The Smart Mask or EMP Mask is highly advanced mask used by Batman, Incorporated.
History
The mask was created by Lucius Fox as part of Bruce Wayne's Batman, Incorporated "enhancements" that is made of webbing that can refract light surrounding the wearer's head, altering their appearance artificially. The "beads" on the mask are tiny computerized electromagnetic conductors that can be programmed to manipulate and bend light to cause this effect. It also appears to have sophisticated anti-surveillance technology to produce an image of the face of someone or something other than the user, while also guarding against identification of the user through technological means. The mask wraps around the user's entire head, and can simulate hair as well as perfectly follow facial expressions. According to Batman (Dick Grayson), it tickles when being worn. Cutting at the user's face does not disable the disguise.[1] It can be turned off either by taking it off or by pressing a device on the side of it, both of which would end ups showing its webbed appearance.[2]
Trying to infiltrate the Dealer's operations in the Mirror House, Batman (Dick Grayson) secured a copy of this mask from Fox by way of Tim Drake, who said that Fox was justified in being very excited about having created such a device. The Mirror House had a blackout field around its vicinity, but it did not interfere with the mask working.[1]
The DC Universe heavily changed its continuity into the DCnU following the events of Flashpoint in 2011. This was part of an effort to make storylines more accessible to newer readers, beginning with the New 52. This new timeline combines elements from the DCU, Vertigo Universe and Wildstorm Universe while drastically changing the origins and histories of characters.
Following Dick Grayson's return to the mantle of Nightwing, he used this mask, called the EMP Mask by Batman (Bruce Wayne), while infiltrating Arkham Asylum on his behalf, acting as an inside man to look at a guard Wayne had been suspicious of while disguising himself as the Joker.[3]
While attempting to find and defeat Lady Shiva, Nightwing used the mask to take on the appearance of a gun for hire called Snake Feldman, and gets a line from "Handsome Johnny" on a job that would, though mob connections that Feldman would have, bring him close to Shiva.[2]
Wanting to find out what then-crime kingpin Selina Kyle wanted from Batman, Wayne's butler's daughter Julia Pennyworth used the mask, with a white appearance with nothing but a black bat emblem across the face to both hide her identity and tell her allegiance, to go down to meet her.[4]
See Also
- Appearances of Smart Mask
- Item Gallery: Smart Mask
- Images featuring Smart Mask