Batman: Second Chances (Batman (1940-2011))

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Chekhov's Gun: The location of the final showdown is dropped early on, but seems to be inconsequential chatter at the time. Just before he is to undergo the operation that will restore his face, Harvey Dent is kidnapped by a mysterious villain. Batman and Robin split up to nab the criminal behind the scheme to abduct the Dark Knight's old friend. They suspect that either the Penguin or Rupert Thorne may be behind the kidnapping, but after doing their investigation, they come to realize there is an unsuspected third enemy in the scheme. Before the operation can begin, gunmen burst into the room and kidnap Harvey. Batman and Robin pursue the thugs, who take separate vehicles, but neither of them manage to save Harvey. (Batman reacts to Robin's failure rather coolly, to which Robin is a bit resentful.) Later they consider where the vehicles were going and who they were registered to, and conclude that either Rupert Thorne or the Penguin was behind the kidnapping. Robin goes after Thorne while Batman goes after Penguin. He doesn't know what brought him to this point, but he found himself by a window with a razor to his wrist.

Was it destiny that Batman and Jason met so the mentor could give this orphan a better path than he had? and 411 pit the duo against Two-Face. This is where the Bronze Age elements stood out the most for me. Most of my comic reading stems from Silver Age fare from Marvel and 2000s era books from both companies. This time period contains the silly humor and wild characterizations of the earlier period and the more serious themes and consequences from the latter. The result is pretty baffling, though entertaining, for my modern sensibilities. Ultimately I enjoyed this caper, even if I didn't really "get it."But of course, the one and only Dark Knight easily defeated the delusional man before stating he’ll get Carma some help.

I'm proud of you," Bruce tells him, unsure whether or not he is saying the right thing. "It's okay." The story of this issue doesn't have an actual title. Instead, the tagline on the cover is used as such.I also really enjoyed the beginning of that story with that girl that he becomes friends with as Bruce that then gets murdered. That didn't really get an end in this issue though so. :/ Upsetting. The real Batman responds to the Bat-Signal and swings over to GCPD Headquarters. Deputy Commissioner Barnes is waiting to arrest him for the murders, and the GCPD shoot at him as he escapes. Batman goes to visit the home of Jim Gordon, who explains that Barnes is trying to take over the department. A news report reveals that the two muggers killed were both murderers, previously released on a technicality. Batman tells Gordon to pretend to help with the manhunt so he can keep an eye on Barnes. Hypocritical Humour: In-universe, Frankie "disposing" of Robin remarks how people have no respect for the environment, throwing garbage into the river so often.

Batman meets up with Robin and is now sure he knows who kidnapped Harvey. Returning to the scene of the kidnapping, Batman finds masonry dust on one of the kidnapper's footprints. He now knows where Harvey is and heads out, telling Robin that he has to do it alone. I dislike 402 and 403 pretty heavily. This two-parter follows an insane Batman impersonator who kills criminals. This is an okay premise, but I don't like what it brings out in our hero. Bruce and Jason (Robin) both voice a desire to see petty criminals die for their transgressions and Batman comes off as a violent thug as opposed to an idealistic crusader. While I can appreciate that there are many approaches to depicting the Dark Knight, this isn't "my Batman." Also, at one point Jason references a previous instance where Batman kills somebody. Where did this happen in Post-Crisis continuity, especially this early on? I could have used a footnote on this one. When he opened his eyes, he froze for a second. He was expecting to be in a hospital, smelling the familiar scent of antiseptic.Red Herring: A plot point. This, as Bruce realizes in hindsight, was the clue telling them all along who'd really orchestrated the kidnapping. Two-Face being Two-Face, he compulsively left two red herring clues rather than just one. If Bruce's objectivity hadn't been compromised by his old friendship with Harvey, he would've seen it from the start. The issues are interrupted by Year One which makes things a bit funny in regard to Jason’s timeline. The elder man shut down after the two youngest Waynes' death. He didn't talk, he didn't eat, and he didn't even try to take care of himself. Batman heads out to the abandoned building called the Half Moon Club to face Harvey's worst enemy… Two-Face himself. However, Two-Face’s thugs capture him and chain him to a crane connected to dynamite. Two-Face explains that he set himself up to be kidnapped because he would not let his other personality destroy him. As Two-Face flips his coin to decide whether to detonate the dynamite, it lands on edge. He tries again repeatedly, each time landing on edge, causing him to Freak Out Batman frees himself and takes out Two-Face’s thugs.

The new origin of Todd that comes with the New Adventures is great. It's nice having the possibility of a new Robin who's more angry and less noble than Grayson, even if this fact is used somewhat erratically in this particular volume. I don't really understand why the readers of the time didn't appreciate it. This collected edition chronicles some of the key adventures in the short-lived career of Jason Todd, the second Robin, after his origin story was completely rebooted in the wake of Crisis on Infinite Earths. In some respects, Second Chances forms the first of a "Replacement Robin" trilogy that continues in Batman: Death In The Family and Batman: A Lonely Place of Dying. These comics were published at the same time Batman was going at it alone in Tim Burton's first feature-film adaptation, but stand as a testament to what an important place in the Batman mythos -- and superhero pantheon in general -- the Boy Wonder occupies. More criminals are found dead the next night. This time it's an armed robber, who also previously escaped murder charges on a technicality. Batman poses as a reporter named Mr. Davis to ask Gordon questions about the murder right in front of Barnes. Gordon explains that all of the crooks who got off on technicality were arrested by a detective named Tommy Carma. Carma was once the youngest detective in the city, but his constant police brutality allowed many arrested criminals to go free. He snapped after his wife and daughter were killed by a hitman. Moments later in the Batmobile, Batman and Robin discuss their own pursuits and they realize that something is wrong. The sedan where Harvey was placed, was heading towards Stonegate Penitentiary, where Penguin, who hates Harvey, is located; and the van that Batman wasted is owned by Rupert Thorne, who also has a personal grudge against Dent. They decide to look into both criminals just to be sure. As they part ways, Batman looks at the abandoned place that is now the Half Moon Club and he remembers Harvey's words. Batman& Robin watch as an ambulance carrying Two-Face takes him to the hospital. Robin asks if the operation will make Harvey better again but Batman is unsure.

Two-Face's alternate personalities would later come into conflict with one another again in The New Batman Adventures episode " Judgment Day", in which he creates a third persona known as "The Judge", who unknowingly almost kills himself by trying to execute Two-Face. This may seem random, but Batman #417-425. I have the "Batman: Second Chances" trade and the "Batman: A Death in the Family" trade, and there's this big uncollected trade-sized gap sitting right between them. Throw in annual #12 there too. Might as Well Not Be in Prison at All: Batman clearly thinks the Penguin is still a threat even when behind bars; while Cobblepot has nothing to do with the kidnapping, he never claims he couldn't have.