Two-Face Tuesday! Plus, a must-read link to the definitive, COMPLETE Catwoman origin timeline

[thehefner]

First off, my Henchgirl--being the learned and brilliant fangirl that she is--was sick and tired of all the misinformation about Catwoman's Post-Crisis history and origins, partially due to the fact that most of those stories are out of print. So she pulled together a ton of canon through scans and factoids and created the definitive, complete origin timeline of Catwoman.

She managed to incorporate and reconcile events in canon from several different sources, creating a single cohesive narrative that works beautifully and makes perfect sense. It's a thing of beauty, and biased though I may be, I'm honestly in awe. If only more actual comic writers gave the character as much thought and care as fans like Henchgirl does.

She put a ton of work into this project, and it shows. Check it out. Leave feedback/love/cookies.


Now, onto the Two-Face-Ness!


So I've been thinking a lot about Doug Moench lately. Not just his dubious Two-Face stories, but also Black Mask and Circe. And it's not just because I've been planning to post today's story, Moench's first Two-Face tale which also features the return of Circe (Black Mask's ex-girlfriend, whom he scarred and took on as his own henchgirl).

I've been putting off this issue for a long time, as I generally consider it one of the worst Two-Face stories of all time. For one thing, Moench is trying to juggle five or six plots at play over four issues, so the resulting story is a mess. At least I'll be simplifying things here by just focusing on Harvey and Circe, who actually meet here.





Be warned: this story takes a sharp left turn into Cracksville, by way of Ridiculous Lane.





Note: Scans taken from Batman #397, 398, 484, 485, and 518, and Detective Comics #563 and 564.



Let's start this story from where the original Black Mask saga left off, as this story serves as a sorta-sequel. Batman takes Catwoman out for a hot date, going to a graveyard to ensure that the False Face Society isn't doing anything funny in the wake of Black Mask's arrest:





They spend the next page catching each other (and the readers) up to speed on exactly who Black Mask and the False Face Society were, presumably too distracted to notice that someone left a present on the mausoleum door:





Batman suspects it was Circe, Roman Sionis' supermodel girlfriend, a supposed "witch." Catwoman asks around and tracks Circe down, finding her in a most unexpected place:





Mystery writers, take note: when you want to introduce your mysterious femme fatale, you do it with Pat Benetar.

Catwoman's reaction is funny when you consider that, a couple years later, she herself was to be retconned as having been a sex worker. Here, she seems practically puzzled and pitying, hardly the street-smart and cynical character she'd become, particularly under Moench's pen in the ongoing Catwoman solo series.





"The Red Witch": Circe already has her own supervillain name, ready to go! But once again, she's being called a "witch" while still displaying no powers or casting any spells. It's almost as if she's cultivated this air of mystery. Or maybe she didn't, but it happened anyway, and she didn't argue. "Oh, they want to think I'm a witch? Fine, let them. That just means they fear me."

Meanwhile, Circe isn't the only one plotting revenge:





I wonder if this is meant to be a reference to Gilda, who was a sculptor. If so, it's a strange reference to make in light of the fact that she gets no mention in this story.





I imagine you're all going, "Wait... it's on a chain???" I know where Moench is going with this--as you'll see in the next scan--but the idea becomes extra silly considering that it goes back to being a regular coin, no chain, no chain-hole, just a coin like always. Maybe Moroni was into bling?

Harvey recounts his origin, up to the point where he went mad and dedicated his life to fate and crime. Or at least, Harvey explains to his lawyer, that's what Batman and the police say.





What's weird is that Harvey used hypnosis to escape from Arkham in his previous appearance (actual escape scene not included), so I wonder if Moench was trying to establish a new "hypnotist" motif with Harvey, or if it was just a coincidence.







Harvey's now a master of hypnosis AND disguise! Maybe he learned a trick or two from Batman in that same previous story by Gerry Conway. After a history of people impersonating him, Harvey's now decided to create his own impostors!





So we have a good idea of how Moench views Harvey's methodology: he's already (presumably of his own free will!) decided that he's going to commit a crime, but he flips to decide if he'll do it in a good or bad way. In this case, he's decided to steal money from a drug dealer. But what happens when he plans his next move and decides to rob an innocent computer genius?







Again, he's already made up his mind as to what he wants, just not how to get it. This is interesting, and bears further consideration.

On one hand, I don't like it because this means that Two-Face is an out-and-out monster who will always do bad things, but sometimes in worse ways than others. It's times like this that I truly lament how everyone's forgotten that Two-Face used to perform philanthropic acts half the time.

On the other hand, it actually makes Two-Face more of a character, rather than just a cipher. I believe it was screenwriting guru Robert McKee who said that action reveals character, and what a person does reveals who that person is. This is a big reason why Harvey's such a hard character to write, because if your character makes NO true decisions, that character's a nothing character.

THIS Harvey, at least, makes his own judgments, but let's the coin carry out the actual sentencing. I don't like that those judgments are all evil, but I do think it's a good reminder of what COULD make the character work better in other stories.

But I'm getting off-topic. Why does Harvey want this poor guy's computers, you may ask? Well, he's asking the same question.









What's interesting about this is that Moench, first of all, actually makes a plot point of the fact that this Two-Face is all-evil, and that his "benevolent" acts belong in quotation marks. Batman even acknowledges that Harvey once was as good as he was evil, but that the evil has been slowly overtaking him. Is Moench commenting on the way Two-Face has been written over the years? I'd like to think so, except that Moench will go on to write Two-Face as even MORE of a monster in the years to come.

And yet, at the very least, Moench has Batman playing the pivotal role in a good Two-Face story: the one person who refuses to give up on Harvey Dent. If anything can add poignancy to this kind of Two-Face, it's this kind of Batman.

One thing I want you to keep in mind: Batman's in the underdog position here. No one else really thinks he can help Harvey--"His expression makes 'good luck' redundant"--and even Batman is doubtful. From a creative storytelling perspective, the deck's stacked against the hero in this respect. But he's the hero, so he HAS to be able to pull this off, right?





"The scarred side. Finally." He actually seems relieved that he can now be fully evil. What we're seeing here is another common take on the character: not someone who's being torn between good and evil, but rather an evil person who is occasionally forced against his will into being good.

The "binary brains" are an interesting concept, one that could stand to be further explored in terms of how they'd affect Harvey's character. As they are here, however, Harvey just now has even more tools to help him think less.





For me, this is the most interesting part of the whole story. As far as Harvey's concerned, Batman essentially IS his "good side," with the two locked in eternal opposition. I could imagine Harvey being as dependent upon Batman as he is on the coin, because if it were just Harvey, there would be gross imbalance. Two-Face believes that he and Batman are locked in by fate, only because (he believes) he is free of "Harvey Dent" once and for all. To Two-Face, Batman represents his better half. Slashy!

Again, this is an aspect would could be fascinating if it was better explored in another story. As it is... well, I hate to break it to you, Harvey, but someone else already HAS that position. You might know him: he's the clown that likes to give you psychological wedgies in Arkham. You're better off keeping the "eternal opposition" locked inside your own head, between good and evil sides.





I just threw it on my Netflix Instant queue. I haven't watched it yet, but I will soon. I wonder, why would this Two-Face--who has given himself over to evil--care to watch a story about a hideous beast be redeemed through the power of love? Or could it be foreshadowing for a certain mostly-lovely lady about to enter Harvey's life, shortly after he barely escapes from the bank heist?





And here's where Harvey's story takes an abrupt turn, now that Circe has become an active player:









So wait, now Harvey acknowledges (or at least suggests) that his good side still exists, buried within Two-Face! Is Moench being ambiguous, or can he just not make up his mind?

Two-Face tells her that he'll consider her proposal, but only after his next heist using the Binary Brains. Circe slinks away in characteristically mysterious fashion, heading back to her current legitimate profession:









What makes Circe particularly interesting is her own ambiguity, playing all the angles and never showing her hand, not even by the time this story is finished. On one hand, she seemed to show no desire to get revenge on Roman by the end of the Black Mask origin, but perhaps she's grown increasingly bitter since then. Like Harvey, the Red Witch teeters on the brink between redemption and corruption.

But even though (surprise spoiler alert!) Harvey does return to Arkham at the end, Harvey and Roman never actually meet. A huge missed opportunity on Moench's part, since what two better characters are there to discuss faces and masks?

But enough hypothetical thoughts about stories that never were. The question remains: will Harvey take the bait?





Nooooo! Damn it, Harvey, you didn't have the blow up the poor computer technician's life's work! That's just mean!

Also: yes, the next issue IS where I got the name for this blog. :)

So Harvey and Circe go museum-robbing for the Pharaoh's mask, but unbeknownst to Harvey, the entire thing is a setup:







Catwoman and Batman follow Circe and Two-Face back to the bisected hideout to see if Batman's far-fetched plan actually goes somewhere:





The fact that the good side is goddamn ecstatic indicates that the humanity within Harvey Dent is not only present, but dying to be rehabilitated. Meanwhile, the bad side looks outright horrified. I think this is the first time, in this whole story, that we actually see inner conflict within Two-Face.





I can't help but notice how no one thinks this ridiculous idea is going to work. It's kind of amazing that everyone's going along with it, when Batman's the only one who's personally invested in saving Harvey's soul.












... wat.

Okay, FIRST off, makeup doesn't work that way. At all. And yes, it *is* makeup, since Circe fights back and succeeds in scraping a bit off before Harvey knocks her to the ground. So Harvey is wearing scarred-face makeup underneath makeup that makes him look like he's not wearing makeup at all, and he threw all this together within minutes? Damn, he must have been valedictorian of the Tom Savini school!

Secondly, Harvey can flip the coin until he gets any result he wants? Is Moench saying that this is what he always does, and that he's a cheater at heart? Or was Harvey actually affected by Circe's hypnotism? Either Harvey was playing a game with her and Batman all along, or Batman's far-fetched ploy has completely and utterly backfired and made Harvey even WORSE than he was before.

Look at how he reacts when Batman bursts in with Robin and Catwoman:







And that's about as definitive an answer as you can get. Harvey is dead, the monster reigns, and hope is slim to nil of it being any other way. Is Batman right, that this proves Harvey could be saved if Harvey really wanted to be? Is Two-Face's reaction just indicative of how cynical comics had gotten by that point?

It occurs to me that Harvey and Batman acted much the same way in the original Golden Age Harvey Kent trilogy. "Harvey, you can reform!" "NO! I R EVUL NOW! HAHA!" Rinse and repeat. Or at least, until Gilda's life hanged in the balance. That was what finally got through to Harvey, bringing him back to his senses, and putting him on the path to redemption.

Maybe the problem with Moench's story here is that Batman's faith isn't enough to save Harvey, not without Gilda's love. All the more reason why Gilda's absence from comics has lessened Two-Face as a character. Without her, Harvey and Batman truly are doomed to be locked in eternal opposition, which can only end with Harvey being defeated once more, and Batman taking comfort in the friendship of his allies and family.





Yes, Bruce, he's been "marked by Circe"... on your orders. Way to go!





Where did Circe go? Best to my knowledge, she hadn't been seen since then, until Moench brought Black Mask back almost eight years later (in a story which largely felt like a repeat of the original):





I guess her encounter with Harvey was so... traumatic (?) that she snapped, dropped out of her life and stripping career, and became a homeless bag lady? Seriously, does anyone know if I'm missing a detail here, because Google's not giving me any answers.

Soon, the False Facers clean Circe up to be the perfect consort for Roman, only now, there seemed to be no traces of humanity or personality in Circe:





She does nothing in the story but stand around in lingere, like a living mannequin. I suppose Moench was trying to make further commentary on the fashion industry. It occurs to me... a model who gets her face scarred, then becomes a mask-wearing blank for an insane freakish crime boss? I have to wonder if dear, departed Alicia from Burton's Batman was inspired by Circe:





Now, Circe actually DOES take action in one way, although it makes no sense. You see, in this story, Bruce went undercover as a new member of Black Mask's gang, until Mask wised up to the truth (which makes me wonder how stupid Roman really is: he realizes that Bruce Wayne, not Batman, was his lackey the whole time, as if the foppish playboy could actually get away with that. Idiot!):






Why did Circe save Bruce's life? Who knows? Roman knocks her out, and we never see her again. According to Wikipedia, Circe committed suicide (like Alicia did?), but that same article says she did it BEFORE this story, where she's clearly alive. So I'm calling bullshit on that Wikipedia article, unless you guys can fill me in on her suicide.

But even with Circe gone (dead?), Roman cannot quite give her up. He spends his next major appearance ranting and raving to "Circe," until he reveals that she actually IS a mannequin now.





Jeez, Doug Moench, what's with you and having madmen romancing mannequins?

So what really happened to Circe? Anybody know? I'm thinking of making a whole profile page about her for ComicVine, because really, who the hell else will?

Moench would go on to write Harvey several more times, several of which are infamous (to those of us who care) as being among the very worst Two-Face stories. But perhaps memory is being too harsh. When I review them here and/or at my fanblog, I'll do my best to give them a fair shake. Yes, even with The Face Schism. *shudder*

Comments

[arbre_rieur]

"She managed to incorporate and reconcile events in canon from several different sources, creating a single cohesive narrative that works beautifully and makes perfect sense."

Ah, the Grant Morrison approach then. I'm starting to become convinced that sort of syncretic approach is the only solution to the quagmire that DC's continuity, courtesy of all the soft and hard reboots, has become. Anything else requires the writers to "pick a side," and since they're not going to all be on the same side, it inevitably leads to different writers contradicting each other back and forth in the struggle to make *their* preferred version of a character the "real" version.

[thehefner]

Sorta, except she stuck only to the Post-Crisis version of the character. Which, really, is the way to go. Grant Morrison's "everything is canon!" approach doesn't really work for all comics, and there's no real way to reconcile Post-Crisis Miller-onward Selina with Pre-Crisis "airline stewardess with amnesia" Selina.

[ebailey140]

Well, the Iron Age is over, so most bets are off. This sort of thing happens whenever we shift into a new Age. It took a while after CoIE to sort out what Iron Age continuity was. The reboots for Bruce, Clark, and Diana didn't happen until several months after CoIE ended. And, in Bruce's case, it wasn't a complete reboot, so there was a lot of confusion, for a while.

From what we've seen, the post-Infinite Crisis DCU incorporates whatever from all the previous ages can be fit, with what doesn't fit happening on Earth 1, 2, etc. Batman: Year One and the Brubaker run on Catwoman are still Canon, as demonstrated by Holly still being around. But, not being the stewardess with amnesia doesn't mean she couldn't have done some of those things from the Golden, Silver, and Bronze Ages. That origin really didn't play into most old Catwoman stories.

Morrison isn't the only one who's made references to the Silver Age and the Adam West TV show. Dini did it during his run on Detective, though more subtley, like the Adam West Batmobile being among the many models in the Batcave, and the leopard print coat Holly wore in one scene, a homage to the one Selina wore in the 1966 movie. Of course, judging from Dini's run, some things from the 90s animated series are also in continuity, but, again, Dini was subtle. Roxy Rocket's debut in the DCU wasn't actually an introduction. She just shows up in Dini's second issue as an old adversary, and we're supposed to know she's an old adversary. So, it would seem, those Roxy Rocket episodes from the cartoon are now DCU Canon.

Another subtle example from Dini's run is where Bruce tells the Riddler, very firmly, not to touch anything in the Batmobile. That referred to another Rogue having done so...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IJi_Vj4_-k

I rather like this approach to continuity, even that flashback Morrison did with the "Sea, C" line, referring to this scene...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUGCQXLq9wk

I like that the Joker wasn't always Mr. Grimdark Mass Murdering Psycho, that he was a colorful prankster, at one time. I realize a lot of fans and some writers want him to have always been the Mass Murdering Psycho of the Iron Age, but I think it gives him a little depth.

[whitesycamore]

I'm having trouble reconciling "works beautifully and makes perfect sense" with "Grant Morrison's approach."

The man's got a nice little imagination on him and all, but he tends to treat characters as if they only have value as symbols. He writes some good stories, but I want to keep him far away from anyone I actually care about.

[thehefner]

My god, motto. He values big ideas and symbolism over characters.

[ebailey140]

The man's got a nice little imagination on him and all, but he tends to treat characters as if they only have value as symbols. He writes some good stories, but I want to keep him far away from anyone I actually care about.

Yeah, that's why I don't think he's nearly as good a writer as Gaiman. Many of the best writers use symbols and archtypes. Lewis Carroll did it well. Tolkien was very good at it. Gaiman uses them well. But, they're not so obvious about it, and don't let it derail the characters and story being told. Gaiman gave Poison Ivy all that May Queen stuff, but never lost sight of Pam in the process.

[thehefner]

Alan Moore is another good example of someone who can balance themes, symbolism, and character. Even as far back as Saga of the Swamp Thing--which I'm currently rereading--I'm continually impressed by how Moore never sacrificed emotional impact, character development, realistic interaction, and general humanity in all the mythology, world-building, descriptive (sometimes purple) prose, creative imagery, and symbolism-a-go-go.

[ebailey140]

Ah, the Grant Morrison approach then. I'm starting to become convinced that sort of syncretic approach is the only solution to the quagmire that DC's continuity, courtesy of all the soft and hard reboots, has become. Anything else requires the writers to "pick a side," and since they're not going to all be on the same side, it inevitably leads to different writers contradicting each other back and forth in the struggle to make *their* preferred version of a character the "real" version.

Add to that that continuity is never going to be completely tight with a series that's been running for over 70 years, and in a universe shared with so many other series, at that. The culture changes, and the series is always going to reflect that. A sycretic approach really has always been taken. It's just that Morrison is up front about it.

[dr_archeville]

Jeez, Doug Moench, what's with you and having madmen romancing mannequins?

Did Doug do any of the Clayface (Preston Payne) stories?

[thehefner]

None, as far as I know. I wonder if he was inspired by that character?

[ebailey140]

As it is... well, I hate to break it to you, Harvey, but someone else already HAS that position. You might know him: he's the clown that likes to give you psychological wedgies in Arkham. You're better off keeping the "eternal opposition" locked inside your own head, between good and evil sides.

The Joker wasn't that, yet. This is before The Dark Knight Returns and The Killing Joke, remember. At this point, the Joker was in the transisition process from the Bronze Age one to the Iron Age version. That transisition began with Moench, but wouldn't really be completed until Moore.

As for the song the stripper used, that would have been a popular song for strippers in the early to mid 80s. Hell, they'll still pull that one out, every now and then. So, the song choice is actually Moench being accurate. Probably did research. :)

As for Harvey, he's always been one of the most difficult Bat villains to write, which is likely why so many of his stories don't work. Villains tend to either believe that they are actually the good guys (Lex Luthor), or they're Nihilists who don't believe that Good and Evil exist (the Joker). Harvey presents the problem of someone who does believe in Good and Evil, but doesn't think he's the good guy. It's a little... tricky, to work out his motivations. So, I can see why so many writers want to write him, but wind up with very flawed execution.

[thehefner]

The Joker wasn't that, yet. This is before The Dark Knight Returns and The Killing Joke, remember. At this point, the Joker was in the transisition process from the Bronze Age one to the Iron Age version. That transisition began with Moench, but wouldn't really be completed until Moore.

You might be right. I always forget just how far the Joker's star had fallen by this point. And yet, the Joker WAS elevated to that status in stories that came out ten years earlier, like The Joker's Five-Way Revenge and The Laughing Fish (don't forget the epic "The Joker DESERVES Batman! What fun would there be in humbling mere policemen?" speech). He made a HELL of an instant transition into the Bronze Age, but halfway through, writers and editors seemed to forget what to do with him.

Probably did research. :)

Ah yes, research. Like the time my community theatre troupe was doing a production of Patrick Marber's Closer and, for research, we all went to the Hustler Club in Baltimore. Because research. *cough*

Harvey presents the problem of someone who does believe in Good and Evil, but doesn't think he's the good guy.

That's a good observation. The best villains are the ones who don't think they're the villains, yet even at his worst, Two-Face considers himself to be evil. The best thing one could do with that take is that this would be a character who's essentially begging/demanding that someone stop him, because THEY'RE the ones who have to be good.

[ebailey140]

The best thing one could do with that take is that this would be a character who's essentially begging/demanding that someone stop him, because THEY'RE the ones who have to be good.

Pretty much the last Nightwing storyline, which seemed to be setting Harvey up as Dick's Joker. Too bad that never went anywhere.

Well done, both of you!

[capt_satellite]

First, congratulations, and all my hopes for your new family member. Comic fans NEED to reproduce!

Second, kudos to your good Henchgirl! A wonderfully researched work on perhaps comic's first and greatest anti-hero. I am glad you didn't tackle any Pre_Crisis era....that way MADNESS lies. MADNESS, I tell you!!!!

One observation....noting the scars on young Selina's wrists in the School Counselor scene from Catwonan #0....possibly cannonical evidence of self-cutting behavior, or even suicidal behavior? Certainly consistent with the profile....or perhaps just those marks all of us who love cats get in the line of duty :)

Splendid Two-Face post! Moench/Colan/Smith were magic together....few "got" Colan as well as Smith.....only Colan's run on "Howard the Duck" under Leialoha, Palmer, and later Janson are it's equal.

Re: Well done, both of you!

[thehefner]

Thanks! But with our luck, the child will probably rebel and become a football-playing accountant. Who reads only Spawn.

Please be sure to pass your remarks along to Henchgirl at her post! And while you're there, ask her about the scars. I think they're actually explained, but damn if I can remember.