Face masks are the new pants. They aren’t terribly comfortable, you need to wear them in public, and going without is a major benefit to staying at home. First wave? Second wave? Let’s face it: At this point, it’s impossible to know how long face masks will be the new normal. Maybe you need masks for each day of the week, like underwear. Or maybe you’re like me, and need to coordinate your face mask to the rest of your outfit. If I’m wearing it, it’s fashion, right? As the pandemic rages on, you need more masks, so why not show your bookish side with some literary masks?
Official Comic Book Masks
First up is Disney, selling some great, officially licensed Marvel and Star Wars masks. I feel like The Hulk would be well-equipped for this pandemic, since bullets and adamantium-laced berserker Canadians can’t even kill him.
Their Star Wars set covers the classic trilogy and even includes everyone’s favorite child, “Baby Yoda.” Or Kevin, if you prefer.
If you’re more of a DC Comics fan than Marvel, they’ve got your face and droplets covered, too, with their officially licensed masks. Only Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, for now.
The Story House
“But I’m not really into comics,” you say. Don’t worry, the whole reading world can cover their faces in literary masks. The Story House has a number of masks ranging from bookish prints to Shakespeare quotes.
Though I’m particularly enamored with this mask quoting Louisa May Alcott. I love the idea of wearing feminism and bookishness right on my face.
Litographs
Litographs has a half dozen face masks. Regency fans have a couple options for Jane Austen quotes.
While Walt Whitman fans can also display some protest poetry on their faces.
While those quotes are cool, the Black Literature bookshelf is my favorite of the bunch.
TeePublic
Maybe it’s only tangentially literary, but where would we be as readers without the Phoenicians? As an added bonus, for each of these non–medical grade masks purchased, TeePublic is donating a medical grade mask to Direct Relief.
Out of Print
Out of Print has some literary masks available for preorder “coming soon.” Banned Books or Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy are super nice.
Or you can just grab one that screams BOOK NERD in all caps.
Redbubble
Redbubble is another popular T-shirt (and more) site with a number of independent artists crafting literary masks. I’m partial to the quote from Neil Gaiman’s Coraline and the Allen Ginsberg quote.
Storiarts
While it’s currently sold out, Storiarts is working to print more of their Commit to Lit masks, with a portion of the proceeds going to LitWorld, a nonprofit that advocates global literacy.
Etsy
And of course, there is always Etsy, with an ocean of creators making all sorts of literary masks. The pandemic created a need, and the Internet provides. The options for literary masks are just about endless.