Detective Comics #80

August 25, 1943

"The End of Two-Face"

The end? Say it ain't so! It's interesting that we still have our Two-Face named Harvey Kent. Would have thought by now they would have cleared that up so as not to confuse him with Clark Kent over on Superman. I do have to say, I love Bruce's explanation for Two-Face's behavior. Based on his twisted features, he shuns all that is normal and finds refuge in that which is abnormal such as crime.

And Two-Face, having escaped once again from jail, begins his usual crime spree of robbing either during the day or night based on the flip of his scarred coin. The day jobs' earnings are donated to charity, while the night jobs, the result of the scarred side of the coin, are for Two-Face and his men. Bruce disguises himself and goes undercover to learn where Two-Face is hiding. He hears a bartender commenting on how one of the patrons pays his tab in two-dollar bills.

While Bruce isn't able to learn more about where Two-Face is hiding, he does see that the patron is laughing at a poster about a double concerto and sure enough, Two-Face strikes that night with Batman and Robin interrupting the proceedings. Two-Face and his men race off after dropping a smoke screen. Batman finds a watchman tied up with hemp rope found on old schooners. He deduces that that's where Two-Face is holed up as their is one in dock on the waterfront. The two race to the schooner not realizing they are being followed.

At the boat, the Dynamic Duo set Two-Face's men running. Two-Face himself points his gun at Batman and fires, but the bullet is interrupted by the person who followed them. It's revealed to be Gilda, Harvey's fiancee. She still loves him and wanted to try to get him to give up, but now it appears she's dying. He and Batman get her to the hospital where he speaks with her to fight to live. He then turns himself in.

But his gang has other ideas as they pull up and grab their boss. He tries to tell them he is going straight, but they won't hear of it and threaten to kill Gilda if he doesn't reveal the latest caper he was planning - to steal a shipment of chewing gum. They leave Two-Face tied up as they go out to rob the shipment. Two-Face himself can't get free, but he can reach his wallet stuffed with two dollar bills which he tosses out a window, garnering the attention of people nearby.

Batman gets a call about the stunt and rescues Two-Face. The three then travel to stop the robbery from taking place. They quickly round up the gang and at his trial, based on evidence from Batman, Two-Face is only sentenced to a year in jail. He is also able to have the plastic surgery to fix his face as Dr. Eckhart (remember him from the first Two-Face story?) has escaped from Germany. And so one villain has been reformed and all is good.

Right?

As we know, this isn't the end of Two-Face, but my understanding is it will be awhile before he shows his two-face again. And what's next? Why more of COLTON with Batman and Robin, Citizens!