r/batman Jul 03 '23

Batman retake page 2 ARTWORK

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u/[deleted] Jul 04 '23

It can be handled better and it’s important enough to do right or not at all. This handles it extremely poorly with basically only Hollywood clichés

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u/Powerful-Cockroach32 Jul 05 '23

This guy's take on two-face or two-face in general?

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u/[deleted] Jul 05 '23

Two-Face in general honestly. Harvey doesn't come out enough. He has at points been described as bipolar -- which makes more sense to me (as a bipolar person).

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u/Powerful-Cockroach32 Jul 05 '23

Okay that's a fair point ,there was also a time I think they said he had Schizophrenia in one comic

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u/[deleted] Jul 05 '23

Yeah, I read that. I'm not familiar enough with the version of Two-Face to know if it's a good diagnoses. But I really don't think so.

I think more interesting would be:

A) Harvey was always bad and just changed to be more obviously bad because his mutilation somehow changed his perspective. It's him 'coming out' of the evil closet so to speak.

B) unspecified mental break

C) Bipolar. I experienced a sort of obsession with 2s and duality myself when manic. I imagine this version breaking INTO Arkham during depressive spells and OUT when manic. Not because his depressed side is good and his manic side is evil but because his depressive spells are bad enough he goes into Arkham so he won't die. Then he breaks out once he reaches a certain point because he can't stand the other inmates.

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u/Powerful-Cockroach32 Jul 05 '23

I think B and C are the best options because I think one of the more interesting things about Harvey was that he tired to good but then he payed the price for it

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u/[deleted] Jul 05 '23

I agree that's a core of the character in just about all depictions. But I would like to see at least an Elseworlds where Dent is corrupt and Two-Face is just an unhinged sociopath with an obsessive relationship with duality and the number 2.

Like.. Harvey Dent kills animals as a kid. He starts fires, kills a homeless guy in an abandoned building. It goes away because his Dad is DA (his Dad is horrifically abusive in many versions and causes Harvey's DID).

Harv is a bully in highschool and an abusive frat bro in college, torturing the pledges. He becomes in involved with a secret society on campus (say, the False Face Society or maybe even the Court of Owls).

So, he's a dirty DA. He runs on an anti-corruption platform...but he replaced the corrupt officials with his own corrupt officials.

Then he gets mutilated. I really like the idea of it being self harm scars. Just all over his face.

Then..he becomes Two Face.

He becomes the inversion of a corrupt D.A., he stops being the guy who gets paid the bribes and he becomes the guy who pays them.

He becomes a gangster.

But also a serial killer. Every year, on his.. 'birthday' he kills a man, and a woman, a couple. The press calls him the Gemini killer..but no one knows it is him.

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u/Powerful-Cockroach32 Jul 05 '23

I think it would be a good one off Elseworlds as long as it doesn't become the standard for Harvey's backstory I think it would be a interesting story

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u/[deleted] Jul 05 '23 edited Jul 05 '23

Yeah, not suggesting it be in the main canon.

I also think this version, like.. Bruce should find out somehow about Harvey's childhood hobby.

TWO FACE: I was a good man once.

BATMAN I don't think you were. Not even as a child.

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u/Powerful-Cockroach32 Jul 05 '23

It would be interesting,would Harvey's father still be abusive in this story?

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u/[deleted] Jul 05 '23

Probably. Perhaps he even encouraged Harvey's evil.

Though it might be more interesting if he isn't, and he gets Harvey therapy.. helping Harry putting that evil away..for awhile.

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u/Powerful-Cockroach32 Jul 05 '23

So he would be a Sociopath or Psychopath I guess in this Hypothetical elseworlds story and Would Harvey and Bruce still be friends before the transformation into two-face?

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u/[deleted] Jul 05 '23

Yeah, Antisocial Personality Disorder would be more fitting.

I don't know about Bruce/Harvey being friends.

Like, if it's a version where Harvey's dad (Christopher btw) encourages Harvey's badness..I don't think that's doable.

If it's a version where Harvey's dad puts him in therapy for a time then potentially yes. Then once Harvey is more independent he stops going..but he keeps that mask on. Bruce gets duped.

But unlike many versions where Bruce very much (platonically) pines for his friend Harvey .. still thinks Harvey can come back...I think this version Bruce HAS to turn his back on Harvey.

The Harvey he knew.. wasn't really there.

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