Batman #50
Batman #50 holds a pivotal place in DC's Golden Age because it is the issue in which Harvey Dent's surname was permanently changed from 'Kent' to 'Dent' — whether by editorial oversight or deliberate design — cementing the character's identity as entirely distinct from Superman's Clark Kent and shaping every iteration of Two-Face that followed. The issue also introduces the first Two-Face impostor in comics history, Wilkins (Harvey's own butler), a narrative device that would be recycled several more times throughout the Golden Age and that speaks to the enduring dramatic power of the Two-Face mythos even when the real Harvey Dent was reformed. At the same time, the lead story gives Vicki Vale — herself only one issue old, having debuted in Batman #49 — her second appearance and her first real adventure alongside the Dynamic Duo, firmly establishing her recurring role as a photographer-journalist whose proximity to Batman and Robin defines her character's long run through 1963.
In "Lights-- Camera-- Crime!", Batman and Robin face a twisted return when Harvey Dent, haunted by his past as Two-Face, becomes the target of a new criminal campaign. Written by Bill Finger and illustrated by Bob Kane with art by Lew Sayre Schwartz, this 1948 classic sees the Dark Knight unravel a shocking deception—only to discover the real mastermind is Harvey's own butler, Wilkins, using the Two-Face guise to frame him. The cover by Bob Kane and Charles Paris captures the tension with a striking, shadowed portrait of Two-Face, a 10-cent mystery from the Golden Age.
In "Lights-- Camera-- Crime!", Vicki Vale joins Batman and Robin on a story about law enforcement, only to find herself caught in a real-life crime caper when an ex-con becomes a target for a ruthless racketeer. With the trio now prisoners of the crooks, their only hope lies in Batman’s wits and the mystery of the hidden money.
In "The Return of Two-Face!" from Batman #50 (1948), Harvey Dent’s past resurfaces when nightmares of his Two-Face persona ignite a new wave of criminal chaos. When Batman and Robin finally apprehend the masked villain, they uncover a shocking twist: the real culprit is Dent’s butler, Wilkins, who orchestrated the crimes to frame his employer.
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The issue was on sale October 13, 1948, with a credited editor of Whitney Ellsworth and Jack Schiff as the actual working editor — a common arrangement at DC in this era. Art on the Two-Face story was penciled by Bob Kane (Batman and Robin figures only) with Lew Sayre Schwartz doing the bulk of the page work, inked by Charles Paris, and lettered by Ira Schnapp; the same team handled the lead Vicki Vale story. The name change from Harvey Kent to Harvey Dent occurs mid-story in a curious way: the body text uses 'Dent' while flashback captions recount events from the earlier 'Kent' continuity, strongly suggesting an in-production correction rather than a planned retcon.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Cover date: December 1948; on-sale date: October 13, 1948. Published by National Comics Publications (DC).
- Contains three stories: 'Lights — Camera — Crime!' (12 pages), 'The Return of Two-Face!' (story length varies by source), and 'The Second Boy Wonder!' (13 pages).
- First appearance of Wilkins as a Two-Face impostor: Harvey Dent's butler drugs Dent, dons theatrical make-up and the Two-Face costume, and commits crimes intended to make the reformed Harvey believe he is losing his mind — the first of several Golden Age Two-Face impostors.
- The issue marks the permanent shift of Two-Face's civilian name from Harvey Kent (used in all prior appearances since Detective Comics #66, 1942) to Harvey Dent — the name used in every subsequent retelling of the character.
- Vicki Vale's second-ever comic book appearance (she debuted in Batman #49, October 1948); here she accompanies Batman and Robin on a field assignment for 'Picture Magazine,' deepening her role as the series' reporter/photographer supporting character.
- Batman cracks the impostor plot by noticing that the criminal's two-headed coin is scarred on both sides — something the real Two-Face, who relies on a genuinely random coin flip to guide his actions, would never do.
- Third story, 'The Second Boy Wonder!', features Dick Grayson's anxiety upon discovering Batman is training another youth as a potential partner; the story includes flashback cameos of The Joker and a Frankenstein monster, and introduces minor characters Jimmy and Gloves.
- Credited editorial team: Whitney Ellsworth (credited editor), Jack Schiff (actual editor); primary pencils by Bob Kane (figures) and Lew Sayre Schwartz; inks by Charles Paris; letters by Ira Schnapp.
Cast · 13 characters
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Reprints
Reprinted in Batman #35 (1953), Wonder Woman #71 (1955), Adventure Comics #212 (1955), Batman: Cover to Cover #[nn] (2005), Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus #6 (2019), Batman Arkham #[1] (2021), Batman #50, Congo Bill with Janu the Jungle Boy #7
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