TWO FACE YEAR ONE #1 (OF 2)
Review by: ohcaroline
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Size: pages
Price: 5.99
This review contains spoilers, click here to read
This book felt like a missed opportunity.
I've always found the transformation of Harvey Dent to be one of the most fascinating stories lurking at the edge of the 'Batman' universe. It's the tragedy of a man who had the potential to be a hero, and, through the combination of circumstances and choices, went another way. You catch glimpses out of the corner of your eye in 'The Long Halloween' and 'Dark Victory.' It's hinted at in numerous other storylines, like James Robinson's 'Face the Face,' his role in 'No Man's Land,' and his interactions with Renee Montoya in 'Gotham Central'. But as far as I know, there's not a story that puts Harvey Dent front and center, as the tragic hero of his own story. (If I'm wrong about this, please let me know; I'm by no means a Batman expert, but I'm definitely a Harvey fan, so I'd like to know about it).
"Year One" could have been a chance to take a coherent look at how Harvey became Two-Face, to tell a clear story from his point of view. Unfortunately, the result is often a confusing mishmash. There are 'backstage' elements from 'The Long Halloween,' flashbacks to his friendship with Bruce Wayne, and also a story about Harvey visiting a psychiatrist for multiple personality disorder, which seems to have been lifted from 'The Animated Series'.
This is at least one plot thread too many; I felt like the 'Long Halloween' references could have been dropped or simplified. I don't think either TLH or Year One books are strictly in continuity, and, anyway -- if the book were going by TLH, it's missing some key elements, such as Harvey's wife, who isn't even mentioned in this issue.. Overall, I had a hard time figuring out what was up with poor Harv from one page to another and, while I like the idea of incorporating his pre-existing psychiatric problems and anger management with his eventual transformation, the story is a bit too muddled to pull it off.
There were some things in the issue I really enjoyed: a plot thread featuring Jim Gordon and some of the cops of Gotham Central (Maggie Sawyer, Harvey Bullock, and Eric Cohen). I'm a huge GC fan and I loved seeing these parts play out. The issue's feel for Gotham overall worked really well, and I did enjoy Dent's characterization in several of the scenes.
The art was really nice to look at -- the coloring in particular (though Vicki Vale should be a redhead! ) -- although I only gave 4 points out of five because there are times when it's tough to tell one character from another, to the point that I couldn't follow what was going on.
I'll definitely get the next part of this, and maybe the second half will improve my opinion. Basically, this was a good book that features a lot of the things I like to see in a Batman story. I just wish it had been a little bit more.
I've always found the transformation of Harvey Dent to be one of the most fascinating stories lurking at the edge of the 'Batman' universe. It's the tragedy of a man who had the potential to be a hero, and, through the combination of circumstances and choices, went another way. You catch glimpses out of the corner of your eye in 'The Long Halloween' and 'Dark Victory.' It's hinted at in numerous other storylines, like James Robinson's 'Face the Face,' his role in 'No Man's Land,' and his interactions with Renee Montoya in 'Gotham Central'. But as far as I know, there's not a story that puts Harvey Dent front and center, as the tragic hero of his own story. (If I'm wrong about this, please let me know; I'm by no means a Batman expert, but I'm definitely a Harvey fan, so I'd like to know about it).
"Year One" could have been a chance to take a coherent look at how Harvey became Two-Face, to tell a clear story from his point of view. Unfortunately, the result is often a confusing mishmash. There are 'backstage' elements from 'The Long Halloween,' flashbacks to his friendship with Bruce Wayne, and also a story about Harvey visiting a psychiatrist for multiple personality disorder, which seems to have been lifted from 'The Animated Series'.
This is at least one plot thread too many; I felt like the 'Long Halloween' references could have been dropped or simplified. I don't think either TLH or Year One books are strictly in continuity, and, anyway -- if the book were going by TLH, it's missing some key elements, such as Harvey's wife, who isn't even mentioned in this issue.. Overall, I had a hard time figuring out what was up with poor Harv from one page to another and, while I like the idea of incorporating his pre-existing psychiatric problems and anger management with his eventual transformation, the story is a bit too muddled to pull it off.
There were some things in the issue I really enjoyed: a plot thread featuring Jim Gordon and some of the cops of Gotham Central (Maggie Sawyer, Harvey Bullock, and Eric Cohen). I'm a huge GC fan and I loved seeing these parts play out. The issue's feel for Gotham overall worked really well, and I did enjoy Dent's characterization in several of the scenes.
The art was really nice to look at -- the coloring in particular (though Vicki Vale should be a redhead! ) -- although I only gave 4 points out of five because there are times when it's tough to tell one character from another, to the point that I couldn't follow what was going on.
I'll definitely get the next part of this, and maybe the second half will improve my opinion. Basically, this was a good book that features a lot of the things I like to see in a Batman story. I just wish it had been a little bit more.
Story: 3 - Good
Art: 4 - Very Good
Art: 4 - Very Good
Nice review ohcaroline! I really enjoyed this book, but I can appreciate your point of view. I more thought that this is trying to take all of the really good aspects from a wide variety of stories and coalesce them into one origin story. It’s like an amalgamation of his origins.
My question is how are we going to get a trade of a series with only 2 comics?? Guess I have to go to my shop and try and find both of these when the second one releases.
@Neb — Yeah, i really liked that aspect of it; I just wish it had come together a little better. The review might have focused a bit too much on the negative, just because there was so much in the book that I really like.
@Joshua — It’s a pretty thick issue, almost a small TPB itself. Basically you can get both of them for $12, so they might not bother with a trade.
I’d say this a fair analysis. I come down harder on this book for it’s reliance on backstory.
@JumpingJupiter Yeah, that’s hard for me to judge because I’ve read the relevant stuff fairly recently. But it definitely didn’t need the Holiday references — unless they’re going to be important in part 2, and in that case they should be explained better. (And in that case the absence of Mrs. Dent from the story is REALLY weird).