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Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s Batman: The Long Halloween originated as a 13-issue limited series that debuted in 1996. The series is a murder mystery that also tells the story of how the criminal underworld of Gotham City transformed from being primarily comprised of mobsters to overrun with a community of supervillains of questionable mental stability. The highly acclaimed series takes place chronologically right after the conclusion of Batman: Year One, and introduces a number of familiar faces to the tapestry of Gotham City, including the Joker and most notably Two-Face. The series was followed up by three specials that appeared in Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight and two official sequels, Batman: Dark Victory and Catwoman: When in Rome, and has recently been made into an animated film adaptation.
Loeb and Sale will be returning to the world they created this October in the Batman: The Long Halloween Special. CBR had an opportunity to participate in an enthusiastic roundtable discussion with the creators who teased the direction of the series moving forward and hinted at some of the surprises fans can expect from the special. Loeb and Sale also addressed the mystery behind the series and shared that readers still might not have all the answers.
When asked about the correlation between the Batman comic and the Halloween holiday, Loeb discussed the real-life implications that exist in Gotham City. “The holiday takes on a whole different dimension in Gotham,” he explained. “The day is already meant to be scary, but in a place like Gotham where crime really flourishes, you really don’t know who is behind that mask. That aspect has been a lot of fun to explore.”
Loeb and Sale talked about the “kids” they were when they wrote the original Long Halloween 25 years ago. They were then asked who they’re writing the story for at this point. “If you ask any writer who they’re writing their story for, they’ll give you different answers,” Loeb said. “Sometimes they write for themselves, sometimes they write for their fans, and sometimes they write for their editors. Some are writing to complete the story they have in their head. I can tell you that I’ve always written for the artist.”
“I like writing things that the artist wants to draw,” Loeb continued. “I think it gives them a sense of excitement and a sense of inclusion. In terms of the story, I wouldn’t write the same movie for Tom Cruise that I would for Denzel Washington or Arnold Schwarzenegger. If any of those things are comparable, I’m writing a Tim Sale story. In particular, I’m writing a Tim Sale Batman story. I think that brings out the best in both of us.”
“That’s a very unusual thing for a writer to do,” Sale added. “I’m the beneficiary, and I’m deeply appreciative of that. I wish more writers would do that, and I can’t understand why they don’t. I think that approach has brought out the best in a lot of different artists Jeph has written for, and it really shows.”
The creators were asked what it was like to work together again after such a long period of time. “For me it was amazing,” Loeb answered. “I haven’t written a long-form story in about 10 years. I wanted to make sure this was something Tim and DC would like, and fans would love. Aside from that, it was daunting. I almost immediately talked to Tim about story ideas.”
“Bringing in our editor, Ben Abernathy, gave me the confidence to move forward,” he continued. “I’ve always loved these characters, and my favorites are Batman and Bruce Wayne, who I consider to be two different characters. I love their relationship with Alfred and Jim Gordon, and his relationship with Gordon is one of the most special in all comics. Jim Gordon lives with the terrible problem of having to trust a man who is clearly breaking the law, and Batman knows that in order for him to do the job he does, he needs Gordon to trust him. This is incredibly challenging for both of them, and when you add Harvey Dent to that you have almost the perfect cast for a Batman story.”
“The reunion between us was very unique,” Sale added. “I’ve worked with a number of other writers, Jeph’s worked with a lot of other artists. When he wrote for the X-Men group of titles, he worked with a hundred or so people daily. There was a different artist every hour! But there’s something very unique about what we have here. There’s a very personal feeling to it and how we work together. It’s great to be reunited in that kind of way.”
A unique aspect of the original Batman: The Long Halloween series is that at the conclusion of the series, there was some mystery left as to the identity of the Holiday Killer. “The answers are there, as I have always said,” Loeb insisted. “I know they’re there because people have written to me and told me what happened! But it was purposely written as a piece that leaves some doubt.”
When asked if the mystery of the original will be revisited in the special, Loeb teased, “Without giving anything away, the special takes into account some of the original mystery. It’s part of what fascinates me about that time in Batman’s career. It also takes into consideration everything that happened in Dark Victory as well, which happened afterward. It’s a progression of time, and I think the fans will tell us what year it takes place. For all intents and purposes, The Long Halloween comes first, then Dark Victory and Catwoman: When in Rome takes place at the same time, right afterward. The events of the special happen after those stories.”
Batman: The Long Halloween Special is by Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale, Brennan Wagner, and Richard Starkings, and goes on sale Oct. 12 from DC Comics.
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