Bane masks are selling out online amid the Covid-19 crisis

There has been a huge spike in sales despite the masks not being medical grade

Bane masks are selling out online due to coronavirus. Courtesy Warner Bros

It’s almost like Halloween 2012 again. Almost.

While they are by no means medical grade, plastic and cloth Bane masks have become one of the hottest products amid the coronavirus pandemic, as people around the world scramble to get their hands on face coverings.

Bane, who first appeared in the world of DC Comics in 1993, is perhaps best known for Tom Hardy's depiction of the character in the 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises. The hulking supervillain's most recognisable feature is the mask he wears, which grants him a constant supply of pain-reducing gas.

Since the film’s release, Bane costumes became a favourite at Comic Con events and Halloween parties across the world.

Now, with many countries requiring their citizens and residents to wear face coverings when they step outside, it seems the mask has become popular once again.

The plastic and cloth versions have sold out across a number of online costume shops, including Costume.com, BuyCostumes.com and HalloweenCostumes.com.

"Looking at sales figures, the adult mask had quite a sales spike in April and early May, which is unusual for this time of year," David DeJac, a spokesperson for Costume.com, told the Hollywood Reporter.

However, it is only the masks that are flying off the shelves. DeJac said the accompanying outfit is still very much in stock, which, he adds, indicates customers are more interested in the mask.

While the Bane mask may be the most popular item, DeJac told the Hollywood Reporter that owners of costume shops have been seeing a rise in sales since the pandemic began.

"The extra activity seems to be across the board of mask categories, rather than an overwhelming consistency in any one area, probably since any searches using the word 'mask' are showing up much more frequently than normal."

DeJac said that masks of US President Donald Trump have also become popular among buyers.

A search on the e-commerce website Etsy for “Bane mask” brings up more than 150 results for cloth and plastic variations, going for around $20 (Dh73.46) each. However, Etsy is making sure that buyers are aware that the items cannot protect wearers from the coronavirus, with the disclaimer: "Items sold on Etsy, such as masks and hand sanitisers, aren't medical-grade. Etsy sellers cannot make medical or health claims."