Out of these three comics which one is your favorite

[DW4]

Batman The Long Halloween

 

[BubbaGump]

None of 'em, because Batman is portrayed as a humorless psychotic assh*&e in all of those stories!

Let the flame war begin. *waves flag*

 

[souloffire]

The one complaint I've had with TLH and DV is that Loeb seems to put his intricate mystery plot and his want to shove every bat-villain imaginable into the story, that his characterization, and overall focus, on Batman is almost non-existent. I mean, people complain about Batman being a supporting character in the Burton movies, he was definitely little more than a supporting character in TLH. Little more than a side attraction to what REALLY makes the book; the mystery of who exactly Holiday is.

That said, the mystery IS so fantastic that it does outweigh the negatives and the lack of characterization in terms of Batman. It's not something I'd want every Batman story to be like, but for that one limited series, those 12 issues, it worked wonderfully. And may very well be one of the best comics ever written. IMO.

I thought the mystery was the biggest negative of TLH, very poorly executed. First of all there's no way in a million years that the police, media, the mob and Batman would call the killings the work of a serial killer. The killings of underworld criminals would be considered the work of a vigilante or a mob enforcer. TLH made Batman and the police look like the dumbest people on the planet, they knew who the targets were and what days the killings would take place and they still couldn't solve the thing.

 

[Robin91939]

I liked Dark Victory slightly more than The Long Halloween. I have yet to read, Haunted Knight....so I went with Dark Victory.

-R

 

[BubbaGump]

Yeah, Loeb's stories are pretty much the same.

Loeb's Formula:

Mysterious killer/character. Thrown in a bunch of villains to confuse people. Reveal the killer at the end, but make it vague so people are still left confused months and years after they've finished reading.

 

[NickSox]

I hadn't read comics for probably over 10 years and just started getting back into them. I've read Year 1, TDKR, and just finished TLH getting ready to read Dark Victory. It's good to be back! Back on topic, I really liked TLH and how Batman was drawn. I can see how people would say that he kind of takes a backseat to the story, but I did really like how it was done.

 

[Rorschach2012]

dv
tlh
hn

 

[CConn]

Yeah, Loeb's stories are pretty much the same.

Loeb's Formula:

Mysterious killer/character. Thrown in a bunch of villains to confuse people. Reveal the killer at the end, but make it vague so people are still left confused months and years after they've finished reading.

I assume you haven't read Superman: For All Seasons, Hulk: Gray, Spider-Man: Blue, or Daredevil: Yellow?

 

[warren_sparta27]

TLH 4 the win!

 

[silentflute]

None - they all suck.

 

[BubbaGump]

I assume you haven't read Superman: For All Seasons, Hulk: Gray, Spider-Man: Blue, or Daredevil: Yellow?

I assume I've read all of those except DD: Yellow. I meant Batman stories.

 

[Carmine Falcone]

i'd rate them:

TLH
DV
HK

Same here.

 

[JTStarkiller]

He draws the female ugly and his Batman has no upper lip.

I'm going to counter this one. I just read Catwoman: When in Rome for the first time tonight, and quite honestly, it's the first time I've ever felt dirty after reading a comic book. Sale's Selina is unbelievable.

 

[Nepenthes]

I like Dark Victory WAY more than Long Halloween. Its more concise, better pacing. For me TLH tends to become a little tedious and everything about the Holiday killer is just boring. Not too mention the ending which leaves an awful parting impression. I'm glad I never bought this book. I've read it from the library. Yes. Libraries rock

 

[Super_Ludacris]

I'm in the minority of Batman fans who doesn't think Jeph Loeb's Batman work is that amazing though I do like him on other heroes (like Superman). But out of those 3 Dark Victory was the best to me it had good pacing and wasn't as indulgent as it's predecessor could be at times. It had it's problems too but it was a better executed project than TLH IMO. I liked the upgrade of the Batman and Robin dynamic too. The Long Halloween was influential enough to write off Year Two but I find it overdrawn and anti climatic though it does have it's moments of greatness. Haunted Knight drips in wack juice for the most part. I'd get Year One and the other 2 instead I'd say you could hold out on HK for a while.

I'm inclined to agree Superman For All Seasons was great work. Dark Victory was great though but I dont why Tim Sale switches up his art for Bat stuff and makes eratic and often goodfy illustrations (especially Batman and Joker)

 

[Bruce_Wayne29]

It's a toss up between the Long Halloween and Dark Victory but all three are among what I consider the best Batman stories ever...

 

[Cain]

I'm inclined to agree Superman For All Seasons was great work. Dark Victory was great though but I dont why Tim Sale switches up his art for Bat stuff and makes eratic and often goodfy illustrations (especially Batman and Joker)

For All Seasons is in a class of it's own but I was referring more so to his run on Superman with Ed McGuiness during the early 2000's. To me it was the best run on the book since Jurgens & Ordway used to handle the Supes titles back in the early 1990's. Brought me back into the character big time after dropping Superman comics due to the bad taste left in my mouth from the Red/Blue fiasco. I actually think Sale's artwork works very well for the surrealistic vibe that the narratives of Loeb's story let themselves too. It's very complimentary to it, it's just the writing itself that I have problems with when it comes to these stories.

 

[Superman4ever]

There alright but I give them a minus because of Tim Sale's art.

Are you kidding? I'm going to pretend I didn't read that because I'm SO close to finding you via your IP address and...

 

[Kakihara]

I'd say TLH and DV are tied for me, with HK bringing up the distant rear. Sale and Loeb are decent, but overrated when it comes to Batman stories. TLH isn't even definitive about its ending, but DV is, so I guess I'd have to go with that.

 

[Kakihara]

Yeah, Loeb's stories are pretty much the same.

Loeb's Formula:

Mysterious killer/character. Thrown in a bunch of villains to confuse people. Reveal the killer at the end, but make it vague so people are still left confused months and years after they've finished reading.

This man speaks the truth. Loeb does this over and over again, and when he doesn't use this formula he makes crap like Emperor Joker...

 

[Kakihara]

Are you kidding? I'm going to pretend I didn't read that because I'm SO close to finding you via your IP address and...

He's not kidding. I also think Sale's art is crappy-can you believe it?!