Janice Porter is a district attorney of Gotham after Harvey Dent, but fell in love with him around her college years. She stalked and later had a sexual relationship with him.
History
Batman: Dark Victory
Her first appearance is in Batman: Dark Victory #1, where Batman finds Gotham City caught in the middle of a battle, between what's left of the Falcone and Maroni mobs, and freakish villains such as The Joker, Mr. Freeze and Catwoman. Meanwhile, the serial killer named Holiday seems to have returned to a life of crime. Batman investigates the death of Clancy O'Hara's, the chief of the G.C.P.D., one of the few uncorruptible. While still a sergeant years ago, he and then-officer Stan Merkel were noted for capturing then-teenage, Mario Falcone, who was prosecuted by then Assistant District Attorney Harvey Dent. He was the first victim of Hangman, found hanging from the Westward bridge with a rope around his neck. She is wondering if Alberto Falcone is back on his killing spree.
In Batman: Dark Victory #2, Batman needs answers from The Riddler, who survived a murder attempt by the holiday killer, before another victim falls. Janice Porter is then at ends when she tries to have Alberto released, but the killings is making it hard. Luckily yet sadly, another victim turned up. However, this was no regular victim, but Commissioner Loeb, the Police Commissioner before being fired and replaced during the events of Year One. He was a friend to both Falcone and Sal Maroni, which made him so corruptible that no one prior to Batman: Year One would try to take him down. Found hanging in his own residence with the typical clue sheet being a personal sheet of paper marked "From the desk of Harvey Dent, D.A," which leads to Commissioner Gordon believing for most of the story that Dent/Two-Face is the Hangman.
In Batman: Dark Victory #3, the Scarecrow has his way: a nasty little toy called "The Fear Doll." New nightmares are unleashed on Batman as he faces one of his most dangerous foes. Pino Maroni is seen as one of the suspects of the new Holiday killer, as the victims seem to be cop who came into contact with the mafias. Janice Porter is happy that she can help Alberto, but is puzzled who is doing these crimes. Meanwhile, the third victim is found. Arnold Flass was one of the more corrupt officers on the force, only to get caught in criminal activity, fired and prosecuted for affiliating with the mob. Before his trial, he struck a plea bargain with prosecutor Harvey Dent to testify against Loeb for a lighter sentence. He was found dead outside, while on his cigarette break, of a strip club called "The Cheetah Room," where he was working as a bouncer to make ends meet. Judging from scratches and bruises on his hands, it appeared that he attempted to put up a fight in his final moments.
In Batman: Dark Victory #4, Batman and the GCPD have noticed on key piece. They are wondering where is Two-Face. Taking matters in his own hands, Batman looks for Dent, so he goes to Solomon Grundy, who lives under the sewers, where Two-Face sets up camp. It goes bad, when they fight and Grundy loses. Porter makes sure that she is okay but is kidnapped by some thugs. Meanwhile, the Maroni's and Falcone's are their New Year's parties, while the 4th victim comes up. Former head of the Special Weapons Unit of the GCPD, Branden was fired from the force for suspicions of being affiliated with corrupt Comm. Loeb, although according to Gordon, he was a zealot. Branden was hanged in a meat locker on New Year's Day.
In Batman: Dark Victory #5, on Valentine's Day, Commissioner Gordon is dealing with his job and his wife, Barbara Kean Gordon, wondering about him. Bruce Wayne, as Batman, leaves Selina Kyle, hanging
Janice in her sexy underwear
, where she turns to Catwoman to see what really is going on. She spies on many people, like the mafias and the Riddler. Janice Porter is actually surprised when Two-Face is behind her kidnapping, and says he could of just asked. She reveals that they are in love and have a sexual relationship. However, it's all interrupted when the 5th victim is found. Pratt worked for the SPW Unit up until his death and during Branden's tenure was his second-in-command. After attempting to kill Batman as retaliation for being punched through a wall, he was killed on Valentine's Day.
In Batman: Dark Victory #6, things are heating up in Gotham City's underworld and the Penguin wouldn't have it any other way. With his hands tied by the Hang Man case, Batman is having a tough time from stopping Oswald from starting a gang-war. By his terms, he will plant evidence for starting a gang-war on each side. When the remaining side wins, Oswald will come in and take over. The Falcone's are against mostly the Maroni's, and anyone who oppose them, but Mario is having problems with Sofia and her condition. Janice Porter has an agreement with Mario, and has every evidence against Sofia, as she leads the empire into the ground, as he wants protection. The Joker is captured once again, and sent to Arkham, joining Alberto Falcone. Stan Merkel, a patrolman of downtown Gotham, Merkel was involved in a number of drug busts and hostage situations. Back when he was an officer, he was instrumental in bringing Mario Falcone to trial. Merkel was found dead on St. Patrick's Day, hanging on the former property of the house that originally belonged to Harvey and Gilda Dent, making him the sixth victim.
In Batman: Dark Victory #7, In Gotham City, the Calendar Man sets out to prove that he's nobody's fool. Due to Alberto being Holiday, he enrolls in the help of the Joker, to make ALberto really crazy, by setting up an imagination of Carmine Falcone to Alberto. Other villains join certain mob sides, such as Mad Hatter, Poison Ivy, Solomon Grundy, and Mr. Freeze join Sofia and Mario Falcone. Yet, the 7th is found alive. Commissioner Gordon was nearly hanged to death while investigating the sudden activation of the Bat-Signal while he was in his office, but was cut down by Harvey Dent.
In Batman: Dark Victory #8, Bruce Wayne attends a night at the circus and a certain 10-year-old boy enters his life. Yet, Joker has just escaped Arkham and plans to blow up the whole city. Luckily, Batman and Robin fight and beat the Joker. Worried, the Maroni's are armed as they see if Commissioner Gordon can be found, they can too. This fact is also found both the police and the Falcone's. Janice Porter review more of Mario's inside info and makes progress on finding out who is behind these murders. Yet, protecting Gordon, the 8th victim is found. Gustavson was the bodyguard of Gordon, following the attempt on Gordon. He was murdered on Mother's Day, and found by Gordon hanging over his car in the GCPD underground parking lot.
In Batman: Dark Victory #9, the final act begins with a Father's Day look at two heroes, Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, whose lives were forever changed by the murders of their parents. Dick, while fighting with Batman, found his parents, John Grayson and Mary Grayson, dead, at the hands of Tony Zucco. Janice Porter is now worried as Mario worries on how his sister is working with the empire on how she looks the same, no improvement or illnesses. This is halted, when a gifted marksman, Mark O'Connor spent many years teaching use of firearms to cadets. One of the members of Gordon's Special Police Task Force, he was found dead hanging by a rope in the shower of his apartment on Father's Day. According to Batman, had he only been carrying his gun with him at all times, the Hangman would never have gotten him.
In Batman: Dark Victory #11, the number of clues, and the body count, continue to climb during the heat of the summer. Batman confronts Poison Ivy. Before Dent's trial, he told Porter to bring every piece of evidence he had on "Hangman". During the trial, Dent managed to hold back his other personality, but this lasted for only a short time, until Poison Ivy, Mister Freeze, and Solomon Grundy attacked the courtroom. Meanwhile, Dick
Janice falls dead on the ground after being shot by Two-Face
Grayson gets closer to finding his parents' killer. Commissioner finds the recent victim and catches a break of the Hangman case. A newcomer to the G.C.P.D., Wilcox seemed to be a dilligent and articulate police officer with a dedication to upholding the law. She was important in the planning of and capture of Two-Face and bringing him to face trial. However, she was an informant to the Falcone family on payroll, leaking information to the acting head of the mob. During the trial, on Labor Day, she headed up to the courthouse via elevator, only to get hung by the Hangman. Her walkie-talkie left a brief recording of her final moments that led Gordon to learning the true identity of the killer. Janice Porter hears this, and now has proof and goes to tell her lover. In Batman: Dark Victory #12, going to Two-Face with her files, they are all gone. As the criminals made their escape from the courtroom, Porter was nearly killed by Ivy, but was rescued by Batman just in time. With all of her Hangman evidence stolen, Janice set out for Dent's underground hideout to confront him. But, instead of finding Harvey, she was captured by two more of Gotham's "costume
Janice's preserved corpse is found in Alberto Falcone's bed
d freaks", Scarecrow and the Joker. Porter was brought to Two-Face, and the Joker realized that Two-Face planned on turning the criminals over to her when their plans were completed. Joker intended to keep Porter as his "get out of jail free" card, but Two-Face responded by shooting Porter to death when she said she loved him, and saying "Harvey Dent is a married man, Porter. Don't ever forget that."
Trivia
- Janice Porter's character was also based on a late 1940's actress named Lana Turner.
Madeline is also shot to death by Two-Face
- Porter's apartment is in the same hotel where Holiday killed the Irish Gang.
- Janice is similar to the character Madeline from "Two of a Kind", as both are blonde women whom Harvey Dent cheated on his wife with, and are later rejected and shot to death by him
In Other Media
Batman: The Animated Series
Although not the same name, Janet Van Dorn resembles her character when she is shows clearly that she hates Batman, and that he created these villains. Another similarity is that they are both district attorneys.