Warning: Spoilers for Batman: The Long Halloween - The Last Halloween #3DC is teasing the death of a majorBatmanvillain, as a preview forBatman: The Long Halloween - The Last Halloween #3sets up the Riddler meeting his ultimate fate. The sequel to the all-time classicsThe Long HalloweenandDark Victory- both by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale - sets up another lengthy mystery for Batman to solve, but this time it’s not a series of murders, but rather the kidnapping of Commissioner Gordon’s son.
Coming from the creative team of Loeb, Mark Chiarello, and Richard Starkings,The Last Halloween#3 continues the story of the kidnapping of James Gordon, Jr. With no ransom note or contact with the kidnapper,Batmanis at a loss for what to do, whichleads him to seeking out the Riddler for help.
As seen in the preview, things aren’t looking good for Mr. Nigma. After taking a bullet to the shoulder and knee by thugs in Batman masks, they gather around theRiddler, ready to finish the job as a “BLAM” sound effect plays out above a splotch of blood and flying teeth.
DC Teases the Riddler’s Death in the IconicLong HalloweenStories
Who Is Behind James Gordon, Jr.’s Kidnapping? The Riddler May Know… If He Survives
SinceThe Last Halloweentakes place in the past,it’s highly unlikely that this is the ultimate end forthe Riddler.Edward Nigma will go on to torment Batman for years to come, but the creative team is smart in how they involve the Riddler inThe Last Halloween. Batman suspects that Nigma knowswho is behind the kidnapping of James Gordon’s son, so even if the Riddler isn’t dying, he could be taken out of the picture for the rest of the story due to his wounds. Of course, it’s also equally possible that the very next page after the preview sees Batman swooping in to save the Riddler.
Batman: The Long Halloween - The Last HalloweenBrings Back Former DC Art Director Mark Chiarello
Batman / Houdini: The Devil’s Workshop#1 Cover by Mark Chiarello
Aside from finding out the Riddler’s ultimate fate,The Last Halloween#3 is special due to the beautiful painted artwork provided by Chiarello.The Long HalloweenandDark VictoryartistSale sadly passed away in 2022, soThe Last Halloweenhas become something of a tribute book, with various high-profile artists providing pages in Sale’s stead. Chiarello’s contribution here is significant, as it’s the first work the artist has done for DC after serving as Senior Vice President, Art & Design Director for the company from 1992 to 2019.
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The Last Halloween#3 also marks the first time that Chiarello has illustrated the interiors of a comic book since 2007, when he drew the origin of Two-Face inCountdown#27. Working as a colorist for most of his career, Chiarello has rarely provided the full artwork for comics projects, with his Elseworlds titleBatman / Houdini: Devil’s Workshop#1 (with writers Howard Chaykin and David Tischman) being a career highlight. Whether the Riddler survivesThe Last Halloweenor not, fans won’t want to miss the upcoming issue to see how theBatman: The Long Halloweensaga wraps up.
Batman: The Long Halloween - The Last Halloween#3is available November 27th, 2024 from DC Comics.
Batman The Long Halloween
Christmas. St. Patrick’s Day. Easter. As the calendar’s days stack up, so do the bodies littered in the streets of Gotham City. A murderer is loose, killing only on holidays. The only man that can stop this fiend? The Dark Knight. In a mystery taking place during Batman’s early days of crime fighting, Batman: The Long Halloween is one of the greatest Dark Knight stories ever told.
