Long Halloween, Dark Victory, Haunted Knight. Whats your Fav?

[luke1234]

Whats your favorite of the 3 and explain why. I could see a lot going for Long Halloween but i want to see what the people that liked the other 2 better have to say to prove their point.

[Nathan Petrelli]

The Long Halloween, as I have yet to buy the other two, but TLH will no doubt still be my favourite, amazing story, great art.

[Kevin Roegele]

The Long Halloween, as I have yet to buy the other two, but TLH will no doubt still be my favourite, amazing story, great art.

Dark Victory is essentially part two of Long Halloween...it really could all be printed together as one big book.

[TruerToTheCore]

I am not fan of these works at all, but I think "Dark Victory" is better than TLH.

[BubbaGump]

-Haunted Knight
-When in Rome
-Dark Victory
-TLH

[Armored Avenger]

I like Dark Victory the best, followed closely by The Long Halloween.

[Yurka]

TLH easily. I love the art/writing.The story is great. There are so many iconic images, and the deciding factor is the origin of Two-Face. I absolutely love it.

[Zacky]

The Long Halloween. FTW

[Omega Wizard]

I enjoy Haunted Knight...not a fan of TLH

[Kevin Roegele]

Apparently Christian Bale favours Dark Victory.

[dru-zod2501]

Dark Victory's story was more visceral than TLH, with the cop killer hunt and Bruce struggling not to drown in the isolation his mission requires. And Two-face was unspeakably badass in action even more than the first

[Cain]

Apparently Christian Bale favours Dark Victory.

He has good taste.

[Batz]

DV is excellent, i prefer the stories that have a main villian, protaganist throughout the whole story, or for the most part, like wuith Two face in DV, unlike TLH which feels like all the villians are just taking turns in pissing Batz off untill the end.

still i love TLH and DV, Haunted Kngiht is ok, was my first ever GN purchase.

[Cornelius Stirk]

Dark Victory, had a more intriguing overall mystery. TLH's mystery actually gets worse the more times you read it.

Some nice incidental characterization in all of them though.

[TruerToTheCore]

Dark Victory, had a more intriguing overall mystery. TLH's mystery actually gets worse the more times you read it.



Yes, at least in DV the mystery is played fair. Although the Hangman game, well, that didn't make sense :whatever:

I cannot understand why Loeb is so praised.

[Cain]

I cannot understand why Loeb is so praised.

Neither do I. Only time I ever really found him to be a bit more than average was the first few arcs of his Superman run with Ed McGuinness in the early 00's.

[TruerToTheCore]

Neither do I. Only time I ever really found him to be a bit more than average was the first few arcs of his Superman run with Ed McGuinness in the early 00's.

wasn't it Loeb who turned Superman from the "yuppie Clark Kent" into "just a naive farmboy with superpowers"?

I do not even like ONE of these two interpretations.

[Cain]

wasn't it Loeb who turned Superman from the "yuppie Clark Kent" into "just a naive farmboy with superpowers"?

I do not even like ONE of these two interpretations.

That's you but a lot of people prefer a Clark Kent that actually acts like a real person and not a charicture. This is why I prefer what little we saw of George Reeves as CK than what Christopher Reeve did. Anyway this was going on since before Loeb even wrote a Superman story. But what he did was make him even more 3 dimensional by emphasizing on the way he handled married life and his relationship with his parents. Nothing wrong with fleshing out a character IMO especially one that goes through reinventions damn near every decade.

Back to the topic I won't even get into HK to compare due to it's anthology format. However like DV best because I feel it's a more well rounded piece of work than TLH. The one thing I like about TLH is that it like some of the best Batman stories managed to make Gotham City an actual character. It showcased how alive the city itself really was. But aside from that I found the mystery uneven and predictable and I'm not much of a fan of the "where's Waldo" type "spot the character" moments that it was so fond of. I like DV for having a better mystery a better handle on multiple character and for actually focusing on further characterizing Batman something TLH really didn't do much of.

[luke1234]

-Haunted Knight
-When in Rome
-Dark Victory
-TLH

aw how could i forget when in rome. Thats an awesome comic

[TruerToTheCore]

That's you but a lot of people prefer a Clark Kent that actually acts like a real person and not a charicture. This is why I prefer what little we saw of George Reeves as CK than what Christopher Reeve did. Anyway this was going on since before Loeb even wrote a Superman story. But what he did was make him even more 3 dimensional by emphasizing on the way he handled married life and his relationship with his parents. Nothing wrong with fleshing out a character IMO especially one that goes through reinventions damn near every decade.

First of all, Christopher Reeve took the disguise to an extreme, that's because it was supposed to work on screen without some excuses (Hypno-glasses, vace vibration or something like that). And I think George Reeves is actually the wrong example - because in his "adaption" Superman and Clark Kent were exactly one and the same. But in 1986, when Byrne's Marvelman (you know, normal guy who happens to have power. That's Marvel style, not DC's heroic larger-than-life guys who simply ARE heroes) took over they made "Clark Kent" real and "Superman" an act - and so they made the "greatest American hero" and everything he stood for a LIE. After Byrne left there was the great "Exile" arc - truly one of the few great stories of the post-crisis area - that re-focused on Kryptonian things. But then everything became a mess - and I guess one of the reasons is that Superman writers weren't really "fans" of the character, unlike Batman. Batman became smarter and smarter, better and better, because the writers liked him so much. A Superman was dumbed down. Why? No really love from the writers and there in-ability to write challenging stories for this character. SO they reduced his intelligence (although the post-crisis Superman was never shown to have "super-intelligence" like his predecessor, always felt that was stupid because isn't Superman supposed to represent the best things in humanity. And what makes someone human - intelligence) more and more. And then he ended up to be the "stupid farmboy". I'm glad with OYL they fixed a lot of these things, but Superman is seriously hurt.

And don't use such buzzwords like "relatable". Superman isn't supposed to be "relatable". He is - much like James Bond - the ultimate man wish-fullfilment. And that was so great about the Pre-Crisis Superman. A "normal" guy in real life but if you look behind the glasses you will see the true hero and not the other way round. That was the basic concept. Shuster and Siegel were outsiders, so they incorporated that. From the early Golden Age till the Bronze Age that was a constant factor. Unlike other things (newscaster, reporter, powers, Superboy...). He wasn't a Marvel mutant who developed powers in his adolescence, he was "born different" from the beginning and had to hide his true self all the time. From the melancholic "stranger in strange land" tragic, being the "perfect man" but yet "not on of them" he turned into a successful WASP from the establishment (yeah, and then into a "country buffoon". Was his introduction meant to be "strange FARMBOY from another planet... eh ranch" at that time? :whatever:)

And what has this to do with TLH?! :cwink:

[Cain]

.....

Nothing to do with the topic which is why I originally digressed. But I will entertain 2 points George Reeves acted like a real person that is my point there was no stupid facade. This is why his Clark will always be my favorite live action CK until we see otherwise. Why make Supes relatable? for the same reason other characters are made relatable they evolve even Bond which you mentioned had been given relatable elements in more than just one movie and even in Fleming's stories.

The whole Golden and Silver age gimmick while a favorite of mine was outdated already. It's good to see that frame of thought come back in alternative titles like All-Star Superman but the truth is the main books probably wouldn''t have survived if things remained that way. Cause a lot of writers just don't know how to write an all powerful character interestingly.

The majority of comic readers did demand more from the characterizations of their superheroes they wanted to see them fleshed out. Make all aspects feel like real characters. This is why Marvel hit so big in the first place and this is why so many people still wrongly say "Superman is boring cause all he is is powerful and perfect" cause they think the character is still stuck in the same old school rut.

As comic readers for decades both DC and Marvel have made us sympathize with rich playboys which none of us are because they were given relatable elements. Space cops which none of us could possibly ever be because they were given relatable elements. So I see nothing wrong with doing that with Superman especially since we have even seen characters from both DC and Marvel who are Gods far from anything we could ever be being given relatable moments.

Clark Kent is a major character of the Superman mythology it's only right that he evolves too. Even post OYL he is still in many ways "naive farm boy" because he is a commentary and comic poster boy for the classic "nature vs. nurture" argument. This is the reason these characters stayed around for so long in the first place, they were made 3 dimensional and forever keep evolving through different interpretations. This is why the industry hasn't collapsed yet because it keeps evolving as a whole, and fleshing out characters from new ones to icons was just an example of the many evolutions the comics industry has gone through.

[RazTheGreat]

I easily prefer Dark Victory over The long Halloween. For me, near the middle, TLH just started to drag on.

[batpawn]

Apparently Christian Bale favours Dark Victory.

do i look like christian bale?:whatever:

the long halloween, basically because dark victory feels in my opinion too much like the same thing in green. it was just new, and fresh, it was kinda like the godfather of all batman comics in terms of the story, in dark victory - loeb just changed the mobkiller into a copkiller, added a stupid game that just didn't make sense at all (if someone can explain to me that hangman thing, be my guest) and, oh well, all turns out to just add nearly every batman villian there is only for the sake of having them there, no more further explaination why. (c'mon, the story also would work with two-face alone).

i love dark victory, but the matter of fact that loeb didn't even tried to make some things fresh, new and different makes me kinda angry. same goes with his hush storyline - a criminal mastermind in the background, many batman villians without any further explaination why they are there, at all. with the only difference that i get what the plot was in tlh and dv, but hush... well... i read the comic three times and still never understood what it was all about.

[Riven]

Out of Long Halloween/Dark Victory, TLH has the better story and DV has the better art, but TLH still wins.

[The Guard]

DARK VICTORY. Much more interesting characterization, and just a different angle on most of the elements of the Batman mythology compared to THE LONG HALLOWEEN. I find HAUNTED KNIGHT to be very derivative. I don't think I need to see any more Christmas Carol ripoffs.

[Dark Vic Tory]

I'm a huge fan of both TLH and DV, but I've never read Haunted Knight. Is is worth checking out? I'm not worried if it's part of the trilogy if it's actually a good stand-alone story.

[Dark Victory]

Dark Victory mainly because Two-Face was in it more than TLH and was a complete badass.

[BATS N' HORNETS]

i like HauntedKnight

[TheDarkKnight08]

The Long Halloween, but Dark Victory comes close. Haunted Knight was ok.

[Mr. Wooden Alligator]

The Long Halloween was great as is. I like the gradual power creep toward the freaks though the segment where Joker hijacked that airplane on New Years seemed unnecessary. Dark Victory is my favorite though because of the potential it had. I agree that the Hangman was a bad rehash. Really all that was needed was Two-Face playing the freaks against the mob with Sophia getting flak from the other families (who would've learned that Carmine Falcone actually worked with the freaks behind their back). Some tension there, plus the Batman/Gordon relationship being broken and repaired and there you have a good story arc.

I have not read Haunted Knight.

[BATS N' HORNETS]

I may be the only one who thinks HAUNTED KNIGHT is amazing... not necessarily better than the other two, but

THIS BOOK IS GREAT!

read it!

[StorminNorman]

If Bale prefers Dark Victory - maybe he would be open to Dick Grayson done like that?

I love Dark Victory and The Long Halloween, I consider them among the best Batman books out there. Gun to my head though, I pick TLH.

[kage88]

havn't read haunted knight but tlh and dv are great in my opinion.

[SenseiofCheese]

I loved TLH and DV when I first read them. I am now in the process of re-reading them, and I'm not so sure I'm that big a fan anymore. The dialouge can get REALLY clunky and awkward at times, and all the talk of TLH and DV really showing you the detective side of Batman is bullcrap. Like someone on the Hype once said; There's more to being a detective than sitting around in a cave going 'Who is Holiday'.

[TLH]

The Long Halloween. It's pretty much essential.

Dark Victory is great too, but not quite as good. Haunted Knight is different from both, but a worthy addition.

[Screwpa!]

I like The Long Halloween best because of the mystery, action, use of all the characters and the way it expounds on Harvey Dent and Two-Face's origin.

Dark Victory is great but to me but just not as good as TLH. I think Loeb did well with Robin and that's certainly important to the story.

Haunted Knight is well done and worth reading. They're shorter stories than TLH or DV but done well, just not my absolute favorite.

[BATS N' HORNETS]

i reread DV yesterday...

it had been so long, it was like eading it for the 1st time again

great stuff

[Mandalore464]

The Long Halloween, because I feel like Dark Victory is better written but a bit too slow for a comic book. Other than that, I love them both equally.

[steelio2006]

i'd have to say that it's a dead tie. cuz TLH showed me some of the things that was used in The Dark Knight (such as the twist in the second act bout someone not bein dead). and I enjoyed Dark Victory but would've liked to see a lil bit more of the young Grayson. and i think if they did bring Robin in, usin the story from DV would help.

[TLH]

I'm a huge fan of both TLH and DV, but I've never read Haunted Knight. Is is worth checking out? I'm not worried if it's part of the trilogy if it's actually a good stand-alone story.

Yes, it's worth checking out. It's the perfect companion piece to TLH and DV. :up:

[BATS N' HORNETS]

I am going to go out on a limb here & say that many of you (especially the noobies) have probably only read TLH, DV, or Haunted Knight...

why hold these books in such high regard... there's other stuff out there.

here are some recommendations:

Batman Year One
Batman Snow
Batman Strange Apparitions
Arkham Asylum LIVING HELL
Arkham asylum: serious house on serious earth
BATMAN: FACE THE FACE

[thcapedcrusader]

dark victory

[Dark Victory]

I am going to go out on a limb here & say that many of you (especially the noobies) have probably only read TLH, DV, or Haunted Knight...

why hold these books in such high regard... there's other stuff out there.

here are some recommendations:

Batman Year One
Batman Snow
Batman Strange Apparitions
Arkham Asylum LIVING HELL
Arkham asylum: serious house on serious earth
BATMAN: FACE THE FACE

Great list. Don't forget Jokers Last Laugh:cwink:

[seattlespidey]

I am going to go out on a limb here & say that many of you (especially the noobies) have probably only read TLH, DV, or Haunted Knight...

why hold these books in such high regard... there's other stuff out there.

here are some recommendations:

Batman Year One
Batman Snow
Batman Strange Apparitions
Arkham Asylum LIVING HELL
Arkham asylum: serious house on serious earth
BATMAN: FACE THE FACE

Ive read Batman Year One (my favorite), TLH, Dark Victory, Gotham City Line, Batman & Son, TDK Returns, etc... and I have to say, I prefer the
Miller/Loeb/Sale arc.

I love it. Although I admit that Dark Victory feels just like TLH at times (with the murders and holidays), but it's still solid storytelling.

Any idea on whether or not they'll continue where Dark Victory left off?

[Two-Face=Badass]

I'm a Two-face fanboy as seen by my username. I love TLH and DV equally really. TLH is a bit more original, that bit more essential and keeps a better pace. It also has an intriguing mystery that is more fresh.

DV however, has a more complex story with Two-Face's plot and Sofia's plots intertwining, has more Two-Face interaction (yes!), and the villains are characterised better. That's to say, Joker feels more of a true archenemy of Bats here with his constant rebellion against Two-Face, rather than a mere pawn like in TLH. We get more Batman development too, with his being alone and such. Of course Robin is in, with a somewhat odd pace, but ultimately he is characterised almost perfectly as an distinctly opposite yet invaluable ally.

They both share equal bits too. The ends of both are brilliant, the last pages of them give me a little shiver, for different reasons. The mysteries are great, TLH was more original while DV wasn't, but DV didn't "cheat" and had someone you could guess.

So ultimately I love both, I don't like it when people try to sell one as FAR short of the other, as they are great companion books that spin off in different directions from a similar idea resulting something great and unique for both. I haven't read Haunted Knight but as a giant Tim Sale fan I'm ordering it son, ashamed I haven't already really.

[Captain Planet!]

I have yet to buy Dark Victory and Haunted Knight, seeing as everytime I go out to the bookstore they don't have them.

[ab38416]

Dark Victory is essentially part two of Long Halloween...it really could all be printed together as one big book.

True.

[Arsh]

The Long Halloween is the best one, though Dark Victory is almost as great.

[OctaviusINC]

TLH.

I remember I read the first few pages in a bookstore and I just immediately had to buy it after. I felt like I discovered Nazi gold. It was my precious.

[Caped Crusader]

Lh.

[Gexmeister]

As I guess most people say, TLH. And of course there's a reason for that. Great art and story, good length. I was so fascinated by this I stayed upp all night and read it. Didn't even realise it was morning until I had stopped reading.

[Lemenbolle]

I don't know. I only remember them being all about the same, some crime solving.. I mostly don't like stories where it's like all about getting all of batmans enemies fit into one story.

I think I prefer TLH, as that was my first read of these.

[Doctor Jones]

TLH. My first and favorite Batman story.

[Hulkfan2008!]

i'm about to get all three of these books and more, i heard theyre all very good

[the_scream]

I don't mind TLH but I think this and DV are both repetitive and try far too hard to write mystery on top of mystery which result in very little. Hush is also like this too. Every single villain is introduced into the story and so many plot lines start that rely on some awful annecdotes to sort the mess out by the end of the story.

Was it really necessary to include Ivy, Scarecrow, Calendar, Joker, Two-Face Catwoman, and the mob in both TLH and DV? Since when does Joker take orders from Two-Face? And that's the problem. These stories are not much better than the Schumacher disasters which focussed so much on the villains teaming up, hogging the spotlight just for the hell of it rather than because it works for the story.

TLH would have been miles better if it cut most of the villains out, and cut the story down. Instead, we have to believe that Holiday is capable of murdering person after person when both Gordon and Batman are on the case. Talk about a lousy performance guys. To me, these stories never achieve what they are really aiming to be.