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Batman: One Bad Day
Batman: One Bad Day – Two-Face
Heads or Tails, when it comes to Two-Face, Batman always loses! Is Harvey Dent back to save Gotham City?
Two-Face has at all times been considered as Batman's most tragic villain. If solely Harvey Dent hadn't been scarred by acid, he might have continued his good work as D.A. in Gotham City and been Batman's biggest ally and good friend...proper? Or has Batman prolonged Harvey Dent an excessive amount of grace in his a number of makes an attempt at reform? He'll query himself as Harvey Dent is free as soon as extra, scarred however seemingly freed from Two-Face's affect. But...when it's revealed Harvey Dent's father has been threatened to be murdered on his 88th birthday, will Two-Face have the option to withstand becoming a member of the get together?
In this incredible one-shot comic, Mariko Tamaki and Javier Fernandez's tragic noir Two-Face epic will flip that iconic coin...on its head?!
Two-Face has at all times been considered as Batman's most tragic villain. If solely Harvey Dent hadn't been scarred by acid, he might have continued his good work as D.A. in Gotham City and been Batman's biggest ally and good friend...proper? Or has Batman prolonged Harvey Dent an excessive amount of grace in his a number of makes an attempt at reform? He'll query himself as Harvey Dent is free as soon as extra, scarred however seemingly freed from Two-Face's affect. But...when it's revealed Harvey Dent's father has been threatened to be murdered on his 88th birthday, will Two-Face have the option to withstand becoming a member of the get together?
In this incredible one-shot comic, Mariko Tamaki and Javier Fernandez's tragic noir Two-Face epic will flip that iconic coin...on its head?!
88 pages, Hardcover
First published July 4, 2023
107 people are currently reading
371 people want to read
About the author
Mariko Tamaki
378 books2,229 followersMariko Tamaki is a Toronto writer, playwright, activist and performer. She works and performs with fat activists Pretty Porky and Pissed Off and the theatre troupe TOA, whose recent play, A vs. B, was staged at the 2004 Rhubarb Festival at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Her well-received novel, Cover Me (McGilligan Books) was followed by a short fiction collection, True Lies: The Book of Bad Advice (Women's Press). Mariko's third book, FAKE ID, is due out in spring 2005.
Mariko Tamaki has performed her work across Canada and through the States, recently appearing at the Calgary Folkfest 2004, Vancouver Writer's Festival 2003, Spatial III, and the Perpetual Motion/Girls Bite Back Tour, which circled though Ottawa, Montreal, Brooklyn and Chicago. She has appeared widely on radio and television including First Person Singular on CBC radio and Imprint on TVO. Mariko Tamaki is currently attending York University working a master's degree in women's studies.
[MacMIllan Books]
Mariko Tamaki has performed her work across Canada and through the States, recently appearing at the Calgary Folkfest 2004, Vancouver Writer's Festival 2003, Spatial III, and the Perpetual Motion/Girls Bite Back Tour, which circled though Ottawa, Montreal, Brooklyn and Chicago. She has appeared widely on radio and television including First Person Singular on CBC radio and Imprint on TVO. Mariko Tamaki is currently attending York University working a master's degree in women's studies.
[MacMIllan Books]
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
December 5, 2024
To be fair, it's not a bad story.
However, if you're just coming off of the high that was The Riddler, you're going to be (maybe) a tad disappointed. I was under the impression that they were all going to be like that and...no.
But!
As just a simple stand-alone story about the duality of Two-Face? Yeah. It's fine!
There's nothing special here but there's also nothing to complain about.
Tamaki does a good job giving us a story about Harvey Dent.
And the art is ok, nothing amazing but ok.
Harvey has turned his life around and has been given a chance by the Mayor of Gotham (who Two-Face tried to kill when he was a teenager) to once again become the D.A. that Gotham needs.
Unfortunately, someone won't let his past sins go and threatens to kill Dent's father at his 88th birthday party.
We all know where this is going.
No surprises later, and we come to the conclusion that Batman should have known from the start.
Fuckin idiot.
And yet, it's still not a bad yarn.
However, if you're just coming off of the high that was The Riddler, you're going to be (maybe) a tad disappointed. I was under the impression that they were all going to be like that and...no.
But!
As just a simple stand-alone story about the duality of Two-Face? Yeah. It's fine!
There's nothing special here but there's also nothing to complain about.
Tamaki does a good job giving us a story about Harvey Dent.
And the art is ok, nothing amazing but ok.
Harvey has turned his life around and has been given a chance by the Mayor of Gotham (who Two-Face tried to kill when he was a teenager) to once again become the D.A. that Gotham needs.
Unfortunately, someone won't let his past sins go and threatens to kill Dent's father at his 88th birthday party.
We all know where this is going.
No surprises later, and we come to the conclusion that Batman should have known from the start.
Fuckin idiot.
And yet, it's still not a bad yarn.
September 21, 2023
Anyone who can't see where this is going right off the bat has never read the fable of the scorpion and the frog.
Unlike the other two "One Bad Day" stories I read -- Catwoman and Riddler -- this one doesn't delve as directly or deeply into Two-Face's origins and feels like it could just be a two-issue arc in a regular Batman series. It's not a bad Two-Face story, but it is certainly not a remarkable one either.
Unlike the other two "One Bad Day" stories I read -- Catwoman and Riddler -- this one doesn't delve as directly or deeply into Two-Face's origins and feels like it could just be a two-issue arc in a regular Batman series. It's not a bad Two-Face story, but it is certainly not a remarkable one either.
December 11, 2023
Too many dumb presumptions. Why would anyone trust Harvey Dent ever again? If Dent really wanted to sell the idea, wouldn't he start with some reconstructive face surgery?
If I instantly know who sent Harvey Dent a threatening letter, surely The World's Greatest Detective should be able to put two and two together?
Batman releases a shitload of balloons filled with a terrible noxious gas into Gotham's night sky, and counts that as a success.
If I instantly know who sent Harvey Dent a threatening letter, surely The World's Greatest Detective should be able to put two and two together?
Batman releases a shitload of balloons filled with a terrible noxious gas into Gotham's night sky, and counts that as a success.
December 6, 2024
These One Bad Day books are hit or miss.
Some have been very good, others just good. Haven’t seen a bad one yet.
This one by writer Mark Tamaki and a team of talented illustrators and artists is a fairly standard and more or less predictable Two-Face story. I kept waiting for a twist or something odd to be noteworthy and - not really.
I mean, it’s not bad. We’ve got Batman, always a plus, Two-Face, a good villain with a backstory that should lend itself to this kind of approach. A ubiquitous theme in all of these has been to humanize the villain, make him or her more relatable and approachable. In the case of Tom King’s Riddler, it made him far more monstrous, shades of Shakespeare’s Richard III. Bane’s story, by the inimitable Joshua Williamson, was brilliant.
Tamaki is a good writer, I liked some of her work from Hulk and especially Detective Comics, but this one was a no frills episode that really did not do too much to advance or color the existing storyline.
Not bad.
Some have been very good, others just good. Haven’t seen a bad one yet.
This one by writer Mark Tamaki and a team of talented illustrators and artists is a fairly standard and more or less predictable Two-Face story. I kept waiting for a twist or something odd to be noteworthy and - not really.
I mean, it’s not bad. We’ve got Batman, always a plus, Two-Face, a good villain with a backstory that should lend itself to this kind of approach. A ubiquitous theme in all of these has been to humanize the villain, make him or her more relatable and approachable. In the case of Tom King’s Riddler, it made him far more monstrous, shades of Shakespeare’s Richard III. Bane’s story, by the inimitable Joshua Williamson, was brilliant.
Tamaki is a good writer, I liked some of her work from Hulk and especially Detective Comics, but this one was a no frills episode that really did not do too much to advance or color the existing storyline.
Not bad.
May 19, 2023
Whilst it's generic and predictable, these factors don't take away from the fact that it's a smooth and flowing read. Two-Face stories seem to consistently follow the same story beats, a 'is he Harvey or is he Two-Face' formula that's run rather dry, especially due to its repetitious nature. However, despite the flaws, it's a story that doesn't do anything particularly wrong, and can be easily consumed in a sitting.
December 30, 2024
The big day
A good book. Great artwork, a good story, but it is a bit obvious where the story is going. I like everyone who is a suspect and the double edge to everything. Good, bad, cruel, and kind. A pretty good psychological story. The book finishes with a varient cover gallery.
A good book. Great artwork, a good story, but it is a bit obvious where the story is going. I like everyone who is a suspect and the double edge to everything. Good, bad, cruel, and kind. A pretty good psychological story. The book finishes with a varient cover gallery.
December 1, 2023
Conceptually, Harvey Dent aka Two-Face is one of my favorite Batman villains. But to be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever read a truly good story focused on him. For some reason it seems like most writers can’t figure out the right story to tell. And this follows that trend. There’s a great idea here about examining whether or not the good part of Harvey Dent could ever prevail or if he was even there in the first place, but this one just misses the mark.
March 8, 2023
Short version: A cynically ugly story which does a huge disservice to one of comics’ most iconic rogues. Skip to the end for which Two-Face stories you should read instead, or at least in addition to this one.
Harvey Dent is one of the most misunderstood characters in comics. Depending on who you ask, he’s a tragic and sympathize figure with eight decades of stories adding to his complexity and depth, or he’s a one-note monster with a cool look and a gimmick.
This is a story which ostensibly explores both these perspectives, with the pretense of trying to understand such a complicated figure. But all this is pretense. “One Bad Day” puts Harvey firmly in the “one-note monster” category and delves extensively into selective canon to prove its point, all while entirely ignoring (and even outright inventing/retconning) the canon of who he IS and what drives him. It’s a story by and for Batman fans who don’t care about Harvey Dent, especially those who see him as nothing more than a pure-evil villain. That’s an incredible disservice to a fascinating character, and a huge missed opportunity to show a new generation just why he’s so remarkable and enduring 80 years on.
In short, this is a story about Harvey faking being cured so he can ruin his saintly father’s life for absolutely no reason other than evil. It posits that Harvey’s “good side” is just a pretense (despite a couple flashbacks showing him acting heroically), and paints Batman as an enabling sucker for caring about Harvey and trying to help him, which only ends up getting innocents killed.
What an ugly, cynical take. What a callous way to view Batman’s empathy and Harvey’s complexity. And what’s worse, it only works because Tamaki made Batman more gullible than he’s supposed to be (as if Batman wouldn’t have prepared for the worst, just in case), while also misrepresenting Harvey’s canon with a whole new take that bends Two-Face into an entirely different character.
Despite making numerous references to classic canon, going as far back at the late 80’s, Tamaki notably ignores the history of Harvey Dent’s father (introduced in 1990), an abusive, alcoholic derelict whose sadistic psychological mindgames caused the division within Harvey that led to Two-Face long before he was scarred with acid. The three stories about the elder Dent from the 90’s have helped make Two-Face an incredibly important character to survivors of abuse.
Which is why it’s galling that Tamaki—despite clearly knowing tons of classic Two-Face canon!—made the conscious decision to go the complete opposite route, turning Harvey’s father (now named “Harvey Dent Sr”) into a sober, successful, and beloved businessman who was never cruel nor abusive nor apparently even rude to Harvey. As Tamaki’s Harvey puts it, “All the best parts of me are my father.”
Why would she do this? I can only imagine that she wanted to remove anything that could make a reader sympathize with Two-Face. There was no other reason to remake the backstory that completely tosses out the abuse. Hell, keeping it would have made this story stronger! It would have given Harvey an actual reason to destroy his father!
Instead, Tamaki just wants to paint Harvey as a monster who only pretends to have a good side in order to manipulate suckers around him, with Stephanie Brown being used as the sole voice of reason who sees through the bullshit. Given Steph’s own history with a jerkass dad, changing Harvey’s abuse backstory misses a huge opportunity for a hero and villain to share some empathy. But this story isn’t interested in empathy, save perhaps for Bruce, who is written as being uncharacteristically gullible for buying into Harvey’s story so easily with no backup plan in place.
To top it all off, Tamaki can’t be bothered to even get the basic facts about Harvey straight. What’s the one thing Two-Face is known for doing? Flipping his coin to make decisions. He doesn’t do it ONCE throughout this story, save for the very end where it’s used as a cliffhanger to portend future evil deeds. This is simply a bad take on Two-Face across the board even on its most fundamental levels.
Then there’s the fact that this story seems to be set in canon (indicated by the presence of Mayor Nakano) while entirely contradicting two other “redeemed Two-Face” stories that were coming out at the exact same time: the bonkers Task Force Z and the brilliant “Gotham Nocturne” arc in “Detective Comics.” Those two contradicted each other as well, but both are more worthy of your time than OBD, especially “Nocturne,” which is a far more empathic, complex, and innovative take on Harvey than we usually see. But I know this canon complaint hardly matters, since when the hell has DC last cared about consistent continuity?
Now, if you’re someone who doesn’t particularly care about Two-Face or know why anybody would, none of this will bother you. I figure that disinterest (or general unawareness of his better stories) accounts for most of the good reviews this is getting. But if you’d like to know what stories share similar ideas that actually are great Two-Face tales, here’s what I recommend:
1.) “Eye of the Beholder” from Batman Annual #14 (1990), the story which introduces Harvey’s father and the abuse backstory. This still the greatest Two-Face story ever made, and major parts of it were lifted for “The Long Halloween.”
2.) Batman/Two-Face: Crime and Punishment (1995), which provides realistic depth to Harvey’s representation of the long-term trauma of the childhood abuse survivor. Written by JM DeMatteis, one of the most brilliant and compassionate comic writers ever.
3.) The episode “Second Chance,” from Batman: The Animated Series. Like One Bad Day, this story deals with a false redemption of Harvey, but it’s rooted in Batman’s loyalty to (and love for) Harvey, without making Bruce too gullible to stop Two-Face.
4.) “Lucky Day” from Batman: Gotham Adventures #2 (1997). Set in the continuity of BTAS, this story’s premise is very similar to OBD—with Harvey deciding to ruin his father’s life—but it’s superior in every way. The TAS comics had so many banger issues, and this one was no exception.
5.) “Gotham Nocturne,” the current ongoing arc in Detective Comics. A masterful Batman story and one of the most fascinating, thrilling takes on Two-Face ever written. The backup story featuring him, “A Tale of Three Halves,” is one of the greatest takes on Harvey and his psychological state of all time. Moved me to tears. Can’t recommend it enough. I can only hope its legacy will last longer and be remembered more fondly than stories like OBD.
Harvey Dent is one of the most misunderstood characters in comics. Depending on who you ask, he’s a tragic and sympathize figure with eight decades of stories adding to his complexity and depth, or he’s a one-note monster with a cool look and a gimmick.
This is a story which ostensibly explores both these perspectives, with the pretense of trying to understand such a complicated figure. But all this is pretense. “One Bad Day” puts Harvey firmly in the “one-note monster” category and delves extensively into selective canon to prove its point, all while entirely ignoring (and even outright inventing/retconning) the canon of who he IS and what drives him. It’s a story by and for Batman fans who don’t care about Harvey Dent, especially those who see him as nothing more than a pure-evil villain. That’s an incredible disservice to a fascinating character, and a huge missed opportunity to show a new generation just why he’s so remarkable and enduring 80 years on.
In short, this is a story about Harvey faking being cured so he can ruin his saintly father’s life for absolutely no reason other than evil. It posits that Harvey’s “good side” is just a pretense (despite a couple flashbacks showing him acting heroically), and paints Batman as an enabling sucker for caring about Harvey and trying to help him, which only ends up getting innocents killed.
What an ugly, cynical take. What a callous way to view Batman’s empathy and Harvey’s complexity. And what’s worse, it only works because Tamaki made Batman more gullible than he’s supposed to be (as if Batman wouldn’t have prepared for the worst, just in case), while also misrepresenting Harvey’s canon with a whole new take that bends Two-Face into an entirely different character.
Despite making numerous references to classic canon, going as far back at the late 80’s, Tamaki notably ignores the history of Harvey Dent’s father (introduced in 1990), an abusive, alcoholic derelict whose sadistic psychological mindgames caused the division within Harvey that led to Two-Face long before he was scarred with acid. The three stories about the elder Dent from the 90’s have helped make Two-Face an incredibly important character to survivors of abuse.
Which is why it’s galling that Tamaki—despite clearly knowing tons of classic Two-Face canon!—made the conscious decision to go the complete opposite route, turning Harvey’s father (now named “Harvey Dent Sr”) into a sober, successful, and beloved businessman who was never cruel nor abusive nor apparently even rude to Harvey. As Tamaki’s Harvey puts it, “All the best parts of me are my father.”
Why would she do this? I can only imagine that she wanted to remove anything that could make a reader sympathize with Two-Face. There was no other reason to remake the backstory that completely tosses out the abuse. Hell, keeping it would have made this story stronger! It would have given Harvey an actual reason to destroy his father!
Instead, Tamaki just wants to paint Harvey as a monster who only pretends to have a good side in order to manipulate suckers around him, with Stephanie Brown being used as the sole voice of reason who sees through the bullshit. Given Steph’s own history with a jerkass dad, changing Harvey’s abuse backstory misses a huge opportunity for a hero and villain to share some empathy. But this story isn’t interested in empathy, save perhaps for Bruce, who is written as being uncharacteristically gullible for buying into Harvey’s story so easily with no backup plan in place.
To top it all off, Tamaki can’t be bothered to even get the basic facts about Harvey straight. What’s the one thing Two-Face is known for doing? Flipping his coin to make decisions. He doesn’t do it ONCE throughout this story, save for the very end where it’s used as a cliffhanger to portend future evil deeds. This is simply a bad take on Two-Face across the board even on its most fundamental levels.
Then there’s the fact that this story seems to be set in canon (indicated by the presence of Mayor Nakano) while entirely contradicting two other “redeemed Two-Face” stories that were coming out at the exact same time: the bonkers Task Force Z and the brilliant “Gotham Nocturne” arc in “Detective Comics.” Those two contradicted each other as well, but both are more worthy of your time than OBD, especially “Nocturne,” which is a far more empathic, complex, and innovative take on Harvey than we usually see. But I know this canon complaint hardly matters, since when the hell has DC last cared about consistent continuity?
Now, if you’re someone who doesn’t particularly care about Two-Face or know why anybody would, none of this will bother you. I figure that disinterest (or general unawareness of his better stories) accounts for most of the good reviews this is getting. But if you’d like to know what stories share similar ideas that actually are great Two-Face tales, here’s what I recommend:
1.) “Eye of the Beholder” from Batman Annual #14 (1990), the story which introduces Harvey’s father and the abuse backstory. This still the greatest Two-Face story ever made, and major parts of it were lifted for “The Long Halloween.”
2.) Batman/Two-Face: Crime and Punishment (1995), which provides realistic depth to Harvey’s representation of the long-term trauma of the childhood abuse survivor. Written by JM DeMatteis, one of the most brilliant and compassionate comic writers ever.
3.) The episode “Second Chance,” from Batman: The Animated Series. Like One Bad Day, this story deals with a false redemption of Harvey, but it’s rooted in Batman’s loyalty to (and love for) Harvey, without making Bruce too gullible to stop Two-Face.
4.) “Lucky Day” from Batman: Gotham Adventures #2 (1997). Set in the continuity of BTAS, this story’s premise is very similar to OBD—with Harvey deciding to ruin his father’s life—but it’s superior in every way. The TAS comics had so many banger issues, and this one was no exception.
5.) “Gotham Nocturne,” the current ongoing arc in Detective Comics. A masterful Batman story and one of the most fascinating, thrilling takes on Two-Face ever written. The backup story featuring him, “A Tale of Three Halves,” is one of the greatest takes on Harvey and his psychological state of all time. Moved me to tears. Can’t recommend it enough. I can only hope its legacy will last longer and be remembered more fondly than stories like OBD.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2025
Batman: One Bad Day – Two-Face is the last instalment of the series that I've read. Unfortunately, it was one of the lesser good ones. I love Harvey Dent a.k.a. Two-Face like the next gal but this issue was quite superficial and didn't provide a deeper look into his character of motivations.
Harvey Dent, Gotham City's former district attorney, becomes a criminal mastermind obsessed with duality and the number two. Half of his face is hideously scarred after mob boss Sal Maroni throws acid at him. The resulting disfigurement drives him insane and causes him to make decisions based on the flip of a coin. Most Batman readers are familiar with his origins. Mariko Tamaki tries to give this character a spin by giving him a second chance. Two-Face has always been viewed as Gotham's most tragic villain. If only Harvey Dent hadn't been scarred by acid, he could have continued his good work as D.A. in Gotham City and been Batman's greatest ally and friend…right? In this comic, Dent is free once more, still scarred but "seemingly" free of Two-Face's influence.
And I think that's why this comic never truly worked for me. Why were Batman and the GCPD so easily fooled by the facade that Two-Face put on? Wasn't it clear from the start that he wasn't fully cured? Wasn't it inevitable that he would crash his father's 88th birthday party and kill him? I never bought into the whole reformation thing, I'm sorry. Also, and this might just be my German ass talking, but the whole 88 symbolism and illustrations of that number were super jarring to see. Hated it. Could've literally chosen any other number. Why didn't 87 not work?
One thing I enjoyed about this comic is that Renee Montoya shows up. She's part of the GCPD and one of the few women and people of color who's a detective.
Harvey Dent, Gotham City's former district attorney, becomes a criminal mastermind obsessed with duality and the number two. Half of his face is hideously scarred after mob boss Sal Maroni throws acid at him. The resulting disfigurement drives him insane and causes him to make decisions based on the flip of a coin. Most Batman readers are familiar with his origins. Mariko Tamaki tries to give this character a spin by giving him a second chance. Two-Face has always been viewed as Gotham's most tragic villain. If only Harvey Dent hadn't been scarred by acid, he could have continued his good work as D.A. in Gotham City and been Batman's greatest ally and friend…right? In this comic, Dent is free once more, still scarred but "seemingly" free of Two-Face's influence.
And I think that's why this comic never truly worked for me. Why were Batman and the GCPD so easily fooled by the facade that Two-Face put on? Wasn't it clear from the start that he wasn't fully cured? Wasn't it inevitable that he would crash his father's 88th birthday party and kill him? I never bought into the whole reformation thing, I'm sorry. Also, and this might just be my German ass talking, but the whole 88 symbolism and illustrations of that number were super jarring to see. Hated it. Could've literally chosen any other number. Why didn't 87 not work?
One thing I enjoyed about this comic is that Renee Montoya shows up. She's part of the GCPD and one of the few women and people of color who's a detective.
April 15, 2023
Twoface,robbed of his life..forever loeses beliefe,therefore lets loose his inner self,good and bad fight everyday in anyman l in a delicate balance preserved only by beliefe,Dent instead chooses luck as the only fair constant..bringin both terror and hope..taking turns..
July 19, 2023
Having read the masterful The Riddler one-shot by Tom King and Mitch Gerads, I should get round to reading more of the One Bad Day limited series, in which each issue would delve into the psyche of one of Batman's rogues gallery. So what did I think of the Two-Face one-shot by Mariko Tamaki and Javier Fernandez?
Opening with a recap of how Gotham's District Attorney Harvey Dent became the villainous Two-Face, we jump into the present day where he is offered a second chance from Mayor Nakano to regain his old position. Around the same time, Two-Face approaches Batman as his father is about to have a big birthday party, but is also the target of someone anonymous that Batman starts to investigate.
Two-Face has always been one of the most compelling villains, in that he is a good man trying to save Gotham and being consumed by the city's dark side. This issue does a good job at reminding us the physical and mental scars that have tortured this character, as well as Batman still hoping that there is some good in him. By introducing his father, Harvey Dent Sr, it does add a new wrinkle, but Tamaki never delves deeply enough that would bring a new perspective towards the known villain.
Even with the mysterious figure that Batman is investigating to prevent the planned assassination, it's pretty obvious who it is. Ultimately, it still feels like a typical Batman story that remains an enjoyable read with the Dark Knight himself doing detective work, with Stephanie Brown being the prominent sidekick that helps out. Whilst these one-shots can be considered non-canon, Tamaki makes good use with Batman's comics history, from referencing No Man's Land to the inclusion of Nakano from Tamaki's Detective Comics run.
Although his art can be seen as murky here, Javier Fernandez presents some striking imagery. Along with Jordan Bellaire's muted colouring, Fernandez's art presents a grit and grime that suit the noir atmosphere of the story, given the skydiving theatrics of Batman and the grotesque scarred tissue from the titular villain.
Whilst there is an interesting dynamic between the hero and the villain, this well-done issue never quite achieves the deep psychology of Two-Face.
Opening with a recap of how Gotham's District Attorney Harvey Dent became the villainous Two-Face, we jump into the present day where he is offered a second chance from Mayor Nakano to regain his old position. Around the same time, Two-Face approaches Batman as his father is about to have a big birthday party, but is also the target of someone anonymous that Batman starts to investigate.
Two-Face has always been one of the most compelling villains, in that he is a good man trying to save Gotham and being consumed by the city's dark side. This issue does a good job at reminding us the physical and mental scars that have tortured this character, as well as Batman still hoping that there is some good in him. By introducing his father, Harvey Dent Sr, it does add a new wrinkle, but Tamaki never delves deeply enough that would bring a new perspective towards the known villain.
Even with the mysterious figure that Batman is investigating to prevent the planned assassination, it's pretty obvious who it is. Ultimately, it still feels like a typical Batman story that remains an enjoyable read with the Dark Knight himself doing detective work, with Stephanie Brown being the prominent sidekick that helps out. Whilst these one-shots can be considered non-canon, Tamaki makes good use with Batman's comics history, from referencing No Man's Land to the inclusion of Nakano from Tamaki's Detective Comics run.
Although his art can be seen as murky here, Javier Fernandez presents some striking imagery. Along with Jordan Bellaire's muted colouring, Fernandez's art presents a grit and grime that suit the noir atmosphere of the story, given the skydiving theatrics of Batman and the grotesque scarred tissue from the titular villain.
Whilst there is an interesting dynamic between the hero and the villain, this well-done issue never quite achieves the deep psychology of Two-Face.
March 9, 2024
(Zero spoiler review) 2.25/5
Two Face: One Bad Book, err, Day is monumentally underwhelming. So much pretty much par for the course for a modern Batman story. One Bad Day: The Riddler was a shock to the system. A Tom King book that didn't shock and infuriate. But Two Face: One Bad Day doesn't shock at all. Mariko Tamaki gives us exactly what I would have expected of her. A middling, unappealing story. It might infuriate me a little, however.
I've always felt that Two Face has been criminally underused and underdone in most Batman stories. Possibly the Rogue with the greatest backstory and relationship to Batman, usually reduced to lazy good/bad guy tropes. It's such a shame to see a character with such potential done so dirty so often, and it's no different here.
Javier Fernandez's art is pretty darn good, with Jordie Baellaire's colours taking things to a level well and truly above what the story deserves. It's abundantly clear who dropped the ball here.
This is the woman who wrote I am not Starfire, after all. It says all you need to know about DC that they allowed that to be written and printed, and then give her work on a hard lined Black Label title afterwards.
Mariko Tamaki needs to stick to her adolescent graphic novels and leave the Dark Knight alone, forever. 2.25/5
OmniBen.
Two Face: One Bad Book, err, Day is monumentally underwhelming. So much pretty much par for the course for a modern Batman story. One Bad Day: The Riddler was a shock to the system. A Tom King book that didn't shock and infuriate. But Two Face: One Bad Day doesn't shock at all. Mariko Tamaki gives us exactly what I would have expected of her. A middling, unappealing story. It might infuriate me a little, however.
I've always felt that Two Face has been criminally underused and underdone in most Batman stories. Possibly the Rogue with the greatest backstory and relationship to Batman, usually reduced to lazy good/bad guy tropes. It's such a shame to see a character with such potential done so dirty so often, and it's no different here.
Javier Fernandez's art is pretty darn good, with Jordie Baellaire's colours taking things to a level well and truly above what the story deserves. It's abundantly clear who dropped the ball here.
This is the woman who wrote I am not Starfire, after all. It says all you need to know about DC that they allowed that to be written and printed, and then give her work on a hard lined Black Label title afterwards.
Mariko Tamaki needs to stick to her adolescent graphic novels and leave the Dark Knight alone, forever. 2.25/5
OmniBen.
October 23, 2022
Two-Face is the second Batman villain to get the spotlight in DC's recent One Bad Day series, but did it live up to the strong start of its initial issue?
Batman - One Bad Day: Two Face didn't really live up to the pace and standard of is previous offering. Where The Riddler issue was clever and beautifully twisted, I found this a little tame and predictable in comparison.
The artwork here is still absolutely gorgeous though. Javier Fernandez does a phenomenal job in following up on the gritty visuals of the initial issue and thematically it felt fitting. This is made all the more impressive by Jordie Bellaire's colouring here, which goes a long way to adding tone and atmosphere.
Overall, this Two-Face offering is a pretty decent read, however, it does lack the impact of the initial Riddler issue. It's a little bland and forgettable in comparison, but it does offer just enough to keep you interested in the series as a whole.
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My Score: 6/10
My Goodreads: ⭐⭐⭐
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Batman - One Bad Day: Two Face didn't really live up to the pace and standard of is previous offering. Where The Riddler issue was clever and beautifully twisted, I found this a little tame and predictable in comparison.
The artwork here is still absolutely gorgeous though. Javier Fernandez does a phenomenal job in following up on the gritty visuals of the initial issue and thematically it felt fitting. This is made all the more impressive by Jordie Bellaire's colouring here, which goes a long way to adding tone and atmosphere.
Overall, this Two-Face offering is a pretty decent read, however, it does lack the impact of the initial Riddler issue. It's a little bland and forgettable in comparison, but it does offer just enough to keep you interested in the series as a whole.
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My Score: 6/10
My Goodreads: ⭐⭐⭐
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September 25, 2022
This really isn't bad. The Riddler story was so good that it was impossible to follow. But this feels like a cool Batman story rather than an eye opening Two Face story. Also I thought the One Bad Day series is supposed to follow the villains on their breaking point day to become a villain. Didn't really do that. Sorry but points off. Though I am surprised this came from the writer of This One Summer. Such a tender coming of age drama and this about as opposite as you can get. Tamaki has versatility! Also very good art by Fernandez with a few jaw dropping splash pages. Latinos are killing it in the comic book art world.
August 15, 2024
Not bad, its good. The art does have its moments as does the dialogue.
There's abit where there is a party takeover which shows foreboding and builds tension quite well.
Overall its not bad. Just that expected something outstanding. but its good eitherway.
There's abit where there is a party takeover which shows foreboding and builds tension quite well.
Overall its not bad. Just that expected something outstanding. but its good eitherway.
December 18, 2024
Not one of the better “One Bad Days” but as a whole this series sets a really high bar, I hope they bring it back one (not so bad) day.
September 26, 2023
A mostly predictable Two-Face story that would not feel out of place in Mariko Tamaki's Batman: Detective Comics run. Two-Face seems to have turned over a new leaf, but a threat on his father's upcoming birthday party has him running to Batman for help. Who could the threat be??
Javier Fernandez's artwork is sometimes moody and compelling, sometimes incoherent. He struggles to draw Two-Face's two faces (ha!), which is a pretty key component of the book.
Javier Fernandez's artwork is sometimes moody and compelling, sometimes incoherent. He struggles to draw Two-Face's two faces (ha!), which is a pretty key component of the book.
September 23, 2022
Quite underwhelming compared to the first installation with Riddler at the helm. Predictable storyline which never seems to grip you and dialogues which never seem to stick.
Artwork is above average and some panels are quite good. But overall is not worth spending money on and is quite skippable.
2/5
Artwork is above average and some panels are quite good. But overall is not worth spending money on and is quite skippable.
2/5
September 26, 2023
This is a perfect example of a Two-Face story: Harvey says he's fine, he's gets trusted, when push comes to shove Two-Face rears his head, people die, and he goes back to Arkham. This time the story revolves around Dent Sr.'s 88th birthday party.
A sad and tragic tale, but a great quick read and addition to the "One Bad Day" storyline.
Recommend.
A sad and tragic tale, but a great quick read and addition to the "One Bad Day" storyline.
Recommend.
September 24, 2022
really enjoying this series of one-shots
February 5, 2024
Two-Face is my favorite Batman villain, so my expectations were pretty high. Mariko Tamaki does a good job of telling a fun Two-Face story, but I’m not sure this lives up to the premise of giving us Batman villains at their absolute worst. This is a very quick and interesting story with a twist you see coming a million miles away. Nothing that defines the character as well as The Long Halloween, but I’ll never refuse a new Two-Face story.
Javier Fernandez does a decent enough job with the art, but Jordie Bellaire’s coloring is the real star of the show here.
Javier Fernandez does a decent enough job with the art, but Jordie Bellaire’s coloring is the real star of the show here.
December 9, 2023
This was a sold but predictable Two-Face story. I liked Steph and Cass parts and small cameo from Jason.
Read
January 15, 2025man i just love two-face
December 1, 2024
Fantastic Art, Predictable Story
I guess the title of my review sums it up. Two-Face is, in many ways, my favorite Batman villain. As such, I might have expectations and standards for his stories that are unfair. The writing is actually pretty tight and the art is great, it's just the ending didn't sizzle and you can kind of see it coming from the very start. Decent entry in the series but a bit of a letdown compared to others.
I guess the title of my review sums it up. Two-Face is, in many ways, my favorite Batman villain. As such, I might have expectations and standards for his stories that are unfair. The writing is actually pretty tight and the art is great, it's just the ending didn't sizzle and you can kind of see it coming from the very start. Decent entry in the series but a bit of a letdown compared to others.
July 28, 2023
Tinha lido o terceiro volume de Batman: Um Dia Ruim, estrelado pelo Pinguim, e achei que foi um trabalho supreendentemente bom. Então, o que o leitor imagina, que outros títulos dessa coleção, se bem editados, devem seguir o mesmo nível de qualidade. Só que não. Esse título escrito por Mariko Tamaki, que manda muito bem nos títulos indie, mas nunca li uma boa história de super-heróis feita por ela, e desenhado por Javier Hernandez, que não gosto do estilo sujo do desenho desde sua participação no Asa Noturna do Renascimento DC, não orna. Em seguida desse li Batman'89 que trabalha Harvey Dent de uma forma tão melhor, que quase esqueci da trama deste. O que eu posso destacar é a presença das Batgirls na história, dando um pouco mais de leveza para tudo. Me senti lendo um quadrinho dos anos 1990 com sua necessidade de chocar e ser violento. Bem triste isso.
June 18, 2023
Werbung (Rezensionsexemplar)
Batman - One Bad Day:Two-Face ist das zweite Band, der neuen Comic Reihe, die sich mit Batmans Gegnern beschäftigt. Band eins habe ich euch bereits vorgestellt, bei diesem ging es über den Riddler und dies war sehr gut. Vielen lieben dank Panini Comics
Vö: 21.03.2023
Format: Hardcover
Autor: Mariko Tamaki
Zeichner: Javier Fernandez
Seiten: 76
In den Anfangszeiten des Dunklen Ritters war Bezirksstaatsanwalt Harvey Dent ein wichtiger Verbündeter von Batman und Commissioner Gordon. Dann verunstaltete ein Säureattentat eine seiner Gesichtshälften, und aus Harvey Dent wurde der irrsinnige Superschurke Two-Face. Nun aber scheint Harvey geheilt – zumindest seine Psyche. Doch sowohl als Mann des Gesetzes als auch als Two-Face hat er sich viele Feinde gemacht. Als ein Unbekannter seinen Vater bedroht, wendet er sich an seinen alten Freund und Feind Batman. Und schließlich, an einem furchtbaren Tag, schlägt das Böse unbarmherzig zu und entscheidet über die Zukunft von Harvey Dent.
Ich habe im Vorfeld gelesen, dass es an das Riddler Comic nicht heranreicht und ja, das stimmt, aber es ist keine schlechte Geschichte. Die Story in diesem abgeschlossenen Comic ist gut, aber für mich geht es etwas zu viel um Batman, man hätte sich noch mehr um Two-Face kümmern müssen, etwas mehr auf die Psyche eingehen. Das Tempo ist im Gegensatz zum Vorgänger etwas heruntergeschraubt, es ist auch in allem etwas zahmer und einfacher gehalten. Die Autorin Mariko Tamaki, war mir bis jetzt vollkommen unbekannt, zumindest fällt mir spontan kein Werk ein, das ich von ihr gelesen habe, aber das wird sich ändern, den wie gesagt, auch wenn die Geschichte nicht perfekt ist, macht sie Spaß und ist durchaus interessant. Die Kunst von Javier Fernandez, ist phänomenal, er packt es eine düstere und beklemmende Atmosphäre zu erzeugen. Auch wenn es nicht an One Bad Day: Riddler heranreicht, kann ich das Comic nur weiterempfehlen. Von mir ☆☆☆☆
Batman - One Bad Day:Two-Face ist das zweite Band, der neuen Comic Reihe, die sich mit Batmans Gegnern beschäftigt. Band eins habe ich euch bereits vorgestellt, bei diesem ging es über den Riddler und dies war sehr gut. Vielen lieben dank Panini Comics
Vö: 21.03.2023
Format: Hardcover
Autor: Mariko Tamaki
Zeichner: Javier Fernandez
Seiten: 76
In den Anfangszeiten des Dunklen Ritters war Bezirksstaatsanwalt Harvey Dent ein wichtiger Verbündeter von Batman und Commissioner Gordon. Dann verunstaltete ein Säureattentat eine seiner Gesichtshälften, und aus Harvey Dent wurde der irrsinnige Superschurke Two-Face. Nun aber scheint Harvey geheilt – zumindest seine Psyche. Doch sowohl als Mann des Gesetzes als auch als Two-Face hat er sich viele Feinde gemacht. Als ein Unbekannter seinen Vater bedroht, wendet er sich an seinen alten Freund und Feind Batman. Und schließlich, an einem furchtbaren Tag, schlägt das Böse unbarmherzig zu und entscheidet über die Zukunft von Harvey Dent.
Ich habe im Vorfeld gelesen, dass es an das Riddler Comic nicht heranreicht und ja, das stimmt, aber es ist keine schlechte Geschichte. Die Story in diesem abgeschlossenen Comic ist gut, aber für mich geht es etwas zu viel um Batman, man hätte sich noch mehr um Two-Face kümmern müssen, etwas mehr auf die Psyche eingehen. Das Tempo ist im Gegensatz zum Vorgänger etwas heruntergeschraubt, es ist auch in allem etwas zahmer und einfacher gehalten. Die Autorin Mariko Tamaki, war mir bis jetzt vollkommen unbekannt, zumindest fällt mir spontan kein Werk ein, das ich von ihr gelesen habe, aber das wird sich ändern, den wie gesagt, auch wenn die Geschichte nicht perfekt ist, macht sie Spaß und ist durchaus interessant. Die Kunst von Javier Fernandez, ist phänomenal, er packt es eine düstere und beklemmende Atmosphäre zu erzeugen. Auch wenn es nicht an One Bad Day: Riddler heranreicht, kann ich das Comic nur weiterempfehlen. Von mir ☆☆☆☆
March 23, 2025
I read all the one bad day books over a few days. None of them were bad and I think there is going to be some bias here. This type of story is going to be affected by how much you like, hate, or don't care about the villain.
It may give you new insight or even respect in the one story but I don't feel overall it's going to change your opinion long term.
That said, I feel this was one of the weaker stories. The bad dad had been used better in another one bad day comic and frankly Two Face is not anywhere near my personal favorite villain, Batman or otherwise.
The mystery isn't great and compared to some of the other bad days it seems tame. I know you want variety but this is using the Jokers one bad day can warp you so it just feels like it wasn't that bad.
It may give you new insight or even respect in the one story but I don't feel overall it's going to change your opinion long term.
That said, I feel this was one of the weaker stories. The bad dad had been used better in another one bad day comic and frankly Two Face is not anywhere near my personal favorite villain, Batman or otherwise.
The mystery isn't great and compared to some of the other bad days it seems tame. I know you want variety but this is using the Jokers one bad day can warp you so it just feels like it wasn't that bad.
September 26, 2023
I started with this one because I thought this was the first volume. Panini could have numbered this better but it seems that these are all non-related one shots so it doesn't really matter the order.
I will take good writing any day over an amazing story, and this is what this is, good writing, even though the story is not amazing.
Good writing with good artwork.
It was a pleasure reading this and getting to see a different side of one of the Batman's classic villains.
I will take good writing any day over an amazing story, and this is what this is, good writing, even though the story is not amazing.
Good writing with good artwork.
It was a pleasure reading this and getting to see a different side of one of the Batman's classic villains.
October 16, 2022
Not bad but not great. Really hard to follow that Riddler one.
January 25, 2024
Before anything, we have to talk about how hilarious the name of this story is. A Great Men. Get it? Like TWO men? Ashamedly, I laughed out loud in a public place while reading it.
I'm disappointed with this one. Promising start, but it doesn't really deliver. There are so many positives that made me think this could've been the best OBD story. For one, Two-Face. He's my favorite Batman villain and by far the most interesting. I was excited to see how they were going to pull it off since Two-Face has already had his "one bad day." It almost fits him more than Joker, except that the thing that truly scarred Harvey was a childhood full of trauma. It was a lifetime that made Two-Face.
Another positive is the idea behind the One Bad Day line. Sadly, it ends up not really using that idea at all and just going with a cheap, basic Two-Face story, which, because it's a Two-Face story, is actually pretty darn good. Just not up to the standard it needs to be.
Another positive is Mariko Tamaki. I've had my ups and downs with her writing, but I generally enjoy her writing and I'd never read any of her Detective Comics so I was excited to see how she writes Batman stories. If this is any indication, the answer is well, but not well enough that I'd go out of my way to read them.
For some reason, this story feels shorter than all the others. They're all roughly the same length, but this truly feels like a one-shot. Even the Penguin one-shot (which felt fairly short) felt longer than this. I wanted to get so much more out of this than I did.
And can I say for the record that I called the "twist" ending at the very beginning?
Not much else to say. Solid story but deserved way better for as interesting as the character is. I don't recommend it but I did enjoy it.
I'm disappointed with this one. Promising start, but it doesn't really deliver. There are so many positives that made me think this could've been the best OBD story. For one, Two-Face. He's my favorite Batman villain and by far the most interesting. I was excited to see how they were going to pull it off since Two-Face has already had his "one bad day." It almost fits him more than Joker, except that the thing that truly scarred Harvey was a childhood full of trauma. It was a lifetime that made Two-Face.
Another positive is the idea behind the One Bad Day line. Sadly, it ends up not really using that idea at all and just going with a cheap, basic Two-Face story, which, because it's a Two-Face story, is actually pretty darn good. Just not up to the standard it needs to be.
Another positive is Mariko Tamaki. I've had my ups and downs with her writing, but I generally enjoy her writing and I'd never read any of her Detective Comics so I was excited to see how she writes Batman stories. If this is any indication, the answer is well, but not well enough that I'd go out of my way to read them.
For some reason, this story feels shorter than all the others. They're all roughly the same length, but this truly feels like a one-shot. Even the Penguin one-shot (which felt fairly short) felt longer than this. I wanted to get so much more out of this than I did.
And can I say for the record that I called the "twist" ending at the very beginning?
Not much else to say. Solid story but deserved way better for as interesting as the character is. I don't recommend it but I did enjoy it.
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