TOP 10 TWO-FACE COMICS (BESIDES THE LONG HALLOWEEN)!

The Joker might be Batman's greatest villain, but Harvey Dent a.k.a. Two-Face comes in (fittingly enough) as a close second. Arguably the Dark Knight's most tragic nemesis, Harvey Dent was once a dedicated crusader of law and order before his face was mutilated by the mob, bringing his repressed psychological demons to the surface and developing a split personality. However, the most unique and interesting aspect of Two-Face has to be how he flips a coin whenever making a moral decision; heads being the good side, tails being the bad side. It's such a creative and original character trait for a villain.

Much like Mr. J, Two-Face has no shortage of great comics to his name, so this was another tough list to narrow down to ten. Tough, but far from impossible. Before we begin, I've decided to leave The Long Halloween (as well as its almost-as-good sequel Dark Victory) by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale off this list.

Much like with The Killing Joke, The Long Halloween is such a beloved, iconic story that it would feel redundant to put it on this list. So instead, let's focus on the ten other best Two-Face stories!

10.) Face to Face to Face to Face

by J. Michael Straczynski & Chuck Patton

After witnessing the heroic deeds of Teen Titans member Cyborg (Victor Stone) on TV, Two-Face begins to think about their similarities. Both men have been horribly disfigured by accidents outside their control, but one became a hero and the other a villain. However, Harvey surmises that the only thing that truly separates them in the eyes of the public is their deeds. If Cyborg were to become a criminal, the public would quickly turn on him and label the Titan a monster. To prove this, Two-Face kidnaps Victor's girlfriend and forces the Titan to go on a crime spree. Sure enough, the people who once cheered Cyborg's name begin to see him as a deformed abomination.

This is easily one of the most unique and interesting Two-Face comics to have ever been published. The fact that he's going up against Cyborg of all people is interesting enough, but Harvey's scheme and motivations only enhance the story. In his twisted mind, Two-Face actually believes he's helping Cyborg by forcing him to commit these crimes. Society will only tolerate and accept Cyborg if he serves them; the moment he stops and begins acting against them, people will show their true colors and treat Victor as the outcast he's worked so hard not to be.

What also makes Face to Face to Face to Face great is Harvey's inner monologue. This was actually one of the first comics to depict the character as having two distinct voices in his head; one belonging to Harvey Dent, the other to Two-Face. This would go on to become a defining trait of the character. 

09.) Two of a Kind (Black and White)

by Bruce Timm

Thanks to the efforts of a highly skilled plastic surgeon named Marilyn (last name unrevealed), Harvey Dent has finally been cured, physically and mentally, of his Two-Face persona. Even better, Harvey and Marilyn end up falling in love with one another and begin a serious relationship with one another, eventually leading to engagement. Everything is looking up for Harvey at last, but all begins to go awry when Madeline, Marilyn's mentally unstable sister, enters the fray and sets her sights on the former villain.

One of the defining aspects of Two-Face as a character is his tragic circumstances. He is ultimately a once-decent man who is brought to evil by emotional and physical trauma that consumes him. This tragedy is on full display here as Harvey is finally granted happiness with the woman he loves, only for it to slowly unravel when Madeline comes onto the scene. Madeline is a beautiful but extremely volatile lady who has always envied her sister and thinks that everything Marilyn has should be hers. This unfortunately includes Harvey, as his repressed dark side finds it extremely difficult to resist this toxic woman. 

Marilyn and Madeline are the perfect dichotomy, one representing light and redemption for Harvey, the other representing darkness and regression for him. Without giving too much away, nobody comes out on top in this love triangle by the end. Two of a Kind is easily one of the saddest stories to ever feature Two-Face but manages to be fully engrossing from start to finish, despite its short length.

08.) Long Shadows

by Judd Winick & Mark Bagley

Bruce Wayne is missing, but Gotham City desperately needs Batman, or its criminal element will run wild worse than ever. Knowing this, Richard Grayson a.k.a. Nightwing dons the cape and cowl to keep the legend of the Caped Crusader alive and well until his mentor resurfaces. However, Two-Face, who knows Batman better than most, soon deduces that it's not the genuine article underneath the batsuit. This all leads to an explosive confrontation as Two-Face manages to infiltrate the Batcave!

This is easily among the most cunning, threatening and effective that Two-Face has ever been portrayed. The fact that he is the one to first figure out that the current Batman protecting Gotham isn't the original is really clever writing. Harvey Dent worked closely with the Dark Knight while he was district attorney and his alter-ego has battled Batman dozens upon dozens of times, so it makes perfect sense that he'd be able to see through Richard's ruse. 

Not only that, but the confrontation Two-Face has with "Batman" in the Batcave of all places is brutal and intense. It feels as though the jig might actually be up for Richard and there might not be a way out of this scenario. Those elements alone make Long Shadows one of Two-Face's best outings. 

07.) Twice Dies the Batman

by Marv Wolfman, Irv Novick & Frank Mclaughlin

After undergoing plastic surgery (that seems to happen a lot with him), Harvey Dent now has a brand-new, unrecognizable face and begins calling himself "Carl Ternion" as an alias. With this new identity, "Carl" slowly works his way into the life of his ex-wife, Gilda. Harvey hopes that with his new persona, he'll be able to win back the woman he loves but lost so long ago due to his disfigurement and breakdown. However, if Harvey is going to regain everything he's lost, he must first eliminate the one person who can thwart him: Batman.

Two-Face manages to be both ruthless and sympathetic here, as he has no qualms about killing anyone who poses a threat to his new identity, but he's ultimately doing it for love. You can really feel Harvey's desperation here, as he longs to be reunited with his wife, but knows that the slightest slip up could expose him to her or worse, to Batman.

This leads to a dramatic confrontation between the three at the Gotham courthouse where Two-Face must decide once and for all if he can overcome his demons for the woman he loves. The story actually manages to end on an optimistic note while still clarifying that Harvey has a long way to go. Twice Dies the Batman manages to perfectly blend the tragic and dangerous elements that make Two-Face such a compelling villain, securing its placement on this list.

06.) Crime and Punishment

by J.M. DeMatteis & Scott McDaniel

Disgusted with the rampant “hypocrisy” of Gotham City, Two-Face goes on a rampage, setting bombs and instigating violence in both high and low society. But Batman sees through Dent’s claims that he’s “punishing” Gotham, deducing that the true target is man who truly created Two-Face: Harvey’s abusive, alcoholic father.

Of all the stories on this list, few explore Two-Face's inner demons as well as Crime and Punishment. Harvey Dent is truly a man at odds with himself as his two personalities constantly clash, one craving violence while the other yearns for peace. Nowhere is this dichotomy more apparent than with the object of Two-Face's rage: his father. Christopher Dent, much like his son would be in the future, is shown to be a man of two sides. When sober, Christopher is a kind and loving dad, but when drunk, he becomes an abusive, violent monster. 

Crime and Punishment is an excellent exploration of child abuse and how it impacts the victim. On one hand, Harvey loves his father because of the kindness and compassion he's capable of showing him. On the other, Harvey loathes his father because of the cruelty and pain he constantly subjects him to. This inner conflict explodes into deadly rage as Harvey unleashes his turmoil onto the people of Gotham. 

05.) Jurisprudence

by Greg Rucka & Damion Scott

On the outs with Batman but needing help more than ever, Commissioner Jim Gordan strikes up and uneasy alliance with Two-Face during the No Man's Land, a period where Gotham City was destroyed by a massive earthquake, abandoned by the government and turned into a lawless wasteland. The deal is that both Jim and Two-Face's people will look out for one another and protect the other's territory when threatened. Unfortunately, Two-Face ends up going too far and begins killing people against Jim's wishes, leading to the latter angrily dissolving their partnership, which leaves the scarred mobster's territory open to attack and takeover. Claiming betrayal, an angry Two-Face abducts the commissioner (along with officer Rene Montoya), placing him on a mock trial. If Jim can successfully argue his case, he goes free. If not, he dies.

No Man's Land has a lot of great Two-Face moments throughout, but the absolute highlight definitely comes during the Jurisprudence arc. The "trial" is obviously a sham that can't work properly, but Harvey still takes it completely seriously, even vowing to turn himself into Jim's people if he loses. This leads to a lot of great exchanges where Two-Face cross-examines both Jim and Montoya, as he picks apart their "defense" piece by piece. 

However, things take a really wild turn when Jim asks for Harvey Dent himself to defend his "case"! What follows has to be the single best use of Two-Face's split personality ever put to page, as the ex-D.A. cross-examines himself! It may be light on action, but Jurisprudence contains what easily some of the best strongest character moments in Two-Face and Commissioner Gordon's history. 

04.) My Own Worst Enemy

by Scott Snyder & John Romita Jr.

After getting wind of a special operation that can cure Harvey Dent of his split personality once and for all, Batman abducts his former friend and takes him on a cross-country "road trip" to reach their destination. However, Two-Face isn't going down without a fight and manages to place a massive bounty on the Caped Crusader's head before being taken. This leads to every villain, criminal and even citizen coming out of the woodwork to stop Batman in his tracks.

The premise here is already a great one and thankfully, so is the execution. My Own Worst Enemy is jam-packed with frantic action and fun cameos, as Batman must do everything he can to say ahead of his would-be assassins, all the while making sure that Two-Face doesn't leave his sight. If that's not enough, we also get a lot of great interactions between the Dark Knight and the Duke of Duality, as Batman still refuses to give up on his old ally, despite all of the evil Two-Face has committed. 

All of this chaos culminates in a bloody finale, as well as a surprising plot twist you're unlikely to see coming. My Own Worst Enemy has it all: great pacing, crazy action, high stakes, twists and turns and strong character moments.

03.) Robin: Year One

by Chuck Dixon & Scott Beaty 

It's Richard Grayson's first year as Batman's sidekick and he's quickly growing into the role of the Boy Wonder. He follows orders, fights skillfully and even makes his first solo bust against the Mad Hatter! All is going well for the young boy, but Robin soon gets more than he bargained for once Two-Face enters the fray. Richard is about to learn the hard way that being Batman's partner isn't all fun and games, but life and death.

Most of the stories on this list tend to highlight the inner conflict in Harvey Dent, along with his tragic qualities; not so here. This is easily Two-Face at his evilest, cruelest and most ruthless, as the former D.A. shows Robin no mercy whatsoever once he has him in his clutches. The worst part is that Two-Face isn't targeting the Boy Wonder to prove any kind of twisted point like he normally does, but simply to hurt Batman as much as he can for "betraying" him. 

I normally wouldn't like Harvey being this irredeemable, but Chuck Dixon writes him as such an effective, chilling antagonist that it completely works here. Robin: Year One firmly demonstrates why the Duke of Duality is one the Caped Crusader's top rogues and not one to be trifled with.

02.) A Lonely Place of Dying

by Marv Wolfman, George Perez, Jim Apparo & Tom Grummett

Following the death of his former partner Jason Todd, a guilt-ridden Batman has become completely reckless and borderline suicidal. There's a light at the end of the tunnel though in the form of a gifted teenaged boy named Tim Drake. Tim has deduced Batman's true identity as Bruce Wayne and offers to be his new Robin. After much, much, much reluctance, the Dark Knight eventually agrees. However, Tim's first outing as the Boy Wonder will be no walk in the park, as the duo must go up against a reemerged Two-Face. 

Aside from being a crucial story in Batman's canon for introducing Tim Drake, A Lonely Place of Dying manages to be an excellent Two-Face tale as well. The Duke of Duality is portrayed as a formidable threat here, requiring the combined efforts of Batman, Robin and Nightwing to bring him down. At one point, Harvey even succeeds at incapacitating both Batman and Nightwing, leaving it up to the new Robin to save them!

Also of note is how the story manages to portray Two-Face's obsession with the number two. Most of the time, this fixation comes off as a corny gimmick, but here it really feels like a twisted psychosis that Harvey cannot control, even causing him to make irrational decisions he otherwise wouldn't. That feat alone makes A Lonely Place of Dying one of the characters strongest stories.

01.) The Eye of the Beholder

by Andrew Helfer & Chris Sprouse 

District Attorney Harvey Dent appears to be a fierce crusader for justice, but underneath his noble exterior exists a dark side he's finding harder and harder to control. Years and years of suppressed trauma and rage have developed an alternate personality that is slowly gaining power over Harvey's mind. This is only exacerbated when Harvey is horrifically scarred in a brutal assassination attempt by crime boss Sal Maroni. The arch-criminal obsessed with duality known as Two-Face has been born...

As I'm sure you've guessed from that plot synopsis, The Eye of the Beholder is a Two-Face origin story. But this isn't just any Two-Face origin, it's the Two-Face origin. Everything you could possibly want to know about the Duke of Duality is masterfully presented here, as we see a decent man slowly succumb to madness as his darkest impulses consume him.

While it had certainly been hinted at previously, The Eye of the Beholder is the first comic to definitively state that Harvey Dent had deep psychological scars long before physical scars. Harvey has never been more complex, layered and fascinating than he is here, easily making this the best character examination and story in general to feature everybody's favorite coin-flipper.