When people think of villains in Gotham City, their minds quickly go to Joker, Riddler, or Penguin because they’re the most popular and have been in recent Batman projects. However, Two-Face’s chaos in the world’s most dangerous city can’t be ignored. He’s a smart criminal with a theme that keeps things entertaining. Sadly, his greatness hasn’t led to much. Writer Christian Ward and artist Fabio Veras changed that with their 6 issue run of Two-Face.
In a moment of honesty, this writer didn’t have high hopes for this series. How could a comic book starring Two-Face be entertaining? That question was quickly answered with the creative team did something different.
"I can still strive to make the world a better place despite the world having other ideas.Harvey Dent
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First, Harvey Dent and other criminals tried to make Gotham City a better place by bringing order and "justice" to the criminal underworld. The best part is they did it without sacrificing the grit, grime, and ridiculousness that comic fans love about Gotham City’s worst. It was done with the creation of the White Church.
The White Church was the most chaotic and violent court ever. Yet, somehow, the system worked despite the disorder. People were left satisfied because issues and crimes were justly resolved. Considering the parties involved, that was a feat. And when someone got out of line, they were brutally beaten or killed.
The White Church could have led to something great in an ongoing series. A violent and twisted version of Law and Order with an unlimited number of stories to tell. Every crime in the book and then some could have been used. Imagine Riddler on trial for the theft of the Mad Hatter’s tech (that really happened in Batman: The Dying City). Punchline vs Harley Quinn in a case that would become the definition of insanity. Or maybe there could have been an arc so wicked that it would push the boundaries of what DC Comics is known for.
I also can’t talk about this series without mentioning a new character named Lake Cantwell. They became someone this writer looked forward to because they continued to be interesting. They couldn’t be a good person because they knowingly worked with and for thieves and killers. However, you couldn’t help but root for them. Not only was Lake dealt a bad hand thanks to a gambling mother, but Lake also had to deal with the craziness of someone they looked up to, Harvey Dent/Two-Face. This leads to her being Harvey's savior throughout and also being saved by him.
"You were always my favorite. You were dangerous and scary. But smart and charming. I thought I could be part of your story. And now everything hurts."Lake Cantwell
Hopefully, this isn’t the last we’ll see of the characters and places introduced in this series. Gotham is a more violent place with them in it, but it’s also more fascinating. Maybe fans will continue to buy Two-Face, and DC Comics will bring it back. If that happens, I will be more than happy to pick up monthly copies and continue to praise the work of Christian Ward, Fabio Veras, and everyone else involved.
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