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Imagine how I felt when I learned that there existed an actual pseudo-philosophy known as Flipism, based around making all life decisions on the flip of a coin! And imagine my surprise when I learned that this idea is credited not to Harvey Dent, but rather to Donald Duck. No, seriously!
The short story is called "Flip Decision," and you can read the whole thing right here. Big thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
psychopathicus for finding that link! I'll be discussing the story in a bit, so you can read it before or after, but first I need to rant a bit about this story's legacy.
Thing is, I'm already well aware of how Carl Barks and Don Rosa's brilliant Duck comics were incredibly innovative and influential far beyond the realm of comics, "inspiring" at least two very famous movies and inventing/discovering several things, including areas of science and even--arguably--manga itself. As such, I wouldn't have been surprised if Barks originated the idea of flipping a coin to make decisions, and Kane just ripped him off because, well, Bob Kane.
Except that "Flip Decision" was released in 1953, eleven years after Two-Face's first appearance, and just one year before his eighth and final story of the Golden Age was released. While Kane and Finger did ride on influences such as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and the original Scarface, the actual use of the coin as an arbiter for all life decisions seems to be all Harvey's. He did it first. And yet, going by the Wikipedia entry for Flipism, Harvey warrants a teeny footnote in the philosophy! Hell, even the footnotes for similar stories such as The Dice Man and Anton Chigurh from No Country for Old Men warrant longer mentions! Bad enough that too many fans and writers see Harvey's use of the coin as a shallow gimmick, but that he gets such minimal lip service in the philosophy he pioneered in pop culture is maddening and inexcusable... isn't it?
Well, perhaps not. After all, outside the US and especially in Europe, Barks' Duck comics were (and still are) incredibly popular, probably more so than Batman comics. What's more, there are important differences between Two-Face and Flipism, each with their own thematic, literary, and satirical worth. Let's take a look at the comic itself, and I'll explain what I mean.
( Life is but a gamble! Let Flipism chart your ramble! )
Ultimately, I cannot argue with Flipism--as a concept--being centered around Donald rather than Harvey, since it's Donald's use which is the one better suited for philosophical and satirical discussion. Harvey himself is rife with philosophical and thematic goodness, but his use of the coin is more specifically relevant to him only. On the other hand, Harvey's coin use is more tragic and sympathetic, whereas Donald's just makes him an idiot who wants to let a hunk of metal do all the thinking for him. So it's a trade-off either way. Of course, both are selfish in their own ways, and while they may affect or even drag others into their games of chance, they're ultimately still flipping those coins for themselves.
This is what really unites Harvey, Donald, and the Dice Man, and what also separates them from No Country for Old Men's Anton Chigurh. That book, its film adaptation, and that character all warrant their own analysis at some point. Much as I hate to say it, I don't think there's ever been a time when Harvey's flipped the coin that's ever been as chilling as the scene of Chigurh in the gas station, and rest assured, we'll explore the reasons for that in due time.
Man, where else can a Two-Face fanblog go on a lengthy discussion about Donald Duck and end up with a shout-out to Cormac McCarthy? I've got something for everybody!
The short story is called "Flip Decision," and you can read the whole thing right here. Big thanks to
psychopathicus for finding that link! I'll be discussing the story in a bit, so you can read it before or after, but first I need to rant a bit about this story's legacy.Thing is, I'm already well aware of how Carl Barks and Don Rosa's brilliant Duck comics were incredibly innovative and influential far beyond the realm of comics, "inspiring" at least two very famous movies and inventing/discovering several things, including areas of science and even--arguably--manga itself. As such, I wouldn't have been surprised if Barks originated the idea of flipping a coin to make decisions, and Kane just ripped him off because, well, Bob Kane.
Except that "Flip Decision" was released in 1953, eleven years after Two-Face's first appearance, and just one year before his eighth and final story of the Golden Age was released. While Kane and Finger did ride on influences such as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and the original Scarface, the actual use of the coin as an arbiter for all life decisions seems to be all Harvey's. He did it first. And yet, going by the Wikipedia entry for Flipism, Harvey warrants a teeny footnote in the philosophy! Hell, even the footnotes for similar stories such as The Dice Man and Anton Chigurh from No Country for Old Men warrant longer mentions! Bad enough that too many fans and writers see Harvey's use of the coin as a shallow gimmick, but that he gets such minimal lip service in the philosophy he pioneered in pop culture is maddening and inexcusable... isn't it?
Well, perhaps not. After all, outside the US and especially in Europe, Barks' Duck comics were (and still are) incredibly popular, probably more so than Batman comics. What's more, there are important differences between Two-Face and Flipism, each with their own thematic, literary, and satirical worth. Let's take a look at the comic itself, and I'll explain what I mean.
( Life is but a gamble! Let Flipism chart your ramble! )
Ultimately, I cannot argue with Flipism--as a concept--being centered around Donald rather than Harvey, since it's Donald's use which is the one better suited for philosophical and satirical discussion. Harvey himself is rife with philosophical and thematic goodness, but his use of the coin is more specifically relevant to him only. On the other hand, Harvey's coin use is more tragic and sympathetic, whereas Donald's just makes him an idiot who wants to let a hunk of metal do all the thinking for him. So it's a trade-off either way. Of course, both are selfish in their own ways, and while they may affect or even drag others into their games of chance, they're ultimately still flipping those coins for themselves.
This is what really unites Harvey, Donald, and the Dice Man, and what also separates them from No Country for Old Men's Anton Chigurh. That book, its film adaptation, and that character all warrant their own analysis at some point. Much as I hate to say it, I don't think there's ever been a time when Harvey's flipped the coin that's ever been as chilling as the scene of Chigurh in the gas station, and rest assured, we'll explore the reasons for that in due time.
Man, where else can a Two-Face fanblog go on a lengthy discussion about Donald Duck and end up with a shout-out to Cormac McCarthy? I've got something for everybody!
