"Dead Reckoning: The Charlatan"

[about_faces]

Alternate title: IMPOSTORAMA: The Fake Two-Faces! No. 6: Paul Sloan (No "e" at the end)!I wanted to give the subject line to the actual title, because it deserves more attention than simply as the focus on an "impostor Two-Face" story

Comments

[abqreviews]

Yeah, this story always gets unfairly neglected in favor of HUSH, I've even seen people call it a HUSH ripoff(yes). I like it a lot though, and agree on everything you wrote about the potential the character has. Particularly the thing with Karlo; ever since he gained the powers of the other Clayfaces, he's used just as a generic monster, his background as an actor is rarely ever taken into consideration. Teaming him and Charlatan up would really bring that to the fore.

I also have to admit, I kinda like the art. Sure the anatomy isn't perfect, the art swipes are obvious, the squash and stretch quality of the rendering makes everything look a little TOO grotesque, and the rogues are obviously based off of their depictions on the cartoon, but I like it fairly well. Like a toned-down Humbero Ramos.

cue icon

[thehefner]

I've even seen people call it a HUSH ripoff(yes)

... AUUUUUUUUUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

[kiffie]

Huh.

I'm not entirely sure how to react to this story.

Though, I will say that the art is sadly distracting. I can ignore most of the faults, but every so often, something reaches out and smacks me in the face. :/

[thehefner]

Perhaps it's a rather quixotic question, but how are you not entirely sure how to react?

[kiffie]

Because parts of me are going, "What a neat idea!" while other parts are going, "Wait. What? That makes no sense." Sometimes over the exact same aspects of the story.

[lego_joker]

Do you have any plans to review issue 1 of the Joker's own 1970s series? That one features a classic Joker/Two-Face conflict. If you don't have scans, I can easily email some over. :)

My favorite part: when Joker is tied to an old buzzsaw deathtrap, and he calls Harvey out for initiating a museum robbery on the first of a month instead of the second. Two-Face counters (complete with large pocketwatch!) that it's already the second, AND 2 A.M., so he's DOUBLY fulfilling his modus operandi!

Ah, Silver Age.

[thehefner]

I did indeed! I would happily have taken you up on your offer a couple months ago, as I was trying like crazy to track that issue down! But thankfully, I found another blog had posted it, so I'll either link to that blog in a future post, or just post some of those scans here!

[lego_joker]

In that case, anytime you need scans of the 2005 "Dark Detective" mini (which features another Joker/Two-Face interaction, written by Steve Englehart as a direct sequel to Strange Apparitions, no less!), I'm here for ya.

[thehefner]

Awesome, thanks! I'll probably take you up on that, as it'd save me time from scanning it. I don't know what application I'll have for it just yet, but it's definitely interesting enough to warrant a post sometime!

[1mercystreet]

Hmm. The first thing that strikes me is that I really don't like the art. The faces are slightly distorted and cartoonlike in a way that doesn't quite work, and the horrible giant grin on Harvey's face in the first panel is distinctly off-putting. It goes back to my recent question about why the right side of Harvey's face is never drawn handsomely enough. And what's with the reptilian look of the scarring? He looks more like he's had Killer Croc grafted onto his face than been splashed with acid

[thehefner]

Someone made this observation, but it's worth noting here again that the art basically wants to be a mushier, more grotesque version of Batman: The Animated Series. Squint and you can see BTAS Harvey in the design here, but you're right, it comes off as more reptilian.

Good call on the mugs! Holy crap, I hadn't noticed those before. Geesh!

[dagonst]

Interesting! And I totally agree about the inappropriately non-descript dialogue.