued his police career.

The city, not knowing of the magical mask, assumes Big Head is still the same killer but has moved his target list to high profile crime lords. Despite Kellaway's good intentions, the mask turns his methods increasingly more violent. Big Head encounters Walter, a behemoth-sized mob muscle-man who never speaks and has taken a vendetta against Big Head for killing his employers. Walter never shows pain and is the only one who can injure Big Head to any real degree.

While fighting off Walter's attacks, Lt. Kellaway, as Big Head, becomes the target of a police manhunt. Big Head fights off the police and tracks down the remaining mobsters. When Kellaway's partner attempts to stop Big Head, the mask-altered policeman nearly kills his friend and colleague. Kellaway, realizing what he has been doing, flees. He removes the mask, buries it away in his basement with cement, and vows never to let it be worn again.


The Mask Returns (#1-4)

The crime lords send men to Lt. Kellaway's home and attempt to kill him. Kellaway makes his way to the basement in an attempt to retrieve the mask but is wounded before he can put it on and is put into a coma. After the shooting, the men escape, taking the mask with them. One of them puts it on the wimpy driver, Nunzio, as a joke, but he then becomes Big Head. Big Head kills the thugs and kills all of the crime lords, and becomes the city's preeminent crime boss. Kathy, realizing the return of Big Head means Kellaway failed to hide the mask well enough, knows that it's up to her to stop him. She dresses as a hooker, and Big Head falls head over heels. She tricks him into taking off the mask, and she pulls out a gun, then Nunzio dives for the mask but is shot and killed. Kathy uses the mask to escape and decides to go after the real crime boss (who Big Head stole the office from while he was in Miami) Don Mozzo. When Don comes back from Miami, he knows Big Head is after him and so he goes for help from the one man who can help him, Walter.

The Mask Strikes Back (#1-5)

Four friends, named Rick, Ben, Hugo, and Archie, all fascinated by the Big Head murders, find that all their lives are at a dead end, until one of them finds the magical mask by the city pier and brings it home. Realizing this was the source of their hero's power, each of the four take turns trying it on. They attempt to use its power to fix their lives but only end up making things worse for themselves. By the end, Walter finds the mask in his hands and is unable to use it and, in frustration, throws it into the distance with tremendous force.

This was the last series in the original Mask storyline by Arcudi and Mahnke. It was also the first to be made after the success of The Mask film and as such the violence of the earlier stories was toned down and the Tex Avery aspects were more prominent than before.

The Mask: The Hunt for Green October (#1-4)

The Mask continues to find its way into the hands of unwitting wearers. Ray Tuttle, a loser film-buff and his daughter Emily discover its power, but Lt. Kellaway is looking to take it from them. The title parodies the title of the novel The Hunt for Red October.

The Mask: World Tour (#1-4)


The Mask: Southern Discomfort (#1-4)

In New Orleans, the mask ends up in the hands of Eric Martin who tries to find his sister, all while Lt. Kellaway looks to destroy it.

The Mask: Toys in the Attic (#1-4)

A character named Aldo Krasker gets his hands on the mask which leads him to subconsciously embark on a murder spree. Doug Mahnke returned to illustrate the covers for this series.

Specials, Spinoffs, and Crossovers[edit]

Walter: Campaign of Terror

In this four issue spin-off by original The Mask creators John Arcudi and Doug Mahnke, Big Head's arch-enemy and indestructible Mafia killer, Walter the voiceless, runs for Mayor of Edge City.

Marshal Law vs. The Mask (February–March 1998)


Grifter/The Mask (September–October 1996)

Grifter of The Wild C.A.T.S. is sent to Las Vegas to break up a weapons smuggling ring at a gun show. Trouble brews when one of the tourists ends up with the mask and as Big Head causes a riot at the gun show by pulling a knife. Grifter initially mistakes the Mask for a target but when the tourist's girlfriend is threatened Grifter and the Mask team up to stop the smuggling ring.

Lobo vs. The Mask (February–March 1997)

The alien bounty hunter, Lobo, is hired to find the "Ultimate Bastich", a being who has decimated numerous planets. His hunt leads him to Earth where a petty thief has become Big Head. In a battle that decimates Manhattan, Big Head finally offers to "help" Lobo find the "previous wearer."

The duo head through space causing mass destruction. In a space truck stop, Lobo eventually wins the mask for himself, puts it on, and causes even more damage. A black hole sends him back in time by a month and it turns out that he is, in fact, the Ultimate Bastich. Waking up on Earth and realizing this, Lobo tosses the mask in the same spot the thief found it. Lobo breaks the time loop when he meets his past self and turns his past self in for the reward money.


Night of the Return of the Living Ipkiss…Kinda (September 1996)

After Kathy visits Ipkiss' grave, he returns from the dead as a zombie Big Head, with a thirst for revenge. Walking around the city, he finds and kills Kellaway, Walter, Don Mozzo, Lionel, many police officers, and a biker. When he finally finds Kathy, she yells at him, telling him that he doesn't have the mask anymore and he couldn't have come back to life. After that, he becomes a pile of dust and all the murdered people are brought back to life. From "A Decade of Dark Horse" #3.

The Mask: Official Movie Adaptation

A two issue comic book adaptation of the 1994 film starring Jim Carrey. In addition to retelling the story of the first movie, this comic book version contains short moments of the story which were cut out of the final film. This includes the deleted scenes most often seen as extra features in video releases of The Mask, most significantly, the death of supporting character Peggy Brandt. It also includes completely unseen moments such as Stanley Ipkiss' watch being stolen by the same group of thugs that he pays back with the balloon animal routine and dialog by the mechanics right before they are burst in on by The Mask. Some dialog is also changed. In this version, Stanley is more of the shy, clumsy version from the animated series.

Adventures of the Mask (#1-12)




The Mask: Virtual Surreality

A collection of stories by different authors.

Joker/Mask (#1-4)

The Joker inadvertently gets his hands on the magical mask after it is found in a Gotham City museum. With its power the Joker begins to feel a new rejuvenation in his career of crime. Lt. Kellaway finds his way to Gotham and helps Batman and Commissioner Gordon in defeating the newly superpowered Joker. Batman is able to trick the Joker into removing the Mask by claiming that the villain is no longer funny, and is relying on tired schtick and the power of the Mask instead of his own style. It is worth mentioning that the Joker himself had enough will power to "emerge" from the Mask's body (resulting in a two-headed being) in order to remove the mask on his own. Lt. Kellaway asks Batman to give him the Mask. Batman agrees and the Mask is last seen as Kellaway digs up Stanley Ipkiss' grave and buries the Mask there with his corpse.

The Mask Omnibus collections[edit]


The Mask Omnibus Vol. 1

Collects The Mask #0-4, The Mask Returns #1-4, and The Mask Strikes Back #1-5.

The Mask Omnibus Vol. 2

Collects The Mask: The Hunt for Green October #1-4, The Mask: World Tour #1-4, The Mask: Southern Discomfort #1-4, Night of the Return of the Living Ipkiss...Kinda, and The Mask: Toys in the Attic #1-4.

Adventures of the Mask Omnibus

Collects The Mask: Official Movie Adaptation, Adventures of the Mask (#1-12) and "The Mask: Virtual Surreality" released 29 Jul 2009 in 392 pages

Adaptations and spinoffs[edit]

Jim Carrey as The Mask
The Mask from the film The Mask

The Mask (1994)[edit]

Main article: The Mask (film)


While there were early efforts to take the movie in the direction of horror (some at New Line Cinema saw it as a replacement for their fading Nightmare On Elm Street franchise),[citation needed] it was never completely intended as a "dark horror" picture. New Line had problems coming up with a script that could show violence that was comical, but had more success with a story that had comedy that was violent. Richardson always pushed in the direction of the Tex Avery concept which was eventually adopted, despite the efforts of several potential directors, including, initially, Chuck Russell, to make the move to horror. Richardson also resisted early attempts to attach both Martin Short and Rick Moranis to the lead role.[citation needed] Mike Deluca's suggestion of Jim Carrey for the lead, together with Mark Verheiden's "Cuban Pete" production number, set the final tone for the film.

The plot of the film was loosely based on the first half of the Arcudi/Mahnke comic book miniseries. It uses only a few scenes from the comic, including the scenes of the muffler mechanics and the street gang and balloon animals.


The movie also spin-off into a video game adaptation, released for the Super NES in 1995.

The Mask: Animated Series (1995–1997)[edit]

The movie version of the character subsequently appeared in an animated TV series entitled The Mask (with Rob Paulsen as Stanley Ipkiss/The Mask) and his own short-run comic book series based upon the TV show, Adventures of The Mask. John Arcudi wrote season one's "How Much is That Dog in the Tin Can" and season three's "The Goofalotatots" (a parody of Warner Bros.' Animaniacs). Much as with the Beetlejuice cartoon before it, The Mask TAS took many elements from the source movie but made numerous changes. Tina was absent, and reporter Peggy Brandt had become the main female character but not love interest. Also unlike in the movie, Ipkiss appeared to be able to use the mask in daytime as well as at night. The series also had a crossover with Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, another animated series based on a Jim Carrey film.

Four VHS volumes of the series were released (an extra two were released in Australia), all of which are now out of print. Upon the initial DVD release of the Son of the Mask, Wal-Mart stores sold an exclusive 2-pack of the movie with the pilot episode of the animated series ("The Mask Is Always Greener On Other Side" Parts 1&2). As of 2012, this is the only DVD release of the series.

Son of the Mask (2005)[edit]

Main article: Son of the Mask

Son of the Mask is the poorly received sequel to the 1994 comedy film, The Mask, directed by Lawrence Guterman. The movie had a $84 million budget and a $17 million domestic box office gross, along with a $40 million foreign box office gross.

Director Chuck Russell, who helmed the original film, expressed his interest in a Mask sequel in his 1996 LaserDisc commentary. He was hoping Jim Carrey would come back as The Mask, along with Amy Yasbeck, who played Peggy in the original. Russell decided to cut scenes when Peggy dies and leave the character open for the sequel, which became this film. The concept was completely changed when Carrey decided not to return, focusing on another man (played by Jamie Kennedy) finding the Mask and unintentionally conceiving a child while wearing it- resulting in a son who possesses the powers of the Mask without needing to wear it-, at the same time as Loki (played by Alan Cumming), the Norse God and original creator of the Mask, searches the human world attempting to find it.

Ben Stein reprises his role of Dr. Arthur Neuman from the first film. He is involved in the movie to reestablish the relationship between the mask and its creator, Loki. He is the only actor to appear in both films as well as the Mask cartoon series.

Powers and abilities[edit]

In the original comics, The Mask grants the user superhuman physical attributes and intelligence, a healing factor, the ability to look like other people, and the ability to create objects out of the air. A perfect example to The Mask almost omnipotent powers happened when The Mask managed to swallow whole an entire hulking alien mutant invader by shapeshifting his head and mouth to giantic sizes. The Alien found himself bounded by the chains in the cave like stomach system of The Mask and he encountered a cannibal caricature of The Mask, ready to devour him alive in his own stomach.

In the other media, The Mask's reality warping powers are more powerful, and it has more cartoon physics-style abilities, such as:

The Mask also travels in a similar way to The Flash, by propelling himself to tornado speed. It is proven to be a devastating combination of brute force and speed that he instantly killed 11 cops when the tornado hit them.

His only weakness is also his strongest weapon, a very unstable condition of mind. The Masked individual completely goes insane after transformation and another person may persuade him to remove the mask.



External links[edit]