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The Final ’90s Countdown: Part Ten.

§ June 16th, 2025 § Filed under final '90s countdown § 6 Comments

Continuing on with the one-vote receivers from our poll:

The Mask (Dark Horse Comics, 1991)

Well, here’s one where I kinda goofed up. I’d forgotten that this version of The Mask actually had its start as a feature in the Mayhem series in 1989, those stories later being reprinted in an issue #0 as part of thge first Mask mini-series from 1991. Which means this character began prior to 1990 and should have been disqualified.

But I didn’t catch it when it was nominated, and it’s not like I’m going to be thrown into an oubliette if I talk about it anyway, so…let’s talk about it anyway. (And I’m still going to do a special sidebar on Eightball, another series associated heavily with the ’90s but began in the ’80s, which seems only fair.)

Anyway, the idea for the Mask was initially conceived of by Dark Horse publisher Mike Richardson, eventually beginning life as “The Masque” in the company’s anthology series Dark Horse Presents in the late ’80s, handled by other creators.

Eventually, “The Masque” strip was canned, and the concept was retooled into the version that we all recognize today, even if all you ever saw was the movie. (More on that in a bit.) Debuting in Mayhem in 1989, then moving into his own four-issue mini-series by John Arcudi and Doug Mahnke in 1991, The Mask tells the story of Stanley Ipkiss, an unassuming, put-upon fella who finds an ancient magical mask that, when donned, converts him into a wild, crazy, physics-defying and massively violent creature known in-universe as “Big Head.” As the mini-series, and adventures, continue, the mask passes from person to person with equally destructive results.

The initial storyline runs through three minis, including The Mask Returns and The Mask Strikes Back. After this, The Mask franchise expands into new stories and crossovers (like cross-company events such as Joker/Mask, Lobo/Mask, and Mask/Marshal Law), as well as child-friendly comics and graphic novels (such as those by Rick Geary).

Of course, probably the most famous iteration of the Mask is the 1994 movie starring Jim Carrey, which amps up the Looney Tunes-esque comedy aspects and reduces the level of dark humor and violence from the comics. It was quite successful, and, actually, a pretty good movie and a solid adaptation of the premise, if not the tone, of the original comics. (I sort of dread the eventual film reboot that ramps up the darkness again, but…could be good, you never know.)

The movie did result in a universally panned sequel (Son of the Mask in 2005, and an animated series (that itself had a comic book spinoff.)

As it stands now, the Mask comics franchise is largely dormant, no reprint books appearing to be available at the moment. The last comic book series with the character was I Pledge Allegiance to the Mask, a four-issue mini-series released in 2019. There were two Omnibus volumes which appear to cover just about everything outside the intercompany crossovers and maybe the children’s comics. I’m not sure if the movie adaptation is included.

This is an enjoyable series, particularly the initial thee minis (and the related mini Walter, a mute giant nemesis of the Mask who seems to be one of the few (only?) being impervious to Big Head’s shenanigans). Later comics are a little more of a mixed bag, but there is still fun to be had here and there. Of particuliar note is Virtual Surreality, a 1997 release featuring contributions by multiple creators, including Sergio Aragones, Mike Mignola, and Ivan Reis.