100 Greatest Superhero Stories Ever
By Steve Lam
Image Courtesy of DC Comics
#23. Batman: The Long Halloween
Medium
Comic Book
Release Dates
December 1996–December 1997
Credits
Writer: Jeph Loeb
Artist: Tim Sale
Letterers: Comicraft, Richard Starkings
Colorist: Gregory Wright
Editors: Archie Goodwin, Chuck Kim
The Reason It’s Great
Batman: The Long Halloween was an opportunity for writers to show Batman’s villains evolving from common criminals into the characters we know today. Special emphasis was given to the transformation of District Attorney Harvey Dent into Two-Face.
Batman, Captain James Gordon, and District Attorney Harvey Dent make a pact to eradicate the mob in Gotham City. Soon, an individual known as “Holiday” starts to take out mob members one by one. The Waynes are suspected to be connected to the Falcones because Thomas once saved Carmine’s life. However, Alfred’s testimony puts an end to the suspicion because the original police report was never shown due to the city’s history of corruption.
When Maroni goes to court to testify against Falcone, he uses that opportunity to throw acid in Harvey’s face. Harvey is rushed to the hospital, but subsequently attacks the staff and escapes. Harvey later reemerges and murders his assistant for helping Maroni scar him. In the end, it’s revealed that there were two Holidays. One was Albert Falcone. The other was Dent’s wife Gilda, who wanted to lighten Harvey’s workload so they could eventually start a family.
Upon release, Batman: The Long Halloween garnered critical acclaim. It is considered one of the most definitive stories in Batman’s mythos. Much of the credit is given to Jeph Loeb’s story and Tim Sale’s art. Elements of Batman: The Long Halloween were used in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy.