Batman No. 313 Cover by José Luis García-López

This is an amazing symbolic cover. On the surface, it’s merely a clever division of Two-Face’s hideout, but if you extend the idea to the tragedies these antagonists have endured, it’s even more interesting.

Harvey Dent, crusading Gotham City DA, was permanently scarred when a criminal he was prosecuting flung acid on his face in court. The incident shattered Dent’s sanity, polarising his mind to psychotic levels. Taking a two-headed coin, he scarred one side and began making decisions for good or evil depending on a coin flip and which face landed up.

When young Bruce Wayne’s parents were killed in front of him, the event brought his own life into focus. But like Dent, his life and personality split in two. With one foot in the world of a wealthy playboy-industrialist, and the other in the dark places fighting crime, Wayne maintains sympathy for Dent even if he must judge him by Two-Face’s actions.

Visually, this is carried through by Batman’s hand reaching through the darkness for the scarred half of Dent. There is no other choice. Each lays trapped between the dark and the light.

New colour by me.


Batman No. 313 published by DC Comics

As published.

Batman No. 313 cover art by José Luis García-López

Scan from Heritage Auctions.

Comic book production art by Scott Dutton

After extensive production surgery.

The original art has the evil home furnishings and the bad half of the suit on the side of the room opposite to Two-Face’s scarred face. The editorial decision to put all the evil on the same side as the scarred face meant significant work with photostats, an X-acto knife and rubber cement (or a hot waxer).

For me, working digitally, I was able to make my cuts and alterations on separate layers, and I avoided much of the extra inking DC’s production department did back in their day.

Comic book colouring by Scott Dutton

New colour version.

Comic book design and packaging by Scott Dutton

Re-created trade dress added.

Comic book design and packaging by Scott Dutton

Re-created word balloons added.


Catspaw Dynamics Comic Book Art Production Services


Related

Superman 344 OG

Superman No. 344 Cover by José Luis García-López

It's most likely unique in the history of Superman covers. Superman, bright and happy, gets his powers from our yellow sun, at the mercy of Dracula…

Read More

Batman Comic Reader 130 OG

A Batman Cover That Was Never a Batman Cover by Jim Aparo

In 1976, Jim Aparo was known for being the regular artist on The Brave & the Bold. So, finding this scan of a cover he did that year for The Comic…

Read More

Batman 220 OG

Batman Year One

From 1986, this house ad was the first piece we saw from what was going to become a classic Batman storyline by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli.

Read More

Batman No. 255 Cover by Neal Adams

At the end of his industry-changing run at DC Comics, Neal Adams turned in this solid cover. However, with Batman then running 100-page issues, the…

Read More

Privacy Preference Center