Book Review: Batman: Haunted Knight by J. Loeb et al.

Batman: Haunted Knight storytelling by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale

Before starting The Long Halloween, Jeph Loeb sold DC Comics on publishing some "Halloween Specials" featuring Batman. The natural pairing of Halloween and Batman hadn't been done before. Loeb worked with his long-time artistic partner Tim Sale. This series (three stories) was very popular. Here's a story-by-story rundown...

Fear--Scarecrow is blowing up electric relay station in Gotham, plunging neighborhoods into darkness. Scarecrow then loots and terrorizes the area. Batman works tirelessly to find the next target. Actually, he is getting tired, making him more vulnerable. He has some natural fear of failure that is enhanced by Scarecrow's toxins.

It doesn't help that it's Halloween weekend. Bruce Wayne has a big costume party. One of the guests is a woman he does not recognize but who catches his attention. His fascination with her brings on another fear, the fear of missing out on a normal, happy life. Bruce wants to run away and get some rest with this new woman, to be the billionaire playboy he passes himself off as. 

The parallel plots work very well together. I haven't read many Scarecrow stories, this one feel very fresh and well thought out. We learn something of Scarecrow, a bit about Batman's relationship to Bruce Wayne, and even Alfred Pennyworth (Wayne's butler) gets some nice moments to shine.

Madness--The Mad Hatter is kidnapping kids on Halloween and one of his victims is a teen-aged Barbara Gordon, daughter of Commissioner Gordon. Gordon and his daughter had a bit of a falling out over going trick or treating, resulting in her leaving the house without permission. Meanwhile, Batman has been pursuing The Mad Hatter with little success and a lot of flashbacks.

The story leans effectively into the Alice in Wonderland connection for the villain while also revealing a connection for Bruce Wayne. Gordon's struggles to be a good father add an interesting element and highlights a theme of how challenging relationships can be for parents and children. 

Ghosts--Bruce Wayne has an encounter with The Penguin on Halloween eve. Returning home after the capture, he gets the "Christmas Carol" treatment when he goes to bed. His father's ghost visits him carrying "the chains he forged in life" while he was so focused on being a doctor and not a father. He promises three spirits will come to show Bruce more.

This story was the weakest of the set. The transposition from Christmas to Halloween and from Scrooge to Bruce Wayne has a lot of potential but this didn't quite have the impact it could have. The creators stick to the form of Dickens's classic too much, giving a predictable ending. Bruce winds up in a happier place, though he's hardly as damaged as Scrooge was and he's hardly as transformed as Scrooge was. I was underwhelmed.

Overall, this is an interesting series and readers can easily see the origin of The Long Halloween, which is a classic in Batman storytelling.

Recommended, highly for Batman fans.