Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Batman: The Last Halloween #2Batman’s new sequel to The Long Halloween has given The Dark Knight’s rogues a new enemy, one who’s far more dangerous and lethal than the Caped Crusader himself. In the original Long Halloween, the “Holiday Killer” began killing several members of the Falcone and Maroni crime families within a single year, beginning on October 31st. While this gave rise to the “freaks” of Gotham and more of Batman’s more colorful foes, it seems the shoe is now on the other foot.
As seen in Batman: The Last Halloween #2 by Jeph Loeb and Klaus Janson, several of Batman’s rogues (and allies) have been targeted by what looks to be a copycat Holiday Killer, as well as thugs dressed as clowns and scarecrows. Meanwhile, Batman and his new sidekick Robin are trying to find the connection, though the bodies have already begun to pile up:
Considering who’s been attacked and/or taken thus far, it does seem like this new Holiday Killer is fueled by pure vengeance, wanting revenge upon those who were involved in the demise of Gotham’s biggest organized crime families. To that end, there does seem to be a most likely candidate as to whom this new Holiday Killer in Gotham truly is.
A New Holiday Killer Is In Gotham (And It’s Probably Mario Falcone)
Seeking Revenge on Gotham’s “Freaks”
As seen in the first two issues of The Last Halloween, Jim Gordon’s son James was seemingly taken by Holiday on Halloween night and is still missing. Likewise, Solomon Grundy has been taken by a gang of clowns, chained with cinderblocks, and thrown into the river. Those same clowns seemingly took Two-Face and his wife Gilda Dent as well. Catwoman was shot with a .22 pistol, Holiday’s signature firearm, and Penguin has now been shot by a gang of scarecrows (also with a .22). Keeping all of this in mind, it can’t be a coincidence that Mario Falcone has recently come back to Gotham.
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The last surviving son of Carmine Falcone, the time may have come for Mario to seek vengeance for what happened to his family. Likewise, it may just be his turn to become a serial killer, seeing as how his brother Alberto was considered to be one of the Holiday Killers in the original Long Halloween and his sister Sofia became the Hangman in the follow-up, Dark Victory. After all, all the victims thus far make sense given their roles in the original Long Halloween if Mario Falcone’s the one who’s behind it all.
The New Holiday Seems To Be Declaring War on Gotham’s Freaks
And Batman Is Right In The Middle Of The Mystery
It’s also not a bad guess to suggest that Mario Falcone has been ordering his men to dress up as clowns and scarecrows in order to keep the public blame on Gotham’s freaks while the real freaks are being targeted one by one. It certainly seems like Mario would be wanting to restore the Falcone Crime Family back to the power it once had over Gotham. At any rate, it should also be very interesting to see how Batman reacts and puts the pieces together going forward, especially now that the FBI caught him standing over Penguin’s body while holding Holiday’s pistol.
Batman: The Last Halloween #2 is on sale now 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.
- Writer
- Jeph Loeb
- Penciler
- Tim Sale
- Inker
- Tim Sale
- Colorist
- Gregory Wright
- Letterer
- Richard Starkings, Comicraft
- Publisher
- DC Comics
Summary
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.
