Batman #386 - Black Mask: Losing Face, Detective Comics #553 - The False Face Society of Gotham & Batman #387 - Ebon Masquery (1985) - The very first appearance of Black Mask gives Roman Sionis one of the craziest origins out there (Dropped on his had as we was born, attacked by a rabid raccoon, having a doomed love, inheriting a cosmetics company and then driving it into the ground, killing his parents, etc.). It also features very different characterisation of Roman than the typical mob-boss we see today.
Batman #518 - Black Mask: The Spidered Face - Batman #520 - Fades to Black (1995) - This story has Black Spider supposedly want to join the False Face Society but is in fact a double agent for an enemy of Sionis who wishes to have him killed. Although Black Spider fails in his attempt to kill Sionis, this is an interesting read.
Batman: Bullock's Law (1999) - This comic, centred around GCPD cop Harvey Bullock, really shows Sionis' cunning and intelligence as he makes the offer of a deal of a lifetime to Bullock. But does Bullock give in to the crime-lord?
No Man's Land (1999/2000) - After Gotham is declared a No Man's Land when the cataclysm earthquake which destroyed the city, Roman sets up shop with his gang in the now derelict fashion district. Sionis has abandoned his mask and believes that the earthquake has revealed Gotham's true face and has his gang disfigure their own faces and do the same to anyone who they believe "wears a mask".
Catwoman (2002 Onwards) - Black Mask appears regularly throughout this series as he plagues Catwoman and her loved ones. These appearances of Black Mask are some of the best as it really shows his brutality and just how evil Sionis can get. And everything ends for Sionis in issue #52
Batman: War Games (2005) - Perhaps the primary Black Mask story of the modern Age, War Games is a must-have for Black Mask fans. It involves his rise to power after coming back from his apparent death, after a fight with Catwoman caused him to fall off a building, and taking his place a major player in the criminal underworld. It's also the story in which he beats Stephanie Brown to near-death, a fairly major part of the Batman timeline.
Batman: Under The Red Hood (2011) - Although focusing less on Black Mask than War Games, Batman: Under the Hood uses Sionis as a major member of the supporting cast, maybe even a key character. He is the major mob boss at the time of Jason Todd's return and is preyed upon by the Red Hood.
Catwoman (2011 Onwards) - Black Mask returns once again in the New 52 to haunt Selina Kyle.
Detective Comics #9 - The Owls Take Arkham; 50/50 (2012) - This issue introduces Black Mask into the New 52 and gives him the ability to mind control people through his mask.
Batman #46 - Batman 46, Batman #47 - Superheavy Part Seven & Batman #51 - Gotham Is (2016)- These issues first introduce the idea of the Black and Whites, a group consisting of Gotham's three most powerful crime-lords: Black Mask, Great White Shark and Penguin.
All-Star Batman: My Own Worst Enemy (2016/17) - Black Mask has a small but pretty important role in this. Here, he is once again in league with Great White Shark and Penguin as the 3 crime-lords follow Batman and Two-Face across the country in order to get their stolen fortune back.
Red Hood and the Outlaws: Dark Trinity (2016/17) - This comic introduces Black Mask into DC Rebirth and has him go up against Red Hood in possibly his largest scheme yet.
Log in to comment