The Dark Knight Rises New Bane Image Reveals Mask Origin

I currently have a wallpaper on my phone that features a Bane promo image from The Dark Knight Rises and the most frequent comment I get from those not familiar with the comics is; "why is he wearing that mask"? Usually my answer deals with "Bane Venom" but doesn't necessarily seem to be the direction the film will go in. Now I might be able to give them a more definite answer based on how Christopher Nolan perceives it. A new article in Rolling Stone magazine features a new image and direct quote from director Chris Nolan that explains why it is that Tom Hardy's Bane dons that mask.

"Bane is someone ravaged by pain from a trauma suffered long ago, and the mask dispenses a type of anesthetic that keeps his pain just below the threshold so he can function."

This backs up comments previously made by costume designer Lindy Hemming;

"He was injured early in his story. Hes suffering from pain and he needs gas to survive. He cannot survive the pain without the mask. The pipes from the mask go back along his jawline and feed into the thing at the back where there are two canisters of what ever it is€the anaesthetic."

The mag issue also has a full body shot of Bane with explanations of his attire which you can see below; The Dark Knight Rises opens July 20th, 2012.