One of the greatest parts of writing for Dark Knight News is meeting and interviewing some of my heroes. Jeph Loeb is currently in the UK, attending the MCM convention in London, and he has announced that Batman: The Long Halloween: The Last Halloween will be released, even though the original series artist, the incomparable Tim Sale, passed away in 2022.
I’ve had the great fortune of meeting and interviewing Mr. Sale, who always said that he and Jeph had more stories to tell in The Long Halloween setting. Back in 2021 I also interviewed the legendary Richard Starkings, who lettered all the previous installments, as well as the classic “The Killing Joke“.
Art from The Long Halloween Special by Tim Sale and Brennan Wagner
2021 saw the release of The Long Halloween Special, a story that finally answered the question of who the Holiday Killer really was. Now, finally, the sage will conclude. Jeph Loeb will be teaming up with artist Eduardo Risso, colorist Dave Stewart, letterer Richard Starkings, Klaus Janson, Mark Chiarello, and more, to complete The Long Halloween Saga.
Here’s the full official press release from DC:
Batman: The Long Halloween: The Last Halloween
DC, Jeph Loeb, and an All-Star Lineup of Artists
Celebrate the Legacy of Storyteller
Tim Sale in an All-New Limited Series
Debut Issue Available for Preorder Friday, June 14
On Sale at Participating Comic Book Shops and
Digital Retailers Wednesday, September 25
” Before a packed room of comic book retailers at MCM London, DC announced plans to release Batman The Long Halloween: The Last Halloween, the final act in the acclaimed and beloved Batman: The Long Halloween series by Jeph Loeb and the late Tim Sale.
In 1996, Loeb and Sale created the original Batman: The Long Halloween, an award-winning 13-chapter saga that spawned multiple sequels and stands as the most influential Batman story of its time. Loeb returns to the world of The Long Halloween for its highly anticipated final act, a 10-part mystery continuing the story from 2021’s Batman: The Long Halloween Special.
For the debut issue, Loeb will be joined by fan-favorite artist Eduardo Risso (100 Bullets, Detective Comics, The Batman Who Laughs), Dave Stewart and Richard Starkings, with art for future issues of the series provided by some of the top artists in comics, including Klaus Janson (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Detective Comics, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight), Mark Chiarello (Batman: Black and White, Batman/Houdini: The Devil’s Workshop), and others to be named later.
“Batman: The Long Halloween: The Last Halloween is Tim Sale’s parting gift to me,” said writer Loeb. “Tim and I had already decided to tell this last chapter following Batman: The Long Halloween Special, which will serve as the prologue to this 10-part action-packed mystery.”
In the debut issue, Gotham City learns to fear Halloween once more as a terrible event threatens to destroy Jim Gordon’s life and puts Batman and Robin’s teamwork to the test more than ever before. In a city of liars, masked vigilantes, and criminals… can anyone be trusted?
“Tim’s unfortunate passing put our plans for this series on hold,” Loeb continued. “About a year later, after speaking with Mark Chiarello and Richard Starkings, my partners on the previous Long Halloween titles, we decided the time was right to move this forward as a tribute to Tim, who continues to be with us in spirit.”
Loeb added, “This story concludes the war between the freaks and the crime families forever, as Batman, Robin, and DC’s most infamous Bat-villains face off against Holiday, and secrets dating back to Batman: The Long Halloween Special will be revealed.”
Issue #1 is already available for preorder at participating comic book shops and digital retailers on Friday, June 14, and goes on sale on Wednesday, September 25. For the latest news on this title, Batman, and the World’s Greatest Super Heroes, follow @DCOfficial, @Batman, and @thedcnation on social media, and visit the official DC website at www.dc.com. Readers on the go can check out Batman: The Long Halloween, its tie-in and prequel series, and other incredible stories by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale with a subscription to the DC UNIVERSE INFINITE (DCUI) digital subscription app.
For more information and a free trial, visit the DCUI website at www.dcuniverseinfinite.com. DCUI is not available in all countries and is not intended for children. “
Everyone at Dark Knight News is a huge fan of the Long Halloween books, so this news is very welcome indeed. I will definitely be picking up every individual issue, and the collected edition, too.
Images and Press Release Courtesy of DC Entertainment