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The majority of Marvel and DC Comics superheroes wear masks, keeping their identity a secret.
[Photo credits: Marvel and DC Comics]
Did you know that the idea of a masked superhero originates from a 1903 French play? Baroness Orczy created the story of The Scarlet Pimpernel — the courageous British aristocrat who turns into a masked superhero and saves French aristocrats during the French Revolution.
Fast forward to the present day, most male and female superheroes wear masks.
Aside from allowing superheroes to protect their identity, masks also help make characters more memorable and powerful. Sometimes, the first thing that pops into our mind when discussing a specific superhero is their mask and not their superpowers!
But which masked superheroes stand out from the rest? What are some of the best masks throughout all comic book ages?
Let’s find out together!
Who Made It Onto The Top Superheroes With Masks List?
When deciding on superheroes to include in our roundup, we focused on characters from DC, Marvel and our own BioWars universes. The first two have created some of the worlds’ most popular masked superheroes whose actions have saved the world on more than one occasion.
BioWars masked superheroes are also saving the world, but they do it within. These characters personify our immune system cells and fight our inner battles against intruders, making us stronger.
Of all attention-grabbing masks and terrific masked superheroes, some are more impressive than others. And it’s time we discovered who made it onto our list!
Best Marvel Male Masked Superheroes
1.Spider-Man
Power:
- Wrist web-shooting
- Wallcrawling
- Superhuman speed, strength and agility
- Heightened spider-sense that warns him of danger
Species: Human mutant
Team Affiliations: Avengers, Fantastic Four, The X-Men
Spider-Man is the world’s most popular superhero. According to a recent study, he is a favorite in 57 countries. To understand how many people prefer Spider-Man to any other comic book character, we should mention that Wonder-Woman comes second, taking prevalence in 15 countries.
Peter Parker, i.e., Spider-Man, wears a blue and red mask as well as a full-body costume to protect his identity from the privy eyes of the world. His mask sits tightly around his body, allowing him to perform wild acrobatics all over New York City.
Spider-Man’s mask has a black webbing pattern that imbues the red parts of his suit. It also features a black spider on his chest and another, larger one on his back.
Aside from keeping Spider-Man’s face a secret, the mask muffles his voice, making it unrecognizable to other characters. He also wears lenses over his eyes, to protect them when embarking on dangerous adventures.
2. Daredevil
Powers:
- Superhuman strength and senses, including smell, hearing and taste
- Blindsight
- Radar sense — echolocation
Species: Human mutant
Team Affiliations: S.H.I.E.L.D
By day, he is Matt Murdock, a lawyer, and at night, he turns into Daredevil.
Matt’s urge to fight crime, much like other masked superheroes, is shaped by a tragic experience. His boxer father got killed for refusing to comply with a fixed boxing match, which prompted Matt to become a crime-fighting superhero New York City needs.
His skin-tight full-body red costume is designed to resemble a devil. Not only does it help keep Matt’s face a mystery to the world, but it also helps him intimidate his opponents. His mask even has devil horns which are, in fact, radio antennas. Just like Batman, Daredevil can use his antennas to eavesdrop on police radio equipment to find out the latest information about crime.
His eyes are portrayed as red with no pupils, completing Daredevil’s demonic appearance. In combination with the devil’s horns on top of his head, the red color of his costume and his fearless, superhuman strength, it’s no wonder Daredevil’s look is among the most frightening in all comic books!
3. Wolverine
Powers:
- Regeneration
- Superhuman strength and speed
- Heightened senses
Species: Human mutant
Team Affiliations: The X-Men
Wolverine is the most famous superhero originating from Canada and one of the most famous masked superheroes in the world.
As a mutant, he has some unusual characteristics, such as bone claws he can release at will. The claws are a part of his skeleton and, when they appear, they pierce through Wolverine’s skin. Luckily, this guy has healing powers, so he can immediately regenerate damaged skin.
Wolverine’s costume has gone through a lot of changes since his character first appeared in the Incredible Hulk comic book in 1974.
In most comics, his suit is blue and yellow, while in others, artists paint his costume brown and tan. But regardless of the color of the suit, one part of Wolverine’s mask stands out more than others — his striking whiskers!
Paired with deadly claws and his superhuman strength and speed, they make Wolverine seem particularly intimidating and dangerous.
Best DC Male Masked Superheroes
1. Batman
Powers:
- Terrific martial artist
- Eidetic memory
- Hypnosis
- Determination
- Computer hacking
Species: Human
Team Affiliations: Justice League
Batman has been around since 1939. Over the last several decades, he has become one of DC’s most well-known masked superheroes.
Born Bruce Wayne, Batman lost his parents when he was a child. His parents were killed by Joe Chill, Gotham’s known criminal. In some Batman stories, Joe knew who Batman’s parents were and how much wealth they had. In others, he randomly chose them as his victims.
Either way, the savage murder happened right before Bruce’s eyes. At that moment, Batman was born. He dedicated his life to fighting criminals and protecting Gotham City.
To keep his identity a secret and protect himself from attackers, Batman wears the Batsuit that consists of a mask, a bodysuit, a cowl, a cape, gloves, boots, and armor. Alongside Spiderman’s full-body mask, the Batsuit is one of the most recognizable comic book costumes.
Batman’s mask has bat ears and radio antennas that help this superhero communicate with others. Moreover, his cowl packs the echolocation power — just like bats, Batman can use echolocation to see in dark environments and safely move around pitch-black places.
Aside from the cowl, Batman wears a cape that makes him look even more intimidating than he already is. The cape is fireproof and bulletproof, which comes in handy when fighting vile Gotham’s criminals. Another cool thing about the cape is that Batman can detach it and use it to attack his enemies!
2. The Flash
Powers:
- Lightning control
- Time travel
- Superhuman speed
Species: Human
Team Affiliations: The Justice League, The Justice Society Of America
Whether or not The Flash needs a mask is arguable. This superhero is insanely fast, making it impossible for others to spot his face.
Like other masked superheroes on our list, The Flash wears a protective form-fitting costume that covers his whole body. The suit is predominantly red, with a golden lightning bolt logo placed at the center of the chest.
The Flash started to wear a costume not just to shield his identity from the public but also to protect himself when running around at high speeds. Due to his insanely fast movement, he is at risk of burning up from air friction, and the costume prevents that from happening.
Another impressive fact about Flash’s costume is its cold and wind-resistant feature. No matter how extreme a cold can be, the Flash stays unaffected by it.
To complete his sleek look, the Flash wears small Hermes wings over his ears. Hermes was the Greek herald to the gods, known for his remarkable speed. Besides making the Flash appear more eye-catching, the wings help him hear better when moving at great speeds.
Best Marvel Female Masked Superheroes
Ghost-Spider
Powers:
- Superhuman strength
- Wallcrawling
- Web-shooting
- Travel between dimensions
Species: Human mutant
Team Affiliations: Spider-Army, Web-Worriors
Ghost-Spider is a superheroine that exists on Earth-65, an alternate universe in which Gwen Stacy gets bitten by a radioactive spider. Instead of Peter Parker, her first true love, Gwen gets the superpowers and starts fighting for justice as Spider-Woman.
Her mask resembles Spider-Man’s, with the recognizable large eye lenses, but the addition of several eye-catching elements makes Spider-Gwen’s mask and costume completely unique.
She covers her head with a hoodie that makes her look like one of the coolest superheroines around. To complete her authentic costume, Spider-Gwen also wears black tights and neon-blue ballet shoes or flats. Some parts of her costume are imbued with the recognizable web pattern typical of Spider-Man’s suit.
Best DC Female Masked Superheroes
1. Katana
Powers:
- Exceptional martial artist and swordswoman
- Superhuman knowledge
- Ability to take opponents’ souls
Species: Human
Team Affiliations: Justice League, Birds of Prey, The Outsiders
Katana is one of the most remarkable female characters in the DC universe. She is a samurai warrior that masterfully wields her sword dubbed the “Soultaker”.
She lived a tranquil life with her husband and their two children. But one night, her brother-in-law killed her husband with a mystical sword while her children died in a fire at the same time. Katana took the sword from the attacker, and then her husband’s soul possessed the weapon, hence the sword’s name.
Katana uses her sword and impressive martial arts skills to protect the innocent from evil and fight for justice.
To keep her identity a mystery, she covers her face with a mask that resembles the Japanese flag. The mask is white save for the red circle on Katana’s forehead. She also wears sculpted armor to protect herself from injury.
2. Batwoman
Powers:
- Martial arts
- Intelligence
Species: Human
Team Affiliations: Batman Family
Batwoman is the female counterpart to Batman.
She is originally introduced as Bruce Wayne’s cousin. She managed to come out of his shadow and went on to become an impressive female superhero in her own right and not just a side character in Batman’s story. In recent years, her character has been portrayed as an LGBT superhero.
Just like Batman, Batwoman fights criminals in Gotham City. When “at work”, she wears the protective Batwoman Suit.
Her costume is similar to Batman’s. She wears the cowl and has bat ears on her mask, just like Batman. However, Batwoman adorns her attire with red elements because she doesn’t want her enemies to confuse her with Batman. She wants them to know it was a woman who beat them!
Batwoman always puts on a red wig and complements it with red gloves, boots and a red belt. The bat logo at the center of her chest is also red.
Best BioWars Masked Superheroes
1. Blastor
Powers:
- Cytoskeletal armor,
- Antibody cannons
- Cloning
Species: Cell
Team Affiliations: B-Cells, BioWarriors
Blastor is the B-Cells commander in the BioWars comic books. He is pictured as a stubborn but fearless leader that courageously rushes into battles against viruses and other pathogens.
When attacking intruders attempting to jeopardize the immune system of Alex Hawking, the lead protagonist of the BioWars comic book, Blastor covers his face and the rest of his body with a powerful armor that protects him from harm.
The mask and the suit make Blastor look even more intimidating than he already is. Lenses that cover his eyes shine fiery orange, terrifying Blastor’s opponents.
From his forearms, Blastor can shoot antibody cannons and aim them at the intruders. And if he ever finds himself outnumbered, he can clone himself up to seven times!
2. Cytox
Powers:
- Genetic scanner
- Cytotoxic blasts
Species: Cell
Team Affiliations: Natural Killer Cells, BioWarriors
Cytox personifies natural killer cells (NKCs). He is a member of the elite cadre of BioWarriors that annihilate cancer cells and other harmful impostors in the BioCosmos.
Cytox’s mask matches his job description — killing harmful cells. A metal mask envelops his head while piercing red eyes juxtapose the coldness of the grey armor. The contrast between the two colors makes Cytox appear dangerous and powerful!
He uses his eyes to scan all life forms in the body, looking for signs of viral infections. When he encounters an enemy, he launches lethal cytotoxic blasts at them.
Aside from his head, the rest of Cytox’s body is also protected with metal armor. The combination of the mask and the armor wonderfully complements Cytox’s personality!
3. Humron
Powers:
- Cytoskeletal armor
- Antibody cannons
- Cloning
Species: Cell
Team Affiliations: B-Cells, BioWarriors
Humron is the second-in-command of B-Cells and Blastor’s friend.
He has the same powers and the lionheart as Blastor, but that’s where their similarities end. Humron is sarcastic and often irritating, but when it comes to guarding the well-being of the BioCosmos, his dedication and strength shine.
His mask differs from Blastor’s. Humron’s armor is the color of blood, with contrasting light blue elements. His eyes are the same shade of blue, colliding with the peacefulness of the red hue.
The only uncovered part of Humron’s body is his mouth, allowing him to tirelessly deliver his puns and one-liners to other BioWarriors!
4. Syrinx
Powers:
- Genetic scanner
- Cytotoxic blasts
Species: Cell
Team Affiliations: Natural Killer Cells, BioWarriors
Syrinx is another member of the elite natural killer cells cadre. Just like Cytox, she is fearless and frightening.
Not only does she spread panic among microbes with her powerful cytotoxic blasts, but her appearance equally scares them.
Syrinx wears a purple form-fitting body armor that looks like a protective vine hugging this mighty fighter. Her face mask looks particularly intimidating.
Parts of the mask are purple, like the body armor. But the most eye-catching element of the mask is placed on top of Syrinx’s head. On her forehead, there is some sort of a gem — the root of Syrinx’s wild wig, with hair flowing in all directions, which only amplifies her scary appearance.
Which Superhero Mask Did You Like The Most?
While masks may be a common thing among comic book characters, not all of them are memorable and striking.
In our roundup, we focused on masked superheroes that stand out more than others and whose masks we found particularly cool and exciting.
We couldn’t help but mention superheroes from the BioWars comic books because of their authentic masks and armors. If you haven’t met these guys before, we hope you liked the way they look! As you could see, they are a pretty big deal for our immune system, so feel free to join them on their adventures in the BioWars comic books!
