1.) Is this your first time reading Two Face Year One?
Yes
2.) What’s your favorite story featuring Two Face? How does this one compare?
The Long Halloween. Two Face Year One is focused on Dent more than Batman. I loved the moments with his therapist because it showed he was never really ok. He’s always struggled with two personalities.
3.) Where does this book rank among other ‘Year One’ titles?
I like this one more than Batman Year One.
4.) What was your favorite moment?
The trial in Arkham Asylum. Seeing all the villains give their verdicts with their own unique flares was really fun. I was excited every time I turned the panel to see what new villains would be there.
I like this as an origin story. There was no “fluff”. Every moment built the story and it had a satisfying end. Batman calling him out for using the coin to make decisions was a cool moment too.
Speaking of the therapist…was that guy crazy? “Hey, this guy is disassociating and prone to violence, so I’ll suggest…embracing the violence! Yeah, that’ll totally work out well!” If that’s indictive of what mental health care is like in Gotham City, no wonder you can throw a rock in any direction and hit 3 super-villains in an abandoned toy factory or something.
BOOKCLUB! Tally-ho! Ok just had to say that. Anyway this is the first time I have read Two-face year one. My favorite parts were seeing all the different villains in Arkham, seeing them fighting the GCPD, and the relationship between Bruce and Harvey. I hate to say this but this is the first time I have read a year one comic book however I have seen the Batman year one movie hear on DC Universe. I hoping to read more now that I enjoyed this one.
I really haven’t read a lot of two face comics but this one was very interesting. I liked how all the villains got together and the relationship between Harvey and the therapist unfolded. Very good read
The Long Halloween is at the top of my favorite Harvey Dent stories, that I got to enjoy with this book club 42 weeks ago for Week 6 and Week 7 of this esteemed club!
I’ll rank it right in the middle of the other Year One titles. The New 52 “year one” Snyder Batman run is way up there on my Year Ones, although once the Superman Year One ends up here, that may go towards the top too.
This was a bittersweet tale. I guess the best moments were the bits in the counselling room, where we were given the strand of hope that this doctor had a great idea for Harvey’s inner pain.
This particular story was a nice remembrance of the Batman Universe circa 2008, around the same time as Gotham Central ended its run. I assume this was published because of the Batman movies of the same time as the Dark Knight that also featured Harvey as I recall.
The two book series also was a thoughtful study in the guilt and horror / trauma that anyone involved in law enforcement, even dispatch, ambulance work or even social service work deal with over and over. This attached scene is just one example of this from the story.
Recently there has been a crisis for real world cops giving up on living because of the nonstop pressures of the job. Let’s all see what we can do to be supportive as communities and friends of those who serve on all these levels!
I totally forgot about the Snyder flashback stuff. Loved it.
One of my favorite parts of this book was how it shows how much pain and anguish these people go through. I thought the counseling stuff highlighted that well.
Interesting, while it’s a similar story, I don’t see myself counting Zero Year as a Year One, because, well, it’s not called a Year One. Plus it feels like Year One stories are typically more grounded and realistic and Zero Year (which I love, don’t get it twisted) is anything but.
I prefer this story over The Long Halloween, but it feels somewhat incomplete precisely because it’s trying to fit around TLH. I’m also a bit wary of the Ventriloquist’s presence so early in the timeline. He wasn’t introduced until the late 80s during the post-Crisis Jason Todd Robin era. I guess I can chalk it up to the combined effects of Zero Hour and Infinite Crisis. Same thing with Killer Croc looking like a monster instead of a mobster with a skin condition.
I answered the first 2 Q’s earlier, so onto 3 and 4:
Year One ranking…maybe in the middle? Batman: Year One is my favorite, while I also enjoy many of the Year One themed Annuals from 1995 a great deal.
This was a good YO tale, but not one I’d rank super high, so I’ll place it in the middle.
Favorite moment was the ending. Seeing how this story concludes and knowing what then comes Harvey’s way later on in other titles was quite satisfying for me.
First off, thank you guys for suggesting this. I know I am a couple of weeks late, but I am really glad I read this arc. Two-Face is a character that always has to be borderline sympathetic. You always have to see you the Harvey inside him trying to do right. I think this story got that right. And I am happy that it was not just another Batman title where he takes over and saves the day. He is the greatest, but this was a two-face book and I really enjoyed that, at the end of the day, it was all about his choices and his experiences. Batman and the commissioner where sort of background supporting characters.
It reminds me of some of the Jeff Loeb Batman and Superman stand-alone titles.
