New Batman: The Long Halloween Special from Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale Announced

Eisner Award winning writer Jeph Loeb and artist Tim Sale are returning to the world of Batman at Halloween. DC Comics has announced that this fall will see the release of Batman: The Long Halloween Special, a new one-shot that will "continue the critically acclaimed story." In a statement, Loeb wrote: "Twenty-five years ago, Tim Sale and I set out to tell a mystery tale of how Gotham City went from crime to freaks. 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..."

"As it has always been, working together on Batman has brought out the best of Jeph and myself as Gotham City storytellers," added Sale. "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 new Batman: The Long Halloween Special, a 48-page-special will be released on October 12, 2021 for $7.99. An official description for the issue reads:

"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?"

Three Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Specials done by Loeb and Sale in the '90s would pave the way for the original Batman: The Long Halloween, a 13-issue series that would pick up after Frank Miller's Batman: Year One. Though best known for its Holiday aesthetic and larger mystery plot, Batman: The Long Halloween is the primary storyline for being Two-Face's origin and also bringing the Bat-villain Calendar Man into the popular consciousness (having first appeared in Detective Comics #259 back in 1958).

The popularity of the series would spawn a follow-up, Batman: Dark Victory, and would go on to influence both Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight feature film and seemingly the upcoming movie The Batman. It's been adapted into a two-part animated film by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment with the finale set to be released later this year.

The full solicit for the issue reads:

BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN SPECIAL 
Story by JEPH LOEB
Pencils and inks by TIM SALE
Cover by TIM SALE
$7.99 US | 48 PAGES | PRESTIGE FORMAT
Variant cover by TIM SALE
1:25 Variant cover by TIM SALE
On Sale 10/12/21