Ugh, are we Groundhog's Day'ing it again? In this timeline?

I mentioned this one yesterday, but had a copy handy! From 1994, Batman Adventures #22, "Good Face Bad Face" Written by Kelley Puckett, pencils by Mike Parobeck, inks by Rick Burchett.

This Two-Face story would have been set earlier in the animated continuity, as he busts out of Arkham; pausing only briefly to flip on whether or not to let the Joker out: nope! Back at Wayne Manor, Bruce is listening to the psych reports on Harvey over and over: his "Big Bad Harv" persona was seemingly gone, leaving something else...something dangerous. At Gotham Penitentiary--we've seen its motto, "Building Character Through Adversity" before!--Two-Face busts out a mob lieutenant he had prosecuted, but only to offer him a job.

Batman realizes, Two-Face was building a gang: none of the criminals he broke were simple muscle, but skilled specialists. (Many of whom might seem familiar, like that scurvy scallywag "Tim Bruce.") Bats knows, next he'll go for Blackgate Prison, and disguised as a guard, he realizes Two-Face was going for the secondary control room. Two-Face releases the prisoners, to try and take Batman as a group, but they get gassed; and the GCPD catches Two-Face and his crew in a very packed boat. All wrapped up--except, that wasn't really Two-Face, but a double! Batman isn't fooled by the feint or the fake--the body language was off--and confronts Two-Face: his theory was that Harvey was still in there, and that's why he needed the coin. Bats didn't think he could make a decision to be bad on his own, and puts a loaded gun in Two-Face's hands to confirm his theory. Without the coin, he can't shoot Batman, and collapses.

Commissioner Gordon is slightly upset at Batman risking that one; but he had been pretty sure. In the end, Batman flips the coin: he kept it, wanting something to remember Harvey by. Read more!

"What's the most you've ever lost on a coin toss?" (In the audience, Harvey Dent roars "YEAH!")

I wonder if Ty actually flipped any coins writing this one. I also wonder if the creative teams felt obligated, 22nd issue, have to trot out Two-Face: they did in the prior series for Batman Adventures #22, then again here, but not for the next series, Batman: Gotham Adventures #22. From 1997, Batman and Robin Adventures #22, "Fifty fifty" Written by Ty Templeton, pencils by Brandon Kruse, inks by Terry Beatty.

Two-Face is busted from an Arkham prison van, against his will; which doesn't trouble him nearly as much as losing his coin in the getaway. Batman and Robin are puzzled, since the escape was on Harvey's third visit to a skin-graft clinic, on a Friday at 9:45...nothing seems to add up there. In a mob bar, Two-Face is forced to make do with a mere quarter, scratching one side of it; when his benefactor arrives: "Little" Jonni Infantino, a third-rate mobster. Infantino had been having trouble with a rival, but knew when Harvey had been district attorney, he had built a case against that rival, that went nowhere without Harvey's notes. Flipping the coin, the scratched side comes up, and Two-Face refuses to help. Infantino then threatens Harvey's ex, Grace Lamont; but the scratched side comes up again, and he still refuses to help.

Consulting with Harvey's doctor, Batman comes to the conclusion that he had been abducted; and the doctor assures him Harvey's only remaining friends, Bruce Wayne and Grace Lamont, were in no danger; even as Infantino heads to Grace's house. Two-Face then gets away from Infantino's goons, sacrificing his quarter to call and warn Grace. Then, furious, he smashes the pay phone open to recover the quarter, but is then recaptured. Grace does get out, calling Bruce Wayne for help: claiming to be out-of-town, Batman has Alfred pick her up, then waits at Grace's house, to beat up Infantino. Robin figures he was dumb enough to have kept Harvey at his own bar, and they go to rescue him--except the coin turns on them, as Harvey cracks them both with a chair! A goon wants to make his rep by killing them while they're down, but the coin turns up unscarred again, and Two-Face takes a bullet to save them.

With the unscarred side again showing on the ground, Two-Face gives them the info to put the rival mobster away too, before complaining for his old coin back: "This one's a pain." Read more!

I don't think I'm doing this bit all week. I probably could, sure, but...

This is another one I had at some point, and recently pulled from the dollar bins at least twice, so by rule...From 1989, Batman Annual #13, "Faces" Written by James (Priest) Owsley, pencils by Michael Bair, inks by Gray Morrow.

So over on Progressive Ruin, there was a recent discussion about whether or not Commissioner Gordon knows Bruce Wayne is Batman. The consensus is, probably? But he pretends not to know, out of respect for his friend, and doubtless for liability reasons, to protect the department. I'd like that more, if Jim still hung out with Bruce; especially after an issue like this one, where Alfred would be serving brandy and Bruce would have to sit there and nod politely while getting read the riot act secondhand: "Batman absolutely screwed the pooch on this one, Bruce. Completely dropped the ball. The nerve of that guy, who does he think he is...?" Probably a solid 45 minutes of that.

This issue begins with a prologue to (arguably) cheerier times, although it's maybe a brief window, when Jason Todd was Robin and Batgirl was still occasionally active. A cop is killed in a bombing, and Batman tells Gordon it was planted by Freddie Richards, an associate of Two-Face. Both Freddie and Two-Face are captured; and Gordon briefly confronts Batgirl, saying he thought Barbara had hung up the cape: I didn't think he knew that!

Years later, Freddie was going to get the chair for killing a cop, but Bruce watches a tape of a Jack Ryder news special, interviewing members of Two-Face's gang hiding out in Santa Prisca, and one admits he killed the cop Freddie was going to fry for. Batman goes to Gordon to request custody of Two-Face for 72 hours; but doesn't pick the best time: asking him at his wife's grave, with the now-wheelchair bound Barbara. Gordon flatly tells him no; Batman proceeds anyway, disguising himself as a doctor and busting Two-Face out of Gotham. (I wonder if Bats uses his Batman-voice so Harvey knows him, but Two-Face claims he knew immediately.) Batman feels like he helped finger Freddie--ugh, phrasing--and refuses to let him die for a crime he didn't commit, regardless of what he would have to do. Starting with, keeping Two-Face in a cage in the Batcave, while Bruce Wayne plays dumb with Gordon during a Wayne Mansion fundraiser.

Batman and Two-Face hitch a ride on a cargo transport dropping medical supplies for Santa Prisca, and Two-Face is more than a little irritated that his crew has forgotten their place. Batman is more mad, since in the background of the Ryder interview, was the cop that had allegedly been murdered in the first place! He'd been on the take; which doesn't quite line up: Barbara had been a friend of his, she probably would have recognized him and could've backed up Batman's side of this story. Batman suggests Two-Face let the coin decide, but his goons show up first, and his 'coin' is cracked open, revealing some kind of gyroscope: Batman had slipped him a fake! Two-Face is livid, sure, but also disappointed: Bats had cheated, which seemed unworthy of him. He leaves Batman in a death trap, that he of course escapes from; and Batman realizes a crooked cop might find work in a crooked country as a crooked cop again.

While he manages to get both the crooked cop and Two-Face to the airplane, they both take off running, leaving Batman with a perverse Sophie's Choice: he only has time to catch one of them. Batman chooses the cop, and manages to get a stay of execution for Freddie Richards, but Gordon gives him an earful. There had been a body in the bombing, who's to say Freddie didn't kill whoever that had been? He hadn't been an innocent by any account. And what crimes would Two-Face commit while on the loose? Batman knows, he kind of broke his trust with Two-Face, and he could be worse going forward. Let's see if we can run that down: this came out April 1989, and I think Two-Face would next appear shortly in "A Lonely Place of Dying," but that was a crossover with Titans and introduced Tim Drake, right? I don't know if this issue was mentioned. And Priest would get to write some Batman again, but it would be a while.

Also this issue: "Waiting in the Wings," by Kevin Dooley and Malcolm Jones III. Mid-Year One, Alfred tells Bruce he's quitting, to pursue his acting career. (Spoiler alert: he doesn't!) There's also several updated Who's Who style pages, including one for Vicki Vale, who had virtually been written out of the book by then. Read more!

I feel like we've blogged some of the Batman Elseworlds annuals from 1994, but I specifically remember not liking the Shadow of the Bat one, which had a Brian Stelfreeze cover that looked like a younger Alex Baldwin as Bruce Wayne, and featured a Big Brother-style Batman, who had been raised by the Scarecrow, post WW III? Lot to unpack there, but it doesn't end well for anyone; I think the citizens of Gotham march on Wayne Manor or Arkham or whatever with torches and pitchforks. I also probably bought this one back in the day, but don't really recollect it right yet, so let's check Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #4, "Citizen Wayne" Written by Brian Augustyn and Mark Waid, pencils by Joe Staton, inks by Horacio Ottolini.

We've seen that title before, in one of the worst Bat-stories I've ever read; and I know it's been used more than that! But this is a period noir-ish number, opening with a rainsoaked crime scene and Bruce Wayne and Harvey Dent dead in a fall off a building, with Wayne clutching a torn-off bat emblem. A young assistant D.A. works the case, starting with Wayne Manor and a talk with Martha Wayne: Thomas had been killed years ago in a mugging, and Martha still felt like if they had given in, he would have survived. So, she spent the next 25 years perhaps a bit overprotective of her son, but she's also not entirely surprised he went out like that. Alfred fills in more backstory: Bruce had been a crusading newspaperman, owner of the Gotham Guardian, fighting the mobs from there. Which still occasionally involved fisticuffs! Still, Wayne had been well-trained, with a cameo by Ted Grant; and his main sparring partner was his old friend Harvey Dent, who seems a bit grimmer and more willing to go hands-on against crime. Before his accident, that is...the hospitalized Gordon had been injured at the same time as said "accident," which wasn't an accident at all; why is everyone using Fat Tony's phrasing?

(I misremembered the wording on that, I thought it was simply "Accidents will happen. To you. By us.") Gordon claims to have no memory of what happened, but a beat cop tells the D.A. about seeing Batman in action, tearing into some bootleggers and killing one with a bat-rope. It's front-page news, although Wayne calls the "Killer Crimebuster worse than crooks." The D.A. next questions Vicki Vale, who had suspicions about her boss, and other feelings; but no opportunity to see where either led. Later, he finally gets to Harvey Dent's widow, who felt she had lost him long ago...if she ever really had him; he had been consumed by his mission long before. The D.A. stops another cameo from visiting the widow: ace reporter and occasional creep, Jack Ryder! He recounts a meeting with Wayne, Vale, and the rest of the Guardian staff, after Batman had killed Boss Maroni: Wayne felt if the city's freedom had to be taken by someone outside the law, that freedom was worthless. Everyone else seems to agree, somebody had needed to do something, and Batman had stepped up; with Ryder pointing out if Bruce's dad hadn't fought that mugger, he might not be there right now.

You've probably guessed who the Batman was at this point, and spooked gunsel Zucco confirms it for the D.A.: the hideously scarred Dent was under the mask, and killed Maroni for that and ruining his city. This sends the D.A. back to Gordon, who is momentarily afraid Batman had come for him. He spills, how Maroni, Zucco, and their thugs had thought they were untouchable, and that they could "teach them a lesson." Gordon is shot, point-blank, multiple times; but gets off easy compared to Dent, whose entire face was destroyed with acid; both sides. Later, as Batman, Dent visited Gordon in the hospital, and explained he had to meet Maroni "on his elevated level," above the law: he might stop if Gordon asked him, but Gordon wanted revenge as well. With all the other pieces in place, the D.A. revisits Wayne Manor, where Martha admits she had tried to stop Bruce from facing Dent, but he felt he had to. Suiting up in armor, he had gone to stop his old friend, one way or another.

The D.A. puts it all together for his boss, but that bit of deduction is undercut by the fact that he had actually seen the fatal fight! He had been working late, and saw them on top of city hall across the street; so he's kind of guessing on what they might've said, but still. Dent had gone out a window and was hanging onto a gargoyle, Wayne had tried to save him, but the gargoyle gave way and both men fell to their deaths. Still, putting all of that together is a feather in the cap of the young D.A. Dick Grayson! Who isn't sure he's ready to be the city's main district attorney, but this case may have given him some other ideas... 

I just did a little checking: we've seen the Robin Elseworlds annual, and I think I mentioned getting another copy of the Pirate Batman one, and that's it? I've done way more of the Legends of the Dead Earth ones, and I could've sworn we had blogged Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #5 with Man-Bat before.

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What's this? A finicky face, not fooled by a faux pharaoh?

Ah, I can't do the William Dozier voice long! I had intended to blog this long before now, but seem to have kept misplacing it. Which of course lead to buying multiple copies...also misplaced. Eventually I'll open a cupboard or something and three of these will fall out...From 1986, Batman #398, "About Faces!" Written by Doug Moench, art by Tom Mandrake. 

We now join Batman's latest spat with Catwoman, already in progress: Catwoman felt like he didn't trust her, and she had a point, since I don't think he had revealed his secret identity to her or anything. More recently, he hadn't kept her in the loop on the "scam" he was running on Two-Face, with the help of Circe. This Circe may largely be forgotten now, supplanted by the Wonder Woman villain; but she was a former model (and possible murderer) scarred by her lover, Black Mask. Instead of answering the Bat-signal, Batman goes after Catwoman, to explain himself, and his plan, which he sheepishly calls "a sappy longshot." He's trying to bring back Harvey Dent, although he's still prepared to punch up Two-Face if it comes to that. While Catwoman seems to enjoy seeing the human side of Bats, she is hurt Gordon and Bullock know more about this scheme than she does, and she's worried she's driving a wedge between Batman and his 'son,' Jason Todd. 

The plan is, with Circe's help, Two-Face will 'steal' a fake Egyptian sarcophagus. That goes smoothly enough, although to win Two-Face's trust, she conks a guard over the head with her "magic scepter." The guard, a disguised Batman, notices she hit him fairly hard, which could be suspicious. Following them, Catwoman is mildly surprised Two-Face's hideout isn't in a two-story building; Bullock notes "it's 222 Second Avenue." Circe makes her pitch, about the faux pharaoh's goodness, enticing Two-Face to try it on, and to feel the long dormant spirit of Harvey Dent returning in him. Watching it, Bats and Cats deem it more of a longshot than ever, but Two-Face does seem pensive afterwards, and takes some time to think...and flip his coin. 

Two-Face emerges--with one face, as Harvey Dent! He's made his choice, despite a fake mask and fake pharaoh, Batman: look, if you're going to operate in Gotham City, you have to know stuff like that. "Harvey" tears off his face, to reveal an All-Face beneath, then snags Circe's mask off of her. Batman and Catwoman bust in, and seemingly have things handled until the starting arrival of--Robin? Who opens a door right into Catwoman's face, turning the tide and giving Two-Face a chance to pull a double-barrel shotgun. Batman tries to argue Two-Face is making the wrong choice, he could be Harvey again, but he's not buying it. 

Robin knocks the shotgun away with a Batarang, and Catwoman tosses Bats her whip: when a problem comes along...ah, you know. After beating him down, Batman gently removes the makeup, restoring at least half of his friend's face, but worrying his good side could be completely submerged now. Also, Circe had lit out, leaving the question of her motivations open. And Batman and Catwoman's relationship may have just taken a turn, with Selina telling him "...Robin's return through this door ranks very high on the omen scale."

The copy I'm scanning is a second-printing; I would've sworn there was an ad for Dark Knight Returns in there--the single issues! But, this is why, two issues later, when freed along with virtually all of Batman's foes in Batman #400, Two-Face is among those who opt out of facing him right then. So to speak. 

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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.

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Good god, was this setting up 'Three Riddlers'?

We saw Batman #710 some time back, and I thought it was the last storyline before the New 52: there was still an issue left, but this concludes a three-parter with Two-Face, his estranged wife Gilda, and...the Riddler? From 2011, Batman #712, "Pieces, part three: Gilded Lily" Written by Tony S. Daniel, pencils by Steve Scott and Andy Smith, inks by Walden Wong. Of course I'm missing the middle issue, but we had last seen Two-Face shot, repeatedly, by his wife Gilda, who's now the moll of gangster Mario Falcone. The unwilling moll: Gilda had been believed dead at some point, and somehow got wrapped up with him. So, she hired the Riddler, to get Harvey involved: he set up the trap with the knockout gas, then set him up with a squibbed bulletproof vest, although I'm not sure how he got Harvey to Falcone. Riddler is getting paid with some information he wanted, and Gilda has set up Falcone with a fake deal, which Two-Face then shoots up.

Oh, god: be sure to find the actual issue instead of digital, there's a Justice League Subway insert with Jared. There's something that didn't age well. No scan of him, but here's a Manhunter getting stopped by...something.

Gilda set up Falcone but good: the meet was on a partially built skyscraper, which Two-Face has rigged to blow. DickBat fights a lot of goons, which just seems to make sure they'll die in the explosion: he escapes, but Falcone may not. Gilda returns Two-Face's lost coin, saying she believes in both Harvey Dent (callback!) and Two-Face. He isn't sure he can still believe her, and flips the coin to decide her fate, but still seems unsure. We don't get to see the results of the coin toss, since Dick comes down on him like a sack of bricks, only to get shot in the head by Gilda!

Dick wakes up to Alfred fixing him up back in the Batcave, picked up by Damian--who we don't see this issue! Two-Face and Gilda were both gone, alone or separately; although Dick seems mildly suspicious if that was even really Gilda. (This one already inexplicably had the Riddler, that better not be a Clayface!) A loose plot thread is snipped off here, as Dick gets a letter from Katrina Falcone, heading off to boarding school; while only the Riddler seems pleased with how things have turned out, although he does seem to turn on his henchwoman-slash-possibly psychotic daughter Enigma. Well, I don't think any of this would be followed up on, so all right.

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Today, Batman interrupts "Breakfast at Tiffany's." Dick!

Wait, maybe that actually was Dick. I thought this might've been the last storyline of the series before Flashpoint and the New 52: it might've been nice if there had been a big send-off like "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" but I don't think editorial wasn't that organized, or the push was for the new series, or a big closer might've been seen as a jumping-off point. Whatever, we've got 2011's Batman #710, "Pieces, part one: Lost" Written by Tony S. Daniel, pencils by Steve Scott, inks by Ryan Winn.

A somewhat despondent Two-Face tortures some mobsters to death, then in passing shoots a cop in the head, since he's lost his trademark coin. You'd think killing a cop would catch more heat--in fact, at one point they suggest the cop might survive, but based on the art, nooooo--but Batman and Gordon both act like it's another day at the office. Somewhat uncharactistically, Bats is caught on camera casually leaving the crime scene with Jim (probably because it's Dick, not Bruce) as a grinning congressman is holding a press conference in front of it, to push for taking back the streets, by increasing surveillance. In the real world he'd just be an opportunistic douche looking to score some political clout; but there's probably something more horrible to him. Meanwhile, Mario Falcone--apparently the lesser-known son of the recurring crime family--sees the news and is pissed that Two-Face would try to intimidate him. A shapely, shadowy figure suggests maybe taking care of him her way...

Later, Batman interrupts Kitrina Falcone's movie, to tell the girl she has to get out of Gotham; and Catwoman agrees. They're not her real parents! She storms off, which seems pretty obvious, even if I'm not sure why they were looking after her. At a ratty hideout, Two-Face is awoken by a phone, then a note with a picture of his coin, that leads him to an elaborate trap where he's gassed. It seems a little high-end for Mario: even tied up and kicked, Two-Face isn't impressed by him. But he's surprised by the shapely, shadowy figure--his wife, Gilda! Who puts four slugs into him. "Happy anniversary, Harvey."

Is this the end of Two-Face? Seems unlikely, but he may want to look into counselling.

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"Cointoss."

I had almost thought this wave of DC Multiverse had gone all vaporware, but it may finally be turning up in stores! Maybe. I had seen some of the Martian Manhunter from Supergirl before, but last week I found multiples of them all. Almost: only one Two-Face, and no Jessica Cruz to be found.

Two-Face fares a little better than Multiverse figures lately in terms of accessories: two guns, and two alternate hands, with his coin head's up or tail's up. The likeness isn't based on an actor or any specific piece of art I know of, and I'm not in love with the color of the jacket and tie, but maybe it will work in contrast with Riddler's green and Joker's purple. I think Mattel's been using this suit body for a while, at least since their Joker from the Justice Buster series.

I probably would've preferred a two-tone jacket, and green scarred face with grey hair, as seen in Batman #398, one of the first Batman comics I remember buying with my own money! (One of the next was Batman #400, which I can't believe hasn't been reprinted like forty times since then!)

The big pile of poop, of course, is the Clayface Collect-n-Connect pieces. Like the recent Monster Venom (that I'm nowhere near completing either...) the chest piece is split. Jessica's going to be the one to get, so start with her unless you want a legless Clayface!
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As I pick up random comics, a lot of times I note here to pick up the next issue or the conclusion. This time, meh; even if I've got part seven of eight today. From 2006, Detective Comics #820, "Face the Ecaf, part 7 of 8" (I'm pretty sure that's supposed to be "Face the Face," right?) Written by James Robinson, layouts by Leonard Kirk, finishes by Andy Clarke.

We're coming to this one mid-stream, but I do remember this was the big storyline after Infinite Crisis, with Batman returning to action "One Year Later" after leaving Gotham to the care of former Two-Face Harvey Dent. Who has since been framed for murder (including that of the original Ventriloquist and the KGBeast, both jobbed out here) but Bats is working the case, even while he and Robin fight the Scarecrow, and hallucinations of the Thomas Wayne Bat-Man, the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths Earth 2 Robin, and the Earth-Prime Superboy. Batman defeats the Scarecrow, as you might expect; but then trash-talks him, which surprised me.

Batman downplays that as "part of the game," to throw Scarecrow off next time; but it still doesn't sit well with me. He does praise Robin, Tim Drake, for getting past the fear gas and his nightmares so quickly; but Tim shrugs that off: he had lost so much, what was left? Batman does hint at an idea for what Tim could do next; but back at police headquarters, after explaining to Gordon how Dent was framed; Bats takes a moment to speak with a uniformed officer. Explaining he was trying to "undo past wrongs, not make new ones," he tells Officer Harper he knew something about her:

Despite his seeming desire to not make old mistakes, Bats gives her a slightly-nicer version of the "thou shalt have no vigilantes before me/Stay outta Gotham" speech he's given multiple times before. And he almost has a point: just because your grand-uncle was the Guardian or your third cousin was the Red Bee, doesn't mean you're a legacy and should join the Justice Society. It does feel a bit condescending, though.

Then, a Jack Ryder appearance! But only as a talking head on TV, breaking the news of Two-Face's return! Which was a foregone conclusion, wasn't it? Between that and Batman seemingly insuring the Scarecrow would come after him again by rubbing his nose in it, we're finally adding that tag for recidivism! Still, in-story Bats could be justified here: he, and we, know full well Scarecrow is going to get out someday, and Batman may want to make sure Scarecrow comes after him rather than someone that couldn't protect themselves. But overall, this issue didn't sit well with me.
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It's the spirit of Gotham! Or rabies.

Maybe the spirit of Gotham is rabies, in today's book: from 1999, Batman: No Man's Land Secret Files #1, opening with "The Message" Written by Alisa Kwitney, pencils by Michael Zulli, inks by Vince Locke.

It's New Year's Eve in Gotham City, right on the eve of No Man's Land: at midnight, the federal government will blow the bridges, cutting off anyone who hasn't already evacuated. (Criminals, insane criminals, the stubborn, the delusional, the deeply impoverished, and so forth.)  Jason had waited to the last minute, but with only bats left in his building it was time to move on. Until he hears the voice of Gotham, telling him he must deliver a message to Gotham's guardian spirit.  The voice does save him from a falling sign, but tells him he can't leave until the message is delivered.

This of course leads to a little tour of Gotham's new status quo, visiting Oracle, the Penguin, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, and finally Huntress; before Jason succumbs to rabies. Then what saved him from the sign?  

"Assignment: Bruce Wayne"  is a bit more cheery, as a reporter racks up an epic expense account trying to chase down the missing Wayne.  ("A Day in the Life" Written by Chuck Dixon, pencils by Sal Velluto, inks by Bob Almond.) The last story, "No Man's Land: the Animated Series" could maybe fit into regular continuity, except for the framing device of a boy watching it on TV.  

Well, I don't think the Cassandra-Batgirl talked much at that point. Still, looks nice.
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80-Page Thursdays: Batman 80-Page Giant #2!

I still find the occasional 80-pager, but today's was a bit of a disappointment: from 1999, Batman 80-Page Giant #2, featuring stories from Scott Beatty, D.G. Chichester, Jim Alexander, and more; with art by Karl Waller, Sal Buscema, Jim Balent, and more.

The theme this issue is "luck," like we don't see heroes luck out enough in regular stories. In the opening story, Batman is forced to play a game of "Gotham Roulette" by Two-Face; and only survives because Two-Face was using a Belgium knock-off of a Smith&Wesson .44 that backfires on him. Batman plays it off like he knew that would happen, but this story pretty much sets the tone for the rest. Huntress faces a trap of the Riddler's, and although she tries to reason out his puzzle, her guess may have been wrong...next, the Ventriloquist and Scarface, with Killer Croc and the Mad Hatter, try to change their luck with a little breakout from Arkham and a trip to the Penguin's casino.

In a story set before Tim Drake became Robin, Nightwing worries Drake isn't being careful enough, and tails him to a strange destination. Then, "In Clover," Batman faces Poison Ivy and her dog roses "...made with real dogs" and gets an unexpected assist. In "Lucky's Seven" Catwoman tells of a cat she knew that actually was Lucky, and that story probably has the best of this issue. Finally, in "A Run of Bad Luck," Deadshot takes a potshot at Batman, on Two-Face's dime. When Batman confronts Two-Face, he's a little out of it since he's thrown his coin on the good side a hundred and thirty-eight times in a row...

This issue is a miss, but I'm still keeping an eye open for other 80-pagers, so here's hoping.
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