Written by: Mariko Tamaki
Art by: Javier FernandezColors by: Jordie Bellaire
Letters by: Ariana Maher
Cover art by: Javier Fernandez, Jordie Bellaire
Cover price: $7.99
Release date: September 20, 2022
Batman: One Bad Day - Two-Face #1 finds Batman lending aid to a "reformed" Two-Face/Harvey Dent when Dent's father is determined to move forward with a birthday party clouded by threats of murder.
Is It Good?
Batman: One Bad Day - Two-Face #1 is a serviceable yet generic Batman adventure starring Harvey Dent / Two-Face as a man determined to protect his father at all costs. When Dent intercepts a death threat against his father, he calls on the only person he knows who could keep his father safe - Batman.That's the story, and if you know anything about the split nature of Two-Face, you'll figure out who the culprit is from a mile and a half away.
The technical execution of this triple-sized comic is just okay. There are a few consistency flaws (more on that in a minute), but all things considered, the comic is competently assembled.
However, the fault with this issue doesn't lie in the assembly, it's in the central premise. The whole point of the series of "One Bad Day" one-shots is to create a worst-case scenario that irrevocably changes the villain or Batman or both. I can't say for sure which because DC hasn't said for sure which. Regardless, this issue not only doesn't change Batman, but it also doesn't change Two-Face, Gotham, or anything of note. In short, this is an over-long, super-generic Batman story.
What about this comic would lead you to believe it's a "One Bad day" scenario? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Batman researches everyone who might wish harm on Dent's family, finds nothing and then gets caught with his outer-underwear down when the party goes South very quickly. The bad guy is eventually caught. The end. It's about as generic and uneventful a comic as you can get.
The flaws are quick, but if you're paying attention to Bat-comics, they'll throw you for a loop as soon as you see them.
Cass goes undercover to the party, drawn like a tall, leggy, high-class socialite. In every current incarnation, Cass is depicted as a socially awkward teenager, so it's unclear if the artist borrowed a Catwoman model without considering the context, but Cass looks out of place.
The "bad guy," once revealed, was obvious from page one, and it makes no sense that Batman and the entire Bat-team would be caught so flatfooted once the villain's plan is set in motion. GCPD guards are hogtied, henchmen appear undercover, no surveillance and more boneheaded developments make the Bat-team look like rank amateurs.
How, when, or why would Mayor Nakano offer Two-Face a job to re-assume his role as D.A. after his long history of carnage and death? And how is Nakano able to pressure him with the threat of sending him back to jail if Dent steps out of line? The entire job offer scene strains credibility beyond reason.
When you put all these pieces together, it comes across as if Tamaki didn't understand the homework assignment to create a scenario that pushes either Batman or Dent beyond their limit. The only limit being pushed is my patience to get through this utterly generic comic.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
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Bits and Pieces:
Batman: One Bad Day - Two-Face #1 succeeds by executing a basic Batman/Two-Face story but utterly fails to create a "One Bad Day" scenario. The setup is basic, the twist reveal is telegraphed from a mile away, and Batman is depicted as inept. Whatever assignment the creators were given, they get a 'C' for effort and 'F' for imagination.
5/10
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