By: Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale Publisher: DC Comics Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: DC Comics Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 368 Publication Date: November 01, 1999 Reading Level: Young Adult Release Date: November 01, 1999
Amazon.com: It's refreshing when you find a Batman story that both is epic and successfully explores the core of a resolutely explored character. Taking as its catalyst a sub-plot from the seminal Batman: Year One, the story revolves around murders occurring on national holidays, the victims connected to Mob boss "The Roman." Dubbed "Holiday," the killer uses an untraceable handgun and leaves small trinkets at the scene. Plenty of suspects are available, but the truth is something the Dark Knight never suspected. This series scores two major coups: it brilliantly portrays the transfer of Gotham rule to the supervillains and charts the horrific transformation of Harvey Dent from hardened D.A. to the psychotic Two-Face. Both orbit around the sharply portrayed relationship between Dent, Commissioner Gordon, and Batman: a triumvirate of radically different perceptions of Justice. It is always great to see the formative incarnation of Batman, drenched in noir here.
Jeph Loeb's writing is keenly aware that Batman is a detective, and Tim Sale portrays a Gotham that is a fertile breeding ground for corruption and madness. Here, Batman is coming to terms with the potent image he projects and the madness it attracts. There are many fine Batman stories, but the ones that capture the spirit with extreme clarity are few. On this alone, The Long Halloween comes highly recommended. Masterfully executed, this is an excellent chance to revisit the world of Batman as fresh as in the summer of 1939. --Danny Graydon
Product Description: It's refreshing when you find a Batman story that both is epic and successfully explores the core of a resolutely explored character. Taking as its catalyst a sub-plot from the seminal Batman: Year One, the story revolves around murders occurring on national holidays, the victims connected to Mob boss "The Roman." Dubbed "Holiday," the killer uses an untraceable handgun and leaves small trinkets at the scene. Plenty of suspects are available, but the truth is something the Dark Knight never suspected. This series scores two major coups: it brilliantly portrays the transfer of Gotham rule to the supervillains and charts the horrific transformation of Harvey Dent from hardened D.A. to the psychotic Two-Face. Both orbit around the sharply portrayed relationship between Dent, Commissioner Gordon, and Batman: a triumvirate of radically different perceptions of Justice. It is always great to see the formative incarnation of Batman, drenched in noir here.Jeph Loeb's writing is keenly aware that Batman is a detective, and Tim Sale portrays a Gotham that is a fertile breeding ground for corruption and madness. Here, Batman is coming to terms with the potent image he projects and the madness it attracts. There are many fine Batman stories, but the ones that capture the spirit with extreme clarity are few. On this alone, The Long Halloween comes highly recommended. Masterfully executed, this is an excellent chance to revisit the world of Batman as fresh as in the summer of 1939. --Danny Graydon
The Birth of Two-Face Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale penned a dark, noirish tale that sent the Dark Knight on a year-long crusade to stop the mob killing done by a villain known as Holiday. It features appearances by the most infamous characters in Batman's Rogues Gallery (Joker, Penquin, Riddler, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, and Mad Hatter, as well as the unfamiliar to me Calendar Man). Catwoman appears to be connected to the killings in a big way. What drew me to the book (it WAS first published periodically beginning in 1995) was the portrayal of Harvey Dent. The rise and fall of the DA was surely the basis for the character's portrayal in the movie The Dark Knight.
Trick or treat Jeph Loeb's and Tim Sale's maxiseries about the origins of Two-Face and Batman's attempts to solve the identity of a mystery of serial killer named "Holiday," who kills people affiliated with a Gotham City crime family on the year's major holidays, was something of a revelation when it was brought off in 1996-97. Loeb and Sale had successfully added to the story and mood begun in Frank Miller's and Dave Mazzuchelli's wonderful BATMAN: YEAR ONE, but had somehow also managed to bring in the more colorful members of Batman's rogues gallery (the Joker, the Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, the Mad Hatter--even Solomon Grundy) into this very noirish and moody world, and somehow they all fit right in. The result is not only one of the most beloved Batman graphic novels ever, but it was also a major influence on Christopher Nolan's extremely successful 2008 movie THE DARK KNIGHT. (There's even a later fine sequel in Loeb's and Sale's later graphic novel BATMAN: DARK VICTORY.) Pay attention here particularly to Sale's moody compositions and to the stunning use of muted color: this is really film noir translated to the medium of comics in a manner even more successful than Frank Miller's over-the-top SIN CITY works.
Halloween is now my favorite holiday This was my first graphic novel and I have to say that it was awesome! The story is great and Tim Sale's art is just as great. Every chapter gets more and more interesting as the book progresses. It's just really good.
Heir to Dark Knight Frank Miller might have all the kudos, but Jeff Loeb's story and the artwork by Sale in this graphic novel deserve a place in the Comic Book Hall of Fame. The story takes place shortly after Batman: Year One ends, and Gotham and Batman are still getting used to each other. Selena Kyle is featured prominently in this novel, and though Batman is the main character the driving force behind this story is Harvey Dent's war on crime.
I will be rereading this for years to come (not repeatedly, but once every six months or so). Strongly recommended.
The Best of the Loeb/Sale Graphic Novels Batman Long Halloween is by far the best batman graphic novel from Loeb and Sale. Kept me on the edge the entire time and its one of those books you can pick up over and over. If you love batman, you'll for sure love this.
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