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scans_dailySome of you might know that there's been more than one Two-Face in the Golden Age. Actually, about five or six! You can get the whole scoop at Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed's overview of the many Two-Faces of the Golden Age.
Reading this stories myself, though, I've noticed an amusing trend that carried through (intentionally?) through all GA versions of the character. At least, I find it amusing. Hopefully, this place being this place, I shan't be the only one. :)
First, we have original Two-Face, Harvey Kent, in DETECTIVE COMICS #68:
Then, Harvey Dent's butler, Willis, pretending to be Two-Face to frame Harvey in BATMAN #50:
Next, Paul Sloane, the method actor who went insane after getting scarred while playing Harvey Dent in a TV movie, from BATMAN #68:
I like how he seems to have more fun being Two-Face than Harvey Kent did. Maybe that has to do with the fact that he's using a bicycle, not a motorcycle. Lends itself much more to ringing the bell and going "wheeeeeee!" in your crime spree escapes.
But that's nothing compared to the next Two-Face, George Blake, another actor also trying to frame Dent, from DETECTIVE #187:
Because really, there's escaping on a bike, and then there's escaping on a bike while wielding an axe and laughing maniacally. Blake wasn't really crazy, but he was clearly having a blast.
By the time Harvey Dent returned as Two-Face in BATMAN #81, we were right in that era that would inspire whole episodes of the Adam West BATMAN show. We're on the cusp of the Silver Age (I'd even consider this story far more Silver than Golden in sensibilities and snazzy Dick Sprang art).
We never see him escape in this story, so perhaps this Two-Face would still use a bike. But considering what he goes on to actually commit crimes, I'm guessing that bikes would just be thinking too small for this Two-Face:
On one hand, I hate this Two-Face for losing all the tragedy and character depth. On the other, wheeeeeee! Maybe they should bring back George Blake to be the fun, ridiculous Two-Face, and he can have team-ups with Impostor!Hatter in a Sprang-themed crime spree!
But for good or ill, this is the only Silver-Age-ish appearance of any Two-Face (save for Batman himself, long story). The character vanished from continuity for seventeen years until Denny O'Neil and Neil Adams brought him back at the birth of the Bronze Age. And thus, the love affair of Two-Faces and two-wheeled escape vehicles has been lost to time.
Clearly, if anyone wanted to cheer up Two-Face, they should buy him a bike. He'd be the happiest guy in Arkham. At least, until the Joker slashes the tires.
Note: For those who know (or have just read that article), there's one Golden Age Two-Face I omit from inclusion here: Harvey Apollo, the ham actor Two-Face from the Batman Sunday Comics. But I can exclude him because he wasn't canon in the comics, as the rest of these Two-Faces are. Yeah, that's the ticket.
Reading this stories myself, though, I've noticed an amusing trend that carried through (intentionally?) through all GA versions of the character. At least, I find it amusing. Hopefully, this place being this place, I shan't be the only one. :)
First, we have original Two-Face, Harvey Kent, in DETECTIVE COMICS #68:
Then, Harvey Dent's butler, Willis, pretending to be Two-Face to frame Harvey in BATMAN #50:
Next, Paul Sloane, the method actor who went insane after getting scarred while playing Harvey Dent in a TV movie, from BATMAN #68:
I like how he seems to have more fun being Two-Face than Harvey Kent did. Maybe that has to do with the fact that he's using a bicycle, not a motorcycle. Lends itself much more to ringing the bell and going "wheeeeeee!" in your crime spree escapes.
But that's nothing compared to the next Two-Face, George Blake, another actor also trying to frame Dent, from DETECTIVE #187:
Because really, there's escaping on a bike, and then there's escaping on a bike while wielding an axe and laughing maniacally. Blake wasn't really crazy, but he was clearly having a blast.
By the time Harvey Dent returned as Two-Face in BATMAN #81, we were right in that era that would inspire whole episodes of the Adam West BATMAN show. We're on the cusp of the Silver Age (I'd even consider this story far more Silver than Golden in sensibilities and snazzy Dick Sprang art).
We never see him escape in this story, so perhaps this Two-Face would still use a bike. But considering what he goes on to actually commit crimes, I'm guessing that bikes would just be thinking too small for this Two-Face:
On one hand, I hate this Two-Face for losing all the tragedy and character depth. On the other, wheeeeeee! Maybe they should bring back George Blake to be the fun, ridiculous Two-Face, and he can have team-ups with Impostor!Hatter in a Sprang-themed crime spree!
But for good or ill, this is the only Silver-Age-ish appearance of any Two-Face (save for Batman himself, long story). The character vanished from continuity for seventeen years until Denny O'Neil and Neil Adams brought him back at the birth of the Bronze Age. And thus, the love affair of Two-Faces and two-wheeled escape vehicles has been lost to time.
Clearly, if anyone wanted to cheer up Two-Face, they should buy him a bike. He'd be the happiest guy in Arkham. At least, until the Joker slashes the tires.
Note: For those who know (or have just read that article), there's one Golden Age Two-Face I omit from inclusion here: Harvey Apollo, the ham actor Two-Face from the Batman Sunday Comics. But I can exclude him because he wasn't canon in the comics, as the rest of these Two-Faces are. Yeah, that's the ticket.
