In April, The Mask will begin a new, four-part story arc set against the colorful backdrop of the Louisiana bayou and the seedy side of New Orleans. The story, titled "Southern Discomfort," is about a man named Eric Martin whose sister mysteriously vanished into the wild New Orleans nightlife more than a year before the story begins. Eric has been frantically searching for her ever since.

"Martin hires a private investigator to get to the bottom of the mystery," said writer Rich Hedden. "But the mystery only deepens when the private eye turns up dead."

Just when Eric Martin appears to have run out of options, he finds a strange mask which he at first mistakes for part of a Mardi Gras costume. But it isn't merely a mask. It turns out to be the mask, and it empowers Martin to mount his own frantic investigation.

"It's a unique story from a visual standpoint, because it puts The Mask in an entirely different environment than Edge City," said Hedden. "(Artist) Goran Delic does a wonderful job of making the bayou and the Mardi Gras come alive."

James Sinclair, who colored Hellboy: The Wolves of St. August will color "Southern Discomfort," and Kyle Hotz, best known for his work on Carnage, will create the eye-popping covers for all four issues.

The Mask: Southern Discomfort is a full-color, four-issue miniseries. The first issue will ship to comics shops on April 9, 1996.