Concealing Identities
May. 24th, 2013 02:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stickmakerI think most of those on this list know I'm a fan of mythic heroes. In my
Masks stories I tried to address the problem of maintaining a private identity
for someone who acts as a costumed hero or villain. For example, I used the
idea of the costume discretion (strategic padding and airbrushing) to make the
person's build look different in costume.
What I'm specifically wondering about now is how well different types of
masks, hoods, cowls, etc. can actually disguise someone's face. In one story
(as yet unpublished, set in 1937 San Francisco) a gadgeteer makes a mask for a
friend. Here is the description:
It looked like a scale-textured ball of gold, with a dragon's head and claws
carved into it, the eyes inlaid with jade.
"It is made from small segments of plated stainless steel, joined by sprung
hinges. This is the relaxed shape. You release it like so, and unfold it
thusly."
He finished his demonstration and held the object stretched between his hands
for a moment. It resembled a broad, flat strap of flexible gold. He then
passed it to Janis.
"Its beautiful," she breathed, as she held the band under the light. The deep
green eyes sparkled, and seemed to regard her with a subdued humor. "Is it a
necklace?"
"That, young lady, is your mask," said Dr. Mac, with a smile full of pride.
"Here, I'll show you how it works."
He retrieved the dragon and carefully fitted it around Janis's head, wrapping
it in a complicated fashion. He explained how the ends fastened, the dragon's
tail tucking into its mouth, a hidden latch holding the pieces together. When
he finished he stood back and motioned toward a mirror. Janis stepped to the
looking glass, and gasped. She had expected to look like herself wearing a
mask. However, the band broke up and slightly distorted her features, creating
an optical illusion. She didn't look Asian, but neither did she look
Caucasian. With her dark eyes and hair she could have been a half-breed of
some sort. The dragon's green stare coming from her left cheek drew attention
from the center of her face. Those trying to see who she was would find their
gaze drawn to those gleaming jade eyes.
The inspiration was those flexible metal watch bands.
My intent for posting this is not to get opinions on whether *that* mask would
work (though those would be welcome) but to ask what other people think of
various styles of mask portrayed in popular fiction. You have everything from
the tiny domino to the full-head hood. Which of these would disguise the
wearer's features sufficiently that even close friends wouldn't recognize
them? Which might keep someone only casually familiar with the person from
recognizing them? Which would be obvious even to someone just comparing
photographs?
Wow, LJ is seriously messed up right now. Hope this goes through and is legible.
Masks stories I tried to address the problem of maintaining a private identity
for someone who acts as a costumed hero or villain. For example, I used the
idea of the costume discretion (strategic padding and airbrushing) to make the
person's build look different in costume.
What I'm specifically wondering about now is how well different types of
masks, hoods, cowls, etc. can actually disguise someone's face. In one story
(as yet unpublished, set in 1937 San Francisco) a gadgeteer makes a mask for a
friend. Here is the description:
It looked like a scale-textured ball of gold, with a dragon's head and claws
carved into it, the eyes inlaid with jade.
"It is made from small segments of plated stainless steel, joined by sprung
hinges. This is the relaxed shape. You release it like so, and unfold it
thusly."
He finished his demonstration and held the object stretched between his hands
for a moment. It resembled a broad, flat strap of flexible gold. He then
passed it to Janis.
"Its beautiful," she breathed, as she held the band under the light. The deep
green eyes sparkled, and seemed to regard her with a subdued humor. "Is it a
necklace?"
"That, young lady, is your mask," said Dr. Mac, with a smile full of pride.
"Here, I'll show you how it works."
He retrieved the dragon and carefully fitted it around Janis's head, wrapping
it in a complicated fashion. He explained how the ends fastened, the dragon's
tail tucking into its mouth, a hidden latch holding the pieces together. When
he finished he stood back and motioned toward a mirror. Janis stepped to the
looking glass, and gasped. She had expected to look like herself wearing a
mask. However, the band broke up and slightly distorted her features, creating
an optical illusion. She didn't look Asian, but neither did she look
Caucasian. With her dark eyes and hair she could have been a half-breed of
some sort. The dragon's green stare coming from her left cheek drew attention
from the center of her face. Those trying to see who she was would find their
gaze drawn to those gleaming jade eyes.
The inspiration was those flexible metal watch bands.
My intent for posting this is not to get opinions on whether *that* mask would
work (though those would be welcome) but to ask what other people think of
various styles of mask portrayed in popular fiction. You have everything from
the tiny domino to the full-head hood. Which of these would disguise the
wearer's features sufficiently that even close friends wouldn't recognize
them? Which might keep someone only casually familiar with the person from
recognizing them? Which would be obvious even to someone just comparing
photographs?
Wow, LJ is seriously messed up right now. Hope this goes through and is legible.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2013-05-24 10:10 pm (UTC)You know, they put together one of those new types of corporations where you can write the goals of the corporations to figure out the best possible use of their powers, used their normal names but had callsigns the way the military has callsigns, used fatigues if they were going into battle, but otherwise had a professional uniform, and the whole thing was set up for government/private cooperation and accountability. I mean the best use of superhuman powers to benefit humanity is something that perhaps SHOULDN'T be in the hands of a single person...
no subject
Date: 2013-05-28 04:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-06-01 12:19 am (UTC)Speaking of your own writing. Any chance that a new Masks story is close at hand? The last one was excellent, but I've been on tenterhooks ever since waiting to see how you conclude the story line you set up.
Gary L.
no subject
Date: 2013-06-01 02:18 am (UTC)I am currently posting the last installments of Masks XV to the TSA and TG Fiction e-mail lists. Once the story is finished and I have the comments I'll start on revising it to put on my Web page.