The Long Halloween

[thecolorsblend]

I enjoyed it right up until the very last page or two, at which time Loeb seems to intentionally derail everything in regards to Holiday's true identity.  In my opinion, whodunnits are only effective insofar as they provide solid answers (means, motive, opportunity and a genuine unmasking of the villain) while providing decent clues to the killer's identity through out.

TLH is a good story but it fails on those counts.  I could overlook the dearth of clues (really, it could've been any of the supporting cast) but the murkiness behind Holiday's identity drags the story down for me.

The complete opposite for me.

At the end of the story, Harvey turns himself in to Gordon and tells him and Batman that there were two Holiday killers. Batman ignores it and explains it away to Harvey?s madness in a weak explanation. So, even after all hell breaks loose with Harvey, Batman still refuses to allow himself to see Harvey as a killer.

It is distinctive because it keeps the reader guessing, particularly with the surprise of Gilda being the first holiday killer. As a reader, I read it eager that Harvey would be not guilty. I deduce I thought in some way I could disconnect Harvey from Two Face, and believe that Harvey was a proper hero that would certainly not take the law into his own hands.

Only after the transformation would Harvey become evil. This, though, is not realistic, and Loeb does a wonderful job of acknowledging both the audience?s tendency to believe in Harvey Dent, and the truth that Harvey?s character is seriously flawed from the beginning and the acid incident only sends him over the edge, unleashing years of psychological torment.

This final twist making the resolution of the novel unclear, readers are left with the burning question: Who was Holiday? The Long Halloween sparks debate even today, years after its initial release, due in no small part to its great ending.

I've come to a different appreciation for TLH. What I've started understanding is the last few pages of the final issue show the different main characters reacting to what's happened in the story. Gordon believes in Gotham City. His conscience is pure. Batman believes in Batman. His mission is his reason for being. Gilda believes in Harvey. She's batsh*t f***ing nuts.

Of course, this means that I believe Alberto is the real Holiday. The murders simply required means, motive and opportunity that Alberto had in great abundance but which mostly eluded Gilda through all or the majority of the story.

I said I enjoyed this story until the end originally. But putting the above into perspective means that, yes, TLH is an awesome story. Tons of fun.

[The Laughing Fish]

Does anybody else get the impression that Alberto Falcone lied to everybody that he was the Holiday killer just to spite his own father and family, if we are to believe Gilda and Harvey Dent were responsible for the serial murders? Alberto seemed really resentful towards Carmine for shunning him out of the family business.

[Silver Nemesis]

Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale have re-teamed for a new one shot follow-up to The Long Halloween scheduled for publication this October.

A quarter century has passed since the release of the Eisner Award winning Batman: The Long Halloween from the creative team of writer Jeph Loeb and artist Tim Sale. On October 12, 2021, Loeb and Sale return to continue their story and show that some secrets never stay buried in Batman: The Long Halloween Special.

"Twenty-five years ago, Tim Sale and I set out to tell a mystery tale of how Gotham City went from crime to freaks," said Jeph Loeb. "The result was Batman: The Long Halloween. We're thrilled to be back at DC revisiting some of our favorite characters all the while revealing that you may not know the whole story..."

Join the team for the return of the Batman Halloween specials and a mystery that could destroy Batman, Commissioner Gordon, Two-Face, and...well, that would be telling, wouldn't it?

BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN SPECIAL 
Story by JEPH LOEB 
Pencils and inks by TIM SALE 
Cover by TIM SALE 
$7.99 US | 48 PAGES | PRESTIGE FORMAT
Variant cover by TIM SALE
1:25 Variant cover by TIM SALE
On Sale 10/12/21

"As it has always been, working together on Batman has brought out the best of Jeph and myself as Gotham City storytellers," added Tim Sale. "We have been blessed to have the mighty talents of Comicraft's Richard Starkings with us every step of the way, and are very fortunate to welcome colorist, Brennan Wagner, to help shape our latest venture."

DC UNIVERSE INFINITE members can read the original Batman: The Long Halloween series as part of their paid subscription. The original animated film, Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One is now available to own on Digital and Blu-ray™. Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two is coming July 27 to Digital and arriving August 10 on Blu-ray.

Written by Loeb with artwork by Sale, colors by Brennan Wagner (Grendel) and lettering by Richard Starkings (Elephantmen), Batman: The Long Halloween Special will be available at local comic book shops in a 48-page prestige format on October 12, 2021, for $7.99.

https://www.dccomics.com/blog/2021/07/08/batmanthe-long-halloween-special-continues-critically-acclaimed-story

[The Dark Knight]

I like this. The art style is replicated quite well, and so is the tone. It's set after Dark Victory, and you feel every Halloween in Gotham goes down something like this.

Batman says Two-Face was always under the surface of Dent and he's now just a killer and a lunatic. After that they both end up working together to try and recover Gilda, who is kidnapped by Calendar Man, which bring things back to having to 'believe in Harvey Dent'. 

In the end, Batman's cold assessment of Dent proves to be true, with Gilda's conduct also confirming why we should always be cynical. She's a facilitator and also a participant of his evil by refusing to see the Two-Face component of Dent.

Harvey has Gilda. Batman has Robin.

Batman tells Alfred he's not ready to have Robin operating with him full time, which I like, because it allows Batman to be tough but caring. There's underlying humanity in these stories amongst all the murder that just seems to work, such as Batman taking Robin to Gordon's house for trick or treating with Barbara.

We also see Batman wearing another disguise, evoking the time he dressed as a security guard in the original. I think the essence of the previous stories is there. All in all, I'm happy with the result.

[Silver Nemesis]

I enjoyed it. It's a nonessential addendum to the original saga, but it offers an enjoyable seasonal epilogue that avoids damaging or detracting from the earlier story. The classic Loeb/Sale feel is very much in evidence, the art and writing are good, and overall it's a worthy spiritual successor to their earlier collaborations. The atmosphere evokes the Haunted Knight/LotDK one-shots of the early-to-mid nineties, as well as the 'Grundy's Night' episode of The Batman. The ending ('for now...') makes me hopeful that we might one day get another full 13-isssue miniseries from Loeb and Sale.

On the trivia front, Bruce repeats a line from the 1989 film.

A solid Halloween special that tells a good old fashioned Batman story. Recommended.

[Travesty]

I'll try it get to this soon. I actually forgot all about this.