(Comic) Not for kiddies....a look at the Mask Omnibus

Growing up, the movie starring Jim Carrey and introducing Cameron Diaz was a favourite of mine. It came out in 1994 and at that point I had no idea it was an adaptation.

Now, I'm looking at Dark Horse's website to try and find a job as a writer and see one of the comics they produce (Aside from Hellboy, Umbrella Academy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles AND Star Wars,) was the Mask.

Established in 1982, the Mask was created by Mike Richardson, the owner of Dark Horse comics. He's also written for comics like Godzilla, among many others.

I went into this comic expecting it to be like the movie.

But, like the title says, it's not for kiddies.

Our main character for this story is not a who, but a what. It is the Mask; a mysterious object that when put on, brings out the wearer's deepest desires and warps them.

Oh, it also stops you from dying from unnatural circumstances.

While we see Stanley Ipkiss, he is a mere piece of a much bigger puzzle.

As for the Mask itself, it trades hands between Ipkiss, his girlfriend Kathy, Lieutenant Kellaway and a young punk kid.

Throughout the process where it's being worn, the Mask cracks jokes and has a slapstick comedy routine.

Unlike a slapstick routine, however, it contains a lot of blood.

If you need a modern comparison, think Deadpool with less breaking the fourth wall and multiple personalities.

While Deadpool has a randomness where even he doesn't know what he's doing, the Mask operates on the desire of the person who wears it. Want justice? Want to be noticed? The Mask will amplify these feelings an enormous amount.

As a story, this was a fascinating read. I must admit I was a little shocked by the amount of gore the comic contained. I'm by no means squeamish, but I suppose that ties in with my expectations for the comic to be like the movie.

The art style is reminiscent of the 60's Marvel comics, which is something I appreciated. The explosions were well drawn and the more comical aspects (Such as that big stupid grin on the Mask's face, which I adore,) actually work better than the live action movie. Though, Jim Carrey's makeup in the movie was exquisite.

The main point of this review is to ask the following questions:

Did I enjoy this comic?
Would I recommend this comic?
Did it meet or exceed the expectations I had?

I enjoyed it, though it was matched by a morbid horror and great unease that I found within the pages.

I'd recommend this comic.

It was not what I expected. Though, I want to continue reading and find out what happens next.

That alone warrants a solid 3.5 stars.

The score is not a reflection of my enjoyment or the quality of the comic.

Yet something in it set me askew and I can't quite put my finger on it. So that is why it earned the score you see.

Thus ends this review.

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