Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Artist: Patrick Gleason
Published by DC Comics
The Two-Face storyline comes to a close, and no one goes quietly. Plus, quite a few reveals and events that I don’t think anyone was expecting.
Pete Tomasi continues to be my hero, in terms of characterization. He is just so good at it, it blows my mind. At first, I was a little wary of how Harvey Dent’s origin into Two-Face was changed, but by this issue? I totally accept it, because it totally makes sense. And I’m sure there will be a big internet-wide debate about it, but I, for one, was REALLY PUMPED about the reveal that Two-Face knows exactly who Batman is. That opens so many doors for future storylines and conflicts, and I hope Tomasi writes every single one of them.
Erin McKillen seemed a little pointless in this one, but I still really enjoyed the character. Much like with what I outline below, I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of her in this title.
As for that other super crazy event at the end…I don’t know if I buy it. Of course, in the medium of comics, if you don’t physically SEE the death, more than likely it didn’t happen. Crap, even if you DO see the death panel-for-panel, the character isn’t question often doesn’t really die, or doesn’t stay that way for long. Seeing as this is the former, though? Well, let’s just say Two-Face is better than merely an implied death.
Pat Gleason still shines and I am still ridiculously grateful he’s the constant artist on this title. However, this issue definitely belonged to John Kalisz, who did an absolutely stellar job every panel and every page in this one. The panel of Bruce reacting to Harvey announcing he knows who he is was downright gorgeous. I could not stop staring at Harvey in the pages of the studio fire and ensuing water to put it out, not to mention the pages with Gordon, and the alternating between red and blue. The panels of Erin’s acid-eaten eyes were gruesomely awesome.
This was a solid ending to this story, with a lot more emotions and tie-ins than previously expected. However, I know that Carrie Kelley was supposed to have a big part in this story, and clearly that was, for some reason, reduced to bumkiss. Regardless, Tomasi, Gleason and their squad continue to make this one of my favorite titles. And with the next arc being called ‘The Hunt for Robin’ I can’t wait to see what they do next.
4 out of 5 nerds
Irwin Fletcher
I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.
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