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Batman: Featuring Two-Face and the Riddler
Published in 1995.
192 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1995
1 person is currently reading
147 people want to read
About the author
Mark Waid
3,182 books1,272 followersMark Waid (born March 21, 1962 in Hueytown, Alabama) is an American comic book writer. He is best known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 30, 2019
This short stories collection helps us looking into the origin stories of both Two-Face and the Riddler:
Two-Face (do you know he was originally called 'Harvey Kent'?) has such a sad story of being disfigured and abandoned by his wife (sometime she is called Grace, but more commonly Gilda), right from the start; whilst the Riddler has this rather hilarious setup of not being able to commit a crime without leaving a riddle for Batman!? Hahaha!
The first four or five stories are from decades ago (1940-1950) so the artwork and style is hopelessly outdated and old fashioned. Still in the latter stories (one of them penned by Neil Gaiman) I can see how the style and the stories of these two supervillains evolved, with this evolution their characters and mentality also get deepened. I like it. For example, the origin story of Two-Face from the 1942 is tragic in a flat, 'run-of-the-mill' way, but in the later makeover his origin story was given a lot more psychological depth, and I like it.
Favorite stories: The Secret Origin of the Riddler and Eyes of the Beholder.
Review: Red Hood: Outlaw vol. 1 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: Batman: Battle For the Cowl: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: Batman: Life After Death: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book Review: Batman: The Long Halloween https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told Vol. 1 (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
Review: Batman: A Death in the Family https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Two-Face (do you know he was originally called 'Harvey Kent'?) has such a sad story of being disfigured and abandoned by his wife (sometime she is called Grace, but more commonly Gilda), right from the start; whilst the Riddler has this rather hilarious setup of not being able to commit a crime without leaving a riddle for Batman!? Hahaha!
The first four or five stories are from decades ago (1940-1950) so the artwork and style is hopelessly outdated and old fashioned. Still in the latter stories (one of them penned by Neil Gaiman) I can see how the style and the stories of these two supervillains evolved, with this evolution their characters and mentality also get deepened. I like it. For example, the origin story of Two-Face from the 1942 is tragic in a flat, 'run-of-the-mill' way, but in the later makeover his origin story was given a lot more psychological depth, and I like it.
Favorite stories: The Secret Origin of the Riddler and Eyes of the Beholder.
Review: Red Hood: Outlaw vol. 1 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: Batman: Battle For the Cowl: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: Batman: Life After Death: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book Review: Batman: The Long Halloween https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told Vol. 1 (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
Review: Batman: A Death in the Family https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
February 13, 2020
Este tomo salió en la época de Batman Forever y reúne historias de los dos villanos de la película; son comics sueltos sin otro hilo conector que ese. Lo más interesante está al principio y al final del tomo: tenemos los orígenes de ambos personajes, y ahí lo interesante está en la recuperación del material clásico. Sobre el final tenemos un Anual con el origen de Dos caras escrito por Andrew Helfer, y me gustó bastante cómo trata la psicología del personaje y todo lo que rodea al hecho del ácido en sí. Esta historia quedó un poco en el olvido porque a los años salió The Long Halloween y esa versión quedó más como la definitiva del personaje.
¿Recomendaría el tomo? Solo si lo ven muy barato (a mí me lo regaló un amigo) y como hecho curioso de conocer historias clásicas de los personajes, pero no mucho más.
¿Recomendaría el tomo? Solo si lo ven muy barato (a mí me lo regaló un amigo) y como hecho curioso de conocer historias clásicas de los personajes, pero no mucho más.
January 2, 2014
The Riddler is now and will probably always be my favorite Batman villain. That being said, I am happy to report that the Riddler comics assembled in this book are really good. A little corny, sure, but classic and entertaining. (Besides, I like corny.) Now, I can't say I'm as big of a fan of the Two-Face comics. I found them to be very predictable and somewhat cliche. However, if you're a fan of the Riddler (or if you'd like to see Two-Face's origin stories in one collection,) it's definitely worth the read.
July 8, 2023
A collection of classic Two-Face and Riddler stories, released as an accompaniment to the release of the Batman Forever film.
There's a few gems in here that really delve into the obsessive-compulsiveneness of the Riddler and the deeply troubled mind of Two-Face.
A worthwhile read if you can find it.
There's a few gems in here that really delve into the obsessive-compulsiveneness of the Riddler and the deeply troubled mind of Two-Face.
A worthwhile read if you can find it.
May 3, 2016
A collection of Two-Face and Riddler stories published as a tie-in with the movie "Batman Forever." It includes the first appearances of both characters, which are historically interesting, but read like the 1940's era stories they are. Another Riddler story from the 60's is included, and is fairly forgettable.
The two gems of the collection are "Original Sins," the 1989 Batman villain special issue of Secret Origins, and "Eye of the Beholder," the 1990 Batman Annual. Collectively, these are still some of the greatest villain-focused Batman stories I've ever read.
Neil Gaiman's take on the Riddler, "When is a Door," is not really an origin story, as much as a marvelously affectionate homage to the "camp, kitsch, corny, dumb" Frank Gorshin version of the character. The aging villain reminisces about the old days, and laments the rise of the edgy and dark comic book characters that had become all the rage at the time. "The Joker's killing people, for god's sake!" he muses, unable to reconcile with the brave new world that has such people in it. Bernie Mireault's whimsical artwork is perfectly suited to the story, as well.
The untitled Two-Face story from Secret Origins is presented as a TV interview with Harvey Dent's wife (for some reason called Grace here), where she gives a chilling account of Dent's transformation into Two-Face:
The story presents Two-Face from Gilda/Grace's perspective, as a tragic, broken man, not a super-villain. It is also significant that this is the first version of Two-Face's origin to imply that his mental illness started long before his face was scarred. Gilda/Grace also misrepresents Harvey's childhood (probably intentionally), stating that both his parents died when he was young, not just his mother.
While the two stories differ in some slight respects, the Secret Origin story is a fine prologue to the definitive version of Two Face's origin, "The Eye of the Beholder." Set in the "Year One" timeline, we see a still inexperienced Batman and the young Jim Gordon reach out to Gotham's charismatic district attorney, Harvey Dent. What the pair doesn't know is that the hard-driving, uncompromising DA is hiding a traumatic past of physical abuse at his father's hands, which resulted in multiple-personality disorder. Dent has kept his "bad boy" personality submerged for decades, but a particularly disturbing serial killer cases brings it back to the surface. Parts of the story are narrated inside Dent's head, where the two personalities ceaselessly debate, constantly at war. The coin takes on a particularly disturbing significance, as we find out that Harvey's father was a con-man who used two headed coins in the rigged "game" he played with his son every night. His father promised if the two-headed coin came up tails, then Harvey would escape the night's beating. Once his face is scarred by acid thrown by a mob boss, all the pain and frustration pours out, and Dent becomes Two-Face. The story's final scene is particularly chilling and poignant. If you are not creeped out by that scene, you have no soul. Simply the greatest Two-Face story ever, definitely in my top five comic stories.
The two gems of the collection are "Original Sins," the 1989 Batman villain special issue of Secret Origins, and "Eye of the Beholder," the 1990 Batman Annual. Collectively, these are still some of the greatest villain-focused Batman stories I've ever read.
Neil Gaiman's take on the Riddler, "When is a Door," is not really an origin story, as much as a marvelously affectionate homage to the "camp, kitsch, corny, dumb" Frank Gorshin version of the character. The aging villain reminisces about the old days, and laments the rise of the edgy and dark comic book characters that had become all the rage at the time. "The Joker's killing people, for god's sake!" he muses, unable to reconcile with the brave new world that has such people in it. Bernie Mireault's whimsical artwork is perfectly suited to the story, as well.
The untitled Two-Face story from Secret Origins is presented as a TV interview with Harvey Dent's wife (for some reason called Grace here), where she gives a chilling account of Dent's transformation into Two-Face:
Late at night, the morphine would wear off, and he would scream from the pain. People ask me how a man like Harvey Dent could become something as grotesque as 'Two-Face.' If they could have heard him, they'd know.
The story presents Two-Face from Gilda/Grace's perspective, as a tragic, broken man, not a super-villain. It is also significant that this is the first version of Two-Face's origin to imply that his mental illness started long before his face was scarred. Gilda/Grace also misrepresents Harvey's childhood (probably intentionally), stating that both his parents died when he was young, not just his mother.
While the two stories differ in some slight respects, the Secret Origin story is a fine prologue to the definitive version of Two Face's origin, "The Eye of the Beholder." Set in the "Year One" timeline, we see a still inexperienced Batman and the young Jim Gordon reach out to Gotham's charismatic district attorney, Harvey Dent. What the pair doesn't know is that the hard-driving, uncompromising DA is hiding a traumatic past of physical abuse at his father's hands, which resulted in multiple-personality disorder. Dent has kept his "bad boy" personality submerged for decades, but a particularly disturbing serial killer cases brings it back to the surface. Parts of the story are narrated inside Dent's head, where the two personalities ceaselessly debate, constantly at war. The coin takes on a particularly disturbing significance, as we find out that Harvey's father was a con-man who used two headed coins in the rigged "game" he played with his son every night. His father promised if the two-headed coin came up tails, then Harvey would escape the night's beating. Once his face is scarred by acid thrown by a mob boss, all the pain and frustration pours out, and Dent becomes Two-Face. The story's final scene is particularly chilling and poignant. If you are not creeped out by that scene, you have no soul. Simply the greatest Two-Face story ever, definitely in my top five comic stories.
July 14, 2008
This was a nice collection of stories regarding the origins of two of Batman's foes, Two-face and the Riddler. I appreciated the reprinted issues that introduced both characters, despite how campy they were. It was interesting to read. The later written stories were interesting and provided a nice contrast or expansion to the original origin stories.
I admit that I always thought Two-Face was a slightly amusing character, but realy didn't like the Riddler much. This collection gave me a better perspective on both characters, ultimately increasing my appreciation of them in the Batman universe.
Recommended for any fan of Batman, especially anyone who doesn't really understand the internal battle that Two-Face endures constantly, and/or anyone who wants to know what the Riddler's reasons for riddling really are.
Cheers!
I admit that I always thought Two-Face was a slightly amusing character, but realy didn't like the Riddler much. This collection gave me a better perspective on both characters, ultimately increasing my appreciation of them in the Batman universe.
Recommended for any fan of Batman, especially anyone who doesn't really understand the internal battle that Two-Face endures constantly, and/or anyone who wants to know what the Riddler's reasons for riddling really are.
Cheers!
May 8, 2016
3 stars. This was such a great collection dealing with the origin stories of both Two-Face and The Riddler. The stories were great, especially the very last one, and the artwork throughout was really good. I think my main issue was that I don't think it was split fairly between the two. There was definitely more emphasis on Two-Face than on Riddler which is unfortunate because I found them both equally fascinating. I also didn't really care for the random Penguin story that came out of nowhere and felt that section could've easily been another Riddler comic. Overall, I think this is a great starter point for both villains, but if you're really interested in The Riddler you may want to read this and then continue elsewhere.
June 29, 2009
I have read only Neil Gaiman's entries "Original Sins" & "When is a Door." They really oporate as one story with the second half being much more interesting. A candid interview with the Riddler. Very well done! Full of a type of humor I very much appreciate (although he did just a riddle that he also used in MirrorMask).
August 18, 2015
The Riddler and Two-Face are among the most intriguing characters in Batman's Rogues' Gallery and well worth a book spotlighting them. It's somewhat disappointing that almost all of the stories this volume contains are origin stories, but they are fascinating origin stories, and well worth a read. Plus, there's very rare Neil Gaiman superhero work here, and that's always a treat!
March 5, 2012
A nice mix of older Batman stories about the 2 villains and new stories that reinvented them for that era. It finishes with the reprinted story from Batman Annual #14 which holds sentimental value to me as it was one of the 1st Batman comics I ever bought.
June 28, 2007
A great cross section of the histories of Riddler & Two-Face. Luckily, I can enjoy both the good ones and the laughably bad old ones in this.
March 7, 2011
You just can't beat the classic cheesy Batman stories.
October 11, 2013
So naturally the early stories are cheesy and hard to take seriously, but the later ones, especially the Twoface tale, is remarkable. Wish they had went with more of it for the Dark Knight.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews