Why'd the gas mask?

[Chocolate]

Hey guys! So lately, I've been noticing some sort of trope thing in webcomics: gas mask. Not just one, but multiples times. Sometimes the main character wears it, other times, it's in the background somewhere... What is the meaning of it? Why it is a thing now? Do any of you know who started this?

... Is this the illuminati of webcomic or what? Idk : P

[AnnaLandin]

Alright, you caught 'em - here's the big illuminati-secret!

Are you ready?

.... People really like gas masks.

Yeah. It's a simple, iconic thing to draw, it's shorthand for a certain kind of personality/atmosphere (post-apocalypse, oppressiveness, mystery, toxicity, etc., etc.), and I guess people are just really into that kind of thing right now. I've got zero gas masks in my own comic, but then again, it's seat in a sort of late medieval Asian-inspired fantasy-land.

[UzukiCheverie]

I think the gas mask trend is the same as the "girl-wearing-an-eye-patch" trend. People just end up falling in love with it all at once and next thing you know, you've got a bunch of black-haired girls walking around with eyepatches on.

(THESE ARE ALL DIFFERENT CHARACTERS GUYS. COME ON JAPAN, GET IN SOME DIVERSITY, JESUS except for the last one i'm not so sure about her i'm pretty sure she might just be the same female character from Another)

[TrustyShamrock]

ILLUMINATI

[mappypaint]

Hah! I've been wearing one even before it became trendy.XD
Here's my mask:

But I only wear it because I need to when I spray paint, if not my lungs will be rainbow in color... Seriously! I won't draw characters wearing this since I know how uncomfortable wearing mask is. I won't wear one for more than 30 minutes.XD

[ifluke1]

Both here

[PotooGryphon]

I like to kick it old school with my gas masks ;D

[Luie]

This is probably an unpopular opinion, but I think it's laziness. Things that obstruct the face and facial features are inherently easier to draw, thus it is easier to draw your main character's face. Secondly, is that it's an easy identifying trait. In character design, it is easier to give characters different accessories over different facial structures. Third, (and this is especially true for villains) it makes the character unreadable. When a character is unreadable, they inherently feel more dangerous than a charter whom exposes their facial expressions.

Keep in mind I don't think everyone who obstructs their character's faces is doing so out of laziness. If there is a clear reason for a mask or an eyepatch, or if the characters have a legitimate reason to be unreadable (or hide their identity, or if it involves their occupation), then it's more than just design choice and has to do with story the character is in.

[AnnaLandin]

This is probably an unpopular opinion, but I think it's laziness. Things that obstruct the face and facial features are inherently easier to draw, thus it is easier to draw your main character's face.

It might be for some people, but I have a tendency towards drawing people with their faces covered (scarves, masks, whatever) not only as a way to avoid my own partial face-blindness issue, but also because I am fascinated by the connection between our faces and our identities. A faceless character has a less defined identity purely by having their face obscured - anyone could be hiding under there.

There's also a really weight, storytelling-wise, in who the character(s) choose to share their identities beneath the mask with.

I like it - it's fun to play with.

(note: I did read the rest of your post, and I'm not trying to start an argument - I'm just expanding on your last point in the post)

[cheeznh]

One of my characters in Dead Man's Party wears one because he has trouble breathing.
The idea is that the world that they live in was originally unsuitable for life; the character, being old, is not coping well with his environment.

In all seriousness, gas masks, eye patches, bandages, and, to a certain extent, Nazi fashion, were very popular in Japanese comics in the 90s because of the music scene back then; the Visual-kei scene was burgeoning and people were really into the gore/sickly/mentally unstable aesthetic.

Pierrot album cover for Creature (1999)

bonus: Pierrot's PV for Nounai Morphine (Brain Morphine)

Raphael album cover (1999)

Angel Sanctuary by Yuki Kaori (1994 - 2000)

source: am 80's-90s girl

[nobody]

I have a tendency towards drawing people with their faces covered (scarves, masks, whatever) not only as a way to avoid my own partial face-blindness issue, but also because I am fascinated by the connection between our faces and our identities. A faceless character has a less defined identity purely by having their face obscured - anyone could be hiding under there.

There's also a really weight, storytelling-wise, in who the character(s) choose to share their identities beneath the mask with.

I like it - it's fun to play with.

I haven't drawn that many characters in masks or whatever else that might cover up their faces (and I'm pretty sure I don't have partial face-blindness either), but I totally agree on what you say about playing with faces and identities.

I have been working on a long form comic where gas masks were going to be used on several individuals, both as an important part of the story line, but also due to themes about identity/personality/sense of belonging/understanding of existence. (Wow, I make myself sound really deep). It's currently under reconsideration though, because even though I do think gas masks are super cool, it's one of these things that can get a little old when used too frequently, so we'll see.

Anyway, I think that in terms of character design, accessories like that can play an important part. One of the things I remember best from working on character design, was that your character should be recognisable even when presented only as a black silhouette. Things like gas masks, scarves, etc. can help make your characters more memorable and help them stand out.

[AnnaLandin]

I have been working on a long form comic where gas masks were going to be used on several individuals, both as an important part of the story line, but also due to themes about identity/personality/sense of belonging/understanding of existence. (Wow, I make myself sound really deep). It's currently under reconsideration though, because even though I do think gas masks are super cool, it's one of these things that can get a little old when used too frequently, so we'll see.

I may or may not have a near-future scifi plot in my backpocket involving lots of masks, kleptocracies, parallell universes and issues of identity, selfhood and the right to self-determination. >.> It's on the backburner until I can clear up some time in my schedule, and some space in my brain, to actually work on it. Like I said, themes of identity is a pretty big thing for me.

[nobody]

I may or may not have a near-future scifi plot in my backpocket involving lots of masks, kleptocracies, parallell universes and issues of identity, selfhood and the right to self-determination. >.> It's on the backburner until I can clear up some time in my schedule, and some space in my brain, to actually work on it. Like I said, themes of identity is a pretty big thing for me.

Haha, great minds think alike No, but seriously, identity is a very interesting topic, and it never really gets old I think; what makes someone who they are or who they're not will always fascinate people. Masks can be really powerful storytelling tools in this context, as they can be a symbol of lack/search for identity, or an attempt to hide identity - while you can also "wear a mask" in the sense that you're not physically hiding your true self, but you're still keeping secrets. And kleptocracies/dystopias are very popular in sic-fi overall, some think it's too depressing, but I like following people trying to live in these environments and sometimes even manage to make the world a better place.

I too have a ton of work to do before I'm anywhere even near being able to start drawing any pages. Still working on the writing and barely gotten started designing some main characters (without masks)...so I'm guessing you'll be posting your sic-fi long before mine, because I'm also planning on doing a long form fantasy story before that. But whenever you get started on your story and start posting, let me know! Sounds like the kind of story I would enjoy

[AnnaLandin]

And kleptocracies/dystopias are very popular in sic-fi overall, some think it's too depressing, but I like following people trying to live in these environments and sometimes even manage to make the world a better place.

Yeah, my take on it will be fairly dreary to begin with (oppressive governments tend to do that to a story's atmosphere), but the overall arc of the story bends towards hope. I like my dystopias and my brutalities and my oppressive atmospheres, but if there are no hopes for breaks in the clouds to let a bit of sunshine through, I lose interest after a while.

Everybody's gotta strive for something, and if they are given no hopes of getting there, what's the point of striving?

so I'm guessing you'll be posting your sic-fi long before mine, because I'm also planning on doing a long form fantasy story before that. But whenever you get started on your story and start posting, let me know! Sounds like the kind of story I would enjoy

Oh, don't worry - I'll be drawing Grassblades for years (as in, I am hoping it comes in under 1000 pages >.<), so it'll probably be a long time before I get anywhere with that idea.

[nobody]

I like my dystopias and my brutalities and my oppressive atmospheres, but if there are no hopes for breaks in the clouds to let a bit of sunshine through, I lose interest after a while.

Totally agree. I don't mind dreary settings, but if everything's pitch black all the time, it becomes too depressing after a while, and I get emotionally drained if I never get anything positive out of the story.

I'll be drawing Grassblades for years (as in, I am hoping it comes in under 1000 pages >.<)

Quite a bit of work ahead of you! Anyway, I hope we'll both find time to work on our (possibly) future stories ^^ Masks and everything!

[bsienk90]

I think of Doctor Who when I think gas masks. lol.
"Are you my mummy?"

[Wishjacked]

In a script I wrote once, there's a character whose identity is completely unknown to the main character. He wears a gas mask (repurposed for a tribal job which is important in the world). His facelessness aids in the MC's descent into distrust and ultimate madness.

Basically, I think most people just like the idea of taking away somebody's face: it's exciting and mysterious! Facelessness is one of those things that just draws people's attention and makes them curious. We all like characters with something to hide.

And since post-apocalyptic stories are common now, the gas mask is the most easy way of removing someone's face. (Tribal masks are something else that I suspect would be very popular, if comics set in worlds with tribal masks were as common as post-apocalyptic ones.)

[blu3random]

I love gas masks, its a main part of my seires!

[Luie]

You have a legitimate reason, and it probably shows creatively. I am also guilty of having masky people, but what conceals their face is more or less an extension of their face rather than a limitation. It changes how others and themselves perceive their identity, like a spoopy Halloween costume or something. It's like for the same reason Superheroes wear them (derp, I forgot to mention altering identity).

But .I've seen it used as an easy way to achieve artistic ease, convey "danger" (or some other badass thing), or quick character design differentiation. I've mostly seen it in younger age groups (12-16 -probably for lack of strong skills in facial structures) and to be honest I haven't seen a lot of comics on tap with masks yet Cx

Nope, no arguments needed, only discussions with different opinions.