Batman: The Long Halloween Special Review
Writer: Jeph Loeb
Artist: Tim Sale
Colorist: Brennan Wagner
Letters: Richard Starkings
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $7.99
Release Date: October 26, 2021
Reviewer: JR Huitt
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THE HOOK:
Batman: The Long Halloween Special comes from DC Comics this week. Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale return to tell a story set during the early days of Batman’s career. Is it possible for the same creators to step back in and tell another fantastic story? Let’s find out as Loeb and Sale add to their Batman legacy with Batman: The Long Halloween Special.
MY IMPRESSIONS:
Jeph Loeb has always excelled when putting Batman and his associated characters through their paces. Batman: The Long Halloween Special is no different. It easily slides into place with Batman: The Long Halloween, Batman: Dark Victory, and Catwoman: When in Rome. I’ve always found Loeb’s Batman to be someone who is fun to watch spread his wings. One thing that the original Long Halloween had was the triumvirate of Batman, Jim Gordon, and Harvey Dent. That aspect is featured again as they are forced to team up during Batman: The Long Halloween Special.
THE ART:
While Loeb & Jim Lee’s Hush is the more high profile of Loeb’s Batman stories, for my money, Tim Sale is the perfect partner for Jeph Loeb. Batman: The Long Halloween Special is another example of this as Sale draws quite the imposing Dark Knight. Even the quiet moments pop off the page and are electric with emotion.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
How powerful is nostalgia? Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale return to familiar story beats with Batman: The Long Halloween Special. And wildly succeed in delivering a spectacular Batman tale. I can’t help but wonder if this book had its genesis tied to the recent release of the two-part Batman: The Long Halloween feature from Warner Brothers Animation. Regardless, it felt like the fourteenth issue in the series! Finally, one of my favorite lines in the issue was this:
“The End… For Now!”
I would love to see more stories focusing on Gothamites from Loeb and Sale!