DCAU Review: "Two Timer" by Paul Dini and Ty Templeton (1995)

[about_faces]

This has to be the single most depressingly tragic tale in all of DCAU canon. It's also, not coincidentally, one of the greatest. But I'd be lying if I said that it was one of my favorites, or that I looked forward to posting about it here.

Comments

[mothy_van_cleer]

For the love of God, man, if you're going to post a macro, at least have the courtesy to scale it down.

[akselavshalom]

Sorry! Should've just posted a link instead! Or scaled it down.

[about_faces]

That face...

ERMAHGERD.

CHERNCE.

[akselavshalom]

Oh, and: "Don't go Renee! Renee!"

[about_faces]

Once again, I'm reminded of how I need to suck it up and write my review of Half a Life. But first, I need to do a single post about all the Harvey/Renee stuff that led up to it, just so I can better convey my criticisms. Sigh.

[akselavshalom]

Cheer up, mate! At least you'll post it in a (sort of) community who cares about your thoughts!

But that last page is somewhat reminiscent to that post-Hush bit in Gotham Central, isn't it?

[napoleoncheese]

Another thing I find rather disturbing about this story is how the Joker ends up completely unpunished and happy as hell. Normally, even his worst deeds, especially in the animated universe, bring him some measure of comeuppance, and Dini usually gives him a healthy dose of karmic payback at the end of his stories, but there's nothing of that here. No humiliation, no being proved he's ultimately wrong about life, Batman doesn't even punch him out of frustration (then again, like hell Joker would have minded about this last one). I find it rather fitting the story's pessimistic tone.

[psychopathicus]

Well, what are they going to do to him? He's already in Arkham, and Bats can't very well just haul off and punch him one while he's still an incarcerated mental patient. I doubt the doctors would approve of that.

[1mercystreet]

You know what makes Joker's actions all the more awful in this story? They're notfunny. Destroying Harvey's trust in the only two people he truly loves is a level of despicable that's removed from all his habitual violence because they built up the myth Joker has made of himself - the person that the other Rogues tell campfire stories about when they want to scare each other. This, however.. This is cruel, and vicious and ugly and just not funny. So why is he doing it? Honestly, I don't have an answer. There's no obvious reason other than malice. Malice and plotholes

[about_faces]

First off, happy belated birthday! I meant to tell you on your actual birthday when I posted this comment, but then everything got sidelined. As usual! Hope you had a great one! And if not, I hope you have a much happier Unbirthday!

I dunno, I'm not sure that I can agree with the idea that it's not funny. The idea of almost effortlessly destroying someone's happiness so completely for the dual motivations of "just cuz" and a pun, that's darkly hilarious to me. Besides, I think it does fit within the overall feud/friendship thing they've had going for since the early Bronze Age.

How did you feel that Harvey got the respect he deserved in Living Hell? I just kind of remember him being flat and not particularly remarkable before he's cast aside in favor of the parade of new characters. Have I mentioned my deeply apprehensive feelings about Living Hell before? Well, I has them.

Joker never even gets a glance from his dulcet Dark Knight. Maybe in some meta-textual way that's why he's doing it.Now THAT'S a whole new level to the Joker

[batmanfangirl17]

Very good review! This story is one more reason I hate the joker! Harley Quinn is ok but sometimes I want to strangle her too. Poor Harvey. I wrote a fanfic on fanfiction.net called the daughter of twoface if anybody's interested.