Batman: The Long Halloween

Courtesy of DC Comics

Our third pick is Batman: The Long Halloween created by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Tim Sale. It compiles the thirteen issues in the limited series of the same name (listed below). DC Comics originally published Batman: The Long Halloween in 1996 and 1997.

Courtesy of DC Comics

The artwork by Tim Sale is bold, providing a convincing noir-like comic world. Color is used frugally, serving as punctuation for particularly important scenes. It’s both bright and dark at times and it really has a film noir feel to it like you are watching an old detective movie. The characters are well drawn and they all have unique looks.

Courtesy of DC Comics

There’s a reason that this series is considered one of the best Batman stories. Loeb‘s writing is amazing, his sense of timing in the revealing of evidence, suspicions, and character motivations have the reader guessing right along with Batman the whole time. This is one of the best endings I’ve ever seen in a Batman series, and perhaps the best story in the entire Batman saga. Many (including myself) consider Long Halloween to be an unofficial “Year Two” to the Batman saga, even though the books were written at different periods in the “detective comics” run.

Courtesy of DC Comics

Here are each of the chapters of Batman The Long Halloween with the holiday they represented:

Chapter 1: Crime
Chapter 2: Thanksgiving
Chapter 3: Christmas
Chapter 4: New Year’s Eve
Chapter 5: Valentine’s Day
Chapter 6: St. Patrick’s Day
Chapter 7: April’s Fool Day
Chapter 8: Mother’s Day
Chapter 9: Father’s Day
Chapter 10: Independence Day
Chapter 11: Roman Holiday
Chapter 12: Labor Day
Chapter 13: Punishment (Halloween)