Batman the Long Halloween
Batman the Long Halloween is a comic book story arc that appeared first in Batman: The Long Halloween #1Batman, Gordon and Harvey Dent goes on an year long case to track down a mysterious 'Holiday' killer. Edit
Plot Summary
It is June in Gotham City, and Johnny Viti, nephew of Carmine "The Roman" Falcone, is getting married on the hottest day of the year. The Roman rules over an intricate crime family which in turn rules over Gotham. However, the Falcone mob is in desperate need of a means to launder their ill-gotten gains, and the Roman sees the Gotham City Bank as a likely source. To that end, the Roman has used his influence on several members of the bank's board of directors, including bank president Richard Daniel, to persuade them to accept his family's business. Carmine takes advantage of the occasion of his nephew's wedding to similarly convince Bruce Wayne, but Bruce is not swayed and leaves in a huff. The Roman confides in his bodyguard Milos that he is disappointed at Wayne's refusal, but that the deal still has enough votes to get through.
Bruce listens in on the conversation from the hallway until he is discovered by Alberto Falcone, the "good son" who shows Bruce the door and eyes him menacingly as he goes. Bruce is eager to leave and pursue his regular night activities, until he meets up with Selina Kyle. Selina seductively convinces Bruce to stay, and their dancing attracts the attention of Carla Viti, mother of the groom and sister to the Roman. Carla is in turn being watched over by the Roman, spying from his office and ruminating on his less-than-smooth relationship with his sister. When Alberto informs Carmine about Bruce listening at the door, Carmine tells him to stay out of the family business. Meanwhile Harvey Dent, district attorney of Gotham City, has been in the basement parking garage of the Roman's home, copying down the license plate numbers of various cars. But his actions have not gone unnoticed, and the Roman's goons come and give him a beating, warning him to lay off for his own sake. Luckily Bruce and Selina soon arrive, on their way home for the evening, and help him to his feet. Harvey brushes himself off and curtly walks away. Although Selina asks Bruce if he has further plans for the evening, Bruce claims he is tired and they part company.
Harvey meets up with Captain Jim Gordon of the Gotham City Police later that night and the two discuss possible means of bringing the Roman down, including involving the Batman. Similarly, Bruce and Selina meet again in the Roman's penthouse, this time in their costumed guises of Batman and Catwoman. Their presence quickly attracts the presence of the Roman's guards, but they manage to escape under a cloud of smoke and a barrage of bullets. The Roman, furious over this invasion of his privacy and at being taunted by his chief rival Sal Maroni over the break-in, puts a million dollar bounty on both of their heads. Batman chases Catwoman through the city but she eludes him even as she dodges his questions regarding her motivations against the Roman. Batman loses her and gives up the chase to answer a Bat-signal sent out by Harvey and Jim, who discuss the mutual strains put on their mariages by long hours at work while they await Batman's arrival. When Batman appears, the three discuss the lengths they will go to bring the Roman down. The three enter a pact (Batman however agreeing rather reluctantly) to bend the rules if necessary but never break them. Batman then disappears into darkness, but he leaves behind for Harvey and Jim the Roman's ledger, an incriminating piece of evidence Batman stole from the safe in the Roman's penthouse.
Soon, Bruce is in a meeting of the board of Gotham City Bank, very vocally protesting the position of the other board members in favor of accepting the Falcones' money. When he proves unable to sway them, Bruce storms out, but that evening Batman pays a visit to Richard Daniel, the bank president, warning him to keep the Falcone money out. Daniel subsequently resigns from his position and Bruce steps in. In August Falcone meets with his family and, enraged over Daniel's betrayal, orders his nephew Johnny to come home from his honeymoon as soon as possible to take care of the problem. In September Johnny Viti kills Richard Daniel, gunning him down as he is on his way home from a movie. Jim and Harvey both receive the news at home later that night.
On the day of Halloween, Johnny Viti is shot twice in the head by an unknown assailant while taking a bath. The perpetrator leaves behind the murder weapon, a .22 caliber pistol with the nipple of a baby bottle used as a crude silencer, as well as a jack-o-lantern. That night Harvey, Batman, and Jim discuss the murder, and Harvey lets it be known that he couldn't care less about the death of a mafia hitman. The three discuss the particulars of the murder and toss about possible suspects, when Batman notices that their conversation is being eavesdropped upon. Catwoman, listening in on their discussion from the rooftop, offers to help Batman hit the Roman where it hurts the most: his money. Catwoman's information leads Batman and Harvey to a warehouse on Gotham Harbor, where they discover that the Roman has stockpiled over twenty million dollars. Harvey contemplates stealing some of it, but Batman puts a curb on such thoughts. Instead they together set fire to the warehouse and destroy the money. Harvey cheerfully returns home to help his wife Gilda give out candy to trick-or-treaters. But as he is rummaging through his mail, a bomb hidden inside a package goes off and blows the Dent house sky high, with Harvey and Gilda barely surviving. For months afterward, the killings continue.On New Year's Eve, the scheming Joker intends to release his gas on Gotham Square at midnight, killing the crowd and hopefully Holiday. To that end the Joker has hijacked a plane and killed the flight crew. Batman arrives just as the Joker is taking off and hitches onto the plane. As Batman fights with the Joker in mid-air, Harvey Dent is working late on the Holiday case. Just as he is leaving, his new assistant Vernon comes in with new information on the Roman case. He has searched old police files and discovered a connection between Carmine Falcone and Bruce Wayne On Carmine's yacht in Gotham Harbor, the Roman is talking with Maroni during the New Year's party Carmine is hosting. Sal says that the Holiday killings have been bad for business and that they should put aside their differences to put an end to it. But Carmine subtly suggests that Maroni might be behind Holiday, using as evidence the fact that the hits have all been on members of the Falcone family. Then while Carmine is talking with Carla, she points out his tendency to surround himself with enemies. Carmine's response implies that she too could be counted among that number. Carla stomps off to go out on deck, just in time to see Alberto fall overboard, shot by Holiday.
Harvey arrives home, apologizing to Gilda for his lateness. She notes his hair is wet despite the fact that he was wearing a hat. Harvey enters the living room to find the Gordons there to celebrate New Year's with them, but Harvey heads off for the kitchen. Jim follows, leaving Gilda and Barbara to discuss the possibility of the Dents having children. Gilda however feels like it's a lost cause, since Harvey is always working. Barbara tells Gilda that business is a taboo subject that evening, but in the kitchen Harvey and Jim are discussing Harvey's recent discovery about Bruce Wayne.
And high above the city, just as the clock strikes midnight, Batman pummels the Joker and aims the plane toward the harbor. At the last possible moment he grabs the Joker and leaps to the nearby clock atop a skyscraper. The plane harmlessly splashes down into the water and Gotham is saved. The murders continue, and soon it is August 2, Falcone's birthday, and the date on which Maroni is going to trial to testify against Carmine Falcone, but before Harvey can leave home and head for court, Gilda stops him. She is disturbed by something she has found in the basement--a .22, just like one of Holiday’s guns. Harvey claims that it’s simply evidence he brought home from work, curtly ignoring Gilda’s surprise as he goes. Batman has other things on his mind than the trial, namely finding the Riddler, who Holiday let live on April Fool’s Day. Batman tracks him down at a small tavern and challenges his connection to Holiday. Riddler explains that the Roman hired him to find out who Holiday was but kicked him out when the solutions he gave were less than satisfactory. This information leads Batman to posit that maybe Riddler was left alive to spread the word that the Roman was looking for Holiday.
Carmine is similarly being disputed by Carla, who disapproves of the family hiring freaks like Poison Ivy and the Riddler, as they have done of late. Sofia interrupts the argument to lead Carmine away... to a surprise party in his honor. August 2 is the Roman’s birthday, after all. In Sal’s cell before the trial, Jim Gordon pats Maroni down to make sure he’s not carrying any weapons into the courtroom. But Vernon meets Sal at the door of the court to give him stomach medicine for his ulcer. Harvey is optimistic as Sal takes the stand that his testimony will bring organized crime in Gotham to a halt. Once under oath Maroni admits to killing two members of the Gazzo family, a mob operating in Metropolis. When Harvey inquires if the Roman ordered the hit, Sal fakes a coughing fit and reaches for his stomach medicine. It is not medicine but actually acid. Sal hurls it in Harvey’s face and he falls to the floor screaming. Harvey is rushed to the hospital but once there he stabs a doctor and escapes. And Carla Viti, investigating the coroner’s files on the Holiday victims, becomes one herself. As of Labor Day, Harvey Dent has been missing for a month since last issue’s incident in the courtroom. He has been hiding out in Gotham’s sewers where he crosses paths with Solomon Grundy. At first Grundy attacks him, but when Harvey begins reciting the nursery rhyme from which Grundy received his name, he stops and calms down.
Batman and Jim Gordon are baffled by the turn of events that have befallen Harvey. Jim has come to the conclusion, based on his discovery that Harvey possessed a .22, that Harvey is Holiday. Batman refuses to acknowledge it, but Jim needs proof otherwise before he believes Harvey is innocent. Jim needs to hear it from Harvey himself. Batman first searches at Falcone’s penthouse, asking Carmine if he knows where Harvey is. The Roman is enraged at Batman, accusing him of knowing that Dent was Holiday but standing aside while he killed, because criminals were the only victims. Batman departs and seeks out Catwoman, demanding to know why she is so interested in Falcone. As usual she runs away rather than reply. Batman confronts Gilda next about her husband’s whereabouts, inquiring about the .22 they found. Batman tells her that he found gun metal shavings on Harvey’s workbench, as if he had filed away the serial numbers there, but Gilda can provide no explanation. Batman finally ends up at Arkham Asylum, talking to Julian Day, the Calendar Man. Batman tells Day that they know Harvey is Holiday but not how to find him. Julian suggests that, it being a holiday, there is only one option as to the location of Holiday.
That night Jim Gordon, at Batman’s request, moves Sal Maroni to a new cell. Batman believes that Maroni is most likely destined to be Holiday’s next victim. Sure enough, Batman’s prediction comes true when Holiday surfaces to shoot Sal twice in the head during the prisoner transfer. Sal’s helmeted guard lunges toward Holiday, who shoots him multiple times in the chest and takes him down. Holiday trains his gun on Jim Gordon, who can only helplessly stare up into the face of the man about to kill him... Alberto Falcone. Sal’s helmeted bodyguard leaps up. It is Batman, who was protected from the .22 bullets by a kevlar vest. Batman pummels Alberto and almost kills him, but Jim stops him. Alberto is placed under arrest and jailed. A few days later Carmine comes to visit his son Alberto in jail and offers his assistance. He tells Alberto that he can get him out if he will plead guilty to Maroni’s murder alone and drop any notion of being “Holiday.” Alberto spurns Carmine, saying he felt slighted when Carmine sent him to Oxford and kept him out of the family business. He says that Gotham now belongs to the freaks, and he is one of them. On Halloween Jim and Barbara Gordon go to visit Gilda to check up on how she is managing alone. She is still left wondering where Harvey is and if he is even still alive. Meanwhile at Arkham there has been a breakout. All of the maniacs have been set free by a solitary figure who, after flipping a coin, decides to leave Calendar Man in his cell. Carmine is furious over Alberto’s unwillingness to accept his help, which has subsequently led to his impending execution for the Holiday murders. As he is ranting in the kitchen to Sofia, the lights cut out suddenly. The two explore the house with their guns drawn, finding guards dead all around. They burst into the Roman’s office to find all of the Arkham escapees there, along with Solomon Grundy, Catwoman, and their mysterious leader, who reveals himself to be Harvey.
Harvey is about to kill Carmine when Batman drops in, taking down the villains one by one under the cover of a smokescreen. The distraction of Batman fighting the villains has allowed Harvey the opportunity to grab Carmine, however, and he faces down Batman with a gun to Carmine’s head. When Batman appeals to Harvey to let Carmine go, Harvey tells him that his name is now Two-Face. Two-Face then flips his coin which lands scarred side up. Evil wins; Two-Face shoots Carmine twice in the head from point blank range. Sofia screams and rushes forward to attack Two-Face, but Catwoman stops her. The two wrestle and fall through a glass window. Outside Catwoman is able to grab onto a ledge, but Sofia plunges to the ground many stories below. Two-Face knocks Batman out and goes to take revenge upon Vernon for his part in Harvey’s disfigurement, giving Maroni the acid. Batman finds Vernon’s dead body later and, following the Bat-signal to the police department, then discovers Harvey on the roof ready to turn himself in. Harvey says that justice has been done now that he has killed the Roman. As Gordon slaps the cuffs on Harvey, Two-Face drops one final bombshell as they take him away; he tells them that there were TWO Holiday killers. Later Jim and Batman discuss what Harvey might have meant with his final statement, since Alberto has confessed to all the Holiday murders. Batman postulates that, since Harvey killed the Roman on Halloween, he was the second killer. Jim goes home to his wife Barbara and says that he has to keep fighting for the good of Gotham, despite what it has cost. Batman similarly says to himself that he must keep up his work, for the sake of the promise he made to his parents years ago on the night of their deaths.
And on Christmas Eve Gilda is packing up boxes for her move away from Gotham, but before she leaves, she takes a box down the basement furnace. She describes aloud to herself how she read in Harvey’s case files about the removal of the serial numbers of guns and how baby bottle nipples could be used as silencers. She then removes from the box a .22 pistol and drops it into the flames of the heater, along with a familiar-looking hat and coat. And she claims that she took it upon herself to start the Holiday killings, in an attempt to end the Roman’s hold on Gotham and thus lighten Harvey’s caseload so that they could have a child Her belief is that Harvey took up the killings on New Year’s Eve and that Alberto is lying to the police with his confession. She also says that she knows Harvey will eventually be alright and that they will reconcile, because she believes in him.
Associated Issues
Edit
The issue begins with Bruce Wayne in the study of mafioso Carmine "The Roman" Falcone. Falcone is attempting to get Wayne to agree to use his banks to aid in money laundering. Wayne refuses. It is revealed that the occasion is the wedding of Falcone's nephew Johnny Viti.
Harvey Dent, and Two Face, the result of the actions taking place in The Long Halloween
Wayne plans to leave the party immediatly but is distracted by Selina Kyle and finds himself on the dance floor instead.
The action next cuts to District Attourney Harvey Dent in the parking garage taking down license plate numbers. Dent is seen on camera and is assaulted by several thugs. The beating is interrupted by Wayne and Kyle entering the parking structure.
While he was in Falcone's study Wayne noticed a safe. He decides to investigate as Batman later that night. When he arrives on the scene Catwoman is already there and has opened the safe. They brielfy exchange words before some of Falcone's thugs arrive on the scene and start shooting, forcing the heroes to flee.Falcone is outraged by the disrespect and offers a one million dollar bounty on both Batman and Catwoman.
James Gordon and Harvey Dent have decided to include Batman in their attempt to bring down the organized crime in Gotham. They activate the bat-signal and discuss the situation with him, deciding that since Falcone is so far above the law, only Batman stands a chance of bringing him down. When Batman departs he leaves behind a ledger from Falcone's safe.
The next scene is in the boardroom of the Gotham City Bank. Wayne is arguing passionately against allowing the Falcone family to do business with his bank, but the bank president Richard Daniel (on the Falcone payroll) refuses to listen and has enough support.
Batman visits Daniel that night and convinces him to resign. This allows Wayne to become the president and keeps the Falcone money out. With the banks refusing to do business with them the Falcones are unable to launder money.
Carmine "The Roman" Falcone, crime lord
Richard Daniel is walking down the street when Johnny Viti fatally shoots him from the window of a car. Later, early on the day of Halloween, Johnny Viti is found shot dead in the bathtub with an untraceable gun and jack-o-lantern left at the scene.
Catwoman gives Batman a tip about the Falcone money. He and Dent locate a warehouse full of cash that the family has been unable to launder. They set fire to the warehouse and destroy all of the dirty money.
Gilda, Harvey's poor wife
Dent returns home in high spirits. His wife informs him of a package that just arrived. The issue ends with the door of the Dent home exploding outward.
The issue opens with Batman and James Gordon questioning small time mobster Mickey Sullivan about his involvement in the murder of Harvey Dent. The two detectives apparently traced Sullivan through one of the nails used in the bomb.
When questioned Sullivan relays, through flashback, how Batman apprehended him. He was confronted in a bar about the nails. He fled into the sewer where he encountered Solomon Grundy. Batman was forced into a brief conflict with the surprised Grundy, and expresses anger over having to injur the somewhat innocent character. Sullivan confesses to his involvement in the bombing and offers to give his statement in writing.
After Sullivan leaves Batman and Gordon express amazement that he would both confess and refuse to implicate Falcone.
There is a brief interlude where Carla, sister to Carmine "The Roman" Falcone and father of the recently deceased Johnny Viti storms in on Falcone and his son Alberto as they prepare a Thanksgiving dinner. She demands justice, Falcone states that the issue is being handled.
In the holding cell Sullivan and his crew have a brief discussion of how bleak their situation looks, but that they've gone over what they need to do, and they stress the need to stick together. Each of the four remaining members confesses to their part in the bombing and offers to put it in writing. Gordon and Batman call Mickey Sullivan back up. "Mickey" turns out to be Dent in disguise in an attempt to learn something of value from the other members of Sullivan's gang. Now that Dent is revealed to be alive and the charge is lowered to attempted murder, Sullivan and his gang make bail within the hour.
The issue then begins depicting how the central characters spend the rest of their Thanksging. Harvey Dent spends the night by his wife's side in the hospital. Jim Gordon arrives home too late finding that his wife has already gone to bed. Batman leaves a plate of Thanksgiving dinner at the site of his fight with Grundy in the sewers as a sort of peace offering after the fight he regretted getting into.
Finally, Sullivan and his crew are seen to be celebrating their release. They offer a toast to The Roman for their recent prosperity. The door opens and crew is suddenly gunned down. Left at the scene is an untraceable gun and a horn of plenty. "Holiday" has struck again.
The issue opens with the Joker reading about the Holiday killings in the newspaper. As the shot pulls back it reveals that he has bound and gagged a family in their home and is stealing their Christmas tree and the presents under it, all the while quoting various Christmas rhymes.
On Christmas eve Batman and Jim Gordon are in Arkham Asylum discussing recent developments. They are there to talk to the Calendar Man Julian Day to see if he can be of help in the Holiday investigation. While Day is more than willing to talk at length it is apparent that he knows nothing of any real value. Gordon and Batman quickly give up and leave.
Salvadore "The Boss" Maroni is at his restaurant with his goons speculating that Holiday may in fact be Harvey Dent. One of the members of Maroni's gang dies laughing and The Joker appears. He holds a gun to Marnoni's head and accuses him of being Holiday, because all of the victims have been from The Roman's branch of the Gotham mob. Maroni explains that the Holiday killings have ruined business for everyone, he tells Joker he believes Dent to be the killer. Later, after Joker has left and Maroni's men are attempting to dispose of the body he left behind Batman arrives. He shakes down Maroni and departs when he learns that The Joker was responsible for the murder.
Harvey Dent brings his wife Gilda out of the hospital and surprises her with the revelation that he has purchased them a new house. Gilda heads upstairs and as soon as she does Harvey notices that The Joker is in his living room. Joker strikes Harvey, leaving him in a heap on the floor. He threatens Harvey about the possibility of being Holiday. Joker states that he wants to be the only homicidal maniac in Gotham.
Joker appears in Carmine Falcone's bedroom, waking the gangster. He tells The Roman that the mob needs to kill Holiday, or The Joker will kill all of Gotham. As Joker is leaving the building he has a run-in on the porch with Falcone's personal bodyguard. In order to escape Joker pelts the man with his signature Joker cards and drives away.
As the bodyguard is still picking himself up he is shot. Left at the scene are an untraceable pistol and a snow globe. Holiday stikes again. Batman arrives on the scene and sees the Holiday victim surrounded by Joker cards and speculates that The Joker is Holiday.
It is New Year's Eve. Joker has murdered a ground crew and takes off in a crop duster. Batman learns of this second too late to stop the take-off. Apparently Joker plans to use his Joker gas to slaughter the crowd that will be gathered in Gotham Square. The idea is that there is a good chance that Holiday will be in the crowd and with him dead Joker will be the number one homicidal maniac in Gotham again. Batman auto-pilots the Batmobile under the plane, climbs on top, and fires one of his grappling hooks at the plane.
Harvey Dent is working late at his office. As he is preparing to leave his assistant Vernon produces a document he found linking the Falcone crime family to millionaire Bruce Wayne.
Batman's hook successfully attaches to Joker's crop duster. Joker notices the plane flying funny. He turns around to discover Batman is on the tail. Joker pulls the plane into a steep climb in an attempt to shake off Batman, but the Dark Knight manages to hang on.
The gangsters of Gotham are having a New Year's Eve gala aboard a yacht. Carmine "The Roman" Falcone is talking to Salvadore "The Boss" Maroni, and suggest that Maroni might be behind the Holiday killings. Falcone runs into his sister Carla and tells her that he is looking for his son Alberto. Alberto is scene alone by the rail of the yacht. Carla steps outside to have a cigarette. A gloved hand is seen unscrewing one of the light bulbs behind Alberto. An untraceable handgun fires and Alberto goes over the rail. Carla rushes towards the sound of the shot and finds the gun along with a glass of champagne and some confetti. It looks like Holiday has claimed another victim.
Harvey Dent arrives home. He finds that besides his wife, the Gordons are also waiting for him. Harvey walks straight out of the room. Jim Gordon follows him. Dent tells Gordon they need to discuss Bruce Wayne.
Batman climbs back to the cockpit of the crop duster. He engages Joker in combat as the plane approaches the clock tower. He punches out Joker, and diverts the plane. He jumps to the safety of the clock tower taking Joker with him. The plane crashes harmlessly into the water. The clock tower strikes midnight and Batman vows to renew his quest to rid Gotham of evil in the New Year.
The story opens with Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent arriving at Wayne manor. Alfred informs them that mister Wayne is not home and may not be back for some time. Dent is intentionally abrasive towards Alfred. He obviously intends to wait it out until Alfred reminds them that it is Valentine’s Day. Gordon and Dent suddenly remember that neither of them has gotten anything for their wives and immediately depart.
The Roman is visiting the grave of his son Alberto. Batman confronts him, asking if his lifestyle is worth all of the lives he has destroyed. Falcone becomes enraged and points a gun at Batman. Catwoman appears and strikes Falcone’s gun hand with one of her bolos. Batman is curious about any possible connection between her and the Falcone crime organization. He chases her down in the snowy cemetery and they have a brief exchange of words.
Bruce Wayne meets Selina Kyle at the opera. A peddler comes by selling roses. Selina buys one for Bruce. The rose pricks his finger. Somehow neither Wayne or Kyle notice that the green-robed vendor has extremely pale skin and has leaves coming out the back of her robe where a normal woman would have hair.
Salvadore Maroni pays out Dent’s assistant Vernon in the kitchen of his restaurant. Meanwhile, in front of the restaurant, the security that Maroni hired to stand outside have decided to sit in a car to avoid the cold. The car full of mobsters is suddenly riddled with bullets killing everyone inside. The car explodes, in front of it are Holiday’s signature untraceable handgun and a heart shaped box of chocolates. Maroni storms into the front of his restaurant. He finds a room full of corpses and another heart shaped box of chocolates. He is enraged and accepts what he sees as Holiday’s decleration of war.
Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent arrive home late. They both present their wives with heart shaped boxes of chocolates that are remarkably similar to the ones that Holiday left at the scene of the murders.
Bruce Wayne arrives home. He ignores Alfred at the door and walks through the house with his nose buried in the rose that Selina bought him. He wanders into the courtyard where Poison Ivy is waiting for him.
The issue opens with the release of a hulking prisoner from Gotham penitentiary in the middle of a thunderstorm. The released prisoner climbs into a waiting car and is driven to Carmine Falcone. The former prisoner is revealed to be his daughter, Sofia.
Bruce Wayne is addressing the board of the Gotham City Bank. He announces that he has reversed his previous position and now wishes to allow Carmine Falcone to invest his money through the bank. Captions reveal that he is aware that he is being controlled by Poison Ivy, but is essentially a helpless witness to his own actions. As he leaves the bank building he walks by Selina Kyle who attempts to get his attention. He ignores he and enters a car that is waiting for him. Selina notices an ivy covered arm in the backseat.
Harvey Dent and Jim Gordon are discussing how to proceed in their attempt to bring down organized crime in Gotham. After Maroni’s restaurant was hit on Valentine’s Day the Maroni and Falcone branches have been at war. Dent wants to focus attention on Bruce Wayne, while Gordon insists that Maroni is the weak link. Dent suggests trying to bring down both at once. Unbeknownst to both men Dent’s corrupt assistant Vernon is eavesdropping on the other side of the door.
Sofia enters the garage of Carmine Falcone’s sister Carla Viti. Carla is having target practice with the gun found at the scene of the Alberto Falcone murder. Sofia informs Carla that there is a plan to hit Maroni on St. Patrick’s Day, because they believe that he either is Holiday or knows the identity of Holiday. Carla says that she will now that the banking situation is taken care of and the money is flowing like it should.
At Wayne manor Poison Ivy is sitting down to dinner with her puppet Bruce Wayne. Catwoman leaps into the room and attacks Ivy. The controlled Wayne interferes, battling Catwoman. In the scuffle Wayne’s shirt is ripped open revealing that his chest is covered in ivy vines. Catwoman slashes the vines off of Bruce’s chest. Wayne is freed from Ivy’s spell but loses consciousness at the same time. Catwoman looks up to see that Ivy escaped in the pandemonium.
At around five in the morning on St. Patrick's Day Holiday strikes again. This time it is another mass killing with a leprechaun statue left behind. Sofia Falcone pulls up to deliver the hit on Maroni and it is discovered that the site of Holiday's most recent murders is Maroni's safehouse.
Batman responds to the batsignal to find Catwoman waiting for him. He thanks her for helping his "friend" Bruce Wayne. He asks her why she helps. She informs him that he will see in time and flees into the night. Batman reflects on just how much he owes her for releasing him from Ivy's spell.
The issue opens with two overlapping scenes. Batman is reviewing the Holiday evidence in the Batcave. At the same time, the Falcone’s are questioning the Riddler to get his input into their own investigation.
The Riddler initially proposes that Catwoman may be the perpetrator. He suggests that the small .22 handguns that Holiday used would be ideal in a woman’s hands. He reminds them of the ledger stolen from the Falcone safe after she broke in, and the subsequent million dollar bounty on her head.
Riddler then suggests Maroni. He illustrates how the earlier slayings all favored Maroni, and reminds them that Maroni would have had ample opportunity to shoot Alberto on New Year’s Eve. He then comes up with the theory that Carla Viti is responsible. The theory is that when her son had been considering testifying that he would have implicated her. In retaliation she killed him and then flew into a rage and began killing other members of the various branches of the Gotham mob.
Batman is becoming increasingly frustrated with the case. Alfred mentions that there is one possibility that it seems the caped crusader has been intentionally ignoring. Batman realizes that Alfred is speaking of Harvey Dent. Batman focuses on Dent as a suspect and realizes that he would have had ample time to commit any of the murders, and that the district attorney’s attitude toward the slayings has always been a little odd. Batman is forced to face the fact that his friend Harvey Dent may in fact be a murderer.
Meanwhile Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent decide to move forward with their attempt to prosecute Bruce Wayne for his possible relationship with Carmine Falcone.
The Roman grows tired of hearing the Riddler give him nothing but conflicting theories. His daughter Sofia puts the squeeze to Riddler’s head and Carmine demands to know the identity of Holiday. The name he gets is his own, as Riddler implicates Falcone himself. The Roman laughs it off and has Riddler sent away. As Riddler is ejected into the night a shadowy figure is waiting for him and opens fire. Instead of being killed however Riddler is only outlined in bullets before Holiday leaves the gun and an umbrella. Riddler muses “When does a killer not kill?”
The issue begins at Arkham Asylum. Batman has decided to question Calendar Man once again now that Mother’s Day has arrived. Julian Day seems afraid that he will be forgotten with Holiday being a higher profile calendar related killer. Calendar Man hints that he may know the identity of Holiday and asks to be released.
Before Batman has a chance to respond a terrified prison guard alerts him of a break out. Batman notices the fear and realizes that the escape must be the Scarecrow. More terrified guards inform Batman that Crane’s mother visited him shortly before the escape. Batman announces that Scarecrow murdered his years earlier on Valentine’s Day. Scarecrow used straw to climb out of the building, leading the caped crusader to wonder who brought it to him.
When Batman catches up with Crane the villain is on horseback. Our hero tackles his foe but in the ensuing struggle gets dosed with a heavy stream of the Scarecrows fear gas, allowing Crane to escape.
Jim Gordon brings multiple officers to Wayne manor, only to be informed by Alfred that Bruce Wayne is not home.
Sofia Falcone dangles a man over the side of Gotham River Bridge. The man informs her that a man who calls himself “Gunsmith” makes a custom .22 every month for the same customer. He tells her that she can find this man at Chong’s Tea House, and then she drops him over the edge. When Sofia arrives at Chong’s Tea House however she finds that Holiday has already been there and killed the man, leaving behind one of the signature .22’s and a basket of flowers addressed to “Mom”.
Bruce Wayne is walking the site of his parents’ murder, intending to deliver a rose. Gordon and other officers arrive on the scene. Unfortunately Bruce is still under the influence of the fear gas and flees the scene in a panic. The officers chase him across the city and into a cemetery, where the eventually find the millionaire sobbing and clutching the grave of his mother.
The issue opens with Bruce Wayne having a flashback. His father opens the door to find Vincent Falcone. His son Carmine has been shot, and Vincent is afraid to take him to the hospital for fear that Luigi Maroni will finish the job. As a doctor Thomas Wayne feels obligated to help the Vincent and his seriously wounded son. He performs surgery on a table as young Bruce watches from upstairs.
Flash forward and Bruce Wayne realized that his father performing field surgery on Carmine Falcone was the link that Harvey Dent followed between the Wayne and Falcone families. It has led to the arrest of Bruce Wayne, who is currently behind bars. In court Dent is questioning Alfred. He refutes Alfred’s assertion that Thomas Wayne refused all forms of payment for saving the life of Carmine Falcone. He asks about the relationship between Carmine Falcone and Bruce Wayne. Alfred states that there is no relationship. Dent inquires why Thomas Wayne never filed a report in an attempt to put Luigi Maroni behind bars. Alfred counters by explaining that Wayne may have filed a report but that the level of corruption in Gotham at the time would have led to it never surfacing. He then discusses how months later the Wayne’s were murdered in the street an the killers never found. He suggests that Gotham may not have changed very much.
Luigi Maroni is now retired. He is out among his tomato plants and his son Sal is asking for advice on how to proceed now that Holiday has murdered all of his men. Luigi tells him that he needs to eliminate The Roman before Falcone gets him. Later, a shadowy figure fires from between two of the tall tomato plants. Luigi Maroni is struck in the heart. Sal rushes to his father’s side only to find one of Holiday’s signature .22 pistols and a tie in a gift box. Holiday has claimed his Father’s Day victim and has escaped once again.
Sofia Falcone Gigante enters her father’s study. She informs him that the grand jury aquited Bruce Wayne in mere minutes. The Roman informs his daughter that he is busy. The scene is now being witnessed through binoculars and heard through electronic means. Sofia gives her father an ugly tie for Father’s Day. He responds in a polite but cold manner and leaves. Sofia looks crushed. Catwoman is revealed to be the one spying on the scene from an adjacent rooftop.
Jim Gordon arrives home late yet again to find that his son is already asleep with a Father’s Day tie clutched in his hand. Gordon is clearly moved as he puts on the tie.
Gilda Dent descends the stairs to her basement to find Harvey there sitting alone in the dark. He reveals that he has been to visit his father. He reports that his father’s mental illness is as serious as it ever was. He also reveals that his father has given him a silver dollar. He expresses frustration over his failure in the Wayne case. He feels that the jury’s decision was as arbitrary as a coin toss. He also once again expresses his frustration at millionaires like Bruce Wayne living in high society while he is left to attempt to clean up Gotham.
In Gotham’s Central Park The Scarecrow is stoking a fire in a hidden lab and reciting modified nursery rhymes. He is approached by The Mad Hatter who seems to be in his “Alice in Wonderland” universe. The two psychopaths briefly shout their delusions at each other before Carmine Falcone steps out of the shadows and informs them they have pressing business with the Gotham City Bank depository.
Bruce Wayne and Alfred are in Wayne manor by themselves. Wayne is wondering “what if” his father had never saved Falcone’s life how much bloodshed might have possibly been averted. Alfred states that Thomas Wayne would have saved anyone who came to his door. Wayne continues his musing and wanders off. Alone Alfred muses how Bruce’s life might have been different if he had acted as a different sort of father figure to the orphaned millionaire. He finds Bruce crouched on the stairs in the same spot that he watched his father perform surgery on Carmine Falcone. He tells his butler that he still misses his Father. Alfred informs him that he is his father’s son.
Dent’s assistant Vernon has called the district attorney into his office late. Dent is frustrated until he opens the door and finds Maroni waiting for him. The crime boss expresses his anger with Falcone and says he is willing to work with Dent to bring him down.
The Gotham city coroner is parked in his hearse. A shadowy figure arrives through the fog. The coroner panics as Holiday shoots the coroner and throws his body off of the dock. The now empty car is parked on the docks under the bridge in the midst of Gotham’s Independence Day fireworks display.
Bruce Wayne is spending the fourth with Selina Kyle at his mansion. Selina asks him to leave Gotham with her. He mentions a promise he made to his parents. The couple witnesses the batsignal in the sky.
Batman arrives at the roof of the police station to find it is Harvey Dent that has summoned him. Dent is flipping the coin that his mentally ill father gave him on Father’s Day. Dent speaks of the pact that Dent, Jim Gordon, and the caped crusader made to bring down The Roman. Dent says he made a mistake going after Bruce Wayne. He expresses his relief that with the testimony of Maroni the entire episode will soon be over. He says that with Falcone behind bars he plans to take some time off. Gordon arrives at the rooftop to inform them of Holiday’s latest killing. Catwoman has witnessed the scene from another rooftop.
Dent’s corrupt assistant Vernon brings Maroni a visitor. It is Sofia Falcone Gigante. She reminds Sal that when she was arrested she served her time and did not ever mention his name. He says that she did what was right for her, and he has to do what is right for himself. Sofia tells Sal that she missed him while she was locked up, the two kiss. She tells him that she knows Dent has him cornered, and that without the District Attorney everyone will lay off. She leaves after informing him that she knows he will do the right thing.
Gilda Dent and Barbara Gordon (Jim’s wife) are talking at the Gordon’s apartment. Gilda expresses her disgust with Gotham City and the way it changes people. Barbara states that with Jim’s work and their infant son they find themselves digging in. Gilda talks about how the Falcone case has been changing Harvey, eating at him from the inside. She wonders if she will ever see the man she married again.
Batman and Gordon stand over the modified .22 and Lady Liberty statue that Holiday left at the scene of the latest murder. The fact that in this shooting, like the others, the shots came from close range suggests to Batman that Holiday knew the victims. Gordon, citing Batman, says that it could also be stealth. Catwoman is revealed to be watching the scene from above. Batman asks if Harvey Dent has an alibi for the time of the killings. Gordon is surprised by more fireworks hours after the display was scheduled to end. Batman pulls one of his famous disappearing acts.
Two apparently bank security officers express delight at the new fireworks. A rocket strikes the door they are guarding and gives off a large green explosion. Scarecrow and Mad Hatter arrive on the scene in a horse drawn cart. Once again Scarecrow is reciting nursery rhymes while Mad Hatter is quoting Lewis Carroll. The two are loading bags of money onto their cart when Batman arrives. Our hero ponders the situation. He had previously assumed that the Mad Hatter was the only help that Scarecrow had escaping from Arkham, the bank robbery though, suggests that they are ultimately being led by The Roman. Batman neutralizes Scarecrow. Catwoman appears and takes care of the Hatter. Batman reveals that he saw her following him at the police station and the docks. She suggests that the two of them take the money and run. Batman asks for her help against Falcone. Catwoman leaves disappointed. Batman begins the task of turning in the psychopaths, musing that losing on time with Catwoman is the price of his independence.
In the Dent family basement Gilda confronts an angry Harvey. She has found a modified .22 exactly like the ones that Holiday uses. He claims it is a piece of evidence. Gilda seems suspicious that he would bring evidence home with him. Harvey claims it is a regular occurrence, and storms off.
It is August second, in the middle of the day. Batman has come to a dive bar in Gotham looking for the Riddler, the only person Holiday has left alive. Since Batman is not nearly as intimidating in daylight the bartender attacks and Bats is forced to clean out the bar. He discovers the sole patron left conscious is an inebriated Riddler. Batman asks Riddler if he saw Holiday on April Fool’s Day. Riddler dodges the question. Batman asks what Riddler was doing in The Roman’s building in the first place. Riddler informs him that Falcone wanted Nigma’s take on the killings, and didn’t like the masked criminals answers. Riddler suggests he was left alive as an April Fool’s prank. Batman suggests that his foe was left alive because Falcone wanted the world to know he was looking for Holiday.
Carmine Falcone is in his study. His sister Carla is furious that he had hired Poison Ivy, Riddler, Scarecrow, and Mad Hatter. Carmine informs her that he doesn’t need to explain himself to her. Carmine’s daughter Sofia enters and informs the siblings that “they’re ready.”
Sal “The Boss” Maroni is frisked and escorted towards the courtroom where he is prepared to testify against Falcone. Dent’s corrupt assistant Vernon arrives and gives Maroni a bottle of stomach medicine. Maroni expresses disbelief that Dent suddenly cares about his ulcer, but takes the bottle. Harvey Dent calls Maroni to the stand.
It is revealed that Sofia was calling her father and aunt downstairs for The Roman’s birthday celebration.
Maroni begins confessing to murders. He complains of his ulcer, Dent acts like this is the first he’s heard of the ailment. Dent asks the crimelord if he committed the murders under direct order from Carmine “The Roman” Falcone. Maroni begins a coughing fit. He reaches for his bottle of medicine, uncaps it and hurls the contents at the district attorney’s face.
Carmine Falcone blows out the candles on his birthday cake.
Dent writhes in agony. Maroni informs Dent that the acid he’s hurled at him is strong enough to eat through cement. He mocks his victim as he is dragged out of the courtroom. A disguised Bruce Wayne is horrified by the scene.
At the hospital a surgeon enters the waiting room to find Gilda Dent and the Gordon’s. He informs them that Harvey is gone. He clarifies that he means that literally, as in escaped, before he topples lifelessly into Jim Gordon’s arms with a scalpel lodged into his back.
Carla is looking through the records of the Gotham coroner. The shadowy figure of Holiday arrives and shoots her dead. She falls among piles of scattered files.
The recently disfigured Harvey Dent is in the Gotham Sewers. There he encounters Solomon Grundy. Grundy attacks the former district attorney, chanting “Solomon Grundy, born on a Monday.” Dent recites the rest of the rhyme, this placates Grundy. Harvey wonders if Grundy has in fact died and risen from the dead. He wonders if a man can live two lives.
Batman and Jim Gordon meet on the roof of police headquarters. Inside Harvey’s briefcase they found one of the Holiday pistols as well as Falcone’s ledger which would have allowed him to find all of the victims. Gordon accuses Batman of hiding suspicions of Dent. Batman refuses to believe that the man who made plans to bring down The Roman is the killer. The two exchange heated words before Gordon tells Batman to locate Dent and leaves the roof.
Batman arrives at the bedroom window of Carmine Falcone. He asks the mobster for the location of Harvey Dent. The Roman becomes enraged. He denies any knowledge of Dent’s whereabouts and suggests that Batman and the police let Holiday continue killing for so long because it was his people being murdered. He says that his people are calling this year The Long Halloween. He gets in the caped crusaders face and is thrown across his bedroom for it. Sofia immediately barges in with a gun. Batman is already gone and Carmine pretends he has never been there.
Across the street Batman finds that Catwoman is spying on him and Falcone yet again. He confronts her and asks why she has been doing so. She gives several playful answers and then flees into the night.
Gilda Dent, apparently hearing something in her basement descends the stairs looking for Harvey. Instead she finds Batman. Batman asks for Harvey’s location. He tells her about the gun they found in the briefcase. She repeats Dent’s story about it being evidence from the office. Batman informs her that gunmetal was found in the grooves of Harvey’s vice. Gilda implores Batman to find her husband.
Batman once again questions the Calendar Man. Julian Day begins skirting the issue of Holiday’s identity once again. Batman informs him that they know that Dent was the killer. Day states that he is angry that he is being forgotten. He reminds Batman that it is Labor Day for a few more hours, and that they have something Holiday wants.
Jim Gordon and a heavily armored officer arrive at Maroni’s cell to move him. As they move the criminal through a dark basement hallway he brags about how he took three bullets to the chest in the courtroom and is now fine. Gordon mentions that he almost feels like handing the criminal over to Dent. Maroni says he welcomes an attempt by Dent on his life. Two shots take the top of the mobster’s head off. Gordon drops to see if Maroni is still alive. The armored officer leaps at the shadowy figure of Holiday and takes at least four bullets to the chest. Gordon grabs his flashlight and shines it at Holiday to reveal that the man standing over him is none other than the presumed dead Alberto Falcone.
A gun wielding Alberto Falcone states “I am Holiday.” The armored officer who Alberto shot in the last issue rises to confront him. Captions reveal that this “officer” is Batman in disguise, and that his body armor was more than enough to stop the .22 pistol. He twists the gun out of Falcone’s hand. Gordon pounces on it. Batman brutally beats Falcone while thinking angrily about how he suspected his friend Harvey Dent of the killings and not this man who the coroner had pronounced dead. Gordon eventually puts a halt to the beating and Batman reluctantly allows the commissioner to arrest the man.
Carmine Falcone has come to visit his son in jail. Alberto has casts on both arms. Gordon and Batman watch the scene through a one-way mirror. Carmine whispers to his son that he thinks he can get him out of jail if he confesses to the Maroni murder and nothing else. Alberto gets angry. He tells his father that his birthday is on a holiday and dares him to name which one. He knows that Carmine will not know that it was Valentine’s Day because his father was always too busy to know when it was his birthday. Alberto states that Gotham has changed and no longer wants organized crime. He states that as Holiday he is bigger than all of Gotham’s mobsters put together.
Gilda Dent is handing out Halloween candy when the Gordon’s stop by. She confides in them how much she misses her husband. At Arkham Asylum numerous cells are open and empty. A coin tossing figure stops at the cell of Julian day, apologizes, and leaves him there.
At his high-rise The Roman is furious. He cannot believe that his son is choosing to defy him even though it means the gas chamber. Ivy creeps up the walls of his home. Gas leaks down the hallways, guards start laughing hysterically. The lights go out. Carmine tells Sofia he wants everyone downstairs. As they descend they find their path littered with the bodies of his men.
When Falcone enters his study he finds it occupied by the Mad Hatter, Solomon Grundy, the Joker, Two-Face, the Penguin, Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman. Two-Face rises from Falcone’s desk and accuses him of tearing his city in half. He calls attention to the .22 pistol he is holding. The Roman says he would rather burn down the city than surrender it to the freaks. Smoke and flash grenades fly in through the windows. Batman enters from the ceiling, landing on Grundy. He then takes out Joker, followed by Ivy, then Penguin and Mad Hatter. He takes out Scarecrow with a batarang. He asks Catwoman which side she’s on, she tells him it’s the same side she’s always on.
Before she can finish the thought Two-Face demands the hero’s attention. He is holding Carmine at gunpoint and explaining the futility of the legal process, since the criminals will never stay in jail or Arkham for long. He refuses to answer to Harvey. He tosses his coin. Te scarred side comes up and he puts two bullets in The Roman’s head. Sofia charges him. Catwoman attempts to subdue her. The two women plunge out the window. Catwoman is left holding onto her bolo and dangling tens of stories off the ground, there is no sign of Sofia. Batman tries to talk down Two-Face. Dent seems to buy it at first, approaching the hero, however, as soon as he gets close he clubs him with the gun and escapes.
Two-Face arrives at his former office. He confronts Vernon about giving Maroni the acid that was used to scar him. He flips his coin. When Batman arrives on the scene he finds Vernon dead with the gun and coin left next to his body. The batsignal lights the sky. When he responds to it he finds a reflective Two-Face waiting for him. Harvey says that what he did was necessary to eliminate The Roman. Then he turns himself in. As Gordon puts the cuffs on, Dents states that there were two Holiday killers. Later Gordon and Batman muse on what he meant by that. Batman suggests that by killing The Roman on Halloween Two-Face became the second Holiday killer. Both men then ponder whether their war on organized crime was worth the price they paid.
Gordon’s wife approaches him. She has heard he arrested his friend Harvey. She asks what he’ll do now. He states that he has to continue because he believes in Gotham.
Batman reflects from a rooftop about the promise he made his parents. He feels he must continue, because he believes in Batman.
In Arkham Two-Face calls out for Gilda.
On Christmas Eve, Gilda Dent is packing up to move. She states that she did what needed to be done so that she and Harvey could spend more time together when he didn’t have to work as much. She states that she read his case files about how to alter guns, and leaving clues at murder scenes. She figured if she did that no one would suspect someone as ordinary as her. She states that she performed the first three Holiday murders. When Harvey came home after the Alberto shooting with wet hair despite the fact he was wearing a hat, she knew that he had picked up where she left off. With Alberto behind bars she is confident that no one will ever know the truth. She states that she believes in Harvey Dent.
| Storyarc Name: | Batman the Long Halloween |
| 1st Appearance: | Batman: The Long Halloween #1 |
| Appears in: | 1 issues |
| Publisher: |
