When it comes to The Dark Knight, there is a multitude of fantastic stories to choose from. The two that are often held at a higher standard than the others are The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller. Many believe Batman is at his best in these two iconic story arcs, and each one has its strengths and weaknesses.
When fans debate which Batman tale is the best, these are the two they always come back to. Their influences on The Caped Crusader are apparent in almost every adaptation that has come after them, but which one is the true king in the eyes of fans?
10 Long Halloween: Origin Of Two-Face
Debuting in Detective Comics #66 in 1942, the District Attorney turned hardened criminal, Harvey Two-Face, has had many different variations over the years. Perhaps one of the best received, was his appearance in Long Halloween. Among other things, Long Halloween serves as an origin story for the fall of Harvey Dent.
Harvey is shown to be as faithful to Gotham City as Batman and wants to see justice prevail as much as him. Harvey has a dark side, however, and unlike Bruce Wayne, is unable to keep it under control after a violent attempt on his life leaves half his face scarred. Dent crosses a line he is unable to return from, making this version of Harvey absolutely heartbreaking.
9 Dark Knight Returns: Helped Modernize Batman
In 1966, Batman was saved from cancellation with the debut of the classic television series starring Adam West. For nearly 20 years after, the campy and lighthearted take on the character is how the general public saw him. In the '80s, however, comic writers wanted to take Batman back to his dark and gritty roots, and The Dark Knight Returns was key in doing just that.
While not the only story of the time to do so, the Frank Miller classic was arguably the most impactful to the future of the character. Now, Batman is seen as a dark and brooding character in the eyes of most, and this is due in part to the success of this arc as well as others such as The Killing Joke and Year One.
8 Long Halloween: One Of Batman's Great Mysteries
One of the many nicknames Batman has earned over the years is The World's Greatest Detective. In Long Halloween, this name is put to the test as Batman must track down a mysterious killer who only strikes on holidays. At its core, Long Halloween is a mystery story set in Batman's world.
The story grips readers and makes them anxiously turn the pages to see what happens next. Like any great mystery, there are twists and turns and the reader's expectations are shaken with each panel. It is always fun to see Batman beat criminals to a pulp, but it can be just as thrilling trying to solve a mystery alongside him.
7 Dark Knight Returns: Shows Why Criminals Fear Batman
Fear is perhaps Batman's greatest weapon in his arsenal. The entire reason he dresses as a bat is to strike fear into the hearts of Gotham's scummiest. Dark Knight Returns sees Bruce Wayne return to crime-fighting after an extended retirement. In his absence, criminals have once again begun to rule Gotham City, and they are certainly not afraid of the myth of Batman.
Batman returns and shows them just how wrong they are when he takes out the mutant leader, showing them all who really rules Gotham. This Batman uses brutal force to strike fear into his enemies, something many future versions take inspiration from.
6 Long Halloween: Heavily Inspired The Dark Knight
One of the most celebrated and iconic Batman films came in 2008 with Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight. While also taking inspiration from other sources such as The Killing Joke, much of the film takes its source material straight from the pages of Long Halloween.
Most obviously is the three-way relationship between Batman, Harvey Dent, and James Gordon. Other elements such as the burning of a large mountain of money also come from Jeph Loeb's story, albeit under different circumstances. Both are among the gold standard when it comes to Batman media, and it is no surprise that one helped to spawn the other.
5 Dark Knight Returns: Introduced New Robin
From Dick Grayson to Damien Wayne, there have been more than a few people to don the mask of Robin. In Dark Knight Returns, Batman takes a new protégé under his batwing, this time being a young female named Carrie Kelley. Carrie proves herself to the aging hero almost immediately. Although reluctant at first, he allows her to fight alongside him as the new Robin, a role she perfectly fits into.
Carrie differs from past Robins in several ways, making a name for herself and makes her stand out from the others. Carrie is intelligent and is quick on her feet, ensuring that she is able to hold her own in a fight. Carrie hasn't appeared as much as the other Robins, but she is just as valuable to Batman's quest as they are.
4 Long Halloween: Relationship Between Batman And Gordon
When Bruce Wayne became Batman, James Gordon was one of the good cops who stood up to the corrupt officers in the GCPD and was the only one that actually trusted Batman. Jim is one of Batman's most loyal and important allies, and their relationship in Long Halloween should be viewed as the blueprint of this.
The two men want nothing more than to see the criminals of Gotham get what they deserve, and they will help each other as best as they can. Long Halloween perfectly shows that one person alone can't fight crime alone, and it's nice to have an ally in the dark streets of Gotham.
3 Dark Knight Returns: Frank Miller Is At His Best
Frank Miller has had many ups and downs in his career. At worst, fans will say he is disjointed and bizarre. At his best, however, he is nothing short of legendary. Dark Knight Returns is very much the latter as Frank shows he knows the classic character inside and out, and he packs an emotional and iconic punch in this first outing.
With his sequels, fans are more split, but one would be hard-pressed to find someone who flat-out dislikes Dark Knight Returns. Frank Miller had a huge hand in reinventing Batman, and that is more than enough to cement him as a comic legend.
2 Long Halloween: One Of The Best Versions Of Catwoman
Selina Kyle aka Catwoman has been a mainstay in the Batman comics for decades. Many versions of her simply exist for fan service or to be eye candy. Long Halloween shows that the character deserves just as much respect as Batman, and she fully intends to get it.
Like many versions, Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne are an item while Batman and Catwoman are at odds with each other. Catwoman is usually out for herself, only taking sides if it benefits her directly. This version shows that at the end of the day, she does have a good heart and will do what is right.
1 Dark Knight Returns: Batman And Joker Rivalry Climax
The rivalry between Batman and the Joker is one of the most iconic of all time. Dark Knight Returns shows that their battle is practically never-ending until Batman decided enough is enough. The epic climactic battle is one of the most brutal involving the two characters, due in part to the fact that each one knows only one will make it out alive.
Outside of the fight itself, the dialogue is absolutely iconic and perfectly showcases why in a twisted sense they need each other. There is plenty of fan debate on what exactly happened at the end of the battle, with some fan theories even existing that suggest Batman is so far gone, he is imagining talking to Joker when he has been dead all along.
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