Dark Horse's Original THE MASK: Kind of BLOOD-like

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BEAST
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Dark Horse's Original THE MASK: Kind of BLOOD-like

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Sometime ago, I discovered The Mask, one of Jim Carry's well known movies, started off as a much darker comic book series, more akin to Frank Miller comics. In the original, Stanley Ipkiss already has a girlfriend, but he only wears the mask for three issues, he kills everyone he's had a grudge against, and his girlfriend kills him while wearing the mask. The police lieutenant in the comics is the one who really makes the most out of wearing the mask. After awhile, he gets spooked, and the mask ends up back in the hands of Ipkiss's girlfriend, and in the possession of other random introverted people.

The wearer of the mask is known as Big Head instead of The Mask, because the increased size of his head is more tantalizing than the fact that he always wears a green mask over his whole head. The personality of the original Mask wearer? Well, he's got the elements of The Joker and The Creeper, but I could really say his character is a combination of the hockey mask from Splatterhouse and that of a mindlessly violent cartoon from Animaniacs. The mask has a mind of its own, and even speaks on its own accord occasionally, so it functions like Sauron's ring.

What's the connection with Blood? Well, remember when Caleb in Blood 2 shouted maniacally, "WHO'S LAUGHING NOW?" The first The Mask issue is titled just that, and Ipkiss's actions against the biker gang who beat him up earlier is akin to something Caleb might do, if Caleb had the invincibility cheat on.

Just check out the first issue's cover art, and these two cool little short videos:


Image


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mUrwd3ZMiM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLeH2Qbzdhc
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Tchernobog
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Re: Dark Horse's Original THE MASK: Kind of BLOOD-like

Post by Tchernobog »

So they watched Evil Dead II as well? :roll:

Seriously though, it does depress me a little that I have actually seen the film of this. I do remember a vaguely good scene with a Tommy Gun in it though. :P
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Re: Dark Horse's Original THE MASK: Kind of BLOOD-like

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Tchernobog wrote:So they watched Evil Dead II as well? :roll:

Seriously though, it does depress me a little that I have actually seen the film of this. I do remember a vaguely good scene with a Tommy Gun in it though. :P
In the comics, The Mask, or Big Head, kills everybody with the tommy gun he made from the balloon animals. Also, when he removes his cartoon disguise, its more like tearing a fleshy second skin from his body rather than your typical rubber suit.

I forgot that this line was from Evil Dead 2. I still haven't seen it, though I've heard that its better than ED1 and AoD combined... Maybe if the Blood source code is harnessed, Dark Horse's original concept might make an interesting TC... But those are merely the dreams of a random game idea guy like me.
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Re: Dark Horse's Original THE MASK: Kind of BLOOD-like

Post by Tchernobog »

I personally enjoyed Army of Darkness much more than Evil Dead II, but that is because straight horror tends to bore me to death. I can not see myself watching the original Evil Dead ever again because of that (and the same probably applies to the new remake they just released).
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Re: Dark Horse's Original THE MASK: Kind of BLOOD-like

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Yeah, Evil Dead 1 was intense. I loved the way it was filmed and shot, some of the animatronic effects, and the blend of horror and dark comedy. I do have a problem with the archetype in horror of having beautiful women, or any kind of woman, being turned into monsters against their will, and then die gruesome deaths at the hands of the hero.

I was irritated how Ash was about to use the chainsaw, but never used it throughout the rest of film, even though it becomes his signature weapon in ED 2 and AoD. The tape tells him that dismemberment is the only way to kill the Deadites, but he does it only once by accident with the axe, and forgets what to do later on and never has his chainsaw nearby. I disappointed by how he defeats them by impotently throwing the Necronomicon into the fire, though I found the climax resulting from the burned book to be oddly cathartic. Even though ED1's story is unconnected with ED2 and AoD, I think the level of bloodsoaked trauma and sick weirdness serves as an appropriate explanation for why he turns into a carefree ass: PTSD from the bizarre craziness that was ED1.

Maybe The Mask could use an Evil Dead 1-like treatment for a new film. Doing an Evil Dead/Animaniacs cross might suit it, but it has to better than that other film called Evil Toons.
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