Batman: Das Lange Halloween Special - Alpträume

Batman by Jeph Loeb & Tim Sale #1.5

by Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale (Illustrator)

DAS SEQUEL ZUM GROSSEN BATMAN-KLASSIKER Die Saga BATMAN: DAS LANGE HALLOWEEN gehört zu den zeitlosen Meisterwerken im Mythos des Dunklen Ritters. In dieser Fortsetzung startet der mörderische Calendar Man erneut eine brutale Verbrechensserie zu Halloween in Gotham City. Diesmal aber greift er sogar den irren Superschurken Two-Face an! Als er dessen Ehefrau entführt, ist Batman gezwungen, ein gefährliches Bündnis mit seinem ehemaligen Freund und jetzigen Widersacher einzugehen … Das Comic-Dreamteam Jeph Loeb (BATMAN: HUSH) und Tim Sale (SUPERMAN: EIN HELD FÜRS GANZE JAHR) kehrt in die Ära ihrer Klassiker BATMAN: DAS LANGE HALLOWEEN und BATMAN: DARK VICTORY zurück und führt seine von Lesern und Kritikern gefeierte Geschichte mit einem grandiosen neuen Kapitel fort. ENTHÄLT: BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN SPECIAL

Genres: Comics, Batman, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction

68 pages, Paperback

Published February 22, 2022

About the author

Joseph "Jeph" Loeb III is an Emmy and WGA nominated American film and television writer, producer and award-winning comic book writer. Loeb was a Co-Executive Producer on the NBC hit show Heroes, and formerly a producer/writer on the TV series Smallville and Lost.

A four-time Eisner Award winner and five-time Wizard Fan Awards winner (see below), Loeb's comic book career includes work on many major characters, including Spider-Man, Batman, Superman, Hulk, Captain America, Cable, Iron Man, Daredevil, Supergirl, the Avengers, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, much of which he has produced in collaboration with artist Tim Sale, who provides the comic art seen on Heroes.

Reviews

[Brandyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written trip down memory lane, though lacking any real conclusion.

The Long Halloween is one of Batman's most celebrated stories, and for good reason, it's sequel Dark Victory, is as good or even better in my eyes, so the prospect of going back to that well for nostalgia's sake was something I was cautiously optimistic about, emphasis on the cautious. But this did everything it needed to, I feel.

Jeph Loeb, for all his other crimes in comics (Ultimatum), does know Batman well and is quickly able to dive back into the mystery centered world he love so much, you could read this shortly after Dark Victory and it doesn't feel like much has changed, from the character moments to the plot it all feels just like it did back in those original stories, while also focusing on an underused element from those original stories. Shortly after Dark Victory October comes around again and Julian Day, not wanting to be upstaged like he had been during Long Halloween, breaks out and becomes unpredictable. Meanwhile Glinda decides to find Harvey and succeeds, all while Batman and Gordon continue to try to move on with their lives despite everything that's transpired. It's a natural continuation of the story and that's a pretty amazing feat for being written about 21 years after the wrap-up of Dark Victory. Loeb's even able to weave in some cute character moments despite only having 48 pages to work with, with Robin and Barbara Gordon going trick or treating being a highlight. The only stumbling block in the writing is that while things happen the ending feels a bit anti-climactic, it seems pretty obvious that this is just Loeb and Sale dipping their toe into the water to gauge interest in a real sequel.

Tim Sale's art is also still fantastic as always, though I feel his growth throughout the years is a little more pronounced than Loeb's is, it's still recognizably the style that worked so well in the other books, and I can't really articulate what I feel has changed so maybe it's just nostalgia, but the art doesn't quite make as seamless a transition as the writing, that's not a true complaint though, it just takes a sec to readjust to.

Overall this is a great follow up that should be read by anyone who's a fan of the original story (And really, that's most Batman fans), though be warned that it might feel more like an interlude than a true sequel.

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 4 out of 5]

O próprio Loeb já falou que, se a maioria dos quadrinhos estadunidenses podem ser lidas fazendo um número 2 no banheiro, os dele podem ser lidos fazendo o número 1. É verdade, a leitura de quadrinhos de Jeph Loeb tem uma duração de leitura muito curta. Li este especial em cinco minutos. Mas me surpreendeu por duas razões: uma pela fidelidade com a trama do primeiro Longo Dia das Bruxas e outra, por ser muito melhor que as demais continuações nesse universo pela mesma dupla de criadores, Vitória Sombria e Mulher-Gato: Cidade Eterna. Batman: O Longo Dia das Bruxas Especial acabou sendo também a despedida do artista Tim Sale do mundo e do mundo dos quadrinhos, já que veio a falacer em junho de 2022. Vale dizer também, que as colaborações de Loeb com Sale formam a nata dos seus trabalhos, tendo se tornado os mais celebrados trabalhos que insistem no âmago daquilo que os super-heróis representam ou gostariam de representar no mundo e no imaginário popular. Mesmo super-heróis tão sombrios como o Batman.

[Shaun Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Batman: The Long Halloween Special #1 is written by Jeph Loeb with art by Tim Sale.

A year after the events of the The Long Halloween, The Calendar Man Julian Day is trying to retake the Holiday Killer mantle by setting up something large for Halloween.

It was great revisiting Loeb and Sale's Batman universe. This was short but still had their usual noir Batman flair. I would have loved if this was fleshed out as a 4-6 issue miniseries but it still works as an oversized issue. The Long Halloween is my all-time favorite Batman storyline so I have been hyped for this book since it was announced earlier this year. I think it perfectly lived up to the wait.

[Kastie Pavlik · Rating 5 out of 5]

The art is a bit off at times, but the story is interesting. Nice to read a good old fashioned Batman the detective story again.

Edit: Re-read after seeing The Batman and re-reading The Long Halloween tpb. I really do enjoy Batman as a detective and not just a super hero up against super villains, but I appreciated this little special more with the original story fresh in mind.

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice touch for the Halloween week. Not much in term of implication or building up a storyline but just a fun read. The cartoonist style isn't my favorite but for this issue it seem to work fine!

[Ernez · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, RIP Tim Sale.

Secondly, I thought this was pretty good. Where is lacked in action, it excelled in detective work. I like Batman as a detective as much as I like him as a crime fighting superhero. It's always interesting to see what he figures out. Am super interested in knowing more.

[Lucas Savio · Rating 3 out of 5]

A história bem curtinha no mesmo universo vale para revisitar, mesmo com uma arte um pouco corrida no meu ver, talvez por intervenção editorial com a ideia de talvez até continuar (oque é uma pena já que infelizmente tim sale veio a falecer) um encadernado com certeza para celebrar e revisitar e com roteiro bem pensando mas sem grandes pretensões

[Eddie B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strange plot and weird art. Unfortunately not that special.

[Liz.Loki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Batman bringing Robin to go trick-or-treating with Babs was SO CUTE

I also find Harvey and Gilda a very cute couple despite the murders LMAO

Calendar Man is so lame.

[Vinicius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Foi um especial bem legal que acrescentou algumas coisas em relação ao Longo Dia das Bruxas. Bateu uma nostalgia lendo, porque foi a primeira HQ do Batman que li, e retornar para esse universo do Loeb com traço do Tim Sale foi incrível.

A história em si é legal, não tem nada surpreendente, mas é gostoso de se ler. Tem alguns momentos com uma carga sentimental envolvendo o Batman, Gordon e Harvey; e outras mais engraçadas que envolvem o Dick e a Bárbara.

Contudo, bate uma tristeza de lembrar que o Tim Sale faleceu mês passado. Fica a homenagem a ele e seus desenhos incríveis.

[Noah Fithen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic work to end Tim Sale’s legendary career. This story serves as both a great prologue to the currently running “The Last Halloween” (2024, it is also a bittersweet farewell to beloved artist Tim Sale, known for his phenomenal works on titles such as “The Long Halloween”, “Dark Victory”, and “Superman: For All Seasons”. He is dearly missed.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars *may change

my little meow meow robin

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nicely paced and placed tale that fits into the original's line without stomping all over the established continuity or inserting unnecessary revisions and politics -- a rare feat nowadays.

[Mar · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3,5/5)

[amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I for one really like the art

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly? Kind of a 3-star (short) story from Loeb, but an extra star for nostalgia and Tim Sale's art.

[Marsh Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up because I read that The Batman was partially based on this comic book series and I really loved that movie. I guess I can see it. I'd have to read more in the series to really make that connection, however.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Batman: The Long Halloween Special is a one-shot special written by Jeph Loeb and penciled by Tim Sale. It was first published on 26 October 2021 with a cover date of December 2021.

It's been a year since the Holiday Killer was captured and it is Halloween again. Bruce Wayne as Batman continues his vigilantism this time with Dick Grayson as Robin by his side, Harvey Dent succumbs further into his madness, Gilda Dent returns to Gotham to reconnect with her husband, and Julian Day returns to retake the Holiday Killer mantle so he would be remembered.

Jeph Loeb penned the entire one-shot. For the most part it was rather well. Loeb has created a narrative that takes place a year after his magna opus – The Long Halloween with the return of Julian Day as Calendar Man and gives some needed backstory on such a minor villain. Missing is the complexity of the series, but that is to be expected as an oversized one-shot. However, Loeb is still on form with his noir storyline.

Tim Sale penciled the entire one-shot special. Since he was the only penciler, the artistic flow of the trade paperback flowed exceptionally well. For the most part, Sale's penciling was done wonderful well and captures the noir feeling of the narrative. However, there are some panels that seem a tad messier than typical – not sure if this is due to age or a new colorist.

All in all, Batman: The Long Halloween Special is a wonderful follow-up to reconnect with characters that the core series represented so well.

[Chris Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revisiting their work on Batman many years later, Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale pen ‘Nightmares’, this short and sweet epilogue to The Long Halloween and Dark Victory.

Rather than another murder mystery, Loeb puts the focus on Calendar Man this time. Julian Day was a creepy Hannibal Lecter esque consultant on the Holiday murders in The Long Halloween then in Dark Victory he secretly took on the role of ghost of Carmine Falcone to torture Alberto Falcone, the exposed half of Holiday, out of jealousy. Now he finally takes centre stage, determined that the Calendar Man will not be upstaged.

Calendar Man and his Calendar Gang are presented like a cult, and the months tattooed around every member’s head add an extra level of creepiness. I never really got my teeth into his plot but once he got Gilda into a confession box and it became clear this was all about Holiday, I was on the edge of my seat.

Gilda Dent vanished after The Long Halloween, confessing her involvement in the murders only to the reader. It’s the biggest surprise of this story that we see Gilda return to Gotham, looking to reunite with Harvey.

Fans of Two-Face will want to check this out to explore the relationship with the Dents. It would be easy for Gilda to be horrified with what Harvey’s become but she isn’t. She only sees her ‘Apollo’ (Harvey’s nickname as an up and coming DA who could do no wrong).

The story sees one last alliance between Batman and Two-Face, to save Gilda from Calendar Man showing how much Harvey does love her. He killed Porter for her memory in Dark Victory, now he works with his greatest enemy to save her. Of course, he’s Two-Face so he doesn’t play by Batman’s rules, but this doesn’t lead to a final battle between Batman and Two-Face as you might expect.

There’s an Infinity War inversion where Two-Face is the main protagonist and gets his happy ending accordingly. Harvey and Gilda sail away into the sunset, escaping Gotham justice, to potentially live together happily ever after. They may both be murderers but it’s sweet.

The book directly addresses Gilda’s time as Holiday. She already confessed to the reader in The Long Halloween but it’s still a shock when Calendar Man is revealed to know the truth and it becomes clear all of this was about vengeance on Holiday for stealing his shtick.

Batman never finds out the truth for certain but he finally starts to suspect. The fact Harvey seems to know the truth about Gilda, and not care, suggests maybe Alberto was just the fall guy and Harvey maybe did finish what Gilda started as she believes. We’ll never know and I love that.

There are also sweet character moments throughout. We see Batman and Robin’s working relationship immediately after Dark Victory. There’s a sweet moment I loved where Gordon asks Batman if Robin can go trick or treating with his daughter Barbara, and my heart melted when Batman actually dropped Robin off at the Gordon’s on Halloween and Barbara came out in her Batgirl costume.

The fact Barbara asked her dad to ask Batman to ask Robin to come trick or treating with her suggests to me this happens after Robin Year One and fits perfectly with the scene where Barbara first meets him on the roof at the end. This also adds interesting context to earlier in the story where Bruce tells Alfred Dick still isn’t ready, unaware Dick is listening in. If this is after Robin Year One, then that really shows how, if even after what they went through in that book, Bruce can’t rely on Dick, then their partnership is doomed to fall apart, and from the ashes Nightwing will be born.

Alternatively, the Two-Face continuity between Long Halloween and Robin Year One is on the surface contradictory, (I’ll talk about that in my Robin Year One review), and Batgirl Year One, the follow up, suggests Babs’ Batgirl costume is a secret from her dad that he wouldn’t approve of, so her wearing it for Halloween wouldn’t match up. So perhaps this is Loeb’s version of Dick and Babs’ first meeting, and Barbara asked her dad to ask him to come only because she’d heard about him and wanted to meet him.

Either way, it’s incredibly sweet and cute.

The Long Halloween Special is a nice return to Loeb and Sale’s roots as Batman Halloween Special one shot writers (collected in Haunted Knight, which I’ve also reviewed) and a fitting farewell for the creative team. The late Tim Sale’s art is top notch and Loeb’s writing is on good form. A fitting Last Halloween for this Batman/Two-Face saga.

[Marius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Die Wiedervereinigung

Inhalt: Gilda Dent kehrt zu ihrem Harvey nach Gotham City zurück, während Calendar Man versucht Ansehen durch einen möglichst großen Coup zu erlangen. Die Rückkehr der Frau von Two-Face kommt ihm da nur Recht, denn Julian Day hat mit ihr noch eine Rechnung offen. Um Gilda aus den Fängen des Calendar Man zu befreien, muss Batman auf die Unterstützung von Two-Face vertrauen. Doch kann er das?

Bewertung: "Alpträume" knüpft an den Klassiker "Das Lange Halloween" vom gleichen Kreativteam an. Nachdem der Holiday-Killer ausgeschaltet war, ist es pünktlich zu Halloween dieses Mal Julian Day, der die Stadt heimsucht. Er fühlt sich bestohlen von Holiday, da das Verbrechen an Feiertagen eigentlich seine eigene Masche ist. Im Laufe der Geschichte erhält der Calendar Man selbst etwas mehr Profil. Als Erklärung für seine Masche dient sein Leben als Waise auf der Straße, als er jegliche Feiertage vergaß und manchmal nicht mal wusste, welcher Wochentag grade lief. Das zieht eine schöne Verbindung zu seinem jetzigen Dasein. Mit Two-Face tritt auch einer meiner Lieblingsschurken wieder groß auf. besonders interessant war die Beziehung zu Gilda, die in ihm nur Harvey sieht, egal was passiert. Unterdessen sind Commissioner Gordon und Batman uneinig, was sie mit dem Mann machen, mit dem sie einst einen Schwur geleistet haben ("Das Lange Halloween"). Während Jim noch Hoffung sieht, ist der Dunkle Ritter bereit, seinen ehemaligen Freund notfalls auszuschalten. Hier wiederum sticht besonders hervor, dass Batman überlegte, Harvey seine wahre Identität offenzulegen. Nun stellt sich Bruce die Frage, ob ihn dann Two-Face verraten hätte oder der Vertrauensbeweis Harvey Dent Halt gegeben hätte. Der Leser wird hier und an anderen Stellen immer wieder zum Nachdenken angeregt. Bei diesem tollen Werk, das seinen Zauber auf wenigen Seiten entfaltet, bleibt letztlich der Vergleich mit seinem Vorgänger nicht aus. Und da muss man feststellen, dass etwas von dem Zauber und dem Mythos verloren geht. Der letzte Funke kann auf der geringen Seitenzahl einfach nicht überspringen. Das liegt gewiss nicht am Zeichenstil. Der ist famos und erinnert mit Nachdruck an "Das Lange Halloween". Das Spiel mit den Schatten und die Schaffung dieser einzigartig gruseligen Stimmung gelingt Sale auch dieses Mal ohne Wenn und Aber.

Fazit: Ein würdiger Nachfolger, der uns einmal mehr ins Gotham des Spuks entführt. Gesamt: 4/5

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 2 out of 5]

No es para extrañarse de más toparse con algo nuevo ligado a El Largo Halloween. Ya en su día tuvimos algo más que la continuación Victoria Oscura, y no deja de ser de los títulos de referencia de la historia comiquera de Batman. Quizás ya era jugársela bastante al hacer que esto solo fuese un especial ni de 60 páginas en forma de una especie de epílogo para El Largo Halloween original. Sí que tenemos de vuelta a la gran dupla Loeb-Sale, eso hace que al menos este número funcione de forma mínima. Pero tenemos un conjunto totalmente endeble ya sea entre esa trama del Hombre Calendario desesperado por hacer olvidar a Gotham de los crímenes de Festivo o el regreso de Gilda Dent en busca de su amor caído en desgracia (ah, y Robin está por ahí para encontrarse con Batgirl de la forma más estúpida que he visto). El planteamiento inicial sí que podría merecer la pena abordarse, pero ni un maestro en la narración como Loeb consigue que las dos tramas se sientan totalmente precipitadas y avanzando a trompicones. Al final, ni esos nuevos crímenes con este Hombre Calendario ni más del trágico romance de los Dent terminan por satisfacer ni de forma mínima.

[Paul Mayers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I may as well go ahead and fill in the blanks for any Long Halloween/Dark Victory storylines and here we have a one off special, which focuses on the hunt for Calendar Man after the escapades of Dark Victory.

You are no doubt transported straight back in to the wonderful world Jeff Loeb/Tim Sale have crafted and it is a nice little thread that was left un-pulled. But I have to say, bringing Dent’s wife “Gilda” back in to the fold just begs for the story to be more about her which we never actually get. So it actually ends up feeling more of a tease than smashing it out of the park. Still great though!

[Nightwing’s Thiccness · Rating 4 out of 5]

If it’s a special in a way that this is the only epilogue we’ll get, it’s alright. Should’ve been a bit longer to tie up the ends it unraveled itself.
If it’s a #1, assuming we’ll see a #2, I’m excited what’s to come.
Regardless, it holds with the original Long Halloween well and the motives from Calendar Man’s revenge to be above Holiday again track well. Villains having to “work with” the heroes is always compelling to me. Freeze, Ivy, and famously Catwoman in the past, and now Two-Face for the Long Halloween Special.

[Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Has it really been so long since the original 'Long Halloween' came out? It isn't often that we get to see the creators go back to their story and give us a bit of a continuation.

This feels like a test of the DC readers. If they want it, they better show DC some high sell thru numbers. If it never comes to pass, this is a SOLID addition to that universe.

Bonus: Grundy!
Bonus Bonus: The Calendar Man acolytes were a pretty original idea

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una storia da leggere tra "Il Lungo Halloween" e Dark Victory della quale non sapevo nulla ma che è stata una piacevolissima scoperta!
Un'ulteriore indagine sulla figura di Harvey Dent e sui sentimenti contrastanti che Batman nutre nei suoi confronti.
Era da tanto che non leggevo una nuova storia del Cavaliere Oscuro e devo dire che sentivo la sua mancanza più di quanto pensassi.
Perfetto per chiudere la maratona di Halloween come si deve 🎃🦇

[Robson Castilho · Rating 4 out of 5]

História que se passa 1 ano após os eventos de "O Longo Dia das Bruxas", trazendo o Homem-Calendário como vilão, tentando adquirir o prestígio que o vilão "Feriado" tirou dele. Traz de volta também Harvey Dent/Duas-Caras e sua esposa Gilda.

Apesar de muito curtinha e direta (sem nenhuma trama mirabolante), é uma boa diversão e um ótimo complemento para a história original, que deve ser lida primeiro para aproveitar melhor esta história.

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing follow up to one of the best Batman stories ever. This feels like a great addition to The Long Halloween. The story was great and the art was so good. It is a must read for any Batman fan out there.

[Adam Spanos · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d say you’ll have a good time with this book, even if it does feel a little like tasting a meal you used to love that isn’t quite as good as you remember. Sale’s art is a little messier, Loeb’s writing a little weaker...

[Sotofunkdamental · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha gustado este especial. Tras más de 20 años, Jeph Loeb y Tim Sale vuelven a retomar su gran saga, El Largo Halloween/Victoria Oscura. La historia cuenta con la aparición especial de James Gordon, Dos Caras y algún que otro villano que por fin entra en acción.

[Carlo Gnutti · Rating 2 out of 5]

Il character design di Bruce, viso specialmente, e’ davvero brutto.
Alta dose di cringe (Dent che ricompra la vecchia casa e torna a viverci con la moglie, Batman che permette a Robin di fare dolcezzo e scherzetto con Barbara Gordon)