.gif)
Black Mask (comics)
Encyclopedia
Black Mask is a fictional character
in the DC Comics
universe
. An enemy of Batman
, he first appeared in Batman
#386 (August 1985). Black Mask was created by Doug Moench
and Tom Mandrake.
was established in his first appearance. Roman Sionis was born to wealthy and utterly self-absorbed parents who cared more about their social status than their son; moments after his birth, the doctor carelessly dropped him on his head. Roman's parents were less concerned about their son's well-being than in covering up the entire incident so their high society friends wouldn't find out. As a child, he was attacked by a rabid
raccoon
at the Sionis family country estate; his parents forbade him to mention the incident to anyone.
Further adding to the cauldron was his father's "friendship" with Thomas Wayne
; both of Roman's parents disliked Wayne and his wife Martha
, and were quite vocal about it in private, but they continued to associate with them to ensure their social status, to the extent of literally forcing Roman to become friends with their son, Bruce. His parents' hypocrisy had a deep impact on him, and he grew to hate and resent them and the "masks" they wore in public.
After graduating from high school, Sionis was given a high ranking position inside his father's company, Janus Cosmetics. There, he met and fell in love with Circe, a working class
secretary. His parents did not approve of the relationship and made it clear that they wanted him to break it off. Enraged, Sionis burned down the family's mansion, killing both of his parents. Upon their deaths, he inherited the family fortune and business. Sionis lacked his father's business acumen, however, and eventually ruined Janus Cosmetics by funding a failed line of face-paint make-up. In desperation, he threw large sums of money at the staff chemists to create a product to save the company, and what came back to him was a kind of water-proof makeup. The product was rushed to market without proper testing, and once it hit the market, it turned out to be a deadly toxin
which disfigured several hundred women.
Circe, now Sionis' fiancée, broke up with him in front of his entire staff. Bruce Wayne, now the head of Wayne Enterprises, offered to bail out the company on the condition that Sionis give up control and allow Wayne to appoint his own Board of Directors. Sionis agreed, but was furious at the humiliation he had suffered. He went to the family mausoleum
and broke his father's ebony
coffin lid, from which he carved a mask; he thus became the crime lord "Black Mask".
He later kidnapped Circe, and disfigured her along with anybody else who refused to join his gang using the same toxin. Circe then lost her mind and commited suicide
. Black Mask then started using a mannequin
based after her and talked to it in her place, as if the mannequin was actually her.
at some times, working alone at others, he controls much of Gotham City
's underworld until the city is destroyed by an earthquake
in the "No Man's Land" story arc.
Sionis discards the ebony mask, believing his scar
s to be a sign of his strength and determination to survive. By now completely insane
, he leads a cult
whose trademark is ritual scarring, killing anyone who refuses to join. He leads a powerful group until Batman and Huntress
dissolve it. Sionis is imprisoned in Blackgate Penitentiary
, but he escapes before the city is made a part of the country again.
ring and decides to move his organization into Gotham's East End, drawing the attention of Catwoman
, who had sworn to protect that area of the city.
Catwoman interferes in Black Mask's plans, stealing money from him and giving it to the poor, and injuring many of his men. Black Mask decides he wants to remove the problem, and so finds an old friend of Selina Kyle's, Sylvia Sinclair, who is working in the Gotham mobs. She reveals Catwoman's secret identity
to him, and he begins a campaign of terror against her. He blows up the new youth center
she had endowed with the stolen money, hounds her, and kidnaps her sister and brother-in-law. Black Mask tortures Catwoman's brother-in-law to death in front of her sister, and then makes the woman eat pieces of her husband's corpse.
Catwoman arrives to find her brother-in-law dead, her sister insane, and her friend Holly Robinson
on the verge of being tortured. She attacks Black Mask, and the two of them fight across his penthouse. At the end of the battle, Black Mask falls from the top of the building, leaving everyone to assume he is dead.
in the War Games arc, Batman chooses Stephanie Brown, aka The Spoiler, to replace him. Batman quickly discovers that her lack of focus and inability to follow orders make her a danger to herself and others, and fires her. Desperate to prove herself, she takes charge of one of Batman's contingency plans: To get all of Gotham's crime lords under the control of Orpheus
, an agent of Batman, and therefore under the control of Batman himself. The plan fails because Spoiler is unaware that a key contact with the crime lords, Matches Malone, is actually none other than Batman himself. When "Matches Malone" does not appear as expected, the tension at the meeting accidentally degenerates into a firefight, leaving many dead and wounded. This creates a power vacuum
that quickly erupts into a brutal gang war on the streets of Gotham.
In War Games Act Two, Spoiler seeks out Orpheus, believing that if she could enlist his help there could still be a chance to bring the plan to some sort of successful conclusion. As she finishes telling Orpheus his role in the plan, Black Mask murders him by slitting his throat in front of Spoiler. He then tortures Spoiler to obtain information about the rest of the plan.
Black Mask assumes Orpheus' identity, using face putty and padding, fooling even Batman and Onyx
. As Orpheus, he fans the flames of the crisis, driving Gotham's criminal element into a frenzy, seeking to kill any member or associate of the Batman Family. He then returns to torture Spoiler for his own enjoyment, only to find that she has escaped. Black Mask soon tracks her down again and they fight. Spoiler defeats Black Mask and gets away, but is left with severe internal injuries.
Black Mask then infiltrates Oracle
's Clocktower in an attempt to expose her to the mob. Batman attacks him in a blind rage and Oracle, fearful for Batman's life, is forced to activate a self-destruct device in the tower to get Batman to save her.
In the end, Spoiler supposedly dies due to the injuries inflicted on her and the willful negligence of Leslie Thompkins
(although a recent retcon establishes that Leslie had faked Stephanie's death).
Black Mask then becomes the overlord of the Gotham underworld, recruiting Mr. Freeze
as an enforcer and even gathering enough financial resources to purchase an Amazo
android and a large supply of kryptonite
, although the Amazo is destroyed by Batman and Nightwing
when it is activated prematurely and the kryptonite is stolen by the Red Hood.
Allied with reporter Arturo Rodriguez, Black Mask begins a campaign to discredit Batman. While Rodriguez slams Batman in the press, Black Mask commits a series of murders disguised as Batman. This plan is complicated by the arrival of the Joker
; Black Mask is intent on killing the Clown Prince of Crime and framing Batman for it, but the Joker wants to kill Black Mask, because he robbed him of the opportunity to kill another Robin. The two nearly kill each other before Batman intervenes. Batman eventually exposes Rodriguez and finally captures Black Mask. However, while being taken to jail, Black Mask kills the escorting officer and escapes again.
later approaches Black Mask, offering him a place within The Society
. Eager to strengthen his increasingly tenuous grip on the underworld (Batman and the new Red Hood
had both been targeting his operations), he accepts, and Captain Nazi
, one of the Hyenas
, and Count Vertigo
are sent after Batman and Red Hood. However, Batman defeats them all, and ultimately prevents the Society from securing a foothold in Gotham.
In an attempt to "improve himself" after this debacle, Black Mask threatens the most important people in Catwoman's life, from Slam Bradley
to Holly Robinson
. Enraged, Catwoman retaliates by blowing off his jaw with her gun, killing him.
After the shooting, Selina Kyle passes the mantle of Catwoman to her friend Holly. Not long after, Holly is arrested for Black Mask's murder.
to show Catwoman why "shooting him in the head, was a bad idea". In October 2009, DC announced they were taking a month off from primary Blackest Night comics by "reanimating dead runs" and tying them into the event. The campaign involved releasing the next numeric issue of a comic run that had long been cancelled by DC and associating it with the Blackest Night (i.e. bringing the 'dead' back to life, so to speak). As a result, Catwoman #83 was released on January 13, 2010, 'reanimating' the cancelled series for one issue involving Selina Kyle being confronted by Black Lantern Black Mask. In an attempt to scare Catwoman, the Black Lantern Black Mask goes after her sister Maggie, who had been institutionalized after he killed her husband and forced her to eat his eyeballs. He demonstrates the ability to fly and reorganize the very structure of buildings. Maggie Kyle, previously near catatonic, is shocked back to motion and speech after seeing her sister placed in the same situation her husband did not escape. Both escape physically unharmed but the incident causes Maggie to believe her sister has been taken over by a demon. Poison Ivy manages to stop Black Mask by trapping him inside a mutated Pitcher plant
, its digestive juices dissolving his body as fast as his ring could regenerate it. The plant itself is transferred to Slaughter Swamp, which is nearby.
storyline, a second crime lord, Black Mask II, emerges. He has drugged Arkham Asylum
's inmates, including The Great White Shark, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc
, Mr. Zsasz, Jane Doe, and the Scarecrow
, with a substance that can kill when triggered. Black Mask is quickly acknowledged as the leader of the group when he blows up the asylum, and then prepares for his ascension by destroying Two-Face
's and Penguin's
reign and becoming Gotham City's crime lord once again. In a recent Batgirl storyline, he had Scarecrow develop a new recreational drug, "Thrill." In a change from previous appearances of the character, "Battle For The Cowl" issue #3 displays a character implied to be Black Mask referring to himself as "we".
The new Black Mask absorbs Penguin's mob and kicks Two-Face
out of Gotham, becoming the city's sole crime lord. He is shown to be behind the separate actions of several Gotham criminals like Firefly, Victor Zsasz, Jane Doe, Clayface
, Alyce Sinner, Fright
, Dr. Death
and Hugo Strange
, providing funding in exchange for favors. However, in "Life after Death", he is targeted by both the National Guard and the returning Falcone crime family
, led by Mario Falcone, forcing him to retreat to an area in Gotham called Devil's Square.
Black Mask's identity has been revealed to be Dr. Jeremiah Arkham
. He and Fright have become lovers. Following his capture and defeat by the new Batman, Dick Grayson
, he is imprisoned in the rebuilt Arkham Asylum. He also starred in the three-issue follow up, Arkham Reborn, where he begins manipulating patients, a plotline that culminated in Detective Comics
, with the revelation of his role as Black Mask and his incarceration in his own asylum. However the new head of Arkham, Dr. Alyce Sinner, who had secretly been manipulating events in Arkham Reborn, continues her work for the Church of Crime
and allies with him.
Black Mask is skilled in the use of handguns. He usually carries at least two automatic pistols.
He is a capable hand to hand fighter, able to hold his ground against even accomplished martial artists such as Batman and Catwoman. He can take high amounts of damage, while continuing to fight.
Black Mask's most important weapons are fear and intimidation. He is known for his brutal and sadistic torture techniques, especially on the face. Black Mask also uses his connections to gather information on his enemies, and then hits them at their weak points, such as family and friends.
and Killer Croc
as he believes that the Black Mask gang is too powerful for anyone to defeat, only for his entire gang to subsequently be brutally slaughtered by the vampire Batman when he crashes into their warehouse headquarters. Having decapitated the gang, Batman left their heads impaled on the fence outside Blackgate Penitentiary
as a warning to the inmates.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
. An enemy of Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, he first appeared in Batman
Batman (comic book)
Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...
#386 (August 1985). Black Mask was created by Doug Moench
Doug Moench
Douglas Moench , better known as Doug Moench, is an American comic book writer notable for his Batman work and as the creator of Black Mask, Moon Knight and Deathlok.-Biography:...
and Tom Mandrake.
Dark beginning
Black Mask's origin storyOrigin story
In comic book terminology, an origin story is an account or back-story revealing how a character or team gained their superpowers and/or the circumstances under which they became superheroes or supervillains....
was established in his first appearance. Roman Sionis was born to wealthy and utterly self-absorbed parents who cared more about their social status than their son; moments after his birth, the doctor carelessly dropped him on his head. Roman's parents were less concerned about their son's well-being than in covering up the entire incident so their high society friends wouldn't find out. As a child, he was attacked by a rabid
Rabies
Rabies is a viral disease that causes acute encephalitis in warm-blooded animals. It is zoonotic , most commonly by a bite from an infected animal. For a human, rabies is almost invariably fatal if post-exposure prophylaxis is not administered prior to the onset of severe symptoms...
raccoon
Raccoon
Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
at the Sionis family country estate; his parents forbade him to mention the incident to anyone.
Further adding to the cauldron was his father's "friendship" with Thomas Wayne
Thomas Wayne
Thomas Wayne is a fictional character in the Batman series of comic books. Dr. Thomas Wayne was the father of Bruce Wayne, and husband of Martha Wayne, as well as a gifted surgeon and philanthropist...
; both of Roman's parents disliked Wayne and his wife Martha
Martha Wayne
Martha Wayne is a fictional character of the Batman series of comic books, published by DC Comics. She is Dr. Thomas Wayne's wife and mother of Bruce Wayne. When she and her husband are murdered during a holdup, young Bruce swears to avenge their deaths by fighting crime...
, and were quite vocal about it in private, but they continued to associate with them to ensure their social status, to the extent of literally forcing Roman to become friends with their son, Bruce. His parents' hypocrisy had a deep impact on him, and he grew to hate and resent them and the "masks" they wore in public.
After graduating from high school, Sionis was given a high ranking position inside his father's company, Janus Cosmetics. There, he met and fell in love with Circe, a working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
secretary. His parents did not approve of the relationship and made it clear that they wanted him to break it off. Enraged, Sionis burned down the family's mansion, killing both of his parents. Upon their deaths, he inherited the family fortune and business. Sionis lacked his father's business acumen, however, and eventually ruined Janus Cosmetics by funding a failed line of face-paint make-up. In desperation, he threw large sums of money at the staff chemists to create a product to save the company, and what came back to him was a kind of water-proof makeup. The product was rushed to market without proper testing, and once it hit the market, it turned out to be a deadly toxin
Toxin
A toxin is a poisonous substance produced within living cells or organisms; man-made substances created by artificial processes are thus excluded...
which disfigured several hundred women.
Circe, now Sionis' fiancée, broke up with him in front of his entire staff. Bruce Wayne, now the head of Wayne Enterprises, offered to bail out the company on the condition that Sionis give up control and allow Wayne to appoint his own Board of Directors. Sionis agreed, but was furious at the humiliation he had suffered. He went to the family mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
and broke his father's ebony
Ebony
Ebony is a dense black wood, most commonly yielded by several species in the genus Diospyros, but ebony may also refer to other heavy, black woods from unrelated species. Ebony is dense enough to sink in water. Its fine texture, and very smooth finish when polished, make it valuable as an...
coffin lid, from which he carved a mask; he thus became the crime lord "Black Mask".
He later kidnapped Circe, and disfigured her along with anybody else who refused to join his gang using the same toxin. Circe then lost her mind and commited suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. Black Mask then started using a mannequin
Mannequin
A mannequin is an often articulated doll used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, and others especially to display or fit clothing...
based after her and talked to it in her place, as if the mannequin was actually her.
Cult leader
In "The Cult" storyline, Black Mask reappears as a crime boss, having given up his vendetta against Bruce Wayne. Forging alliances with the PenguinPenguin (comics)
Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot III is a DC Comics supervillain and one of Batman's oldest, most persistent enemies. The Penguin was introduced by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, making his debut in Detective Comics #58 .The Penguin is a short, rotund man known for his love of birds and his...
at some times, working alone at others, he controls much of Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
's underworld until the city is destroyed by an earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
in the "No Man's Land" story arc.
Sionis discards the ebony mask, believing his scar
Scar
Scars are areas of fibrous tissue that replace normal skin after injury. A scar results from the biological process of wound repair in the skin and other tissues of the body. Thus, scarring is a natural part of the healing process. With the exception of very minor lesions, every wound results in...
s to be a sign of his strength and determination to survive. By now completely insane
Insanity
Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity...
, he leads a cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
whose trademark is ritual scarring, killing anyone who refuses to join. He leads a powerful group until Batman and Huntress
Huntress (Helena Bertinelli)
Huntress is a fictional character in the DC Universe. Based upon the Earth-Two character Helena Wayne, she is one of several DC characters to bear the Huntress name...
dissolve it. Sionis is imprisoned in Blackgate Penitentiary
Blackgate Penitentiary
Blackgate Penitentiary is a fictional prison depicted in the DC Universe, traditionally located on a small island in the Gotham Bay, Gotham City...
, but he escapes before the city is made a part of the country again.
Relentless
In Catwoman #16, Black Mask begins a drug traffickingIllegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
ring and decides to move his organization into Gotham's East End, drawing the attention of Catwoman
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...
, who had sworn to protect that area of the city.
Catwoman interferes in Black Mask's plans, stealing money from him and giving it to the poor, and injuring many of his men. Black Mask decides he wants to remove the problem, and so finds an old friend of Selina Kyle's, Sylvia Sinclair, who is working in the Gotham mobs. She reveals Catwoman's secret identity
Secret identity
A secret identity is an element of fiction wherein a character develops a separate persona , while keeping their true identity hidden. The character also may wear a disguise...
to him, and he begins a campaign of terror against her. He blows up the new youth center
Youth club
A youth club or youth social club is a place where young people can meet and enjoy activities such as football, soccer, basketball, table tennis, or video games, and other religious, sports activities are frequently sponsored by a community center....
she had endowed with the stolen money, hounds her, and kidnaps her sister and brother-in-law. Black Mask tortures Catwoman's brother-in-law to death in front of her sister, and then makes the woman eat pieces of her husband's corpse.
Catwoman arrives to find her brother-in-law dead, her sister insane, and her friend Holly Robinson
Holly Robinson (comics)
Holly Robinson is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. She was introduced in Batman #404 during Frank Miller's Batman: Year One story arc.Holly is a frequent ally and sidekick of Catwoman...
on the verge of being tortured. She attacks Black Mask, and the two of them fight across his penthouse. At the end of the battle, Black Mask falls from the top of the building, leaving everyone to assume he is dead.
War Games & War Crimes
When Tim Drake quits his role as RobinRobin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
in the War Games arc, Batman chooses Stephanie Brown, aka The Spoiler, to replace him. Batman quickly discovers that her lack of focus and inability to follow orders make her a danger to herself and others, and fires her. Desperate to prove herself, she takes charge of one of Batman's contingency plans: To get all of Gotham's crime lords under the control of Orpheus
Orpheus (comics)
Orpheus is a fictional martial artist published by DC Comics. He first appears in Batman: Orpheus Rising , and was created by Alex Simmons and Dwayne Turner.-Fictional character biography:...
, an agent of Batman, and therefore under the control of Batman himself. The plan fails because Spoiler is unaware that a key contact with the crime lords, Matches Malone, is actually none other than Batman himself. When "Matches Malone" does not appear as expected, the tension at the meeting accidentally degenerates into a firefight, leaving many dead and wounded. This creates a power vacuum
Power vacuum
A power vacuum is, in its broadest sense, an expression for a condition that exists when someone has lost control of something and no one has replaced them. It is usually used to refer to a political situation that can occur when a government has no identifiable central authority...
that quickly erupts into a brutal gang war on the streets of Gotham.
In War Games Act Two, Spoiler seeks out Orpheus, believing that if she could enlist his help there could still be a chance to bring the plan to some sort of successful conclusion. As she finishes telling Orpheus his role in the plan, Black Mask murders him by slitting his throat in front of Spoiler. He then tortures Spoiler to obtain information about the rest of the plan.
Black Mask assumes Orpheus' identity, using face putty and padding, fooling even Batman and Onyx
Onyx (comics)
Onyx is a DC Comics fictional character. She is a superhero based in Gotham City and an ally of Batman. She is highly trained in martial arts and serves as a member of the League of Assassins before reforming and becoming a vigilante....
. As Orpheus, he fans the flames of the crisis, driving Gotham's criminal element into a frenzy, seeking to kill any member or associate of the Batman Family. He then returns to torture Spoiler for his own enjoyment, only to find that she has escaped. Black Mask soon tracks her down again and they fight. Spoiler defeats Black Mask and gets away, but is left with severe internal injuries.
Black Mask then infiltrates Oracle
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
's Clocktower in an attempt to expose her to the mob. Batman attacks him in a blind rage and Oracle, fearful for Batman's life, is forced to activate a self-destruct device in the tower to get Batman to save her.
In the end, Spoiler supposedly dies due to the injuries inflicted on her and the willful negligence of Leslie Thompkins
Leslie Thompkins
Dr. Leslie Thompkins is a fictional character from the Batman mythos. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Dick Giordano, she first appeared in Detective Comics #457...
(although a recent retcon establishes that Leslie had faked Stephanie's death).
Black Mask then becomes the overlord of the Gotham underworld, recruiting Mr. Freeze
Mr. Freeze
Mr. Freeze, real name Dr. Victor Fries , is a DC Comics supervillain, an enemy of Batman. Created by Bob Kane, he first appeared in Batman #121 ....
as an enforcer and even gathering enough financial resources to purchase an Amazo
Amazo
Amazo is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in The Brave and the Bold #30 and was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson. An android, Amazo's special ability is to replicate the special abilities of various superheroes and...
android and a large supply of kryptonite
Kryptonite
Kryptonite is a fictional material from the Superman mythos —the ore form of a radioactive element from Superman's home planet of Krypton. It is famous for being the ultimate physical weakness of Superman, and the word kryptonite has since become synonymous with an Achilles' heel —the one weakness...
, although the Amazo is destroyed by Batman and Nightwing
Nightwing
Nightwing is a name that has been used by several fictional characters in the DC Comics Universe. It was conceived as a Kryptonian analogue to the character of Batman, with Nightwing's frequent partner Flamebird based on Robin...
when it is activated prematurely and the kryptonite is stolen by the Red Hood.
Allied with reporter Arturo Rodriguez, Black Mask begins a campaign to discredit Batman. While Rodriguez slams Batman in the press, Black Mask commits a series of murders disguised as Batman. This plan is complicated by the arrival of the Joker
Joker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
; Black Mask is intent on killing the Clown Prince of Crime and framing Batman for it, but the Joker wants to kill Black Mask, because he robbed him of the opportunity to kill another Robin. The two nearly kill each other before Batman intervenes. Batman eventually exposes Rodriguez and finally captures Black Mask. However, while being taken to jail, Black Mask kills the escorting officer and escapes again.
Death
The assassin DeathstrokeDeathstroke
Deathstroke the Terminator , originally simply the Terminator, and known by the Teen Titans as Slade, is a fictional character, a supervillain and sometimes antihero in the DC Comics Universe. He is a mercenary and assassin who first appeared in The New Teen Titans #2...
later approaches Black Mask, offering him a place within The Society
Secret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
. Eager to strengthen his increasingly tenuous grip on the underworld (Batman and the new Red Hood
Jason Todd
Jason Peter Todd is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Jason first appeared in Batman #357 and became the second Robin, sidekick to the superhero Batman, when the previous Robin went on to star in The New Teen Titans under the moniker of Nightwing.Though...
had both been targeting his operations), he accepts, and Captain Nazi
Captain Nazi
Captain Nazi is a Fawcett Comics and DC Comics supervillain, a rival of Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. He was created by William Woolfolk and Mac Raboy.-Fawcett Comics:...
, one of the Hyenas
Hyena (comics)
Hyena is the name of two fictional supervillains published by DC Comics. The first Hyena debuted in Firestorm #4 , and was created by Gerry Conway and Al Milgrom...
, and Count Vertigo
Count Vertigo
Count Werner Vertigo is a DC Comics supervillain. First appearing in World's Finest Comics #251 , Count Vertigo is the last descendant of the royal family that ruled the small eastern European country of Vlatava that was taken over by the Soviets and later became devastated by the Spectre.-Starting...
are sent after Batman and Red Hood. However, Batman defeats them all, and ultimately prevents the Society from securing a foothold in Gotham.
In an attempt to "improve himself" after this debacle, Black Mask threatens the most important people in Catwoman's life, from Slam Bradley
Slam Bradley
Samuel Emerson "Slam" Bradley is a fictional character that has appeared in various comic book series published by DC Comics. He is a private detective who exists in DC's main shared universe, known as the DC Universe...
to Holly Robinson
Holly Robinson (comics)
Holly Robinson is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. She was introduced in Batman #404 during Frank Miller's Batman: Year One story arc.Holly is a frequent ally and sidekick of Catwoman...
. Enraged, Catwoman retaliates by blowing off his jaw with her gun, killing him.
After the shooting, Selina Kyle passes the mantle of Catwoman to her friend Holly. Not long after, Holly is arrested for Black Mask's murder.
Blackest Night
In Blackest Night, Black Mask comes back from the dead as a Black LanternBlack Lantern Corps
The Black Lantern Corps is a fictional organization of revenants appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The group is composed of deceased fictional characters that seek to eliminate all life from the DC Universe.-Publication history:...
to show Catwoman why "shooting him in the head, was a bad idea". In October 2009, DC announced they were taking a month off from primary Blackest Night comics by "reanimating dead runs" and tying them into the event. The campaign involved releasing the next numeric issue of a comic run that had long been cancelled by DC and associating it with the Blackest Night (i.e. bringing the 'dead' back to life, so to speak). As a result, Catwoman #83 was released on January 13, 2010, 'reanimating' the cancelled series for one issue involving Selina Kyle being confronted by Black Lantern Black Mask. In an attempt to scare Catwoman, the Black Lantern Black Mask goes after her sister Maggie, who had been institutionalized after he killed her husband and forced her to eat his eyeballs. He demonstrates the ability to fly and reorganize the very structure of buildings. Maggie Kyle, previously near catatonic, is shocked back to motion and speech after seeing her sister placed in the same situation her husband did not escape. Both escape physically unharmed but the incident causes Maggie to believe her sister has been taken over by a demon. Poison Ivy manages to stop Black Mask by trapping him inside a mutated Pitcher plant
Pitcher plant
Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants whose prey-trapping mechanism features a deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap. It has been widely assumed that the various sorts of pitfall trap evolved from rolled leaves, with selection pressure favouring more deeply cupped leaves over...
, its digestive juices dissolving his body as fast as his ring could regenerate it. The plant itself is transferred to Slaughter Swamp, which is nearby.
Black Mask's legacy
In the Battle for the CowlBatman: Battle for the Cowl
Batman: Battle for the Cowl is a 2009 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, three issue miniseries written and penciled by Tony Daniel, as well as a number of tie-in books. The central story details the chaos in Gotham City following the "Batman R.I.P." and "Final...
storyline, a second crime lord, Black Mask II, emerges. He has drugged Arkham Asylum
Arkham Asylum
The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to simply as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually appearing in stories featuring Batman...
's inmates, including The Great White Shark, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc
Killer Croc
Killer Croc is a comic book supervillain in the DC Universe, an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Gene Colan, while there was a shadowy cameo in Detective Comics #523 , his actual first appearance is credited to Batman #357 , which is also the first appearance of Jason...
, Mr. Zsasz, Jane Doe, and the Scarecrow
Scarecrow (comics)
The Scarecrow is a fictional character, a supervillain, that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in World's Finest Comics #3 and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
, with a substance that can kill when triggered. Black Mask is quickly acknowledged as the leader of the group when he blows up the asylum, and then prepares for his ascension by destroying Two-Face
Two-Face
Two-Face is a fictional comic book supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. and is an enemy of Batman. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #66 , and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger....
's and Penguin's
Penguin (comics)
Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot III is a DC Comics supervillain and one of Batman's oldest, most persistent enemies. The Penguin was introduced by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, making his debut in Detective Comics #58 .The Penguin is a short, rotund man known for his love of birds and his...
reign and becoming Gotham City's crime lord once again. In a recent Batgirl storyline, he had Scarecrow develop a new recreational drug, "Thrill." In a change from previous appearances of the character, "Battle For The Cowl" issue #3 displays a character implied to be Black Mask referring to himself as "we".
The new Black Mask absorbs Penguin's mob and kicks Two-Face
Two-Face
Two-Face is a fictional comic book supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. and is an enemy of Batman. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #66 , and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger....
out of Gotham, becoming the city's sole crime lord. He is shown to be behind the separate actions of several Gotham criminals like Firefly, Victor Zsasz, Jane Doe, Clayface
Clayface
Clayface is an alias used by several DC Comics fictional characters, most of them possessing claylike bodies and shape-shifting abilities. All of them have been enemies of Batman.-Publication history:...
, Alyce Sinner, Fright
Fright (comics)
Fright, real name Dr. Linda Friitawa, is a fictional character in the DC universe. She first appeared in Batman #627 -Fictional character biography:...
, Dr. Death
Doctor Death (comics)
Doctor Death is a fictional character, a comic book mad scientist and supervillain appearing in publications by DC Comics. The character was created by either Gardner Fox or Bob Kane as an enemy of the superhero Batman, and first appeared in Detective Comics #29, released July 1939...
and Hugo Strange
Hugo Strange
Professor Hugo Strange is a fictional comic book supervillain appearing in books published by DC Comics, as an adversary of Batman. He first appeared in Detective Comics #36 , and is one of Batman's first recurring villains, preceding the Joker and Catwoman by several months...
, providing funding in exchange for favors. However, in "Life after Death", he is targeted by both the National Guard and the returning Falcone crime family
Carmine Falcone
Carmine "The Roman" Falcone is a fictional character in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe, who made his debut in the four part story Batman: Year One written by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli in 1987.- Publication history :...
, led by Mario Falcone, forcing him to retreat to an area in Gotham called Devil's Square.
Black Mask's identity has been revealed to be Dr. Jeremiah Arkham
Jeremiah Arkham
Jeremiah Arkham is a fictional character in DC Comics' Batman comic books, in which he serves as the current head of Arkham Asylum, an institution for the criminally insane. He debuted in 1992 in Shadow of the Bat #1 during the four-part story arc, Batman: The Last Arkham, that kicked off the new...
. He and Fright have become lovers. Following his capture and defeat by the new Batman, Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
, he is imprisoned in the rebuilt Arkham Asylum. He also starred in the three-issue follow up, Arkham Reborn, where he begins manipulating patients, a plotline that culminated in Detective Comics
Detective Comics
Detective Comics is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 . It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and...
, with the revelation of his role as Black Mask and his incarceration in his own asylum. However the new head of Arkham, Dr. Alyce Sinner, who had secretly been manipulating events in Arkham Reborn, continues her work for the Church of Crime
Intergang
Intergang is a fictional organized crime group in Superman and other DC comics. Armed with technology supplied by the villainous New Gods of the planet Apokolips, it is a potent foe who can seriously challenge the most powerful superheroes...
and allies with him.
Powers and abilities
Black Mask has no super-human abilities. However, he is a master criminal strategist with a vast amount of resources. He was the crime lord of Gotham city for many years as an undercover businessman.Black Mask is skilled in the use of handguns. He usually carries at least two automatic pistols.
He is a capable hand to hand fighter, able to hold his ground against even accomplished martial artists such as Batman and Catwoman. He can take high amounts of damage, while continuing to fight.
Black Mask's most important weapons are fear and intimidation. He is known for his brutal and sadistic torture techniques, especially on the face. Black Mask also uses his connections to gather information on his enemies, and then hits them at their weak points, such as family and friends.
Henchmen
- False Facers - The False Facers is a criminal organization founded by Black Mask. Each of it's members wears a mask that was in Black Mask's collection.
- Tattoo - Member of the False Facers. He has a face that is covered in tattoos.
- Tupeng - Member of the False Facers.
Crimson Mist
In Batman: Crimson Mist- the third part of the trilogy that began with Batman & Dracula: Red Rain, where Batman has become a vampire-, Black Mask rejects the offer of an alliance from Two-FaceTwo-Face
Two-Face is a fictional comic book supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. and is an enemy of Batman. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #66 , and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger....
and Killer Croc
Killer Croc
Killer Croc is a comic book supervillain in the DC Universe, an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Gene Colan, while there was a shadowy cameo in Detective Comics #523 , his actual first appearance is credited to Batman #357 , which is also the first appearance of Jason...
as he believes that the Black Mask gang is too powerful for anyone to defeat, only for his entire gang to subsequently be brutally slaughtered by the vampire Batman when he crashes into their warehouse headquarters. Having decapitated the gang, Batman left their heads impaled on the fence outside Blackgate Penitentiary
Blackgate Penitentiary
Blackgate Penitentiary is a fictional prison depicted in the DC Universe, traditionally located on a small island in the Gotham Bay, Gotham City...
as a warning to the inmates.
Television
- Black Mask appears as a recurring villain in The BatmanThe Batman (TV series)The Batman is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. It ran from 2004 to 2008, on the Saturday morning television block Kids' WB...
, voiced by James RemarJames RemarJames Remar is an American actor and voice artist. He has appeared in movies, video games, and TV shows. He is perhaps best known as Richard, the on-off tycoon boyfriend of Kim Cattrall's character in Sex and the City, as Ajax in The Warriors, as the homicidal maniac Albert Ganz in the 1982...
. This version of Black Mask is a powerful crime boss with a right-hand man named Number One (voiced by Diedrich BaderDiedrich BaderKarl Diedrich Bader , better known as Diedrich Bader, is an American actor, voice artist and comedian. Many know him for his roles as Oswald Lee Harvey on The Drew Carey Show, Lawrence from the film Office Space, the Tae Kwon Do instructor Rex from Napoleon Dynamite, Tank "Shredder" Evans in Surf's...
) and a vast organization of henchmen with high-tech weapons. What makes this Black Mask different from his comic appearances is the fact that, while he wears a mask made of some black material over his face, it is unremovable. He has no noticeable fingerprints or any other distinguishing features either, so it is impossible to identify him. In the episode "The Breakout", he steals a powerful shock-wave generator, and holds Gotham City hostage. To convince the city - and specifically, Commissioner James GordonJames Gordon (comics)James Worthington Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character, an ally of Batman that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
, who is dealing with his demands - he is not bluffing, he arranges a demonstration of the powerful device, which ends up destroying several blocks from its activating point. While dealing with Gordon, he battles Batman, who defeats him and takes him to Gotham City Police DepartmentGotham City Police DepartmentThe Gotham City Police Department is a fictional police department servicing Gotham City, as depicted in comic books published by DC Comics, in particular those tied into the Batman books.-History of GCPD:...
headquarters so Gordon can question him. However, Number One and the henchmen try to break Black Mask out of jail, first by filling Gotham PD with knockout gas, from which Black Mask escapes unaffected thanks to his mask. BatgirlBarbara GordonBarbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
and RobinDick GraysonDick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
knock Black Mask unconscious, lock him in a cell and seal the precinct from Black Mask's army's siege. Number One and the henchmen surround the police building, and eventually break Black Mask free. However, the furious crime boss shocks Number One with his own shock gun, names a random soldier as his new Number One, and gets on a helicopter, ready to activate the generator and destroy Gotham. However, Robin and Batgirl battle him, while Batman deactivates the device. At the end, he is once again arrested. In "Rumors," Black Mask later reappears as one of the many villains captured by the vigilanteVigilanteA vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
Rumor. At the end, he is freed only to be brought to justice. In "The Batman/Superman Story, Part One", Black Mask works with Lex LuthorLex LuthorLex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
. He, ClayfaceClayfaceClayface is an alias used by several DC Comics fictional characters, most of them possessing claylike bodies and shape-shifting abilities. All of them have been enemies of Batman.-Publication history:...
(Basil Karlo), and his henchmen kidnap Lois LaneLois LaneLois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
, and assembles BaneBane (comics)Bane is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 , and was created by Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, and Graham Nolan. Bane has been one of Batman's more physically and intellectually powerful foes...
and Mr. FreezeMr. FreezeMr. Freeze, real name Dr. Victor Fries , is a DC Comics supervillain, an enemy of Batman. Created by Bob Kane, he first appeared in Batman #121 ....
to lure SupermanSupermanSuperman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
into a trap and kill him. He is foiled by the Man of Steel, along with Batman and Robin as Lois Lane trips him. In "What Goes Up...", Black Mask employs Shadow Thief in order to break out of Arkham AsylumArkham AsylumThe Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to simply as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually appearing in stories featuring Batman...
(where the doctors there are trying to remove his mask) and steal a rare NthNth metalNth metal is a fictional metal in the .-Fictional history:It is native to Thanagar, the home planet of Katar Hol and Shayera Thal, the Silver Age Hawkman and Hawkwoman. Among the unusual properties of Nth metal is the ability to negate gravity, allowing a person wearing an object made of Nth...
element meteor in order to use the Nth element to easily rob a gem depository. He also employs a new Number One (voiced by John MarianoJohn MarianoJohn Mariano is an Emmy Award winning American actor whose worked in film, television, animation and nightclubs. He is known for playing tough guys with a comic edge. His ability of physical comedy has been compared to Jerry Lewis and Buster Keaton. Keaton's late wife Eleanor was quoted as saying;...
) whom he later exposes to Nth powder which caused him to fly upward after he questioned how Black Mask would use the Nth Metal in his caper. Black Mask then replaces him with an eyepatch-wearing woman. Batman and Robin foil his plan, with the help of HawkmanHawkmanHawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....
.
- Black Mask appears in the Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
episode "The Plague of the Prototypes", voiced by John DiMaggioJohn DiMaggioJohn William DiMaggio is an American voice actor. A native of North Plainfield, New Jersey, he is known for his gruff, deep voice and New Jersey accent, which he uses to voice mainly villains and anti-heroes.-Filmography:...
. This version's mouth can move its lips, but his teeth remain shut when he talks. His right-hand henchman is Tattoo, and he commands the False-Face Society. He and the society rob a bank when Batman leaves Gotham, only to be foiled by the Caped Crusader's army of Bat-Robots. In his second attempt, Black Mask has Tattoo reprogram the Bat-Robots to do his bidding, and uses them to nearly defeat Batman, who is later rescued by Ace the Bat-HoundAce the Bat-HoundThe comic book character Ace the Bat-Hound was the canine crime-fighting partner of Batman and Robin in DC Comics of the 1950s and 1960s. Ace debuted in Batman #92...
and the Prototype Bat-Robot (Proto). Black Mask later has the robots steal powerful explosives for him, and orders them to take out the rest of the False-Face society except for Tattoo. Black Mask plans to use the robots to set-off explosives and destroy half the city, intimidating the survivors. However, Proto tracks down his lair, and Batman captures the villain while he, Proto, and Ace take down the five robots. When a sixth robot is unleashed, Black Mask escapes and tries to detonate it, but Proto flies off and redirects it away from the city. Batman finds Black Mask and defeats him. Black Mask and the society return in "Shadow of the Bat!", where, after robbing a bank, are attacked by a vampire Batman. Black Mask ends up being bitten by him, and it is unknown if he was cured from his condition.
Film
- Black Mask appears in the animated movie, Batman: Under the Red HoodBatman: Under the Red Hood# "A Death in the Family" # "Main Titles" # "Mob Boss Meeting" # "Amazo" # "Batwing" # "Batmobile to Arkham" # "Interrogation" # "Rooftop Chase" # "Flashback" # "Black Mask Strikes Back"...
, voiced by Wade WilliamsWade WilliamsWade Andrew Williams is an American actor who is best known for his starring role as Brad Bellick on Fox's television series Prison Break.-Personal life:...
. Here, he is given a female assistant named Ms. Li (voiced by Kelly HuKelly HuKelly Ann Hu is an American actress and former fashion model. She was Miss Teen USA 1985 and Miss Hawaii USA 1993.-Early life:Hu was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the daughter of Juanita, an engineering drafter for Honolulu, and Herbert Hu, a salesman and exotic bird breeder; the two divorced during...
), and is portrayed as a crime lord in the midst of a massive turf war. In the film's climax, Black Mask, pressured by the Red Hood, arranges to get the JokerJoker (comics)The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
out of Arkham Asylum. Consequentially, the Black Mask is kidnapped and left trapped in a truck with a bound and gagged Li and the rest of his henchmen. The Joker attempts to kill all of the mobsters at once by covering them in gasolineGasolineGasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
and setting them ablaze, but they are ultimately rescued by the timely intervention of Batman. In the epilogue, Black Mask is awaiting trial. - Pictures from the set of The Dark Knight RisesThe Dark Knight RisesThe Dark Knight Rises is an upcoming epic superhero film. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film will be the third and final installment in Nolan's Batman film series, and is a sequel to Batman Begins and The Dark Knight...
shows a man in a black mask escaping out of a window, sparking fan speculation that Black Mask may be in the film.
Video games
- Black Mask appears as a boss in the Batman: Dark TomorrowBatman: Dark TomorrowBatman: Dark Tomorrow is a console video game exclusively for the Nintendo GameCube and Xbox systems, based on DC Comics' Batman. It was developed by HotGen and published by Kemco in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics...
game voiced by Michael Wright. He and his False Facers are involved in a gang war with Ventriloquist & ScarfaceVentriloquist (comics)The Ventriloquist is a fictional character, a supervillain and enemy of Batman in the . The Ventriloquist first appeared in Detective Comics #583 and was created by Alan Grant, John Wagner and Norm Breyfogle...
.
- LEGOLegoLego is a line of construction toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of colorful interlocking plastic bricks and an accompanying array of gears, minifigures and various other parts...
pieces to create Black Mask in the character creation feature can be unlocked in Lego Batman: The Videogame after obtaining all the mini-kits in the villain chapters. He is also featured as an unlockable character in the "Villain Hunt" minigame in the Nintendo DSNintendo DSThe is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
version. Black Mask in the games resembles his animated versions.
- Black Mask's eponymous mask appears in Batman: Arkham AsylumBatman: Arkham AsylumBatman: Arkham Asylum is a 2009 action-adventure stealth video game based on DC Comics' Batman developed for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows. It was developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Eidos Interactive in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment...
as an answer to one of the Riddler's riddles; scanning it unlocks a profile of Sionis. You can find the mask on a plaque on the wall in Doctor Young's Office inside Arkham Mansion.
- Black Mask makes a brief cameo in Batman: Arkham City, voiced by Nolan NorthNolan NorthNolan Ramsey North is an American actor and voice actor born in New Haven, Connecticut. He has been described as "the nearest thing the games industry has to a bona fide leading man."-Biography:...
. Appearing as one of Arkham's latest inmates, he holds several armed warders at bay with a chair in the opening sequence. It should be additionally noted that the character has also been featured as the focus of several exclusive challenge maps later released by the game's producers.
- Black Mask appears in DC Universe OnlineDC Universe OnlineDC Universe Online or DCUO is an MMORPG by Sony Online Entertainment – Austin. Jim Lee serves as the game's Executive Creative Director, along with Carlos D'Anda, JJ Kirby, Oliver Nome, Eddie Nuñez, Livio Ramondelli, and Michael Lopez...
.
Miscellaneous
- Black Mask appeared in Batman Adventures #5-8. Additionally, this version was in the employ of the Red HoodRed HoodRed Hood is the alias used by several fictional characters, usually antagonists for Batman in the DC Universe.-Joker:The Red Hood first appeared in Detective Comics #168 "The Man Behind the Red Hood" . In the original continuity, the man later known as the Joker was a master criminal going by the...
. In the arc, most of his men are captured and thrown in jail, O'Brian leaves, and Black Mask himself is captured by Batman. Following his capture, Red Hood has the PhantasmAndrea BeaumontAndrea Beaumont, also known as The Phantasm, is a fictional character in the DC animated universe. Conceived by Alan Burnett and Paul Dini, she first appeared in the 1993 animated film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm as the ex-fiancé of Bruce Wayne/Batman and one of the film's primary antagonists...
replace Black Mask.
- The animated versionCartoon seriesA cartoon series is a set of regularly presented animated television programs with a common series title, usually related to one another. These episodes typically share the same characters and a basic theme...
of Black Mask has also appeared in the spinoff comic series The Batman Strikes!, where he extortsExtortionExtortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
Bruce Wayne into making a deal with him, and attempts to take over crime in Gotham City by ridding it of other villains.
Action Figures and Toys
- An action figureAction figureAn action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
of Black Mask was released by DC DirectDC DirectDC Direct is the collectibles division of DC Comics, the Time Warner subsidiary that publishes comic books and licenses characters such as Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Batman, Batgirl and Hawkgirl. DC Direct produces statues, props, replicas and prints for the direct market, a...
as part of the Secret Files Rogues Gallery line.
- WizKidsWizKidsWizKids, Inc. is an American New Jersey-based company that first made its mark in the game industry producing collectible miniatures wargames. WizKids was purchased by and is a subsidiary of National Entertainment Collectibles Association. The company was founded in 2000 by Jordan Weisman, a...
also released a Black Mask miniature in their popular HeroClixHeroClixHeroClix is a collectible miniatures game that uses the Clix system. Originally designed and produced by WizKids, it is now owned and marketed by NECA. Players construct teams of comic book heroes, villains, and other characters from popular video games such as Street Fighter, Gears of War, and Halo...
game, in the set Collateral Damage.