Batman: The Long Halloween – The Last Halloween has been nothing short of exciting as Jeph Loeb, using an idea crafted with the late Tim Sale, comes closer to completion. Batman: The Long Halloween – The Last Halloween #4 is out this week, with artist Cliff Chiang taking over to bring his vivid and super clean art style. It’s a match made in heaven for an excellent chapter in this maxi-series.
Thanks to Batman: The Long Halloween – The Last Halloween #4, things are coming to a head early on in this story. Things like Catwoman confronting Robin, Solomon Grundy, and where we left off with Batman all offer satisfying turns in this issue. That makes for a satisfying chapter and a chapter that feels like it’s shifting toward a new direction. That’s obvious from the cliffhanger, but also due to Batman nearly dying!
The issue opens where we left off, as Batman is on all fours with a rather nasty wound on his side. Loeb’s captions about the hard times of Christmas juxtapose well with the ever-present danger Batman faces. Those captions, spoken by Robin, help convey the difficult time of year due to losing his parents. They draw you in and act like a pronounced period once they cut away in the opening sequence.
That sequence is drawn masterfully by Chiang, who gets to draw the Batcave, and it is rather intense in the first few seconds as Batman is literally dead. While we hang on the edge of our seats wondering if Batman will make it, a scene changes to Solomon Grundy, and the unstoppable force of his very being captures the looming danger inside the Batcave and out.
These scenes lead to Robin giving up on waiting for Batman to get better and taking charge. It’s a nice turn for the character who Batman has mostly coddled. It also leads to a romantic bit of writing involving Catwoman.
Epic double page!
Credit: DC Comics
As far as plot progression, it may seem like not a lot happens, but Chiang and Loeb capture your interest with Batman’s possible death and the conviction of Robin. Even Grundy gets something done by the end of the story. Might fans wish there was more Batman on the page? Probably, but as far as a turning point in the story, this issue has a lot to chew on.
Batman: The Long Halloween – The Last Halloween #4 successfully balances suspense and character development, with Cliff Chiang’s art and Jeph Loeb’s writing delivering a memorable and engaging chapter. While it may leave fans desiring more focus on Batman, the issue’s turning points set the stage for an intriguing continuation of the story.
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