One of Batman’s most beloved tales is getting a sequel. DC Comics has announced Batman: The Long Halloween Special. The issue will reunite the legendary duo of Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, who were behind the seminal 1996 series. Now, 25 years later, the publisher is bringing them back to continue that storyline. Just in time for Halloween, no less.
Batman: The Long Halloween Special will be a whopping 48 pages. Sale, in addition to handling the art, has cooked up a couple of variant covers for the issue as well. The book will retail for $7.99 when it arrives in October.
“Twenty-five years ago, Tim Sale and I set out to tell a mystery tale of how Gotham City went from crime to freaks,” Loeb said. “The result was Batman: The Long Halloween. We’re thrilled to be back at DC revisiting some of our favorite characters all the while revealing that you may not know the whole story…”
DC revealed a brief longline for the special, which reads as follows.
“Join the team for the return of the Batman Halloween specials and a mystery that could destroy Batman, Commissioner Gordon, Two-Face, and…well, that would be telling, wouldn’t it?”
“As it has always been, working together on Batman has brought out the best of Jeph and myself as Gotham City storytellers,” Sale said. “We have been blessed to have the mighty talents of Comicraft’s Richard Starkings with us every step of the way, and are very fortunate to welcome colorist, Brennan Wagner, to help shape our latest venture.”
The Long Halloween has since been regarded as one of the greatest Batman stories ever told. It is right up there with the likes of The Dark Knight Returns, Death in the Family and Hush. It is even believed that director Matt Reeves is using the story as inspiration for The Batman, which finally hits theaters next year.
Here is the synopsis for Batman: The Long Halloween.
“Taking place during Batman’s early days of crime fighting, this collection tells the story of a mysterious killer who murders his prey only on holidays. Working with District Attorney Harvey Dent and Lieutenant James Gordon, Batman races against the calendar as he tries to discover who Holiday is before he claims his next victim each month. A mystery that has the reader continually guessing the identity of the killer, this story also ties into the events that transform Harvey Dent into Batman’s deadly enemy, Two-Face.”
Meanwhile, DC and Warner Bros. have adapted the original story into a two-part animated movie. Part one was released in June. Part two is set to arrive later this month digitally, before arriving on Blu-ray on August 10. Then, just a few months later, fans will have a follow-up story to look forward to.
Batman: The Long Halloween Special hits shelves on October 12.
What do you think? Are you excited to return to this storyline? Do you plan on picking this one up? Join in on the conversation over on Facebook or Twitter!
