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Dave Scrimgeour & Kevin McCluskey   Writer- Sam Hamm Artist- Joe Quinones Colourist- Leonardo Ito Letterer- Clayton Cowles Editor- Andrew Marino Published by DC Comics 12/10/2021 SynopsisHarvey Dent becomes the toast of Gotham, a hero to the masses, as he rescues the young Drake Winston from the inferno of the burning garage, becomes Governor, gets the girl, in Commissioner Barbara Gordon....in his unconscious fantasy. In reality, Drake Winston and Bruce Wayne are the ones rescuing him, becoming the media darlings in the process, and Harvey sustains the physical injuries and psychological fissure that will come to define him. Dave So, in terms of the cover, I know we have previously looked at the variant covers in the back of this graphic novel collection, but is the actual cover that of Barbara with the Bat emblem pose? Kev Yeh, that's the one. And the proper '89 outfit Bat-emblem as well. Dave It's such an iconic emblem. I like this cover, Batman is suspect number one, and the colouring is excellent. The yellow plays well against the various shades of blue, and it's a great image of Barbara, looking like she means business, and very much like a '90's Winona Ryder. Plus, the Batman mask on display works so well in the background, with the great use of shadow really throwing back to the films of the time. Kev It's a cracking cover, alright. Even down to the artist's renditions of Batman from the '89 movie on the evidence board as well. Dave That's a good panel, as Dent rushes out from the flames, it's very striking and eye catching.  "Fire, I'll take you to burn." Kev Yeh. Harvey Dent undoubtedly being a hero here. The question is; would he have done it without the crowd or the press there? Would he have done it if it wasn’t a political opportunity? And "Robin" being called Drake hits a bit different, post the Kendrick Lamar feud. Too many paedophile jokes just waiting in the wings. Dave Something doesn't quite ring true here, with how well Harvey is, and then this sudden jump in the timeline of the story. There's so much going on so quickly and, of course, Dent is a celebrated hero who really is relishing the limelight. This reminds me of the 2019 'Joker' movie, how his fantasy scenes showed how much he desired everyone to admire him, and how he's on top of everything. Plus, the whole Commissioner Gordon resigning and Bruce Wayne "flipped" piece is building-up to a meticulously constructed fantasy, just as reality quickly kicks in on the next page, but I did like the twist as well. The unravelling of Harvey's sanity, "Dents Inferno," is another example of how much he secretly likes the limelight. Kev I thought the reveal was fantastic, man. It really suckered me in, despite, as you say, the Dent ego driven fantasy elements being a clue as to this not being grounded in reality; Dent’s getting Drake’s vote now that he’s saved his life for example, and Commissioner Gordon being gone as well. Is Drake even old enough to vote? I also love the media stuff, like the Governor being involved in an “ongoing sex scandal.” It's all too realistic. And I love that little Easter egg of the promo of Prince shot for the ‘89 movie on the TV. That’s a lovely touch. This is an excellent opening to an issue, and I suspect it would’ve been even more effective if you were reading this month to month as the single issues were released. I say month to month, but the scheduling of these '‘89' comics have been horrifically delayed. They’re borderline impossible to recall what happened in previous issues, it’s so long between them. But to allocate the first three or four pages, not far off a fifth of the issue, to a concussed Harvey Dent dream/fantasy is a bold choice by Hamm and Quinones. And very much a screenwriter's technique. It's probably quite a difficult one to pull off in comics, but they manage it, and make it seem effortless. Dave Good spot with the Prince promo shot, I didn't picked up on that. Kev It could've just been that I watched a Minty '10 Things You Didn't Know about Batman '89' video on YouTube a few days before we're discussing this issue where he referenced that Prince photo, that made me aware of it. Dave It did sucker me in as well, and I liked that it did, as it suddenly just turns, and then we see what's actually going on. Everything seems to be going too well in this constructed fantasy. Kev For Harvey, definitely. He's the flawless hero in his own fantasy. Dave But really, Harvey is struggling with his psyche, and this issue is a real exploration into it. Essentially, we've got Harvey, the guy trying to hold it together, doing everything above board in a "lawful" manner, but his destiny is to become Two-Face, so it's time to start the mental unravelling of this character. And it's Bruce and Drake that drag him out of the inferno. I see a lot of references to Nolan's 'Dark Knight' in this, with Harvey slowly transforming into the villain. Kev Definitely. This does feel like the Nolan Two-Face. Certainly more so than it does the Schumacher one. Particularly with his face burning as it's on the ground. And this tragedy is just the push that Harvey needs to put him over the edge. Things start to unfold at a breakneck pace after this though; we see Bruce and Drake work together to save Harvey’s life, get a little glimpse of the chemistry between them, we get to see the extent of Dent’s injuries/the reveal of his look as Two Face, and the fact that Drake has witnessed Bruce doing some Batman shit (albeit without the cape and cowl). Dave Yeah, I do like that little moment with Bruce and Drake working together, it's very subtly done here, but it shows the chemistry that they will begin to forge. Oh yeah, that build up to his reveal is great. It really does go for a more horrific look, but it's not over the top. It's a lot like the Nolan look, and I suppose it should be disturbing, whereas the Schumacher Two Face was essentially just a cartoonish version of the character that was more akin to the 60's show. That's a great panel as his face is revealed, with the flames in the background. It's visually striking, and the colour art on it is great.  "I'll see you burn." Kev Yeh, I love that panel. Dave And we get more interaction between Bruce and Drake, and another Robin reference as Drake talks about, "keeping birds." Kev Ah, good catch. I hadn't thought of that, right enough. Bruce, especially after earlier events in this story, is understandably reluctant to have his photo taken. Playing up to the reclusive millionaire act, yes, but also reducing the chances of people having access to quite as many images of him that might be used as evidence to determine his identity as his alter-ego. Dave Yeah, for a guy trying to keep a low profile, he has really thrust himself into the limelight now. Kev Ha, ha! Little bit, yeh. Dave It is in keeping with the Keaton Wayne, who wasn't really one for being in public too much though. Kev That's true. Particularly in the first movie. Dave Yeah. Things aren't looking good for Harvey at this stage, nor for Bruce's low profile.  Bruce Wayne having the same reaction to having his photograph taken as Kev does. For different reasons though. Kev Nope. Absolutely not. Hamm and Quinones do an excellent job of conveying the chaos in the immediate aftermath of an incident like that fire. It’s manic, and scattershot. Dave It's very much back to reality, and the aftermath of what's happening, and we, the reader, are right in the thick of it as well. The pacing is great here also, taking it meticulously, with events almost unfolding in real time. It's great writing and storytelling. Its a real whack in the face for all involved. Kev Yeh, I like Alred’s double entendres. “...rouse” Bruce from his “pleasant dream.” Oooh errr! I also like Bruce doing the swift maths as to the number of calls Alfred has said he’s received, and I love that Bruce has continued to look after Selina’s cat. That’s a nice touch. It's a immensely satisfying little bit of continuity. That's a good bit of business with the cat sitting on Alfred’s shoulder too. Very amusing. Dave Yeah, the dream sequence with Bruce, and then the cat is another nice touch. And, I agree, I like that panel with the cat on Alfred's shoulder too. He does not look like happy man. Kev No. He's had it with that bloody cat. Dave The cat's taking over Wayne manor. They are even catching Bruce's idiosyncratic behaviours when getting quizzed by the reporter. It's very much in the style of Keaton's Bruce, with his stuttering, hesitations and sudden changes in what he says. Kev Definitely. I guess it helps that they were written by the same guy. Dave Actually, the artwork in terms of likeness with Bruce and Alfred is looking very good, it's absolutely in keeping with them looking like Michael Keaton and Michael Gough. That pic of Alfred on the phone, for example, bears a really good resemblance. Also, we are getting far more interactions with Bruce and Drake. The relationship between these guys is beginning to be explored here. Kev Yeh, Drake proves that he's trustworthy, by not grassing Bruce up to Bullock here. Dave The rooftop pose of Catwoman, with the moon in the background, is a nice touch as well. Slinky Selina. Kev Still, no trousers though. Even more sexualised than she was in the movie. And she was pretty sexualised in that as it was.  Alfred Pennyworth is a magnet for kitties. Is it the 'tache? The 'tache? It's gotta be the 'tache. Dave The "Bruce Wayne, Superhero!" headline is a clever touch, as it is hitting too close to home for Bruce. And that's a great panel of him reading the paper, with the cat on the bed, and Alfred putting the flowers down. It's an excellent wide shot, with great attention to detail and colours in it. Also, that's a nice exterior shot of Wayne Manor, with the press pitched up outside. Damn reporters and paparazzi!  Is Bruce a millionaire or a billionaire at this point? And is he evading taxes? Enquiring minds want to know. Kev Yeh, there's a great "depth of field" to that panel, for sure. That's another thing that really helped ground this story in reality for me. I could imagine exactly that sort of thing happening to Bruce, if Gotham was a real place. Dave Add to that, the arsonists have been caught and then released due to the "justice system." The reality of what would also happen without following the correct judicial processes. And the comment about how, had it been a rich white guy like Bruce Wayne that had been burned alive, as opposed to a black man from a poor neighbourhood like Burnside, the perpetrators would have been in the gas chamber, automatically convicted. Another great touch of realism, and grounding of this story. Kev Definitely. Hamm hasn’t been shy about pointing out Bruce Wayne's rich white man privileges in this story at all. To follow on from a point you made earlier; Hamm is playing around with an idea that Nolan toyed with in ‘The Dark Knight’ as well, that if Harvey was placed in a position of enough influence in Gotham, the city wouldn’t need Bruce to be Batman. It could be construed as being selfish on Bruce’s part, particularly here, as it helps alleviate his guilt at the earlier outcome of one of his outings at Batman, but it’s certainly understandable. If Dent was in place, Bruce could have a “normal” life. Or at least as close to something approaching one that someone like Bruce could have. Dave Bruce's desperate attempts to get Harvey "mended" are coming from a need to get him to a place where he is the true hero of Gotham, but he's blinded by this. Kev Absolutely. More of that Nolan stuff you were talking about. Dave I like the cut to Harvey and the start of his madness, as Two-Face is starting to emerge. Harvey already suffers from a split personality, the public Harvey trying to hold it together, and the personal Harvey who is aware that doing it "above board" isn't necessarily working, due to all the bureaucracy of the legal and criminal justice system. The public Harvey is not winning over the people, and Harvey who, in a way, is also quite ego-driven, and slightly fantasy bound, as we saw in his dream, just wants to be admired and adored. I think this is why Two-Face works so well. The sides of the coin represent the different facets of his personality, but Harvey is a kind-of a risk taker anyway. Kev Yeh, he likes a gamble, does "Big Harv." Always willing to bet on himself. Clayton Cowles lettering has also been fantastic throughout this series. For example, the use of the speech balloons to illustrate the switching between personalities that's starting to occur with Harvey. Regular, smooth balloons when it’s “Harvey,” more ragged balloons when it’s “Two-Face.” When you’re able to use the shape of the speech balloons as a storytelling device, you’ve got me. I’m in. I love all that stuff. Dave It's very much an in-depth character study of a psyche, which is now fragmented and shattered. The question is; how much of that was already there? It's just taken this incident to bring it to the forefront. Harvey has had a pretty rough childhood for sure. Again, there's that similarity to the 'Joker' movie, where the fantasy is to stop him from dealing with the trauma that has happened to him, and his attempts to block it out and not deal with how he really felt. Kev Yeh, Harvey's existence has always been "split" his entire life, so I reckon it didn't take much to nudge him over the edge to becoming Two Face. Dave I like that little sequence with Harvey inside his head, and then how it shifts from Harvey to Barbara. Bearing in mind the pain he's in, he must be drugged up to the hilt on morphine Kev Yep. His "beautiful wife." The drug induced stupor he's in is likely amplifying this flight of fancy. He's a fascinating character, alright. And all this serves to make it even more frustrating that we never got to see Billy Dee Williams bring this to the big screen. Dave I really like that scene with Harvey and Barbara, and the coin. There is a slow build of tension as to how Harvey is transforming more and more into Two Face, and that slightly maniacal grin on the bottom panel works so well. It's a great place for a scene change. And we also get a cut straight to another throwback reference in the shape of the piece of paper with Shreck's logo.  Glad it's working out for somebody, Harv. Kev Yeh, the coin is becoming invaluable to him. He's becoming inseparable from it really. And him relishing the idea of all these different universes that he can unlock with each flip is an aspect of the coin that I haven't really seen explored too much anywhere else really. Dave "Bruce. The White Knight Returns." More references here. Kev Yep. Those 'White Knight' comics by Sean Murphy are really good as well. I loved the little references to Shreck's empire in this. It also serves as a nice linking device between this scene and the next. That “silent” page, of Batman and Catwoman in Gotham City, is amazing. Leonardo Ito’s colour work is just outstanding in this. He’s creating such a palpable tone, mood, and atmosphere. Dave Yeah, page 16 is great. There are so many great panels on it. And like you said, no dialogue. Just storytelling through movement. Kev Yeh. It's fantastic. Dave That's another reference to the Keaton movies; that panel as Batman is looking up. Kev Definitely. That's the rooftop, or Axis Chemical scene again, right there. It's essentially the same "shot." Dave Batman and Catwoman are wasting no time getting up close and personal when they meet each other. Kev Yeh, this book is just as kinky and horny as ‘Returns’ was.  ".....a kiss can be even deadlier....." Dave I like how Batman panics when Catwoman tells him she talks to her shrink about their relationship. Things are going from bad to worse for Bruce here. Kev Ha, ha! Dave And Bruce piecing together that her shrink is none other than Harley Quinn is a nice way to bring her into the story. Kev I thought so too. Hamm is definitely, perhaps not so subtly, using Selina to critique the Batman mythos here; the "billionaires’ boys' club," the "not noticing the criminals (he) has lunch with,” the 14 year old boy who thinks he’s (his) sidekick,” who “wears a little yellow cape…” Dave Yeah, it doesn't take long for their sexual attraction to quickly turn into a difference of opinions. Kev Nope. Dave Things always gets heated between those two. Kev And that's a huge part of what makes them so hot for each other. This is a fantastic continuation of the Batman/Bruce Wayne and Catwoman/Selina Kyle relationship. The one we got to see in 'Returns,' that is. Dave That’s a great panel as we see Batman and Catwoman stand on the roof top and watch the city in flames. It's very Crow-esque also. I love the contrast in colours. The bright orange flames against the dark colours of the building rooftop and the Bat and Cat.  Devil's Night in Gotham. Kev I thought exactly the same thing. That panel is fantastic. Stunning work by Quinones and Ito. Dave It seems like this is where Harvey finally turns into Two Face, with the flipping of the coin, as the news talks about how he is fighting for the soul of Gotham, and he says, "To hell with it." All in the flip of a coin. It's such a great piece of characterisation. Kev Yeh, the coin is such a simple motif to illustrate Harvey's duality, but it's so effective. This is a good scene to end a chapter on. It actually feels like we're entering the second act of a stage play here, with, as you say, Harvey fully embracing Two Face and abandoning any desire he has to save Gotham. Dave Indeed. Again, I think this is another cracking issue. It's so well put together, with great artwork, but also the storytelling is really taking over. Especially in this chapter, as so much is happening and unfolding, and I loved the journey into Harvey's unravelling mind. I also liked how the relationship between Bruce and Drake is starting to slowly solidify because, after all, this is the stepping stone to Batman and Robin becoming a partnership. And it's a fresh take on it as well. How did you find it? Kev I'm loving this series so far. Absolutely loving it. You could argue that it's completely tailor made for us, due to us being just the right age when the 'Batman' movie came out in '89, and getting to experience that Batmania firsthand. As a result, I probably couldn't be objective about this even if I tried, but I think it goes beyond that. It's turning out to be even better than I thought it would be. Better even than I hoped it would be. It's surpassing all my expectations, and that's saying something, because I was pretty excited for this series from the day it was announced. Hamm, Quinones, Ito and Cowles are completely nailing this. I'm finding myself completely immersed in Burton's Batman world, Burton's Gotham City once again, and Burton's not even involved here. That Dent fantasy sequence duping me the way it did being a perfect example of just how immersed in it I am. I'm 12-15 years old again when I'm reading these, and if this series can do that for me, particularly taking me back to when I was 12, when I was a lot happier, and comics were my absolute life, and if it can make me almost literally see the world through Ben-Day dots again, then it's always going to be a winner for me. Dave Very true. We were part of that era and know how big Batmania was back in '89. We experienced it firsthand, and this series is a perfect nod to it. Kev It really is, isn't it? I'm really conscious of the fact that, it seems like if you just hang around long enough, all those things you wanted when you were a kid, will eventually come around for you, decades upon decades later. Ha, ha! Just stay alive kids. Just keep on keeping on. Dave 1989 really was the 'Summer of the Bat,' and we had to wait till after the school holidays were done before we could see it. Kev Were the school holidays over by the time we got to see it, yeh? Dave Yep. It came out around the end of them, just as we were going back to school. Hence we had to wait until the Saturday for a trip to the Cannon Cinema. Kev That would make sense why we had to go to see it on the Saturday afternoon, right enough, yeh. Dave Yeah. Well seems like a good point to end on before we spend the next couple of hours going down memory lane. Let's save that for another time. (D) & (K) Next: 'Heads Or Tails?' 
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