Jurisprudence

[cyberghostface]

Here's another Two-Face story from Greg Rucka with an interesting twist.

From Detective Comics #739. Two-Face has put Gordon under trial during the events of 'No Man's Land'.














 

Comments

[thatnickguy]

Such a great issue. It's one of the things that sold me on Rucka as a writer, which caused me to seek out his other work like Whiteout and his novels.

I trust you'll be posting the Two-Face story from Gotham Central, as well? Might as well carry on the Two-Face/Montoya train.

[cyberghostface]

I don't think I'll be posting it for this at least, maybe I'll do some Gotham Central posts in the future.

[alicemacher]

Clever and poignant. What more can one ask for in a Two-Face story?

[burkeonthesly]

This might be my all-time favorite Two-Face moment, right here.

[crimsonmoonmist]

Agreed. It's pretty much the foundation of how I view the character.

[burkeonthesly]

I think part of what I like so much about it is that it's Harvey beating Two-Face. For all that Two-Face likes to sneer at Harvey, bully him and call him weak, it was Harvey's convictions that didn't break--not on the toss of a coin, but on procedure and law. In the arena of the law, for just this one moment, Harvey Dent has beaten his demon and reclaimed some small portion of his soul. (Also, big props to Montoya for drafting the only lawyer in the room to Jim Gordon's defense.)

[riddler13]

True. And also shows Two-Face that, when it comes to doing his job, Harvey Dent is extremely competent, therefore boosting Dent's self-esteem

[kerithwyn]

Eternal favorite. Best Harvey. Rucka <3.

[dcbanacek]

This is up there with the issue where they have that dinner for Gordon's retirement and Two-Face crashes it, flips his coin, which comes up good and then gives a speech about all the good Gordon did during his tenure as Police Commissioner.

Harvey Dent, in my opinion, is the most heart-wrenching "what could have been" in the Batman mythos.

[zapbiffpow]

"Harvey Dent, in my opinion, is the most heart-wrenching "what could have been" in the Batman mythos."

Word. It's something that's been explored in The Long Halloween and The Dark Knight (and also Smallville, stated here). I wish there was an Elseworlds where he actually uses the scarring to his advantage as DA.

[bradygirl_12]

Harvey is such a tragic figure. Jim and Batman knew him before the acid, and they always hope for redemption, much like Smallville Clark will always hope that the Lex he knew is somewhere within Luthor.

[zylly]

I like this a lot. It's even better in the novelization.

[donnblake]

It's interesting to divide him into Harvey Dent and Two Face, when Two Face's whole thing is that he's half Harvey Dent. Has anyone ever given another name to his less wholesome side?

[dr_archeville]

Only one I can think of is "Big Bad Harvey" (from B:tAS).

[silicondream]

One of the best things about this (okay, nobody tell me that I've been reading it wrong all these years) is that we never actually see how the coin comes up. Harvey Dent represents Gordon against Two-Face. Is that a heads result with Dent doing the right thing? Or a tails result with Two-Face sending Dent to the stand anyway? Does it matter? If the trial is fair, and both sides have made their best case, what's left for a coin to decide?