Two-Face: Year One

[marksable]

THIS is more like it.

But let me get this straight, Harvey gets scarred before he's actually D.A.?

Sorry if I wasn't clearer. No...the series starts with him as DA (in the beginning or middle of Long Halloween, not to long after Batman Year One). He's running for re-election, and has no (physical) scars.

He gets scarred and becomes Two Face "offically" near the end of part 1 (it's two issues).

Issue Two...he's Two-Face and the election campaign is still going on with Harvey Dent still on the ballot. He decides to run anyway.

 

[marksable]

That's too bad about Rachael Dawes, man. That would have been cool.

I thought that way at first but I think it will work out nice. I created a new DA character that winds up being one of the major villains of the series, and a love interest I think Batman fans will like.

 

[marksable]

Hello Mark. Nice of you to join the forum to speak to us

If this were a Two Face story that we had not seen before, or that had been told poorly before, I'd pick this up post haste.

But it's not. It's a retelling of what was magnificently done in The Long Halloween with slight tweaks. It's the equivalent to a Hollywood remake of a classic movie, IMO.



Yes, I'm not buying them, either

Again, it's my pleasure to come by. I was a fan before I was a writer and I care what my audience thinks.

And again, it's your call not to buy it, but I really don't think it's a remake. Harvey's story was a subplot to Long Halloween, and you can't really say it's "slight tweaks" without really reading it. And issue 2, with Two-Face running for DA, is all new stuff that's never been done anywhere.

 

[Keyser Soze]

I think a big hook for me is going to be this storyline about Dent running for re-election as DA as Two-Face. Kinda reminds me of this:

I like it when writers think outside of the box for things to do with Two-Face - such as in "Crime & Punishment" or "Faces" - and this certainly seems to fit in that category. Also, with Mark talking about the other DA candidate being a "villain", we get the intriguing possibility that even as Two-Face, Dent is still the LESS dirty of the candidates in the running. t:

 

[marksable]

Very cool of you come on here and discuss the book, Mark.

What I've highlighted above sounds very much like what I'd want to see in a Harvey Year One story--epecially Batman actually impeding the criminal process. It seems like a lot of convictions could be tossed out because of unlawful seizures of evidence by Batman. (Full disclosure: I'm a fanboy who's wrapping up law school soon. Comics and casebooks are all I've read for the past three years, so seeing them come together would be perfect for me).

I don't know if your story will cover it, but I think that there's some room to show Harvey really wrestling with the idea that he has to violate the Constitution, and cover things up, in order to help Gotham. I think that'd be gut-wrenching for a D.A. who sincerely wants to help people. (If Gilda Dent is involved, it could raise the emotional stakes, too).

As for Harvey meeting Bruce: I think it might be cool to see, but I never liked the cartoon version where they were good friends. I think Harvey wouldn't have much use for an aloof, self-centered playboy. Plus, I like the idea of Harvey being more blue-collar than blue-blooded; so any prep school meeting wouldn't really fit my ideal.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing the books this summer. It sounds like you've got some great stuff in the works.

Ha...I'm actually a relatively recent law school graduate myself. I don't get too wonky with the law stuff, because a) I don't want to bore people to death and b) I wasn't that great of a law student. But yeah...any time you have a vigilante collecting evidence, apprehending suspects...that's not going to make the DA's job any easier.

Okay, I need to get back to my actual writing, and I don't want to flood the board with my responses. I try to check back in but thanks everyone for listening.

-Mark

 

[AutoDecept]

The very idea of Two-Face running for DA is both intriguing and hilarious. I wonder what the campaign posters would look like... t:

And thank you, Mr. Sable, for coming on the board to discuss this book.

 

[The Joker]

Again, it's my pleasure to come by. I was a fan before I was a writer and I care what my audience thinks.

And again, it's your call not to buy it, but I really don't think it's a remake. Harvey's story was a subplot to Long Halloween, and you can't really say it's "slight tweaks" without really reading it. And issue 2, with Two-Face running for DA, is all new stuff that's never been done anywhere.

Ok Mark, you know what, I'll give it a shot a buy the first couple of issues and see how I like them.

I admire your passion for your work, and your bravery for facing us comic book geeks here like this. We can be a tough crowd

 

[Cain]

I agree, and I think that's part of what sold DC on my take. There is definitely a big chunk of the book devoted to Harvey trying to clean up Gotham the right way, and how Batman, although an ally, can be something of an impediment than that. I certainly wrote Harvey as an anti-hero. So hopefully I didn't miss that opportunity.

It's good to see a professional writer finally realizing that even though they both are after a common goal in many ways their ideals on how to reach those ends are fairly different. This has always been more evident once Big Bad Harv has been released but you're putting a nice twist to it by exploring that angle through pre-accident Harvey, kudos on that.

To be frank I'm not familiar with your past work but I'm very familiar with your collaborators on this project though. I hope you guys all end up having a good and clear enough level of communication to get the vision that you all want to realize out there.

There have been too many times when writers and artists don't have a good enough rapport on a project and it hinders the finished work. If you guys are very clear with each about your goals then hopefully you guys truly will end up giving us something that is worth the $12 that us dedicated fans would've shelled out regardless of the quality.

Thanks for taking the time to give us feedback on this. It takes a fairly dedicated person who is truly passionate about his work on a project to take time out of his schedule to even bother with us "fanboys". That just shows that your heart is really into this project & it's not something you're just phoning in and I give you a lot of credit on that.

 

[The Guard]

quote]I think a big hook for me is going to be this storyline about Dent running for re-election as DA as Two-Face. Kinda reminds me of this:[/quote]

Hnnh. Yet another angle that's "been done". I kid, I kid.

I like how it's "two" books, though. Will each of them be 22 pages in length?

 

[Joker]

ARGH! MY EYES!!! THE GOGGLES! THEY DO NOTHING!

 

[Nepenthes]

Thanks. I re-read Long Halloween and Dark Victory (along with Batman: Year One) to make sure I wasn't screwing up continuity. Not specifically for this, I also read a lot of Gotham Central and other of Greg Rucka's Two-Face stories...I think he's done some interesting work with the character. I stayed away from Peter Milligan's book. I think he's a great writer, but as it was explained to me that focused on the genesis of his split personality, he did that well, and this story needed to start later than that. So without giving anything away...he's kind of in treatment for mental issues during the story, although that's a small part of it.

cool, thanks. Agreed on Greg Rucka he's one whose actually tried to move Two-Face a little ahead.

That Harvey would be in treatment makes perfect sense and must be a great way of exploring what's happened to him. And yeah although Harvey's been 'cured' like what 11 times now I guess the issue of plastic surgery does belong at the beginning of his story as much as anywhere else, probably more so even. The whole city would want to help him.

It will actually be interesting to see if there's a stage where Harvey's trying to save himself, maybe willingingly seeking surgery, before going full blown Two-Face.

I saved this from the manips thread ages ago. heh heh. mystery artist

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

Ok Mark, you know what, I'll give it a shot a buy the first couple of issues and see how I like them.

I admire your passion for your work, and your bravery for facing us comic book geeks here like this. We can be a tough crowd

yay!

Im willing to bet you enjoy it!

 

[BubbaGump]

Ok Mark, you know what, I'll give it a shot a buy the first couple of issues and see how I like them.

There's only 2 issues anyway...

 

[Riven]

This has been done. It's called THE LONG HALLOWEEN.

True... TLH shows them (Dent, Gordon, Bats) forming the alliance and doing some work together. But TLH was about SO many other things as well, that it kind of got buried beneath so much other brilliance. That's why I'm really looking forward to this, just exploring more of that unique time in the mythos when those three characters got together.

 

[Keyser Soze]

I must say, in light of the recent TDK-related revelations, I'm looking forward to this series even more.

 

[souloffire]

But TLH was about SO many other things as well, that it kind of got buried beneath so much other brilliance.

What other brilliance?

 

[Caveboy]

Again, it's my pleasure to come by. I was a fan before I was a writer and I care what my audience thinks.

And again, it's your call not to buy it, but I really don't think it's a remake. Harvey's story was a subplot to Long Halloween, and you can't really say it's "slight tweaks" without really reading it. And issue 2, with Two-Face running for DA, is all new stuff that's never been done anywhere.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=16447

Here is a link to an article of an interview with the writer and if you read on he plainly states that "this story is not a re-imagining or a retelling of Harvey Dents origin." I quoted the article because i can't say it better then the writer did. I have to say this story sounds really interesting. I read the Long Halloween that was pretty good, but didn't have a lot about Harvey Dent/Two-Face so I hope this will be as good because i think Two-Face's origin is really interesting and this story sounds new and exciting.

 

[Caveboy]

What other brilliance?

you mean you didn't like the long halloween. as i said in my last quote i thought it was good, but specifically i liked how it had this mystery story and showed batman as the detective which is really what dc comics are all about. i mean doesn't dc stand for detective comics? i didn't mean to go off my posts topic there. anyways all im saying is that this story was pretty good imo and im a little surprised that someone doesn't like it.

 

[TinkTonks]

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=16447

Here is a link to an article of an interview with the writer and if you read on he plainly states that "this story is not a re-imagining or a retelling of Harvey Dents origin." I quoted the article because i can't say it better then the writer did. I have to say this story sounds really interesting. I read the Long Halloween that was pretty good, but didn't have a lot about Harvey Dent/Two-Face so I hope this will be as good because i think Two-Face's origin is really interesting and this story sounds new and exciting.

Really nice article! Thanks for posting!!

 

[Greg]

Newsarama article about the book.

http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=158957

Sable's a fantastic and fun writer, so I'm done for this.

 

[BubbaGump]

From johnnygo on newsarama:

People who think that THE LONG HALLOWEEN is the definitive Two-Face origin seriously need to reread the book. It's not even a good Two-Face origin.

LONG HALLOWEEN is a deeply superficial book, more interested in misdirection and splashy empty action scenes than actual character and psychological depth, which may not be important for all characters but is essential for Harvey Dent. It spends far more time on horribly cliched dialogue, oblique references to the Godfather, and a murder mystery that just absolutely makes no sense (I could shoot holes though ______ being the killer for hours) than devoting anything more to Two-Face's origin than the following:

"Harvey is a good guy. Harvey is angry. He's now Two-Face. The end."

It goes no deeper than that.

I'm convinced that if Tim Sale hadn't been doing the gorgeous, gorgeous art, no one would care about LONG HALLOWEEN. Try to imagine it without Sale's art, and imagine if you'd still be interested. Maybe you would, but I bet many, many would see right through that painfully mediocre script. (Here's a fun drinking game: every time Loeb uses an ellipsis, take a shot! You'll be wasted by page three)

Honestly, do you want the true definitive Two-Face origin? Seek out BATMAN ANNUAL # 14, "Eye of the Beholder," by Andrew Helfer and Chris Sprouce. Not only did LONG HALLOWEEN ride its coat-tails just as hard as it did GODFATHER and YEAR ONE (right down the Harvey's assistant Adrian... oops, I mean Vernon Fields... groan), but it told his story with far power power, depth, weight, and tragedy. It's such a shame that it's not in print. It should have been included in the upcoming TWO-FACE TPB.

While Mr. Sable is not approaching Harvey the way I'd ideally like to see it done (or do myself), I applaud him for doing something decidedly different and unique with the origin. Give it a chance.

Posted for truth.

 

[Keyser Soze]

I hate how trendy it's become to crap on "The Long Halloween". But I've noticed that a lot in the comics, that when a story gets too "mainstream" and popular with the unwashed masses, a lot of elitists will start looking down their nose at it and picking holes in it. It's pretty much one step away from the uber-elitists who just utterly reject Batman, Spider-Man, Superman et. al because of their popularity, and will endlessly proclaim the superiority of their obscure favourites.

That said, I agree with the guy's praise of "Eye of the Beholder". Just a stunning, underrated story. And while there's elements I don't like ([BLACKOUT]Harvey being a killer before becoming Two-Face[/BLACKOUT]) the characterisation of Dent is handled excellently.

 

[BubbaGump]

I hate how trendy it's become to crap on "The Long Halloween". But I've noticed that a lot in the comics, that when a story gets too "mainstream" and popular with the unwashed masses, a lot of elitists will start looking down their nose at it and picking holes in it. It's pretty much one step away from the uber-elitists who just utterly reject Batman, Spider-Man, Superman et. al because of their popularity, and will endlessly proclaim the superiority of their obscure favourites.

OMG, DKR and Year One is tot4lly mainstream and they suckz0rs.

Nope, it's just TLH.

 

[Keyser Soze]

OMG, DKR and Year One is tot4lly mainstream and they suckz0rs.

Nope, it's just TLH.

You'd actually be surprised how much the current Miller-hate has led to people crapping on "Year One" and "The Dark Knight Returns" as well.

 

[Cain]

OMG, DKR and Year One is tot4lly mainstream and they suckz0rs.

Nope, it's just TLH.

Word I love those two stories like they were my own children especially Y1 and that's about as popular outside of the comic fanbase as you'd get with modern Batman comics. I've had problems with TLH since it first came out back when I was still in high school. I just don't think it's all that great at all I don't think it's horrendous either but it just doesn't resonate with me in no way like other Batman stories have.