Mask Wearing is Heroic (6)
As this pandemic continues, we are all getting used to (I hope) wearing masks and seeing masks. In pop culture, it is many a hero and superhero who sport the fashionable or not-so-fashionable face covering.
Batman and Batgirl and Robin and Spiderman and Green Lantern all wear masks. While these superheroes are very 21st Century, it was back more than 100 years ago that Zorro came into public consciousness, masked and ready to help the commoners against a corrupt and tyrannical group of “officials and other villains.” Yes officials! That, according to Wikipedia.
“Who is that masked man?” This quote references The Lone Ranger — although it has been used many times since to indicate other mask wearers. The Lone Ranger, “gallops about righting injustices,” as Wikiquote, sister site to Wikipedia (gotta cherish all those Wiki pages!) tells us. That’s pretty heroic. Although his mask only covers the skin around his eyes, he’s still impossible to identify!
Jim Carrey in the movie The Mask is something of a superhero, although Marvel Comics fans would tell you otherwise. Did you know that a celebrity made her screen debut in this film back in 1994? The Mask marks Cameron Diaz’s first wide release movie — and it jettisoned her to fame.
In fact, most superheroes are masked, usually to disguise their true self. Iron Man and The Flash and Captain America and scores more sport a cover-up to conceal their facial features, cloak their identity and perhaps to give them more power.
Unfortunately, many, if not most of the villainous characters these superheroes battle are also masked. Leatherface and Darth Vader and Jason Voorhees and Hannibal Lecter are all obscured. But all masks are not created equal- the good guy mask wearers usually win out.
On the other end of the spectrum, without heroes or villains, the breakout TV hit of recent vintage is The Masked Singer. This international phenomenon features versions in more than 30 countries including Myanmar, Azerbaijan and Peru. The competition showcases famous stars that are not just wearing a face covering, they are totally hidden from head to foot. A costume, not simply a mask, of elaborate and creative detail that looks very heavy to wear, is the essence of this show that asks viewers and a panel to identify the wearer/singer who goes by names such as Sun, Popcorn, Giraffe, and my personal favorite, Baby Alien. Worldwide, people love guessing “Who is that masked man or woman?”
While not necessarily super heroic, the hero of The Phantom of The Opera, the Phantom himself wears a mask. It adds to his mystery! As far as mask wearing goes, all the doctors on Grey’s Anatomy and New Amsterdam and every other medical show on TV know that wearing a mask saves lives. As we know, these are true heroes.
So, mask up, America! Be a hero! Or a mystery singer. Or both.
P.S. Shout out to Windsor Designs NYC — great mask holder that I use daily!
