Description
This graphic novel by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale-the creative team behind the classic BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN-includes three dark tales of horror and intrigue featuring Batman facing off against his most demented and wicked foes. Taking place on the most evil of holidays, Halloween, the Darknight Detective confronts his deepest fears ashe tries to stop the madness and horror created by Scarecrow, the Mad Hatter, the Penguin, Poison Ivy and the Joker. Collects BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT HALLOWEEN SPECIAL #1, BATMAN: MADNESS - A LEGEND OF THE DARK KNIGHT HALLOWEEN SPECIAL and BATMAN: GHOSTS - A LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT HALLOWEEN SPECIAL.
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1996-09
Publication
DC Comics (1996), Paperback, 192 pages
ISBN
1563892731 / 9781563892738
Local notes
Contains the Loeb/Sale collaborations on three Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween specials, set during Batman's early years in Gotham:
* Fears (featuring The Scarecrow)
* Madness (featuring the Mad Hatter)
* Ghosts (featuring The Penguin, and Christmas Carol-style spirits appearing in the forms of Thomas Wayne, The Joker and Poison Ivy)
The time frame is not specified beyond being in the early years of Batman's vigilantism career, but "Madness" is set relatively shortly after Gordon adopts his niece Barbara, and so that story at least must be after "The Long Halloween" in which she simply visits. Reference is also made to "Two-Face", placing it after "Dark Victory" as well. "Fears" and "Ghosts" are likely to take place between or before the two longer works, as they make no mention of Robin's existence.
* Fears (featuring The Scarecrow)
* Madness (featuring the Mad Hatter)
* Ghosts (featuring The Penguin, and Christmas Carol-style spirits appearing in the forms of Thomas Wayne, The Joker and Poison Ivy)
The time frame is not specified beyond being in the early years of Batman's vigilantism career, but "Madness" is set relatively shortly after Gordon adopts his niece Barbara, and so that story at least must be after "The Long Halloween" in which she simply visits. Reference is also made to "Two-Face", placing it after "Dark Victory" as well. "Fears" and "Ghosts" are likely to take place between or before the two longer works, as they make no mention of Robin's existence.
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User reviews
LibraryThing member GingerbreadMan
My second book by Loeb/Sale, and pretty disappointing after the elegant The Long Halloween. This feels stressed and so much more conventional, and nothing more than one would expect from the combo Batman/Halloween special. Fails to capture the creepiness (or the corniness) of both Scarecrow and The
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Mad Hatter, and lacks the complexity that makes the Batman mythos occasionally interesting. I guess I need longer narratives when it comes to Gotham. Show Less
LibraryThing member nerdfighter
This book consists of three cool Halloween stories. I liked the first two better than the last one, but it's a fun read overall.
LibraryThing member aadyer
This was a collection of Halloween specials based around Batman and intially just one of his villains but the latter special concentrated on three of his most villainous foes. Not as gripping as Batman can be, and strangely with a lot less of the psychological disturbance that one associates with
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Batman. This led to a strangely uninvolving tale in places. There were some flashes of brilliance but they were few, and overall I felt that it could have been better. There are better Bats out there. Show Less
LibraryThing member jawalter
I'd like this better if there weren't such a heavy emphasis on the whole "Batman Learns A Valuable Lesson" theme. This is, of course, most noticeable in the final "A Christmas Carol" style story, but all three suffer from it.
It's not that Batman shouldn't or doesn't learn valuable lessons; it's
It's not that Batman shouldn't or doesn't learn valuable lessons; it's
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just that here it feel a little too "after-school special" for my tastes. Show Less
LibraryThing member librarybrandy
I finally finished a book!
Another Jeph Loeb/Tim Sale Batman, so right from the start I had high hopes. There are three stories in here--the first was really good, the second surreal and intriguing, and the third was just eh. Still, a nice way to give my brain the satisfaction of finishing a book
Another Jeph Loeb/Tim Sale Batman, so right from the start I had high hopes. There are three stories in here--the first was really good, the second surreal and intriguing, and the third was just eh. Still, a nice way to give my brain the satisfaction of finishing a book
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again. I miss that feeling! Show Less
LibraryThing member lizday
Why write a story once when you can write the same story three times?
This collection is far from the worst example of 90s Dark 'n Gritty (TM) comics, but at times, it's just laughable. In every one of the stories, Batman crashes through no less than two windows (in the second one, even Gordon gets
The sameiness of the three stories was probably less apparent when they were originally published a year apart, but collected, it's impossible to ignore.
The "dark" redesigns of the villains do little for me either (particularly the Mad Hatter and a Batman Returns-influenced Penguin). They all randomly spout children's rhymes in a way that's meant to be creepy but comes off forced at the best of times. The second story use of "Trick or treat, smell my feet" for a thinly veiled rape threat against a teenage Barbara Gordon made me physically squirm.
Tim Sale's artwork is the saving grace of the book but at times is just as ludicrous as the writing. Batman's stubble in the first story looks like it was added in MS Paint. I wish I could upload the "KBOOOM!" panel from later in the book, but as I don't have a scanner, you'll have to trust me that you'll know it when you see it.
This collection is far from the worst example of 90s Dark 'n Gritty (TM) comics, but at times, it's just laughable. In every one of the stories, Batman crashes through no less than two windows (in the second one, even Gordon gets
Show More
a turn).The sameiness of the three stories was probably less apparent when they were originally published a year apart, but collected, it's impossible to ignore.
The "dark" redesigns of the villains do little for me either (particularly the Mad Hatter and a Batman Returns-influenced Penguin). They all randomly spout children's rhymes in a way that's meant to be creepy but comes off forced at the best of times. The second story use of "Trick or treat, smell my feet" for a thinly veiled rape threat against a teenage Barbara Gordon made me physically squirm.
Tim Sale's artwork is the saving grace of the book but at times is just as ludicrous as the writing. Batman's stubble in the first story looks like it was added in MS Paint. I wish I could upload the "KBOOOM!" panel from later in the book, but as I don't have a scanner, you'll have to trust me that you'll know it when you see it.
Show Less
LibraryThing member DarthDeverell
Batman: Haunted Knight collects Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s Halloween Specials from Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight. DC launched Legends of the Dark Knight as an anthology series with stories set earlier in Batman’s career and in the style of Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One. These three
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stories each fit that pattern, with “Fears” focusing on a battle between Batman and the Scarecrow, “Madness” focusing on Batman’s fight with the Mad Hatter who has kidnapped Captain Jim Gordon’s adopted daughter Barbara, and “Ghosts” retelling Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Of the three, “Fear” is the longest and Sale uses a crowd scene of Bruce Wayne’s Halloween party to include several other well-known characters, like Hobbes (of “Calvin and Hobbes” fame), Mike Allred’s Madman, Jeff Smith’s Bone, Dave Sim’s Cerebus, some Disney and Wizard of Oz characters, and Waldo. When Batman catches Scarecrow, he begins muttering, “Professor Crane isssn’t here right now. But if you’d like to make an appointment…?” (pg. 52). Christopher Nolan later worked this line into Batman Begins. “Madness” helps to reconcile how Year One Gordon has a daughter old enough to some day become Batgirl while including Leslie Thompkins. “Ghosts” is the shortest, though it tells a compelling story of Batman realizing that he needs to be a part of the world as Bruce Wayne and helps build the friendship between Wayne and Lucius Fox. The success of these stories later enabled Loeb and Sale to write The Long Halloween as a direct sequel to Year One as well as its follow-up, Dark Victory, and the interquel, Catwoman: When in Rome. Based on clues such as Gordon’s rank, references to Two-Face, and the absence of Catwoman and Robin, these stories likely take place sometime after The Long Halloween. Continuity aside, Loeb and Sale demonstrate their mastery of Batman stories while simultaneously crafting suitably atmospheric tales for Halloween. A must-read for fans of the Batman. Show Less
LibraryThing member SumisBooks
Ah, Batman on Halloween... Seriously what could be better than this?? LOVED the artwork in this one! And with an All-Star cast including Poison Ivy, The Penguin, The Mad Hatter, The Joker and (the master of fears) The Scarecrow this made for a very good read! Would definitely recommend.
LibraryThing member bobbybslax
Three stories, all about Bruce Wayne and Batman, in his struggle to understand himself and conquer inner demons. Jeph Loeb is really consistent with Tim Sale, who's a god.
LibraryThing member bdgamer
Hauntingly beautiful artwork. The stories are great too, especially the last one where Bruce Wayne realizes he should be giving back to the city, not just fight it.