Not long after Batman's arrival in Gotham City, he, Captain Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent are making slow progress in cracking the criminal empire of Carmine 'the Roman' Falcone, whose reach extendeds into seemingly every nook of the city from the alleys to the courtrooms and boardrooms. Into this a new player mysteriously enters on Halloween night, an unseen killer who comes to strike on nearly every major holiday, taking out someone else close to the Roman or his empire. The mystery of the identity of this 'Holiday killer', and the events triggered by the killings, are the main focus of The Long Halloween, while subplots involving many of Gotham's most famous denizens are woven in seamlessly.

The Long Halloween, taking a full year of comics time to unfold, occurs in and around other events that took place early in the Dark Knight's career. Suspects and motives for the killings are in plentiful supply, and among the suspects are the three main figures on the side of good, Batman, Gordon, and Dent, who have to entertain the possibility that one of their allies could be the suspect they're all searching for. Adding to the tension of the situation, not all of the murder victims are criminals; being close to Falcone is enough to get you killed, and not all of Falcone's immediate family are members of his 'Roman Empire'. Falcone, his family, associates and rivals are probed in depth here. One of the most interesting things in The Long Halloween is the dicotomy between different aspects of the same person. Carmine Falcone, for example, is both a devoted, generous family man, and a guy who tried to have his nephew assasinated when he thought the nephew was going to testify against him. Falcone's pain at the deaths of his friends and family members over the year is real, but he himself doesn't hesitate to rob others of their lives and family with the activities of his crime empire. In one of the most memorable scenes in a tale full of memorable scenes, the Batman even confronts Falcone with this.

In The Long Halloween, you see the transition from Gotham as a crime-ridden city under the thumb of a traditional mafia-style organization - the Roman's Empire - to the Gotham of 'today': full of monsters, costumed madmen and assorted other 'freaks'. The transition was gradual; Batman didn't just show up into a normal city one day and then the next week busloads of freaks abruptly arrived. Gotham had been 'weird' for a long time (Solomon Grundy, for example, has periodically wreaked carnage in and and around Gotham for years prior to Batman's first appearance) but in The Long Halloween you see the transition accelerating; even the Falcone syndicate is on some level aware that things are irrevocably changing as they find themselves forced to turn to costumed figures such as the Riddler for help in trying to figure out Holiday's identity. There's a fantastic double page shot on Pages 342-343 that illustrates this 'transition' brilliantly.

Writer Jeph Loeb and artists Time Sale are at the top of their games here. Loeb expertly fills in a lot of blanks about the history of Gotham and some of its best characters; Sale's artwork is some of the most distinctive in comics and suits the tale perfectly; Gregory Wright's colors are the perfect complement to Sale's art.

Random pluses and minuses: the way most of the issues reprinted herein (Long Halloween # s 1-13) end on big events or cliffhangers is good, and so is the touching scene just before the end of issue two. Speaking of individual issues, I'm glad they're separated by the cover arts to each issue, instead of gathering the covers at the back; I wish DC would present all their collections this way. One negative is that, in the investigation of the Holiday killings, we see very little of the actual detective work being done, we don't follow with the investigation to see what clues are and aren't left, forensics-wise, for example. If it had been, it could have added to the fun in every whodunit of trying to figure out the killer for oneself. One thing that could be viewed as a negative, but that I don't, is the fact that Batman - a non-superhuman - manages to get the best of Solomon Grundy during their encounter. The reason I don't think this is a negative is this: it's been established that Grundy's temperament and intelligence vary with his different incarnations; it's become just as obvious by now though that his physical parameters vary to a much Greater extent with each incarnation. Presumably, Batman would have been much harder pressed against an incarnation of Grundy that can go blow for blow against Superman. And another great positive - the definitive, detailed origin of one of Batman's greatest enemies, who I'll refrain from naming, is in here.

'The Long Halloween' is essential DC - longtime fans will love how so many different elements and characters come together in a great tale, and for people who've never read a Batman comic in their life this is an excellent place to start - back close to the beginning, with lots of the main characters, and leaving you hungry for more.

The Long Halloween is one of the greatest stories I have ever read. Unfortunately, the ending is flawed in that it is either vague or implausible. No spoilers here. The journey to the ending is a lot better than the conclusion. Still this is worthy read for any fan of comics. BTW, my rating is really four-and-a-half stars.

It was just what my husband wanted, in perfect condition and half the price of the trendy comic stores! I am extremely happy!

I have only recently started into graphic novels, but out of the ones I have read I would rate the batmans from best to least favorite as follows:

1)Dark Knight Returns
2)Long Halloween
3)Killing Joke
4)Dark Victory
5)Batman: Year One

Long Halloween has a great story (which continues in Dark Victory), great art style, and is just fun to read. Highly recommended.

If you are looking for a good batman comicbook to start with, this is it.

Good story lines and drawing with real Batman feelings.

The highlight of this Batman offering is above all, the artwork of Tim Sale. His vibrant, unique compositions give the book's plotlines an edgy, kinetic energy which keeps the story moving along in the reader's mind even when Loeb's complex storyline sometimes fails to carry its weight. The story is on balance very engrossing and ultimately very entertaining, even if it loses steam or strains for gravitas here and there. It's an admirable attempt to cover all the ground of the Batman mythos- the fun superficialities of cape, cowl and gizmo, the pop philosophical musings on perceptions of justice and the large catalogue of villainous foes the Dark Knight meets along his crusade. Indeed this book shows that Batman's fight for justice is a crusade of sorts in the classical sense of the term- a fight that is becoming more taxing and lengthy than he anticipated, and one perhaps undertaken with misguided intentions and resulting in unexpected consequences. The greatest accomplishment of the writing is the Two Face story arc. It covers the tragic story of Harvey Dent maybe even more ably than the recent film, though the characterization of the Joker in this instance is all style and little substance, pale (no pun intended) in comparison to the recent Ledger incarnation and light years behind the monstrous jester and seminal portrayal found in Alan Moore's 'Killing Joke'. On par with the excellent Dent/ Two Face characterization here, is the intriguing and mysterious handling of Catwoman. In this book and his other works like 'Dark Victory' and the 'Hush' volumes, Loeb has treated the Catwoman character with more respect and realism than most writers and rescued her from the campiness usually associated with her, and in so doing, given Batman an interesting and believable romantic interest and the Batman universe a much needed feminine foil and counterweight to all the testosterone fueled escapades. All said, this comic may not crack the top five of the all time best Batman stories alongside, 'The Killing Joke', 'The Dark Knight Returns', 'Year One', 'Arkham Asylum' and the underrated 'Batman Year 100', but it is definitely a solid number 6 or 7, paired with 'Dark Victory', in the all time top ten. Good read, escpecially for die hards.

This is quite possibly one of the longest graphic novels I've read (close to 400 pages) but make no mistake...there are no boring parts in it. It starts with someone blowing up Harvey Dent's house on Halloween, with Gilda and Harvey still inside. From there on Batman, Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent work together to find the killer known as 'Holiday'. Holiday continues to kill members of 'the roman's family leading to many suspects and everyone being at eachother's throats. Batman and Gordon begin to doubt Dent due to him being assualted during a hearing that disfigures his face.
There's plenty of action as every chapter is separated by holidays, which keeps it interesting. The artwork is amazing and the story is captivating. This is one of my favorite batman stories/graphic novels. Besides The Dark King Returns, Year One and perhaps The Killing Joke, The Long Halloween is one of the best Batman graphic novels out there!

This comic was amazing. I couldn't put it down it kept going and going. Just when you think you know....you have no idea.

My preference is for 'detective' Batman, which we almost get here. The story is a whodunnit, but there's very little actual detection carried out. Instead the story becomes a little repetitive with more and more bad guys being dispatched on each holiday.

The whodunnit aspect is weakened by the inclusion of several 'psycho' Batman characters, such as the Joker, the Scarecrow, Mad Hatter, and (eventually) Two-Face. I'm getting pretty sick of 'dark' Batman stories, and especially of the Joker.

The ending is quite disappointing since there's no realistic way anyone could have forseen the ending (a necessary requirement of a good whodunnit in my opinion).

The Long Halloween turns Batman into what he certainly should be, a pseudo-detective, dark, mysterious night-searcher. The mob theme is a universe which suits Batman very, very well, and the story mixes in the classic archenemies perfectly.

Basically, this is perfect for any Batman fan, and you should go pick it up.

This is a very popular graphic novel as it is first in the Halloween series that attempts to continue what Miller left off in Year One. These stories chronicle the early years of Batman as more of a detective than a superhero fighting crime. He fights crime as well in this book and battles pretty much all the popular villains such as Joker, Riddler, and Two-face. This book also includes the famous story of Dent's transformation to Two-face. If you like a lot of plot twists and turns, very typical of crime mysteries, then you will enjoy this book. I'm not too big on such complicated plots and like a more focused straight-forward, although witty plot. In addition, it does not make sense how Batman battles all the villains with ease with the exception of Two-face. Given this takes place during his second year, it is not realistic how he trashes, for instance, the Joker in a page or two. The movie is more realistic as it depicts Batman struggling in desperation to defeat the Joker, the most popular villain of the whole franchise. Ultimately, too much focus was placed in the mystery story, which a lot of people seem to enjoy, and on the character, Harvey Dent, leaving the rest of the villains as filler.

I was expecting the Long Halloween to be great like Dark Knight Returns or Year One, but it didn't come close to measuring up. It was definitely solid, just not in the same ballpark. Sale's art is cool, and the coloring is beautiful, but some of the characters are a bit over-exaggerated for my taste. The Joker in particular was way overdone, and Batman himself was too muscled out. The Scarecrow and Catwoman were both very well done. Loeb's writing was decent, but nothing to get too excited about. There were some twists that I didn't see coming, but the dialog was a little mundane. Overall it was a solid book, and worth the price for sure. I will definitely check out their other collaborations (Dark Victory, When In Rome, etc.).

The Batman Universe has always had a film-noir feel, and never more so or to better advantage than in Loeb & Sale's epic urban nightmare, The Long Halloween. A new supervillain has emerged from the underbelly of Gotham, a villain who strikes on each of the major holidays. The killer's motives are as dark and complicated as the streets of Gotham, is he in league with the crime families of Gotham or against them? Is there a method in his madness? The artwork is stellar as usual, and the storyline is as strong and intricate as anything by the great mystery writers like Hammett or Chandler.

The debate rages on between Batman fans as to who is the better Batman writer: Frank Miller or Jeph Loeb. Miller tends to focus more on the psychology of the character, where Loeb focuses more on his skills as a troubled detective. Loeb's first seminal Batman work, following a successful stint on the "Legends of the Dark Knight" series, was "Batman: The Long Halloween," published in 13 issues from late 1996 to late 1997. "The Long Halloween" picks up after Miller's "Batman: Year One." Someone is murdering prominent Gotham citizens on holidays. At the end of each month, Batman races to discover the identity of the killer, nicknamed "Holiday," and to stop him or her. Aiding him is Lieutenant Jim Gordon and spunky District Attorney Harvey Dent. Those familiar with the Batman mythos know where this is headed.

"The Long Halloween" was heavily influenced by film noir, as well as "The Godfather." The "Godfather" influence is clear in its depiction of the Falcone family, and its noir influences are clear throughout the story, especially in its depiction of Selina Kyle, who is given the femme fatale status she so deserves. There's plenty of substance to go with that style. Loeb can certainly craft a story. "The Long Halloween" is a delightful mystery, shifting the focus from just how messed up Bruce Wayne to Batman's detective skills. This is Batman as he was originally written. We see Bruce Wayne, disturbed and haunted billionaire. We see more of Batman, dark detective, prowling the tops of Gotham's skyscrapers, hiding in shadows, beating up thugs to know what he needs to know. Surprisingly, Loeb even creates a killer whose identity will keep readers guessing until the end -- and maybe even after that. To this day, the revelation still leaves people pondering.

Loeb's world is added dimension by Tim Sale's terrific artwork. Sale is such a wonderful artist. His work is some of the most distinctive and recognizable in the industry, alongside and yet vastly different from visionairies like Alex Ross or Frank Miller. Sale's artwork can be beautiful, gothic, chilling, grand, or gritty. It could even be all those things at once. But while Sale really hits the noir depiction of Selina Kyle, the way he draws her makes her seem kind of trashy to me, for lack of a better word. He did a much, much better job with her in the sequel, "Batman: Dark Victory." In every other way, though, Sale's artwork is wonderful.

Also wonderful is Loeb's focus on the friendship between Jim Gordon, Harvey Dent, and Batman/Bruce Wayne. He emphasizes the tragic angle of their friendship and the result, especially its result on Bruce Wayne. Loeb's depiction of their friendship may have influenced Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight." Screenwriter David S. Goyer has said that "The Long Halloween" was one of the three chief influences for "Batman Begins." Additionally, IGN Comics named "The Long Halloween" the fifth greatest Batman story in the history of the character. It was the only Batman story of the last 15 years to crack the top five.

For making a sixty-year-old character seem completely fresh and new, for crafting a very original and very engrossing mystery, and for making one of the best comics in recent years, Sale and Loeb deserve a lot of credit. "Batman: The Long Halloween" is one of the finest Batman stories, and a must-read for fans or casual readers looking to become acquainted even loosely with the world of comics.

I had never read this book before, but had heard somany good things about it. I picked it up and read the whole thing in one sitting. An excellent story on Batman taking on organized crime in the early part of his crime fighting carrer. I read this stoy in one sitting. A very enjoyable story.
Interesting to note how the mob seems to feel threatened by the new breed of criminals starting to take over Gotham(like The Joker, Riddler, Poinson Ivy, and such). Or as The Mob call them "Freaks".
I do recommend this book, as I myself really enjoyed it.

This is probably one of the first stories that really showed Harvey Dent as a tragic figure in the Batman universe rather than some demented villain with a duel identity issue. The Long Halloween probably did the best of showing the relationship of Batman, Jim Gordon, and Gotham's DA Dent. That is of course until The Dark Knight came in theaters. However you can see where pieces of this story inspired the feature film.

What drew me to this book is that the all the characters were portrayed the way they were meant to be portrayed none of that fancy computer animation manga type artwork that I got sick of. The story was a classic detective story in which Batman looks for a Holiday Killer dubbed "Holiday" who is killing off gangsters on holidays. It is truly a detective story genre and as like previous reviewers mentioned it has the whole "Rogue Gallery" cast throughout the story and if your not a true die hard batman collector like myself the story is interesting because the killer is not who you expect at the end and yes there are gangsters and shootings. The origin tale of Two Face is intertwined in the story as well so that is an added bonus for many.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A fantastic read, I wasn't sure which batman book I would read first but I eventually came to the conclusion that The Long Halloween was the choice for me. A great murder mystery with the villains of Batman you've come to known well.

This book's elevated stature among all of the Battales is perplexing. The story has many flaws. It is a very sparse script. There is nothing to it. Many pages have so few words on them that your focus and time is spent on turning pages moreso than actually reading them. The rogue cameos are pointless and add very little to the plot, especially Catwoman, who is seen hanging around throughout the entire story for no apparent reason, for which we don't find out the reason until the end of Dark Victory. Plus Batman doesn't even play a big role in the discovery of the killer, whose identity at the end of the story is still in doubt. This is easily Jeph Loeb's weakest Batman tale, Dark Victory and especially Catwoman When in Rome are far superior, and Hush has the huge unfair advantage of Jim Lee's great artwork. A novel, like many other works of art, needs to have a rhythm and flow to it, and that is entirely missing when a story reads as fast as this one. It's lack of substance leaves the reader with an empty feeling of squandered opportunity and wasted time. Loeb is certainly a talented writer, but he needs to show that by adding some depth and material essence to the story and not just by producing a book that reads like a series of flash cards.

The Long Halloween is a masterpiece. The premise of the story is that a serial killer is taking down the mob, one gangster at a time. This killer has a unique method, killing on holidays, therefore the killer is called Holiday. Batman, Gordon and Harvey Dent make a pact to discover the identity of Holiday and to stop the killing. However, the identity of the killer is not so easily discovered, and many gangsters die.

The tone of this story arc is dark, which suits Batman very well, without being overbearing. Batman spends more time trying to figure out the identity of Holiday than punching out villains, so you really get a sense of Batman as a detective. However, there are various chances for Batman to show his skills--the best of which is a midair battle with Joker. This is recommended for all Batman fans and is a must have.

This is one of the best Batman stories out there today. Revolving around the relationship between Gordon, Dent, and Batman, the Gotham Triumvirate is what I came to think of the group as, the story is pushed on by the threes desire to rid Gotham of crime and what lengths each will go to to produce results. The art is very nice Tim Sale does justice to the story with his art. Definitely worth a read and highly recommended for first time Batman readers.

I really enjoyed Batman: The Long Halloween. It was a really refreshing Batman story. Not quite as good as DKR or Year One, but not that much worse. The artwork was very reminiscent of old film noir movies, and the story itself payed a lot of homage to the Godfather. It gets a tad repetitive though. Nevertheless, Long Halloween is an original Dark Knight story which if you're a fan of Batman, you will not want to miss out on.

I really enjoyed Batman: The Long Halloween. It was a really refreshing Batman story. Not quite as good as DKR or Year One, but not that much worse. The artwork was very reminiscent of old film noir movies, and the story itself payed a lot of homage to the Godfather. It gets a tad repetitive though. Nevertheless, Long Halloween is an original Dark Knight story which if you're a fan of Batman, you will not want to miss out on.

The Long Halloween is really what made or at least started Jeph Loeb's reputation as one of the great comic book writers. TLH is a very early Batman tale. And Loeb gives Harvey Dent the consideration such a character as him deserves. The artwork is dark, almost filmic.

I ordered this for my husband and was very pleased with the quick service and the care taken to ensure the book arrived it top condition!
He was thrilled to add it to his batman collection!

if you don't read any other batman book, this one is THE book to read. It is the single best book I have ever read in the batman myth

This series is one big long mystery, at the heart, as the cops and Batman have to work, alongside the mob at times to work out who the hell the Holiday killer is, if they can, that is.

This is one that is not easy to guess, and is handled very nicely. Definitely a Bat-story to check out, and most people could probably handle it.

The Long Halloween is good but not great. It has atmosphere, and is a brisk, fun read, but it doesn't hold up to even casual scrutiny. First, I must confess that I have a strong dislike of story lines that run a parade of villains through the narrative. This story is a great example of why. The villains get short shrift, and their formidability is diminished to the point where they are usually dispatched within a page or two. Who are they? What makes them so important in Batman's rogues' gallery? All we get is the ubiquitous "pin-up" page and then we move on. He beats them as easily as he would a mugger. There is even one ridiculous point in which Joker, Two Face, Scarecrow, Mad Hatter, Solomon Grundy, Poison Ivy, and I think even the Penguin (but he doesn't say anything and hadn't been in the story at any other point before, while the others had), are all together in a room, facing him. The Batman (with a little help from Cat Woman) dispatches all of them in a page or two. How is it that these villains can be so diabolical and confound Batman for multiple issue story lines in other books and then be so easily beaten here? Also, the "twist ending" makes no sense whatsoever.
In fact, this whole story was told much more concisely only 5 or 6 years before this one, in the 1990 Batman Annual, by Andrew Helfer and Chris Sprouse. It's the same core story, focusing on the origin of Two Face. There's the trial of mob boss Morconi (complete with Batman in disguise in the gallery), the duplicitous assistant D.A. Fields, and Dent's troubled history with his father; however, it resonates far more effectively because of the manner in which it explores Harvey's psychological turmoil and because it never veers from that. By going for depth rather than breadth, the story packs more of a punch in 55 or so pages than The Long Halloween's 370, and since it doesn't go for pin-ups every other page, it takes about as long to read too.

This is one awesome batman story. So crazy i have to say i enjoyed this very much

I must say that this is a great book. Well worth the time and money. It's also a very huge graphic novel. The biggest I have read so far. After the masterpiece known as "Batman; Year One" I had to read this so-called sequel to find out what exactly happens to our new, more darker Batman. I was not dissapointed. Although not as good as year one, which is close to impossible to surpass for a Batman novel, this book definately is a great followup. Only thing is Batman is now much more muscular. Alot more. I just wished they would explain how exactly Bruce and Selina met. Just curious. They both play huge roles in the story. Both in and out of costume. I have to admit that I thought the suspense started to slow down in the middle, until the huge twists at the end starting after Harvey got acid thrown in his face turning him into the infamous Two-Face. The art is great also. Gordon is a great character. The roller coaster relationship between the trio of Bats, Gordon and Dent in crime ridden Gotham City was written fantastically. Batman of course is the Man as always. Great Stuff. It got my 5 stars. Definately Pick it up.

I read this 260 page graphic novel in about 2 days. The murder mystery aspect was very engaging and if you are into that at all, I would recommend you checking it out. Theres also some side aspects that make it great like the use of familiar villains. There is a lot of them yet they are incorporated in the story so well. I've recently began purchasing graphic novels so I actually benefited from not knowing the identity of certain people. If you are a novice like me in the DC comic world, you might appreciate it like I did.

I loved it. Jeff Loeb is a real traditionalist when it comes to the characters he's writing. I've read tons of his books and he doesn't re-invent the character but keeps the traditional ideas going. The art is great and the stories are classic. Everybody and anyone could pick this up and enjoy it. It's a great example of a graphic novel. I think of comics as the baby of novels and movies. Art is alive in comics! Instead of watching TV try reading this. It's a great book.

This is my favorite Batman TPB thus far, for many reasons. First of all, I thought the entire plot was spectacular; a little bit "Sopranos", a little "Godfather", but completely believable for the Gotham world, not hammy or out-of-place. Carmine "The Roman" Falcone is actually a suave, cool figure in his own right, along with the other members of the "family" (not to spoil too much, but especially a certain member featured in the very end). This very cool plot line is deliciously peppered with the classic Arkham gang, all of the favorites are here more or less in funny cameos (Joker and Scarecrow/Hatter were my personal favorites), with the exception of Catwoman, who is featured heavily, and I must say, expertly drawn and written. Somehow, the heroes are not neglected at all, least of all tragic Harvey Dent, whose mental decline is another great highlight in the meaty story. We see Bruce take on the host of villains, team with Jim Gordon to solve the murder, and even fall a couple of times, as well as his sexually tense relationship with Selina Kyle and her alter-ego. Not as in-depth with Bruce Wayne as, say, "Year One", but he is true to character, and retains his overall strength against adversity-- probably his most important character trait.

The artwork is superb; I even prefer the more bright, dramatized stylizations of Tim Sale's work, and every villain was drawn spot-on, in my opinion. The only point of contention is Bruce himself, sometimes a tiny bit awkward in face, but that has more to do with my personal tastes. Gotham is dark, moody, and slick. Very well done stuff.

I don't even think I could complain about anything here. A fantastic book, and a must-have for any Batman collection, or people who are only familiar with "Batman Begins" or the movies. The entire plot is here, you don't necessarily need to read any prior or later books as it stands alone, and it is simply a great book. If you like the Batman world even a little bit or are curious, start with this book!

Seriously, a great noir/murder mystery and Sale is outstanding for two reasons :
(i) I have never thought such long pointed ears would look cool on Batman
(ii) The chemistry between Batman and Catwoman/Selina Kyle is exhilarating and life like!
The sequel Dark Victory is equally great!

Seriously, a great noir/murder mystery and Sale is outstanding for two reason :
(i) I have never thought such long pointed ear would look cool on Batman
(ii) The chemistry between Batman and Catwoman/Selina Kyle is exhilarating and life like!
The sequel Dark Victory is equally great!

The book itself was wonderful. The story kept me hooked from start to finish, the art was great to look at, really well done stuff. The only thing thats keeping this from being 5 stars is the absolutely awful packaging. Pages were falling out of the book as soon as I got it out of the box (and I purchased it new), and by the time I was done reading it, literally NO pages were still attached to the binding. I've gotten a refund, and hopefully this was simply an issue with my copy and not the product in general.

Batman: The Long Halloween is a story set in the early years of Batman's history. The writer apparently sets out to do three things in this story. First, it depicts the transition of Gotham from a city where the mob ran rampant to one where a rogues gallery of homicidal maniacs and super-villains have pushed the old criminals out. Second, it shows different visions of justice in the guises of Batman, Harvey Dent, and Jim Gordon. Third, it presents a murder mystery which is supposed to be intriguing and a challenge to the World's Greatest Detective. Well, it accomplishes the first two and fails miserably with the last. Although some readers might think the ending is clever, in my view, it is not for the simple reason that the writer did not play fair with either Batman or the audience. No clues were given to point to the identity of the real killer, so neither Batman nor the reader has any chance at uncovering the villain's identity. Moreover, the writer breaks the cardinal rule of writing a murder mystery...if the killer has something to gain, the detective must find whatever that is to track the killer down. In this story, that was absent because by committing the murders, the killer actually pushed what that person wanted farther away from the killer. Finally, as for the detective himself, Batman basically phones in any attempt to engage in detective work in the story and really does nothing to try and solve the underlying crimes because of the distractions caused his rogues gallery.

Now for the parts that were brilliant. The artwork was excellent, very noir and fit the story well. The story does a fantastic job of rounding out Dent's character and making him far more believable than other stories have shown in the past. Selina/Catwoman looked sexy and was an interesting character in the story (although the writer fails to explain why she was involved with the mobsters). As for the rogues gallery, some of the depictions were fantastic, such as the Scarecrow, Ivy, and the Mad Hatter. I did have problems with the drawings of the Joker...too many teeth and a bit too stylistic. Also, the depiction of Solomon Grundy was very lame. Grundy, at times, has given the entire JLA fits. Yet, a young Batman was able to give him a bloody nose with one punch? Very inconsistent. He wasn't that important to the story to screw up the character's capabilities like that.

So, this story starts with a bang but due to the dropped plotlines, the poor job of connecting the dots, and the muddled motive, it misses the target and fails in its bid to become a classic like Kingdom Come.

Writer Jeph Loeb along with artist Tim Sale drag us kicking and screaming through a full year of criminal turnoil in Gotham in "Batman: the long halloween". A killer who 'makes the most of the holidays' lurks, throwing suspicion everywhere and bringing the crazies out of the woodwork (the Joker doesn't want to be knocked off his pedestal as the 'craziest killer in Gotham' so he gets into the act). In true mystery novel manner the reader questions the sanity of even the 'most sane' characters. While not being a huge Batman fan, with the exception of the ElseWorlds TP's, I found this to be a truly enjoyable read and recommend it highly.

So much to draw and so little to say. When this book isn't childishly ripping off "The Godfather" or "The Silence of the Lambs," it's mucking about in a plotline that's as two-dimensional as it's overblown. Capos spout dialogue at each other in storytime mafia-ese; characters we're supposed to care about lose all credibility and come off as dull thanks to the clumsy script; and half of Batman's rogue's gallery seems contractually obligated to make an appearance--sometimes just falling into the frame as eyeroll-inducing non sequiturs. Batman is a wonderful character, and he can support so many kinds of stories: detective yarns, suspense thrillers, noir tragedies, psychological inquiries, even postmodern eviscerations. But this . . . this is nothing. This is bad writing. There's no story here. Kudos for the sometimes beautiful visual images, but even they quickly wear thin with nothing to support them. Sadly, in a reader's world of hits and misses, "The Long Halloween" is something even worse: a waste.

A better then usual take on Batman, Catwoman, and villain 2 Face. The ending really surprised me.

Jeph Loeb's, "Batman: The Long Halloween" is great story and graphic novel. The illustrations are breath taking and the characters are so unforgettable. A killer is on the loose in Gotham and every holiday there's a murder. Commisioner Gordon, Batman, and District Attorney Harvey Dent form an alliance and all "beleive in gotham city". Although this novel has appearances by the more famous Batman villains such as the Joker, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Mad Hatter, Scarecrow, Penguin, Calendar Man, and Two face, this book tends to focus more on gangsters and crime boss Carmine Falcone, his empire and Sal Maroni and his family. Its a very dark story where Batman must keep his promise to his parents of cleaning up Gotham and bringing criminals to justice.

Tim Sale and Jeph Loeb are best known for exploring the early years of superheroes--they've covered the Hulk, Spider-Man, Daredevil and Superman, with fantastic results. However, BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN remains not just their best collaberative effort, but also one of the best superhero stories of its decade.

LONG HALLOWEEN is a sequel of sorts to Frank MIller's BATMAN: YEAR ONE, but neither Loeb or Sale seemed pre-occupied with re-hashing that tale. LONG HALLOWEEN is gritty, all right, but more in the vein of classic 30s gangster films than Miller's "Dirty Harry" approach.

This book primarily focuses on Batman's developing relationship with Commisioner Gordon and then-DA Harvey Dent as they try to take down the Falcone crime family. This overlaps with a murder mystery that seems to lead back to Calendar Man, an uber-lame Silver Age Batman foe who gets a Hannibal Lecter makeover.

Like Loeb's over works, including HUSH, THE LONG HALLOWEEN is very easy to pick up and read, whether you've followed Batman's comic book history or not. Heck, you don't even have to read YEAR ONE to enjoy this book--its a very self-contained piece, and because of that LONG HALLOWEEN is highly accessible. However, if you are a Batman enthusiant, keep an eye out for appearces by nearly every villian Batman has ever encountered, from Selina Kyle to the Joker to Solomon Grundy.

I cannot suggest this book highly enough--anyone who likes graphic novels will love THE LONG HALLOWEEN. And when you're done, check out Loeb and Sale's superb follow-up, DARK VICTORY.

Probably one of the best Batman comics I've ever read. The art is superb and the writing is amazing as well. Loeb and Sale are truly a match made in heaven and it shows in there work not just here but in the other two books of the series. I recommend this to all lovers of Batman. Though a bit more adult, and therefore more graphic, than some earlier Batmans the spirit is still there and burning bright.

The Long Halloween was Jeph Loeb's tout de force on Batman. It is recounted in 13 chapters (which is how the tale was originally told 13 issues). This and Frank Miller Batman: Year one should be read together.

Loeb's take on the early Bat legend is classic. A one man, no power superhero who uses his brain. It is also a crime drama of a mafia family bring murder with Bat's rogue gallery thrown it for measure

So is it worth it to get? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!

Bennet Pomerantz, AUDIOWORLD

With Frank Miller's blessings, scribe Jeph Loeb and artist Tim Sale went ahead and spun a mystery entrenched firmly within the time frame of BATMAN: YEAR ONE. This DC graphic novel's first incarnation was in the format of a limited 13-issue maxi-series back in 1996 and narrated the Darknight Detective's exhausting, year-long effort to capture the media-dubbed "Holiday," a serial killer whose first victim is slain on Halloween.

Thru the course of the year, Holiday continues to execute his victims but solely on national holidays, every time leaving in his wake an untraceable .22 pistol and the appropriate holiday memorabilia. His victims predominantly seem to be mob-affiliated, either close relations or upper-echelon members of the Falcone syndicate. The killings threaten the eruption of a mob war between Carmine "the Roman" Falcone and Salvatore "the Boss" Maroni, the Roman's chief rival and the second most powerful mobster in Gotham. Meanwhile, Batman, Police Captain Jim Gordon, and D.A. Harvey Dent make a solemn pact to end the mob tyranny on Gotham.

So I've heard all the hype and I finally got a chance to read BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN - and it's pretty darn good. The hype is a bit overblown because this one's not exactly up there in the rarified atmosphere of BATMAN: YEAR ONE. Some negatives: I just can't believe that this mystery is so perplexing that it couldn't be solved by Batman in under a year's time (I know, this is his first year, but it's friggin' Batman here) - and, really, what's so disappointing is that he doesn't even solve it. And, as much as I enjoy film noir and noir novels, I couldn't get in sync with the crime syndicates as derivatively depicted by Loeb. The only remotely diverting mob character is Falcone's gargantuan daughter and enforcer, Sofia Falcone Gigante.

Loeb's use of Batman's gallery of rogues smacks of being perfunctory and arbitrary, as the writer flings haphazard costumed villains into the fray seemingly because it's expected in a superhero comic book. His characterizations of the Scarecrow, the Mad Hatter, and Poison Ivy are half-hearted and cardboard. And, while I could see why the Calendar Man is given a more-or-less pronounced role in the goings-on, he is definitely no Hannibal Lechter.

A key element to the success of the BATMAN: YEAR ONE mythos was the refreshing portrayal of Jim Gordon as an aggresively honest and very capable cop who will brook no nonsense from his crooked fellow law enforcers. In many ways, Frank Miller wrote him in such a way that I immediately thought of Wyatt Earp taming Tombstone. Gordon fully shared and earned the star billing with Bats in BATMAN: YEAR ONE. Here, he takes a back seat to Batman and Harvey Dent and comes closer to resembling the Commissioner Gordon we've all known for so long. I didn't like it.

That was the vinegar part of the review; now, here's the sugar. On the positive side, the Joker, Catwoman, and especially Two-Face are fleshed out and made three dimensional here, or as three-dimensional as these wacky nut jobs can get. I could actually see the logic of the insane Clown of Crime becoming insanely jealous of Holiday ("The town isn't big enough for two homicidal maniacs") and thus going on his own murder spree. Catwoman is nicely ambivalent, occasionally abetting Bats but not about to give away her underlying motivations. Long time readers of Batman are treated to the nuances of the devolution of Harvey Dent, who starts out here as being crusadingly on the side of the righteous but, thru the course of THE LONG HALLOWEEN, descending into what he ultimately will become. That he, Jim Gordon, and Bruce Wayne are friends lends a particularly bittersweet element to the book. Batman, of course, remains Batman.

A dominant selling point for BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN is Tim Sale's artistic contribution. His excellent pencil and inks, combined with Gregory Wright's muted colors, with an occasional foray into full-out black and white renderings, lend a stark and somber tone to the proceedings, evocatively realizing Gotham and its shadowy residents. Echoes of Frank Miller's style abound in Tim Sale's efforts, especially in several gorgeous, full page lay outs. His Batman is depicted as having the same brawny mass as Miller's version, if more defined muscularly. BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN is a handsome product, encumbered with some flaws but showcasing competent writing and some truly solid artwork. And I guarantee you will not see the killer's identity coming (it's a little murky, although there are clues interspersed throughout). On the same level as BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE and BATMAN: YEAR TWO, BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN is vintage Batman and is a worthy addition to the Caped Crusader's canon. So, I'm giving this one 3 and a half stars.