The Mask

John Arcudi and Doug Mahnke's original Dark Horse series introduced a hapless schlub who stumbles upon a mysterious green mask that transforms him into a gleefully violent, cartoonishly unstoppable force of chaos. Running five issues starting in 1991, this blackly comic horror-action tale established the tone for the character's later fame, blending slapstick humor with brutal mayhem. It remains a cult-classic example of Dark Horse's early-'90s creator-driven output, defined by Mahnke's grotesquely expressive art and Arcudi's twisted, deadpan storytelling.