Detective Comics #66
June 10, 1942
"The Crimes of Two-Face"
And with this issue, another iconic member of the Rogues Gallery is introduced - Two Face. One thing I find interesting is that he was originally called Harvey Kent. I wonder what the change to Dent was for. I can't help but feel it was more than just they forgot what they wrote. Maybe the editor thought it was best considering there was another man named Kent who was "super".
The story opens as D.A. Kent is trying Maroni, the mob boss. He has Batman on the stand, implicating Maroni for murder. Maroni, in front of everyone, splashes acid on Kent, the acid covering the left side of his face. It's interesting to note that the whole thing of the coin comes from Maroni, who had a lucky coin.
A month passes and the bandages are taken off and he is clearly deformed from the experience. Batman point out a world renowned plastic surgeon Ekhart, who might be able to save Harvey. The irony of this is that years later, actor Aaron Eckhart would play Two Face.
Harvey loses it as the public is repulsed by him. Even his fiancé can't bear to look at him. He takes Maroni's coin, scars one side and then flips it. And with that, his decision to follow a life of crime is made. It's interesting to note that for a few panels, we only see the right side of the face and then we get the full reveal and it is shocking, especially for 1940s comics.
He begins his career of crime, but there are times he proves to do good as the coin also determines when he will do good, like donating his stolen loot to charity. The public itself is divided about Two-Face because of his actions.
Two-Face plans to steal $20,000 from a bondman who will be boarding a double decker bus. They hijack the bus and pick up the bondsman. Batman and Robin spot the hijacking and leap down to the bus. There, Two-Face threatens to kill Batman, but he can't believe his former friend will do that.
Two-Face and his men fight the duo and bullets fly, one striking the driver. The bus goes out of control and Two-Face and his men leap from the bus. Robin manages to stop it from crashing into a building by throwing the hand brake.
Meanwhile, Two-Face struggles with his actions. Despite it, his evil side overpowers him and he decides to execute the one who shot the bus driver. He then plans to rob the double feature movie theater. Batman learns of the plan when he finds a crude map of the area that Two-Face dropped apparently during his escape.
At the theater, the audience is enjoying the latest Superman offering. Not sure if it's a movie, serial episode, or cartoon though, but it is cute to see it here. Two-Face has a filmed segment of himself ordered everyone to remain still as his men rob the rich patrons play on the screen. Batman and Robin arrive and take out the gang, but Two-Face escapes in a car. He spots a cop waving to him, but he keeps going. The cop shoots the tire out and Two-Face has to make his escape on foot.
He makes it back to his hideout where Batman is waiting for him. It turns out Batman heard the gunshot, brought on by the cop who was stopping the car from going down a one-way street. The cop knew nothing of who was in the car. Two-Face pulls a gun and Batman urges him to give up. Two-Face pulls out the coin and flips, but it lands on its side. Two-Face won't toss again, rather allowing Fate to choose his fate.
