Story:
Gotham City is corrupt to the core with organized crime but ever since the emergence of the Batman things have changed. The Falcone and Maroni families are not as powerful as they once were and the “freaks” are starting to run the show. Batman, district attorney Harvey Dent, and police captain Jim Gordon make a pact to bring down the crime families for good. Then suddenly, and seemingly inexplicably, the murders begin to start on Halloween. A serial killer, given the pseudonym “holiday,” begins to systematically murder the crime families. As the story progresses the evidence seems to implicate DA Harvey Dent but there is plenty of evidence to support a case for any number of others. So the question remains, who is Holiday?

Batman: The Long Halloween is the apex of Two-face origin stories and maybe of Batman comic books (At least those of which I have read). The Long Halloween sets itself apart with the deep mystery and interesting characters. The story is among the most compelling in a comic book that treads the line between right and wrong. It is widely acclaimed and was the basis for the recent and highly popular movie, The Dark Knight. The Long Halloween is a brilliantly crafted story that will keep readers interested until the final reveal and still wondering after the conclusion.

Art:

I’m not much of an aficionado of art in comic books but I do know that it is highly important to some people. I am personally a fan of the way DC went with the art in the New 52 releases, a more realistic and less cartoon style with a dark touch. This being said the art in The Long Halloween didn’t strike me as being overly impressive. It’s very rough and sketch-like but it does involve that darker hue. It’s not very detailed but in some ways I think that the way it was drawn adds to the story.

Final Verdict:

I thoroughly enjoyed Batman: The Long Halloween even if I knew the conclusion before it happened. Two-face has always been among my favorite villains in Batman so to get a chance to read and review his origin story was too good to pass up.
I know it’s a comic book, and it’s an expensive one at that, but if you enjoy Batman or even just a good collection of comic books Batman: The Long Halloween is a must have. If you are not a fan of comic books, rough art, or Batman you may not enjoy it.