There are many types of masks. Masks have been employed throughout human history to disguise identity or to represent the presence of a mythical creature or deity in rituals.
But the most common type of mask is the domino mask.
A domino mask is a type of mask that covers only the eyes and the area around them. While covering the eye area is surprisingly effective against people who don’t know the masked individual personally, it doesn’t obscure enough of the face to fool anyone who’s familiar with them out of costume. There needs to be a certain amount of suspension of disbelief when it comes to the domino mask.
The domino mask originated in Venice, Italy, for use during Carnival, but now is strongly associated with superheroes. Here are a handful of comic and pulp heroes who have employed the domino mask
The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger is the sole survivor of a group of six ambushed Texas Rangers. To conceal his identity and honor his fallen brother, John Reid fashions a black domino mask using cloth from his late brother’s vest so that the men responsible for the deaths of the rangers will not know that one was left alive.
The Lone Ranger’s first appearance on radio in 1933 makes him one of the earliest adopters of the domino mask, though it wasn’t until 1949 when the Lone Ranger became a television series that viewers were actually able to see the masked man.
Clayton Moore portrayed the Lone Ranger on television opposite Jay Silverheels as Tonto, although during a contract dispute, Moore was replaced temporarily by John Hart, who wore a different style of mask. Neither mask was able to convincingly hide the actors’ identities, though.
The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture.
Domino Lady
The Domino Lady was a masked pulp heroine who first appeared in the May 1936 issue of Saucy Romantic Adventures, a “spicy pulp” magazine (sort of a soft-core pulp). All of the Domino Lady stories were published under the house name “Lars Anderson”. The author’s real identity is unknown.
The Domino Lady is really socialite Ellen Patrick. When her father, District Attorney Owen Patrick, is murdered she puts on a domino mask and a backless white dress to avenge him. She would arm herself with a .45 pistol and a syringe full of knockout serum, but often her best weapon was her beauty, which often distracted and entranced opponents, or at the very least led them to underestimate her, allowing her to outwit them.
She steals from her targets, donating most of the profits to charity after deducting her cut, and leaves a calling card with the words “Compliments of the Domino Lady”.
New short stories and a comic book featuring The Domino Lady are currently being published by Moonstone Books, Airship 27 and Bold Venture Press new pulp fiction magazine AWESOME Tales.
The Spirit
The Spirit is a fictional masked crimefighter created by cartoonist Will Eisner. From his first appearance in June of 1940, the crime fighting vigilante hides his identity behind a blue, diamond shaped domino mask. The mask as well as the matching blue suit and fedora, has been part of the Spirit’s trademark look for 80 years.
The Spirit fights crime with the blessing of his old friend, the city’s police commissioner Dolan. The Spirit was originally a detective named Denny Colt. The mask was meant to disguise his real identity, but for all intents and purposes he was simply “the Spirit”.
In 2011, IGN ranked The Spirit 21st in the Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of all time.
Robin
Robin was originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger, and Jerry Robinson, to serve as a junior counterpart to DC’s superhero Batman. The character’s first incarnation, Dick Grayson, debuted in Detective Comics in 1940. He was conceived as a way to attract young readers. Robin garnered overwhelmingly positive critical reception, doubling the sales of the Batman titles.
Robin’s bright yellow and red costume is accented by a black domino mask which, of course. does little to conceal his identity, particularly when the television series debuted in 1966. Batman’s cowl did little to disguise Adam West as Batman, so Robin’s simple Domino mask does even less to hide the face of Burt Ward who played Robin.
The mask has evolved over time, though, particularly in the current DC series Titans in which Brenton Thwaites plays the Boy Wonder sporting a face-hugging domino mas and black eye-makeup. Despite Robin eventually changing his identity to Nightwing, the domino mask remains firmly fixed to his face.
Green Arrow
Green Arrow was created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp. He first appearance was in 1941. His real name is Oliver Jonas Queen, a wealthy businessman and owner of Queen Industries who is also a well-known celebrity in Star City. He uses this position to hide the fact that he is the Arrow.
Sometimes shown dressed like the character Robin Hood but sporting a green domino mask, Green Arrow uses his skills to fight crime in his home cities of Star City and Seattle, as well as alongside his fellow DC comics superheroes as a member of the Justice League.
At the time of his debut, Green Arrow functioned in many ways as an archery-themed analogue of the very popular Batman character, but writers at DC subsequently developed him into a voice of left-wing politics very much distinct in character from Batman.
In 2012 the character debuted on television in the CW series Arrow. Originally Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) disguised himself with a hood and a liberal amount of green eye shadow. In the show’s second season the green make-up is replaced by a dark green domino mask. The Arrow’s mask is better at hiding Queen’s identity as it is enhanced by a voluminous dark hood (and a liberal amount of eye shadow).
Arrow is currently in its final season on the CW.
Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn is a villainess from DC Comics. The character was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm, and first appeared in Batman: The Animated Series in September 1992. She later appeared in DC Comics’ Batman comic books, with the character’s first comic book appearance in The Batman Adventures in 1993.
Harley Quinn is a frequent accomplice of Batman’s chief villain, the Joker. Her name is a play on the name “Harlequin,” a character which originated in commedia dell’arte. Her red and white costume was similarly inspired by the traditional Harlequin costume with the addition of a domino mask.
As the character grew in popularity, however, the costume changed. Harley’s impudent approach to crime soon took on an overtly sexual aspect. Conversely her costume became less commedia dell’arte and more just… less. With her portrayal in the movie Suicide Squad and the upcoming Birds of Prey by actress Margot Robbie, the red and white costume is replaced by hot-pants and trashy make-up. Gone, too, sadly, is the domino mask.
Sister Knight
Sister Night is a main character in HBO’s Watchmen. Sister Night (portrayed by Regina King) is the masked identity of Angela Abar. Although she eschews the mask that is worn by other characters in the series she does paint on a domino mask with an airbrush. By day she has a secret identity as an ex-cop turned baker. In reality she is still on the police force and in this alternate universe 2019 the cops wear masks.
Her bakery, which is in a perpetual state of “Opening Soon” houses her secret lair where she transforms into Sister Night with the painted mask and a dark leather hood and cape. The costume looks a bit like a cross between a Nun’s habit and a dominatrix outfit, but it contains echoes of another famous crimefighter’s costume, Hooded Justice, a character from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ original graphic novel.
In this version of Watchmen Hooded Justice’s real identity is revealed to the surprise of everyone, especially Sister Night. Her costume and painted face have a connection with the 1940’s vigilante in some very unexpected ways.
These certainly aren’t the only heroes to make use of the domino mask. The Spider, created in 1933 as direct competition to the Shadow wore a simple black domino mask, black hat and cape. More recently The Umbrella Academy featured a troupe of super heroes who, as children, wore black, diamond shaped domino masks and school outfits. Both Zorro and the Green Hornet wear versions of the domino mask to disguise their identities.
The domino mask is about as basic a mask as you can get. They’re fairly easy to procure. Have a poke around any dollar or novelty shop, or anywhere that sells party supplies and you’re likely to find some variation on the mask. You might be inclined to pick one up one day and try it on.
Who knows. Maybe the next superhero will be you?
“green eye shadow”? Er, that wasn’t eye shadow Green Arrow wore. It was camo. He didn’t even use the code name Green Arrow at that time. Lone Ranger, the Spirit and Domino Lady aren’t superheroes. They’re vigilantes. Superheros have costumes besides fighting crime and using code names.
I was being facetious (and more than a little cheeky) with the eye shadow comment. As for superheroes not being vigilantes, I don’t think you can really make that argument with the Arrow, costume notwithstanding. The Arrow spent much of his earlier season being labeled as just that. Also, technically the mask is part of a costume. Just because it’s not tights and a cape doesn’t mean it’s not a costume.