Batman/Bane
[Photo via Warner Bros.]

Someone should tell Batman fans Bane masks aren’t exactly protective

As we’re sure most of you are aware, Bane masks are not recommended by health professionals to combat coronavirus. Nevertheless, they’re sold out anyway. The Dark Knight Rises fans have been clamoring for the mask of the Batman villain since the pandemic began and many places are sold out. 

In fact, a number of Etsy stores have popped up and are making cloth masks modeled after the iconic mouth gear sported by Tom Hardy‘s Bane. 

Read More: 10 rock musicians who should be on ‘The Masked Singer’

With the coronavirus pandemic still raging but states still easing up on restrictions, the majority of health professionals and legislators are recommending people wear masks. It seems simple enough. Well apparently it’s not. A number of costume suppliers are completely sold out or have very limited quantities of the iconic Bane mask from Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy-ender The Dark Knight Rises

In one case, this is usually a slow time of year for costume chains. October and Halloween are nearly half a year away still. 

On the other hand, no, these masks are not recommended to wear. They do not reduce the spread of coronavirus. The US military even uploaded a series of photos joking about which masks are okay to wear back in April. On the no list were Santa Claus masks, Hannibal Lecter masks, Darth Vader helmets and yes, Bane’s mask.

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But, they’re sold out anyway. David DeJac, spokesman for Costume.com, told The Hollywood Reporter that Bane masks have been sold out since early May. “Looking at sales figures, the adult [Bane] mask had quite a sales spike in April and early May, which is unusual for this time of year.” DeJac also noted that the rest of Bane’s costume was still in stock “which indicates customers were more interested in the mask only.”

DeJac also noted that business is seeing a spike as a whole. 

“We have had an unusual increase in sales and searches for masks, especially for this time of year,” DeJac says. “The extra activity seems to be across the board of mask categories, rather than overwhelming consistency in any one area, probably since any searches using the word ‘mask’ are showing up much more frequently than normal.” 

With the popularity and normalcy of masks, a number of Twitter users have been using Bane more frequently in their jokes as well. Check out some of the best below. 

https://twitter.com/ErikStoverNYC/status/1262485536931033097

So, good luck finding a Bane mask right now. It wouldn’t do much good anyway. But, if you like Tiger King you can get a sweet Carole Baskin mask here. If you like punk rock, get a rad AltPress mask here.

What do you think about Bane masks selling out? Sound off in the comments below!

See more: The 11 most punk films of all time

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