Random Happenstance

The last Two-Face appearance we looked at was his last full one before the New 52; at least he gets co-billing this issue! From 2014, Batman and Robin Two-Face #28, "The Big Burn: Inferno" Written by Peter J. Tomasi, pencils and inks by Patrick Gleason, additional inks by Mick Gray. This was during the stretch when Damian was dead, so different characters got cover billing even if the actual title of the book didn't change. 

As usual, we're coming in mid-story here: Batman is racing to save Harvey Dent, before he's murdered on live TV by masked "benefactors" with a "vested interest in keeping (Gotham) safe and secure..." Bats gives his prisoner Erin McKillen the option to do the right thing, but she's obviously stalling, so he has to figure out the undisclosed location himself, ejecting her from the Batmobile. The benefactors light up the witness stand around Two-Face with flamethrowers, but Batman arrives in time to save him and return his coin; which Two-Face chalks up to guilt over Erin escaping after murdering Harvey's wife Gilda. (She had been believed dead before! And possibly more than once.) Batman tries to reach out to his friend, the Harvey he knew, asking him to "channel the pain" into something good; Two-Face shouts back "Like you did, Bruce?" That shuts him up for a minute.

While giving a somewhat hokey speech about the edge of the coin--too "meet in the middle" for my tastes now--Batman manages to give them an opening, which Two-Face exploits by helping himself to a flamethrower and lighting up his assailants. After Batman turns the sprinkler system back on to save them, Two-Face again chides him: "Always putting out fires, Batman--"

More after the break. WARNING: Suicide.

There's a brief flashback, to the younger Bruce introducing Gilda to Harvey: perhaps cleverly, aside from a reflection, Harvey is only shown in profile from one side or the other during it. Two-Face runs into Commissioner Gordon on his way out, and shoots him, then gives him the coin toss--which gets stuck on its edge in the mud--then steals a police motorcycle and escapes. Batman has to stop Gordon's bleeding, so it's a clean getaway. Or is it? Later, in prison, Erin McKillen gives an inspirational speech to her fellow women prisoners, a variation of the "two wolves inside me" story; while Two-Face returns home, gets cleaned up, and puts a gun to his head while looking at a picture of his wife. He tells her he feels lucky today, and pulls the trigger before his coin stops spinning.

I'm used to Batman villains routinely escaping certain death, but this one feels different. Still retcon-able, but...yeah. After Vigilante #50 I would not have bet on this one; but it's also a bit crap: Two-Face is obviously going to return. Some people who attempt suicide do not. 

If you're considering suicide, don't. Call 1-800-273-8255. We need you.