Origin
Born and raised in Gotham, Harvey Dent was brought up in a lower-class and violent household. His father was an abusive alcoholic who repeatedly beat the boy, often using a double-headed coin to give the child a “chance” to escape a beating. Dent spent much of his early life suffering from various mental issues, notably bipolar disorder and paranoia. Despite his early hardships, he was a good student and able to obtain a law degree. Deciding that he wished to make Gotham a better place, he ran for and won the position of District Attorney in Gotham. He was noted for his dedication to justice, and his seeming untouchability.
In previous continuities, Batman appeared on the scene about six months after he first assumed office. Far from condemning the vigilante, Dent became one of his first supporters on the side of the law. During the trial of Sal Maroni, the mobster threw acid at Dent. The acid horribly scarred half of Dent’s face, and Dent soon lost his mind, descending into criminality and an obsession with duality.
In the current continuity, before becoming District Attorney, Dent was a defense attorney, struggling between his desire to do justice and the attorney/client privilege. While working with Batman and Gordon as District Attorney, he was targeted by former client Erin McKillen, a mob boss he sent to Blackgate after taking his new position. Considering this betrayal, McKillen vowed revenge; upon escaping prison, she murdered Gilda Dent and permanently scarred Harvey Dent with acid, leading to his descent into madness.
Creation
Two-Face was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. Elements of his history were rewritten for the Modern Age by Andrew Helfer.
Character Evolution
Golden Age
In his original appearance, the character who would become Harvey Dent was known as Harvey Kent. His original story was a trilogy, at the end of which his sanity and facial features were both restored, and he married his fiancee, Gilda. Not wanting to ruin the happy ending for Harvey Kent (who was renamed Dent in his next appearance), writer Bill Finger introduced a number of impostor Two-Faces, most notably Paul Sloane and George Blake. Finally, in 1954, writer David V. Reed had Dent’s face rescarred in an explosion, thus bringing Two-Face back once and for all. This was his final appearance in the Golden Age, whereupon he vanished from comics for sixteen years.
Silver Age
Two-Face made no appearances during this era, bypassing the Silver Age entirely save for a single issue of World’s Finest where Batman was brainwashed into thinking that he himself was Two-Face. He did, however, make an appearance in the Batman newspaper comic strips published during this era.
Bronze Age
After a sixteen-year-absence from comics, Two-Face was brought back in 1971 by Dennis O’Neil, who reestablished Dent’s status as one of Batman’s greatest enemies. In addition, he was given a new origin by Jack C. Harris, where it was revealed that Harvey Dent wasn’t meant to be scarred by acid by Maroni, whose real target was the officer who arrested him: Dave “Pretty Boy” Davis. As such, this was further evidence to Dent that what happened to him truly was nothing more than a matter of luck, chance, and fate. While these events were never referenced in another story since, they were included in Two-Face’s official Who’s Who entry. It was also revealed that Harvey had an estranged daughter, Duela Dent, but as with the Dave Davis origin retcon, this revelation similarly went ignored by virtually all subsequent stories.
Modern Age
Dent’s origin was rewritten following the Crisis on Infinite Earths. He was given a more tragic backstory to make his character more sympathetic, and his early connection to Batman was added. His character also took on the typical symptoms of Dissociative Identity Disorder at this time; that is, his two identities lost their awareness of what the other was doing.
Major Story Arcs
Year One
Dent, the District Attorney, becomes the first member of the established justice system to act as an ally to the newly-appeared Batman. Dent is later instrumental in helping to eliminate some of the corruption that is rife in the Gotham City Police Department.
The Long Halloween
Dent, Batman and James Gordon begin to work together on the Holiday killer case, though Dent begins to estrange his allies with his blunt disregard for the lives of criminals. After joining Batman in burning a warehouse full of Carmine Falcone’s money, Dent and his wife are almost killed by a bomb that has been planted in their house. Dent’s investigations into the Holiday killer lead him to suspect that Bruce Wayne is involved, though his theory is later proven incorrect. At trial, Sal Maroni disfigures Dent by throwing acid in his face. Taken to the hospital, Dent flees after stabbing a doctor, going into hiding in the sewers of Gotham. There, he encounters Solomon Grundy, who attacks him, though Dent manages to calm Grundy and escape. On the surface, his former allies begin to suspect that he is Holiday. On Halloween, shortly after the alleged real Holiday is captured, Dent, now going by Two-Face, resurfaces and frees most of the inmates of Arkham Asylum. He leads the other villains to the home of Falcone, and murders the man despite Batman’s attempts to stop him. He kills his former assistant, who had aided Maroni in disfiguring him, and then turns himself in to the police. As he is taken away, he reveals that there were two Holiday killers.
No Man’s Land
Dent takes up residence in Gotham City Hall following the massive earthquake that destroyed much of Gotham. His living arrangements there are destroyed by the arrival of Bane. He later abducts Gordon and puts him on trial for his actions during the crisis. Two-Face acts as both the prosecuting attorney and judge during the proceedings. Gordon insists on having Harvey Dent as his defence lawyer, and Dent is able to successfully argue against his Two-Face persona, resulting in Gordon being acquitted.
Gotham Central
Around the time of the earthquake in Gotham, Two-Face becomes acquainted with Renee Montoya. She is kind to him, and he falls in love with her, though she rejects him. Enraged, he outs her as a lesbian and frames her for murder, in the hope that once she has lost everything she will be forced to turn to him. She fights him, and he is ultimately recaptured by Batman, who sends him back to Arkham.
Hush
Two-Face’s scarred face is repaired by neurosurgeon Dr Thomas Elliot. As a result of regaining his normal appearance, Two-Face reverts to his Dent persona, with Two-Face seemingly gone for good. He turns on Elliot, who is secretly the supervillain Hush, and shoots him, leaving the body in the Gotham River. He uses his knowledge of the legal system to secure the release of the Joker, as well as to avoid prosecution for the murder of Elliot.
Face the Face
While Batman vanishes from Gotham, Dent becomes a vigilante at the hero’s urging. He undertakes these duties as a form of atonement, and though initially reluctant he soon finds he enjoys his work as a vigilante, though he lacks Batman’s finesse. When Batman returns, Dent begins to feel useless, and when Batman confronts him about a series of murders involving minor villains, Dent refuses to say whether he is responsible or not, blowing up his apartment and fleeing. After flipping a coin, the Two-Face persona reemerges, and Two-Face releases most of the animals in the zoo, as well as killing four police officers. He is defeated by Batman and Robin, who later discover that the Great White Shark was responsible for the murders of the minor villains.
Long Shadows
Following the apparent death of Batman, Two-Face realizes that a new person has assumed the cowl. He infiltrates the Batcave with the assistance of a teleporter and ambushes Batman when he arrives to investigate this invasion, shooting him with tranquilizer darts. His torture of the new Batman is halted by the intervention of Alfred Pennyworth. Batman is then able to convince Two-Face that he is the original Batman.
Streets of Gotham
Two-Face comes into conflict with Kate Spencer, also known as the vigilante Manhunter, culminating in the pair facing off against one another in court, with Two-Face acting in his own defence. Two-Face nearly manages to out-talk his opponent, but his plan to kill her in court goes awry. Nonetheless, he is able to escape custody. Following the arrest of Black Mask, Two-Face is apparently betrayed by his own henchmen and dumped in a river.
Knight Terrors
For more information see: Batman: The Dark Knight: Knight Terrors
Two-Face, while being held at Arkham Asylum, is injected with a combination Fear Toxin and Venom. The Fear Toxin makes him fearless and the venom makes him super strong. He demands that Batman calls him One-face, and almost kills Batman. Lucky as the drug wares off Two-face starts bleeding out his eye sockets and passes out. He is then taken into custody again but wouldn’t stop screaming from the pain long enough to explain who did this to him.
The Big Burn
Two-Face’s origin was revised by Peter J. Tomasi for the rebooted New 52 continuity. In the storyline The Big Burn, Dent was originally a defense attorney whose clients included Irish mob boss Erin McKillen and her twin sister, Shannon. Appalled when they hired assassins and attempted to murder Commissioner Gordon and his entire family, Dent found his hands tied by the attorney/client privilege. When the District Attorney retired, Bruce Wayne suggested his friend to run for the position, and he won. Dent then started to work together with Batman and Gordon to keep Gotham safe from criminals.
Harvey used his information on the McKillens and new poisition to send them back to Blackgate, both vowing revenge for Dent’s “betrayal”. Three years later, Shannon McKillen committed suicide to help her sister Erin escape, whereupon the surviving McKillen sister stabbed Gilda Dent to death and scarred Harvey’s face with acid so that everyone would now be able to see how “two-faced” he was. In the struggle, Dent smashed the case of coins he had in his office, and a piece of his dripping, still-burning face landed on one side of a two-headed silver dollar, which he would eventually take as his symbol. McKillen fled the country after taking revenge on Dent, leaving him with a burning desire of revenge against her.
At present, Dent–who remains suicidal over what he’s become and over the loss of Gilda–seeks to finally exact his revenge against McKillen, even as they are both targeted by the collective mobster of Gotham City, one of whom may be Vincent Maroni. Two-Face manages to scar McKillen with the same acid that created him but Batman manages to incarcerate her. Batman and Two-Face continue battling with Batman desperately trying to convince Harvey to come to terms with the past and let McKillen face true justice. Two-Face then calls Batman, “Bruce”, revealing that he has known Batman’s true identity for some time. Dent reveals that he struggled internally for quite some time over whether to kill Bruce but ultimately not doing so because of his twisted sense of justice. He disappears after the battle and Batman is unable to track him. It is heavily implied that Dent has achieved closure and it is also implied that he commits suicide by shooting himself in the head.
Rebirth
Two-Face makes his debut in All-Star Batman #1. Batman decides to cure Harvey, doing whatever it takes. Batman takes a road trip outside Gotham and stumbles upon Two-Face’s henchmen, Killer Moth and Firefly and eventually Black Spider. Bruce gets the upper hand and takes Harvey with him.
Harvey tries to get rid of Bruce, but fails horribly. Furthermore, both Harvey and Bruce have to deal with an old enemy: Anatoli Knyazev aka KGBeast. Harvey and Bruce have a hard time against the Beast, they eventually get rid of him. However, they were both heavily injured, especially Harvey. Bruce takes care of Harvey, but Harvey thanks him with a surprise attack by his men. Harvey takes out Bruce and pours some acid into his eyes and shows him how it feels to see the world blurry.
Over the course of time, Bruce and Duke take them out. Now, however, Harvey and Bruce have to face off against KGBeast, Cobblepot aka Penguin and Black Mask. They barely managed to escape.
Harvey tells Bruce that he won’t remove the poisonous clouds over Gotham if he won’t hand over the cure. He’d wanted the cure desperately. In the end, Bruce injected the cure but it had no effect on Harvey due to Bruce lying about a cure. Harvey was knocked out, since there was a sedative in it. In the end, Harvey was taken back to Gotham.
Powers and Abilities
Two-Face has no superpowers. However, he is one of Batman’s most notorious and dangerous opponents.
Law Expert
Two-Face has extensive knowledge in law and criminal justice.
Trained Fighter
Dent was trained in hand to hand combat by Batman during the events of 52. He was able to demonstrate his ability when he defeated Killer Croc in a fist fight. He was also able to block some of Nightwings strikes using his training, which impressed Grayson.
Even before his training from Batman, Dent was a vicious fighter in his own right and kept in good shape, as seen in The Long Halloween.
Marksmanship
Dent paid Deathstroke to train him in the use of weapons. He is usually carrying twin pistols but he is also trained as a sniper.
Criminal Mastermind
Two-Face is a very clever opponent. He often comes up with cunning plans to achieve his goals and he has also shown some degree of skill as a detective.
Leadership
Two-Face is one of Gotham’s most feared and respected super villains. He often has a following of henchmen or fanatics that help him carry out his plans.
Weapons & Equipment
Twin pistols
Dent usually carries a set of two pistols, which he wields quite skillfully.
Two-Face’s Coin
He always carries with him a special coin, with one of the sides scarred like him. He makes all his important decisions dependent on a coin toss, which makes him quite unpredictable.
Character Profile
- Height: 5’11”
- Weight: 182 lbs
- Eye Color: Blue
- Hair Color: Brown
- Citizenship: American
- Place of Birth: New York
- Marital Status: Widowed
- Occupation: Criminal, former lawyer
- Known Relatives: Gilda Dent (wife, deceased), Christopher Dent (father)
- Base of Operations: Gotham City
Alternate Versions
Earth-Two
On the original Earth-Two, the Golden Age Harvey Kent remained cured following the initial restoration of his face and sanity. On Earth-2 Joker tries to create a new Two-Face by scarring a man named Harry; the fate of Kent is unknown.
Earth-Three
His heroic Earth-Three counterpart is Evelyn “Eve” Dent, who goes by “Three Face” due to her three distinct personalities. Unlike the original Dent, she is unscarred.
The Dark Knight Returns
Dent receives plastic surgery that completely repairs his face. However, his Dent personality is completely destroyed, and Two-Face takes complete control of their shared body. He is imprisoned in Arkham following an attempt to destroy the Gotham Twin Towers.
Gotham by Gaslight
On Earth-19, Dent is a serial killer going by the name “The Double Man”
The Batman Adventures
Dent is nearly cured, but descends into dangerous insanity when the Joker convinces him that his fiancée is cheating on him with Bruce Wayne.
In Darkest Knight
Gotham’s District Attorney, Dent is wary of the new Green Lantern, Bruce Wayne. He is attacked and scarred by Sinestro and given powers that resemble those of Eclipso. He takes the name “Binary Star” and takes to working alongside Star Sapphire, Selina Kyle.
Black and White
Dent receives plastic surgery and is nearly cured. However, the psychotic twin sister of his fiancée kills her and forces a relapse into Two-Face.
Batman/Daredevil
Two-Face teams up with Mr Hyde in order to grow a microchip in Hyde’s body. Though he is aware that this will ultimately kill Hyde, he does not make any attempt to save the man. He is prevented from killing Hyde by Matt Murdock, who he is revealed to have been friends with when they were younger.
Masque
In this pastiche with the Phantom of the Opera, Two-Face plays the role of the titular Phantom.
Thrillkiller
Detective Duall is a corrupt police officer who has his face scarred. Harvey Dent is the District Attorney and later mayor of Gotham.
Tangent
Harvey Dent is his universe’s Superman. He is African-American, and possesses psionic powers.
Crimson Mist
Two-Face initially joins with Gordon and Alfred to defeat the vampire Batman. When this is apparently done, he turns on his erstwhile allies. He is killed by the restored Batman.
Claws of the Catwoman
Finnegan Dent is an adventurer and thief who raids an ancient African city, Mnemnom. His thievery is uncovered by Tarzan and Batman, who attempt to stop him. He is mauled by a lion, which heavily disfigures half of his face. Because of his wound he decides to remain in Mnemnom and become a ruler. He is sealed in a tomb by the inhabitants of Mnemnom and presumably left to die.
Guardian of Gotham
Darcy Dent is a model who has half her face disfigured by sabotaged face cream. She seeks revenge on those who she blames for her disfigurement.
Flashpoint
In the Flashpoint alternate universe, Dent never became Two-Face, and is instead employed as a judge and living happily with his wife and children. His children are kidnapped by the Joker, and he seeks Thomas Wayne’s assistance in recovering them. He manages to save them, though Dent’s daughter is shot and nearly killed.
Other Media
Animation
The DCAU
Two-Face features as a recurring character in Batman: the Animated Series and its successor The New Batman Adventures. He makes appearances both as pre-disfiguration Harvey Dent and as Two-Face. He also made a cameo appearance in the Justice League episode “A Better World”. He is voiced in his appearances by Richard Moll.
Batman: Black and White
Two-Face appears in the episode “Two of a Kind”. He is voiced by James Remar.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Two-Face makes his first appearance in the episode “Legends of the Dark Mite!”. He makes his first speaking appearance in the opening of the episode “The Fate of Equinox!”. He is voiced in two appearances by James Remar, and in one appearance by Richard Moll.
Beware the Batman
Harvey Dent first appears in “Nexus” as the antagonistic District Attorney that wants to arrest Batman and Katana to boost up his campaign for mayor. Throughout the rest of the season, he becomes obsessed with taking down Batman, even teaming up with Anarky and Deathstroke, and also befriends Bruce Wayne. In the last three episodes of the show, Dent becomes disfigured in an explosion during a fight between Batman and an impostor. In the hospital, Dent goes insane and blames Batman and his political rivals for ruining his life, and teams up with Anarky to take them all down. Dent betrays and tries to kill Anarky, who calls him “Two-Face” before Gordon saves him. Dent takes off his bandages and leaves, having new plans for Gotham. He is voiced by Christopher McDonald.
Film
Batman
Dent, the DA for Gotham, appears as a minor character in this film. The intention was originally for this version of the character to return as Two-Face in sequels, but this never panned out. He is played by Billy Dee Williams.
Batman Forever
Two-Face appears as one of the major villains in this film, alongside the Riddler. He blames Batman for failing to prevent his scarring, which was caused by a witness throwing acid on his face during court, and is shown to be responsible for the death of Dick Grayson’s parents, who he threatened to, and ultimately did, kill because Batman did not reveal himself at the circus Dick’s parents were performing in. He is played by Tommy Lee Jones.
The Dark Knight
Dent appears as the newly-elected District Attorney of Gotham, who is one of the early supporters of the Batman. When he and his fiancée Rachel Dawes are targeted by the Joker, Dent becomes increasingly unhinged, culminating in his being horribly scarred in a murder attempt that claims Dawes’ life, but only leaves Dent badly burned. Becoming Two-Face, he begins to take revenge on those who he believes are responsible, killing several people before being stopped by Batman. He is played by Aaron Eckhart.
Batman: Year One
Dent appears as a minor character in this film adaptation of the comic of the same name. He is voiced Robin Atkin Downes.
The Dark Knight Returns
Two-Face appears in this film. He is voiced by Wade Williams
Video Games
Batman: The Animated Series (1993)
Dent appears as a character who must be rescued from Poison Ivy. The game is set prior to his disfigurement.
The Adventures of Batman & Robin (1994-1995)
Two-Face appears as a boss.
Batman Forever (1995)
Two-Face appears as a boss in this adaptation of the film.
Batman: Chaos in Gotham (2001)
Two-Face appears as the final boss.
Lego Batman: The Video Game (2008)
Two-Face appears as an antagonist. He is voiced by Steven Blum.
Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009)
Two-Face does not appear as a major character. However, numerous flyers reading ” VOTE DENT” can be found around the island, and his prison cell (Also littered with “VOTE DENT” flyers) can be scanned, unlocking his bio and solving a Riddler challenge.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold– The Videogame (2010)
Two-Face appears as an antagonist.
DC Universe Online (2011)
Two-Face appears as a villain. He is voiced by Edwin Neal.
Batman: Arkham City (2011)
Two-Face appears as a fairly major antagonist in this game. In the Catwoman DLC, Catwoman is breaking into a safe, but captured by Two-Face. Batman then overhears Catwoman is being held captive in the courthouse. Catwoman is showed tied up, hanging above a vat acid, with a group of Two-Face’s goons as a jury and Two-Face as the Judge. Batman defeats his goons, saves Catwoman and then hangs Two-Face over the acid in her place. After the main plot (still in the catwoman DLC), Catwoman decides to get the rest of her loot and leave Arkham City. She attempts to egt to her apartment, but finds it rigged to explode. After surviving and defeating his goons, Catwoman learns Dent has taken most of her treasure and is hold up at the local museum (former base for Penguin). After defeating him, Catwoman learns most of her loot has been split up amongst numerous henchman around the city.
Batman: Arkham City Lockdown (2011)
Two-Face appears in this game.
Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes (2012)
Two-Face appears as a villain in the opening level of the game and you can also track down and defeat him in Gotham City. He is voiced by Troy Baker.
Batman Arkham Origins (2013)
Although Two-Face doesn’t appear directly, newspapers can be seen, reading “Harvey Dent elected new DA!”