Lobo Vs. The Mask: How The Unlikely Showdown Could Happen On The Big Screen

Some superheroes take themselves very seriously, others not so much. For every Superman, Batman, or Captain America, there is an equally zany character in the background like Plastic Man, Deadpool, or Creeper. Of course, one of the zaniest, and perhaps most violent as well, comes in the form of DC's famous bounty hunter Lobo, a Czarnian who has a special knack for chaos, hard drinking, motorcycles, and dolphins. Considering his extraterrestrial physiology, Lobo possesses incredible strength and constitution, which aids in his typical profession of bounty hunting and makes him effectively immortal.

The entity known as the Mask is probably best remembered by the Jim Carrey movie of the same name. Though Stanley Ipkiss (Carrey) is a mild-mannered banker, when he dons the eponymous item, he is embodied by the trickster god Loki. This transformation completely changes his personality into that of an incredibly energetic and manic individual who seems to act on impulse alone. Surprisingly, the Mask and Lobo could end up fighting against each other in a movie because the rights to both are owned by the same parent company, Warner Bros. As completely unhinged as this suggestion sounds, it wouldn't be the first time the two characters have battled it out.

Although many people probably only know of the Mask from the movie, the character actually has his origin in a limited comic series that was published in 1989. Created by John Arcudi and Doug Mahnke, the comics version of the Mask is far more violent and over the top than even the Jim Carrey version of the character, which is really saying something. In addition, the movie version of the Mask makes the character a hero, but in the comics, the Mask is generally more neutral.

Speaking of cartoonishly violent characters, DC Comics' Lobo is known for his aggression and tendency to create untold destruction in his wake, all while wearing a twisted grin. Naturally, a fight between Lobo and the Mask would be an absolute circus of carnage and dark comedy, which is probably why the "Lobo/Mask" limited comic series from 1997 proved to be such a huge hit with readers.

In "Lobo/Mask" #1, Lobo is given an incredibly high offer to hunt down the Mask on Earth, and it doesn't take long before Manhattan is leveled. However, that is simply the beginning of the conflict.

DC Comics is owned by Warner Bros., while the rights to the Mask are owned by New Line Cinema, which was absorbed into Warner Bros. in 2008, meaning that a Lobo and the Mask television show or movie is very much in the realm of possibility, although this version of the Mask would be a far cry from what the general public knows of the character. Seeing the zany, green-faced, bug-eyed Mask torment people and revel in their pain would certainly be shocking to some, but that response might be tempered by the gritty Lobo and his love of cigars, firearms, weaponized hooks, and space dolphins.

Needless to say, a "Lobo/Mask" adaptation could take many forms, such as an animated movie, miniseries, or full-blown show, though it is unlikely that Warner Bros. would ever attempt a live-action iteration — these two characters fighting is probably a little too niche for mass consumption. Still, one only has to look to the comic to know of the potential carnage, and Warner Bros. can make it happen should executives choose to do so.