Batman: The Long Halloween

Batman: The Long Halloween
First trade paperback of Batman: The Long Halloween
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
Schedule	Monthly
Format	Limited series
No. of issues	13
Main character(s)	Batman Jim Gordon Harvey Dent Carmine Falcone Catwoman
Creative team
Written by	Jeph Loeb
Artist(s)	Tim Sale
Letterer(s)	Comicraft Richard Starkings
Colorist(s)	Gregory Wright
Editor(s)	Archie Goodwin Chuck Kim
Collected editions
Trade Paperback	ISBN 1563894696
Hardcover	ISBN 1563894270
Trade Paperback (Titan Books)	ISBN 1840230541
Absolute Edition	ISBN 1401212824
2011 Trade Paperback	ISBN 1401232590
Noir	ISBN 1401248837
Deluxe Edition	ISBN 1779512694

Batman: The Long Halloween is a 13-issue American comic book limited series written by Jeph Loeb with art by Tim Sale. It was originally published by DC Comics in 1996 and 1997.^[1] It was the follow-up to three Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Specials (which were reprinted in Batman: Haunted Knight) by the same creative team. The series' success led to Loeb and Sale to reteam for two sequels, Batman: Dark Victory and Catwoman: When in Rome, which are set concurrently.

Taking place during Batman's early days of crime fighting, The Long Halloween tells the story of a mysterious killer named Holiday, who murders people on holidays, one each month. Working with District Attorney Harvey Dent and Captain James Gordon, Batman races against the calendar as he tries to discover who Holiday is before he claims his next victim each month, while attempting to stop the crime war between two of Gotham City's most powerful families, Maroni and Falcone. This novel also acted as a re-introduction to the DC Universe for one of Batman's most elusive foes, Calendar Man, who knows the true identity of the Holiday killer but refuses to share this with Batman. He instead riddles and gives Batman hints from his Arkham Asylum cell. The story also ties into the events that transform Harvey Dent into Batman's enemy, Two-Face.^[2] Enemies such as Scarecrow, the Joker, Mad Hatter, Poison Ivy, and the Riddler, among others, also make appearances.

In continuity terms, The Long Halloween continues the story of Batman: Year One for the characters of Batman, Gordon, Catwoman, and Falcone, and is considered to replace the earlier effort Batman: Year Two in the character's continuity. It also revolves around the transition of Batman's rogues gallery from plainclothes, real-world style mobsters to full-fledged supervillains and tells the origin of Two-Face, incorporating elements of the story in Batman: Annual #14. A follow up to the story entitled Batman The Long Halloween: The Last Halloween will be released on September 28th, 2024^[3]