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Batman: One Bad Day - Two-Face #1
- Writer:
- Mariko Tamaki
- Artist:
- Javier Fernandez
- Letterer:
- Ariana Maher
- Cover Artist:
- Javier Fernandez
- Publisher:
- DC
- Price:
- $7.99
- Release Date:
- 2022-09-20
- Colorist:
- Jordie Bellaire
Batman: One Bad Day - Two-Face #1 is the second story in a series of one-shots focusing on Batman's rogues' gallery. Each issue shines a light on one of eight Batman villains, with each issue brought to life by different creative teams. Batman: One Bad Day - Two-Face #1 is written by Mariko Tamaki, with art by Javier Fernandez, colors by Jordie Bellaire, and letters from Nate Piekos of Blambot. The issue shows the tragic duality of Harvey Dent and his villainous alter ego Two-Face. This series is inspired by the iconic Joker tale by Alan Moore, The Killing Joke, where the Joker tells the story of how one bad day changes a person's life forever. Batman: One Bad Day - Two-Face #1 tells the story of how the legacy of a good man can be taken away.
Harvey Dent is one of Batman's most tragic villains. Bruce Wayne used to see Dent as an ally in cleaning up the streets of Gotham City before the horrific event that turned Dent into Two-Face. Batman: One Bad Day - Two-Face #1 follows Gotham's fallen hero as he tries to get his life back together. Tamaki explores an interesting tense dynamic between the once brutal criminal and The Dark Knight. Everyone's distrust for Dent radiates throughout the issue.
Tamaki writes Batman: One Bad Day - Two-Face #1 in a way that grips readers right away, showing that there are two sides to every person, and rarely do those two sides clash without violence. The story quickly establishes the violence Two-Face has inflicted upon Gotham's citizens. Tamaki's writing shines the most when characters are faced with the consequences of their actions. She makes it known that Batman will not pick and choose who he defends and that everyone is worthy of his protection. Batman: One Bad Day - Two-Face #1 questions the morals of the protectors of Gotham and challenges who readers will think is right in the end.
Fernandez and Bellaire's artwork ties the story together. Fernandez does impeccable work showing Dent's face and how twisted Two-Face appears on each page. Each individual face muscle draws the reader's attention to the scarred side of his face. Bellaire's colors highlight the dark gloominess of the city in Batman: One Bad Day - Two-Face #1 and the bloody vibrancy of Dent's scarred face. The story flows incredibly well and reads quickly, thanks to Maher's lettering. She uses different fonts to subtly illustrate the differences between Dent and Two-Face to reinforce the story's theme.
Batman: One Bad Day - Two-Face #1 is another strong installment in the One Bad Day series. As much as these issues focus on the villains, they also do a tremendous job of challenging Batman. These villain-centric stories are an interesting way to tell new and exciting stories of characters who have been around for years. Batman: One Bad Day - Two-Face #1 has strong writing by Tamaki and equally impressive art by Fernandez and Bellaire that will continue to keep readers hooked on this series.