Flip a coin – heads, you listen to us analyze Two-Face. Tails, you listen to us analyze Harvey Dent. Either way, you’re getting a realistic discussion of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
SHOW NOTES:
- Intro
- Mentioned in Podcast Magazine – “Under the Radar” section
- TeePublic sale – Nov. 4-6, 11-13, 17-20, 26-27, 29-30
- Background (4:45)
- Two-Face (Harvey Dent) created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane in Detective Comics #66 (August 1942)
- In his first appearance, he’s Harvey Kent, later renamed to avoid confusion with Superman
- He’s an attorney who gets acid thrown in his face during cross examination, and chooses to embrace the duality of his appearance – uses a coin flip to determine his actions
- “Cured” due to plastic surgery
- Crisis reinvented his past – grew up with abusive father, who would flip a coin to determine whether to beat him
- Diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, but he worked through them to become DA in Gotham – worked as an ally of Batman and Gordon, until he was attacked with acid by Sal Maroni
- No Man’s Land – Two-Face controls a portion of Gotham, but during the “trial” of Commissioner Gordon, he calls upon Harvey Dent to serve as his defense attorney, forcing Dent to “cross-examine” Two-Face, and he acquits Gordon
- Healed by Dr. Thomas Elliot, aka Hush, who attempted to blackmail Dent to help him against Batman, but Dent is “cured” of his bipolar – until murders pop up with Two-Face’s MO, implicating Dent, and the Two-Face persona resurfaces, causing him to re-scar himself
- New 52 – now his origin is that of a defense attorney whose clients try to kill Commissioner Gordon – he then becomes DA and prosecutes them – one of them disfigures him with acid – later battles Batman and reveals he knows his identity, before attempting suicide
- Rebirth – The attempt effectively destroyed the Dent persona, but convinced Batman “Harvey” was still in there, if only Batman would help him with the cure – Batman sedated Dent and forced the dual identities to remain
- Issues (08:22)
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- Bipolar – THAT’S NOT HOW IT WORKS
- Schizophrenia – THAT’S NOT HOW IT WORKS (15:32)
- Abusive childhood – OK, that’s fairly accurate (21:38)
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- Break (28:25)
- Plugs for Occultae Veritatis, We’re All Mad Here, and Meredith Finch
- Treatment (30:12)
- In-universe – Treatment for recidivist activity stemming from trauma
- Out of universe – Work on assisting with decision fatigue, and use “coin flip” for small decisions while leaving thought and time for big ones (34:58)
- Skit (44:30)
- Ending (52:17)
- Recommended reading: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb & Tim Sale
- Next episodes: Tim Drake, Luke Cage, Clones
- Plugs for social
References:
- Nadia van Dyne episode – Anthony (12:53)
- Deadpool episode – Doc (18:15)
- Joker episode – Doc (18:17)
Apple Podcasts: here
Google Play: here
Stitcher: here
TuneIn: here
iHeartRadio: here
Spotify: here
