Batman: Two Faces
Encyclopedia
Batman: Two Faces is a DC Comics
Elseworlds
special published in 1998
. Written by Dan Abnett
and Andy Lanning
, pencilled by Anthony Williams
and features Tom Palmer
as the inker.
This story is based on the novel Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
. A Victorian-era Bruce Wayne tries to purge both his own evil side and that of Two-Face while a serial killer named the Joker roams the streets.
Bruce blames himself for Pamela's death, and Alfred tries to comfort him. Bruce reveals that he hopes to create a potion derived from the flower, which was retrieved from Miss Isley's dead hands, a potion which would cure Two Face from his dual personality. Finalizing the potion, Bruce tests it on himself. He suddenly develops super-human strength, agility and a new sense of courage and purpose. He puts together a costume and sets off to battle crime on Two Face's terms.
While Batman destroys Two Face's criminal empire, Annie, a prostitute who works at Selina Kyle's brothel accompanies a strange gentleman. The man starts laughing hysterically and kills Annie, who is revealed to be his fourth victim.
Commissioner Gordon asks Bruce Wayne for help, this serial killer who calls himself the Joker is murdering women and mutilating them to look like they are smiling. Bruce dons his cape and cowl and gets ready to take down the psychopath. Selina Kyle, donning a crime-fighting outfit of her own, attacks him. After revealing to her his identity, they decide to team up in their efforts to capture the smiling murderer.
Selina comes upon the Joker, attacking a group of Two Face's lackeys. Selina tries her best to stop him, but she is no match for his super-human strength. She tries to run, but is injured by the Joker, and by the time Batman arrives to her help, her condition has gotten worse. She is paralyzed from the waist down and will never walk again. Alfred tries to convince Bruce to stop drinking the potion, which seems to be having some detrimental effects. Bruce dismisses his advice and consumes a more powerful batch. He falls in a deep sleep and wakes up with a head full of revelations. He writes a letter to Gordon, and another to Two Face, summoning them to a meeting that will be most revealing.
Batman reveals to Gordon that he is putting himself at the Law's mercy, and to Two Face that he has a potion that may cure him of his duality. He handcuffs himself and then transforms into the Joker, the opposite side of the Batman. Just as one side was courageous and doing his best to stop crime, the other was bent on destruction and chaos. Two Face, Gordon and the Joker fight, and just as the Joker is about to kill Harvey, the Batman takes control of Bruce's body and he falls to his death. Acting upon Bruce's last wishes, Two Face takes the potion and creates a new identity for himself, a superhuman who dons the cape and cowl of Batman, fighting for the side of justice.
Perry refers to a story that occurred in Bavaria
around the same time as this tale, one that is filled with Inhuman tragedy and blasphemous outrages against nature. This is revealed in the sequel, The Superman Monster
to be a retelling of Frankenstein
featuring the Superman
cast.
Other Elseworlds that involve Jack the Ripper:
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
Elseworlds
Elseworlds
Elseworlds is the publication imprint for a group of comic books produced by DC Comics that take place outside the company's canon. According to its tagline: "In Elseworlds, heroes are taken from their usual settings and put into strange times and places — some that have existed, and others...
special published in 1998
1998 in comics
-Spring:* Gay Comix , with issue #25, publishes its final issue -October:* Toy Biz buys Marvel Comics* Excalibur is canceled by Marvel with issue #125.-November:...
. Written by Dan Abnett
Dan Abnett
Dan Abnett is a British comic book writer and novelist. He is a frequent collaborator with fellow writer Andy Lanning, and is known for his work on books for both Marvel Comics, and their UK imprint, Marvel UK, since the 1990s, including 2000 AD...
and Andy Lanning
Andy Lanning
Andy Lanning is a British comic book writer and inker, known for his work for Marvel Comics and DC Comics, and for his collaboration with Dan Abnett.-Career:Lanning works primarily at Marvel Comics and DC Comics as an inker...
, pencilled by Anthony Williams
Anthony Williams (comics)
Anthony Williams is a Welsh comic book artist.-Biography:He broke into comics at Marvel UK, drawing for the series Action Force, The Real Ghostbusters and Transformers, among others...
and features Tom Palmer
Tom Palmer (comics)
-Biography:Although Palmer has done a small amount of pencilling work , the vast majority of his artistic output since the 1960s has been as a comic book inker...
as the inker.
This story is based on the novel Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
. A Victorian-era Bruce Wayne tries to purge both his own evil side and that of Two-Face while a serial killer named the Joker roams the streets.
Main characters
- Bruce Wayne: A millionaire and celebrated criminologist, he desperately wants to help his now insane friend Harvey Dent.
- AlfredAlfred PennyworthAlfred Pennyworth is a fictional character that appears throughout the DC Comics franchise. The character first appears in Batman #16 , and was created by writer Bob Kane and artist Jerry Robinson. Alfred serves as Batman’s tireless butler, assistant, confidant, and surrogate father figure...
: Bruce Wayne's butler and confidant. - The JokerJoker (comics)The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
: a grinning homicidal maniac who carves his victims' faces into smiles. He preys on prostitutes, making him akin to Jack the RipperJack the Ripper"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the...
. - Selina KyleCatwomanCatwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...
: Owner of a brothel and a masked crime-fighter who looks out for the girls under her protection. While Selina Kyle is obviously based on Catwoman, her costume is similar to that of Black CanaryBlack CanaryBlack Canary is the name of two fictional characters, DC Comics superheroines created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino. The first Black Canary debuted appeared in Flash Comics #86 . The first Black Canary was the alter-ego of Dinah Drake, who took part in Golden Age adventures...
and her fate (crippled by the Joker) reflects that of Barbara GordonBarbara GordonBarbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
, making her something of a composite character. - Two-FaceTwo-FaceTwo-Face is a fictional comic book supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. and is an enemy of Batman. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #66 , and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger....
: District Attorney Harvey Dent was driven into a state of schizophrenic insanity when half his face was hideously scarred. Described as a theatrical criminal, he has an obsession with dual natures and the number two.
Secondary characters and cameos
- Peregrine White: in this story, Perry WhitePerry WhitePerry White is a fictional character who appears in the Superman comics. White is the Editor-in-Chief of the Metropolis newspaper the Daily Planet.White maintains very high ethical and journalistic standards...
is the proprietor of the Daily Planet. - Pamela Isley: The Botanical Institute's chief officer.In this story, Pamela Isley is blond, while she is normally represented as being red-haired.
- Detective BullockHarvey Bullock (comics)Harvey Bullock is a fictional character from DC Comics' Batman titles.-Fictional character biography:Prior to the 1984-85 DC maxi-series Crisis on Infinite Earths, Bullock is a crooked police detective under instructions from Gotham City's Mayor Hamilton Hill to sabotage Commissioner Gordon's career...
: makes a brief appearance in the investigation of Batman. - Annie: the Joker's fourth victim, she was a friend and employee of Selina Kyle. She may be named after Annie Chapman, who was Jack the Ripper's second victim.
Plot
It's the year 1886, Bruce Wayne is organizing a gala to exhibit the Twilight Orchid, a rare flower with unique characteristics, during the day, the flower is exquisitely colored and perfumed and attracts a large amount of insects. At night however, it turns into a weed, attracting only pests. Miss Pamela Isley, Bruce Wayne, Commissioner Gordon and many of Gotham's finest attend the gala when Two Face storms in and steals the flower. Bruce attempts to stop the criminal, but he easily bests him and takes Pamela as a hostage. As Two Face and his thugs escape, they kill Pamela while Bruce Wayne watches helplessly.Bruce blames himself for Pamela's death, and Alfred tries to comfort him. Bruce reveals that he hopes to create a potion derived from the flower, which was retrieved from Miss Isley's dead hands, a potion which would cure Two Face from his dual personality. Finalizing the potion, Bruce tests it on himself. He suddenly develops super-human strength, agility and a new sense of courage and purpose. He puts together a costume and sets off to battle crime on Two Face's terms.
While Batman destroys Two Face's criminal empire, Annie, a prostitute who works at Selina Kyle's brothel accompanies a strange gentleman. The man starts laughing hysterically and kills Annie, who is revealed to be his fourth victim.
Commissioner Gordon asks Bruce Wayne for help, this serial killer who calls himself the Joker is murdering women and mutilating them to look like they are smiling. Bruce dons his cape and cowl and gets ready to take down the psychopath. Selina Kyle, donning a crime-fighting outfit of her own, attacks him. After revealing to her his identity, they decide to team up in their efforts to capture the smiling murderer.
Selina comes upon the Joker, attacking a group of Two Face's lackeys. Selina tries her best to stop him, but she is no match for his super-human strength. She tries to run, but is injured by the Joker, and by the time Batman arrives to her help, her condition has gotten worse. She is paralyzed from the waist down and will never walk again. Alfred tries to convince Bruce to stop drinking the potion, which seems to be having some detrimental effects. Bruce dismisses his advice and consumes a more powerful batch. He falls in a deep sleep and wakes up with a head full of revelations. He writes a letter to Gordon, and another to Two Face, summoning them to a meeting that will be most revealing.
Batman reveals to Gordon that he is putting himself at the Law's mercy, and to Two Face that he has a potion that may cure him of his duality. He handcuffs himself and then transforms into the Joker, the opposite side of the Batman. Just as one side was courageous and doing his best to stop crime, the other was bent on destruction and chaos. Two Face, Gordon and the Joker fight, and just as the Joker is about to kill Harvey, the Batman takes control of Bruce's body and he falls to his death. Acting upon Bruce's last wishes, Two Face takes the potion and creates a new identity for himself, a superhuman who dons the cape and cowl of Batman, fighting for the side of justice.
Perry refers to a story that occurred in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
around the same time as this tale, one that is filled with Inhuman tragedy and blasphemous outrages against nature. This is revealed in the sequel, The Superman Monster
The Superman Monster
The Superman Monster is an Elseworlds tale, combining the elements of the Superman mythos with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It was written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, was pencilled by Anthony Williams, and was published by DC Comics in 1999.-Plot:At the Gotham City Iceberg Lounge in 1888,...
to be a retelling of Frankenstein
Frankenstein
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
featuring the Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
cast.
See also
Other Elseworlds that involve Jack the Ripper:
- Gotham by Gaslight
- JLA: The Island of Dr. Moreau
- Wonder Woman: AmazoniaWonder Woman: AmazoniaWonder Woman: Amazonia is a comic book one-shot published by DC Comics under its Elseworlds imprint. As with all Elseworlds it tells a non-canon story of a DC hero, this time Wonder Woman, outside of regular continuity and is set in the 19th Century...