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about_faces) wrote2010-10-22 12:58 am
about_faces) wrote2010-10-22 12:58 am
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IMPOSTORAMA: The Fake Two-Faces! No. 2: Paul Sloane (Part Two)
As we saw in the last post, Paul Sloane was notable as an impostor Two-Face because he was the only one who was genuinely scarred, genuinely nuts, and genuinely thought he was Two-Face, while the others were just pretenders trying to frame poor Harvey Dent.
Once Sloane was defeated, he sank into obscurity until 1987, when Mike W. Barr brought him back for this story, which also throws Harvey into the mix in a reversal of the typical Impostor story. As this cover might indicate:
The following are excerpts Detective Comics #580 an #581, by Mike W. Barr (who writes one of the corniest Two-Faces ever, full of terrible, smackable puns) with art by Jim Baikie.
First, a prologue, as the first hints of this story take place in Detective Comics #579, wherein Batman faces off against the Matthew Thorne, the CRIME Doctor (emphasis mine). Earlier in the issue, we get a quick moment with Thorne and a *hand wavy* mysteeerious client:
Seriously, why did Barr even bother trying to hide Harvey's identity here? What did he think he was accomplishing, story-wise? For kids reading this to think they're brilliant for figuring out who this character could be?
When you read these Two-Face stories, don't you ever wonder what would happen if the coin didn't come up scarred? "This my face! This strange suit! The coin! Should I let it speak? I must!" *flip* "... Oh. Good side up? Welp, back to bed."
I find it interesting that this Two-Face starts by attacking a sculptor, which is the profession of Harvey's wife, Gilda. The connection is clearly meant to play on the themes of aesthetic beauty and whatnot, which lends itself to the more shallow depictions of Two-Face as a vain person who's driven crazy when he becomes ugly (although even that motivation can be used to powerful effect with a good writer.)
Batman and Robin (Jason Todd) arrive, but Jason screws up by doing the Jason thing and rushing in headlong. Two-Face gets the jump on Robin, knocks him over the head, and makes use of the Boy Hostage to get away.
Note: It occurs to me that I probably should have posted the earlier story where we first learned that Two-Face killed Jason's father, but it's an even lamer story than this one, so I hope you can bear with me here.
If you're curious about the Jason-centric parts of this story, you can find them at this link, including bits I've omitted because 1.) Harvey's not involved, and 2.) I barely care about this story even when he is.
During the next heist, Batman realizes that this Two-Face is ambidextrous, whereas Harvey Dent--no matter which side is in control--is right-handed. Therefore, there's only ONE explanation: there are two different Two-Faces on the loose! Soon, Batman and Gordon realize that the other one is indeed Paul Sloane.
And just like Harvey, Paul's lifeline to sanity and goodness is his crying, suffering wife. An intentional parallel? Or just a lazy cliche? You decide!
Batman sets up a sting on Sloane, which also brings Harvey Dent into the picture:
Sloane puts Batman, Robin, and Harvey into a typical same-bat-time-same-bat-channel deathtrap, which goes predictably, but Harvey gets away. In the next issue, Batman finally gets to confront Sloane in a classic method for beating Two-Face: bring in the pleading wife!
Ah, that panel with Gordon, Batman, and a smiling Two-Face. I like to momentarily pretend that it's actually Harvey up there, and the old trio has been reunited. Alas, it's not to be.
Batman, Robin, Sloane, Gordon, and the cops sweep in to disrupt Harvey's heist:
... Harvey, he can't double-cross you if he wasn't at least pretending to be on your side in the first place. The worst part is, this isn't the first time some writer has had Harvey misuse "double-cross."
"... I thought I hated him for... for what he did. But I don't. I just kinda pity him... and in a way, that's worse."
"I know, chum. I know."
In the end, Sloane undergoes plastic surgery, and while recovering his wife assures him that "you'll be as handsome as ever."
There's not much I have to say about this story. It's frankly contrived as hell, and oy, the inking in the second half does not do Baikie any favors. Too bad Breyfogle didn't draw it. Too bad Breyfogle doesn't draw much of anything anymore.
As a bonus, here's the covers for these issues. The first one is one of my favorite Two-Face drawings of all time:
Whereas the second one is kind of cool until you wonder what the heck that one Two-Face is trying to do with his legs:
The idea of a new Two-Face is an intriguing prospect that should have been utilized while Harvey was "healed" in the years between Hush and Face the Face. A new Two-Face shouldn't be a carbon copy of the original, but should rather be used to explore themes of duality, fate, and justice in ways that Harvey Dent can't (or shouldn't), while Harvey himself could have gone on to have much more interesting character development as a wild card antihero.
That was the last appearance of this Paul Sloane, but thanks to a wonderful gem by Ed Brubaker, we're not done with the character just yet.
Once Sloane was defeated, he sank into obscurity until 1987, when Mike W. Barr brought him back for this story, which also throws Harvey into the mix in a reversal of the typical Impostor story. As this cover might indicate:
The following are excerpts Detective Comics #580 an #581, by Mike W. Barr (who writes one of the corniest Two-Faces ever, full of terrible, smackable puns) with art by Jim Baikie.
First, a prologue, as the first hints of this story take place in Detective Comics #579, wherein Batman faces off against the Matthew Thorne, the CRIME Doctor (emphasis mine). Earlier in the issue, we get a quick moment with Thorne and a *hand wavy* mysteeerious client:
Seriously, why did Barr even bother trying to hide Harvey's identity here? What did he think he was accomplishing, story-wise? For kids reading this to think they're brilliant for figuring out who this character could be?
When you read these Two-Face stories, don't you ever wonder what would happen if the coin didn't come up scarred? "This my face! This strange suit! The coin! Should I let it speak? I must!" *flip* "... Oh. Good side up? Welp, back to bed."
I find it interesting that this Two-Face starts by attacking a sculptor, which is the profession of Harvey's wife, Gilda. The connection is clearly meant to play on the themes of aesthetic beauty and whatnot, which lends itself to the more shallow depictions of Two-Face as a vain person who's driven crazy when he becomes ugly (although even that motivation can be used to powerful effect with a good writer.)
Batman and Robin (Jason Todd) arrive, but Jason screws up by doing the Jason thing and rushing in headlong. Two-Face gets the jump on Robin, knocks him over the head, and makes use of the Boy Hostage to get away.
Note: It occurs to me that I probably should have posted the earlier story where we first learned that Two-Face killed Jason's father, but it's an even lamer story than this one, so I hope you can bear with me here.
If you're curious about the Jason-centric parts of this story, you can find them at this link, including bits I've omitted because 1.) Harvey's not involved, and 2.) I barely care about this story even when he is.
During the next heist, Batman realizes that this Two-Face is ambidextrous, whereas Harvey Dent--no matter which side is in control--is right-handed. Therefore, there's only ONE explanation: there are two different Two-Faces on the loose! Soon, Batman and Gordon realize that the other one is indeed Paul Sloane.
And just like Harvey, Paul's lifeline to sanity and goodness is his crying, suffering wife. An intentional parallel? Or just a lazy cliche? You decide!
Batman sets up a sting on Sloane, which also brings Harvey Dent into the picture:
Sloane puts Batman, Robin, and Harvey into a typical same-bat-time-same-bat-channel deathtrap, which goes predictably, but Harvey gets away. In the next issue, Batman finally gets to confront Sloane in a classic method for beating Two-Face: bring in the pleading wife!
Ah, that panel with Gordon, Batman, and a smiling Two-Face. I like to momentarily pretend that it's actually Harvey up there, and the old trio has been reunited. Alas, it's not to be.
Batman, Robin, Sloane, Gordon, and the cops sweep in to disrupt Harvey's heist:
... Harvey, he can't double-cross you if he wasn't at least pretending to be on your side in the first place. The worst part is, this isn't the first time some writer has had Harvey misuse "double-cross."
"... I thought I hated him for... for what he did. But I don't. I just kinda pity him... and in a way, that's worse."
"I know, chum. I know."
In the end, Sloane undergoes plastic surgery, and while recovering his wife assures him that "you'll be as handsome as ever."
There's not much I have to say about this story. It's frankly contrived as hell, and oy, the inking in the second half does not do Baikie any favors. Too bad Breyfogle didn't draw it. Too bad Breyfogle doesn't draw much of anything anymore.
As a bonus, here's the covers for these issues. The first one is one of my favorite Two-Face drawings of all time:
Whereas the second one is kind of cool until you wonder what the heck that one Two-Face is trying to do with his legs:
The idea of a new Two-Face is an intriguing prospect that should have been utilized while Harvey was "healed" in the years between Hush and Face the Face. A new Two-Face shouldn't be a carbon copy of the original, but should rather be used to explore themes of duality, fate, and justice in ways that Harvey Dent can't (or shouldn't), while Harvey himself could have gone on to have much more interesting character development as a wild card antihero.
That was the last appearance of this Paul Sloane, but thanks to a wonderful gem by Ed Brubaker, we're not done with the character just yet.