Jim Carey may have made the character famous, but The Mask was first a quirky and surprisingly dark superhero. In today’s Oddball of the Week, I salute this Dark Horse original.

The mainstream audience remembers The Mask from the mostly kid-friendly 1994 comedy. The film was a massive hit and further solidified Carey as the hottest comedian in Hollywood at that time. Outside of a handful of risqué jokes, the movie was fairly tame with its general silliness complete with musical numbers and an adorable, scene-stealing Jack Russell terrier. It would go on to inspire a short-lived, Saturday-morning cartoon series, as well as the critically despised 2005 sequel, Son of the Mask, starring no one’s favorite comedian, Jamie Kennedy.

Dark Horse fans were understandably taken aback by the PG-rated Mask. In his comic form, The Mask was anything but kid friendly. He had the over-the-top, roaring ‘20s gangster aesthetic and some tongue-in-cheek humor, but the comics’ Mask was exceedingly violent. If the movie ever gets a comics-accurate reboot, it would better suit Quentin Tarantino’s writing and directing style.

With that in mind, let’s explore The Mask’s comic origins and key issues.

DARK HORSE PRESENTS #10

The first time readers saw The Mask, his name was spelled a bit differently. In 1987, the character was The Masque. Although we only see his headshot, the character also makes his cover debut, which is always a selling point in the collecting world.

If you happen to own DHP #10 in high quality, you’ll be happy with the prices. In March 2021, a graded 9.8 sold for a whopping $750. So far this year, it hasn’t gone over $375, but a new movie announcement could change that.

THE MASK #1

Four years after he arrived on the scene, the underground hit character was given his first solo title. Echoing those comments about The Mask being a violent figure, the cover for 1991’s The Mask #1 speaks volumes. The artwork depicts him tearing away his human face to reveal The Mask underneath as blood drips onto his shirt. Somehow, I don’t picture Jim Carey recreating that image for a family comedy.

This comic remains in demand in the secondary market. In the past year, the 9.8 has sold for as much as $300. 

THE MASK RETURNS #3

First teased in 1989’s Mayhem #4, the female Mask made her full debut in this 1993 issue. If a movie studio sees dollar signs in a Mask return, this could be the version we see on the screen. Carey made the character iconic to him, so casting a man would ultimately be viewed as a second-rate copy. However, putting a woman in the role, especially if a reboot was bloody and R-rated, would help a new movie or series separate itself from the ‘94 film. 

In that event, The Mask Returns #3 would become a collecting sensation overnight. Despite there being no reboot gossip or rumors that I am aware of, there have been three 9.8s sold in 2022, ranging anywhere from $51 to $165. 

A CINEMATIC RETURN?

Between Deadpool, The Suicide Squad/Peacemaker, and The Boys, Hollywood is beginning to see that R-rated superheroes can be profitable. With comic adaptations still ruling the box office and streaming, the time is right for a Mask retooling.

This time around, hopefully, filmmakers will forget the Jim Carey shenanigans and give us the mature content comic fans have appreciated for decades.

Want more Oddball coverage?

*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.