Review: Masks #3
Posted By Josh Flynn on January 26, 2013
Masks # 3 Stephen Segovia cover (Dynamite)
Dynamite’s Masks brings together bygone heroes like The Green Hornet, Zorro, and The Shadow and pits them against The Justice Party, a corrupt government elected into power by the citizens of New York. Set in 1938, the series transfers World War Two era fascism to the states and leaves our original heroes—men and women whose only superpowers are brains and brawn—as society’s lone protectors.
Where the first two issues were jam packed with action, issue three slows down the pace and sets the various heroes off on fact-finding missions. Everyone from dirty businessmen, crime bosses, and honest reporters are questioned, and in the process readers are able to see the extent of the parallels between 1938 New York state and Nazi Germany.
Writer Chris Roberson’s storytelling is crisp, but he makes readers work to piece together this world. The story begins in media res, and readers can fill in the gaps as the each issue progresses. In some ways we are piecing this mystery together like the book’s heroes. In other ways, it’s like we’ve stepped out of a time machine and must figure out what went wrong on our own. Some readers might find this frustrating, but if you like mysteries and like to do a little work as you read, Masks will leave you satisfied and waiting eagerly for more.
Masks #3 Page 2 (Dynamite)
There is a great amount of suspension of belief needed to fully invest yourself in Masks. Why wouldn’t the US government immediately interfere in New York’s affairs? In the world of Masks, the county seems to operate more like Europe than a connected group of neighboring states.
Dennis Calero’s artwork (with direction from Alex Ross) brings a majestic feel to these early heroes and a gritty appearance to their surroundings. There is a washed out feel to the artwork, as if you could poke a hole through one panel with the tip of your finger and find yourself staring into another reality—or recalling a fading memory. Both are appropriate. Masks crosses realities and also keeps these pulp legends in the minds of comic book fans.
Masks is set for an eight issue run, so if you are a fan of alternate history, or you want to expand your comics knowledge and learn about the early heroes, it’s easy to get on board and caught up with the series. The first three issues offer a lot of action and intrigue. They also make you think. Our political discourse tosses around “state’s rights” these days. If our country was the Independent States of America instead of United, could such a reality as Masks presents be a possibility? Perhaps Masks is a warning as much as it is an homage to the first heroes.
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