The Mask Omnibus Volume 1 (v. 1) [Paperback]

John Arcudi (Author), Doug Mahnke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 19, 2008 | Series: Mask (Book 1)

It has all the makings of an epic adventure: An ancient artifact is rediscovered; a mask of unknown origins, with unforeseen power and magic. But who knew that after donning this mask even the wimpiest geek would become an indestructible, shape-changing super-tornado with a mind for mischief and an appetite for destruction? Equally adept with gun, knife, bat, bomb, pie, or bat-knife-gun-pie-bomb, our geek turned super-freak, The Mask, cuts a crazed swath of cartoon mayhem. In his wake he leaves only rubble - and laughs. Unfortunately for Stanley, owning the mask is no picnic, especially when every unsavory psycho on the planet wants to get his hands on it . . . and his face under it! The Mask Omnibus Volume One is a blazing pinata of wild action and gut-busting comedy. Who's laughing now?

Product Details

• Paperback: 376 pages
• Publisher: Dark Horse (August 19, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593079273
• ISBN-13: 978-1593079277
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #430,502 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Twisted, violent, light hearted murdering fun, November 16, 2008

By 

Jesse Camarena (california) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Mask Omnibus Volume 1 (v. 1) (Paperback)

I loved the movie with Jim Carey, this comic is nothing like it. Quite the opposite as a matter of fact. Its dark, bloody, twisted in a light hearted way. "Big Head" as hes referred to by the public, is a killing machine taking lives with a joke to boat. Basically there is an ancient mask that is found and through out this volume different people get there hands on it and become something they never thought they could. Its a fun read, something to read when your bored or have time to kill. I love this comic, I love the humor, how nonchalant the acts are performed, and how you cant help but love Big Head.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very different from the movie- but worthwhile on its own, April 23, 2009

By 

Robert D Wilson "Nerd Itinerant" (Near Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Mask Omnibus Volume 1 (v. 1) (Paperback)

As a big fan of the gleeful 1994 movie The Mask (New Line Platinum Series), Doug Mahnke's artwork, and the comics form in general, I was pleased to see Dark Horse collecting the long-out-of-print comics that inspired the film (as well as two of the sequel volumes, The Mask Returns and The Mask Strikes Back). The book, while not what I'd expected based on the movie, was fun in its own way. It's much darker in tone and more adult in content, and if you're extremely attached to the character Stanley Ipkiss from the movie, the upcoming Adventures Of The Mask Omnibus (collecting comics based on the early-90s cartoon show based on the movie that was based on these comics... yikes, say that five times fast) seems likely to be much more fun for you.

On the other hand, if you're interested in an examination of the core idea of The Mask- that it empowers the id of the wearer, for good or (more usually) ill- you're in the right place. Just know in advance that these comics were very much published in the late 1980s through early 1990s, and it shows- in the mob-based plot, in the significant violence, even in the "grim & gritty" inkwork (particularly in the later chapters). Comics trends have changed since then, thankfully, but The Mask may rise above the excesses of its time to be a classic in its own right.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wild, dirty, reckless fun, February 14, 2012

By 

A. Morgan - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Mask Omnibus Volume 1 (v. 1) (Paperback)

Several things.

First, as the other reviews say, this is NOT like the movie. Stanley Ipkiss *SPOILER* dies within the first 25 pages *END SPOILER*

Second, it's dark. Very, very dark in its humor, which is disturbingly intertwined with small little side jokes as rows of people are killed.

Third....god, it's just FUN. It's a VERY easy read, and in my opinion it's an absolutely fascinating, almost entirely different take of the movie based off of it. This omnibus is just pure fun, seeing all the good and the bad the mask can be used for. As long as you have an open mind for some uber-violence mixed in with some flair for action, this is for you,