It’s Official: Batman’s Iconic Era Has Come to an End

Published Aug 29, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT Ryan Smith is located just south of Boston and is a lifelong fan of movies, comics, music and all things pop culture... and pro wrestling, but don't hold that against him. 1996 saw the release of Batman: The Long Halloween — one of the most iconic Batman stories in the history of the character, delivered by two industry icons, Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. The Long Halloween was a 13-chapter, award-winning crime thriller that redefined Batman's moniker of "the world's greatest detective." The story really showed how the detective genre was perfect for Batman, and very few stories since have reached its heights in that regard. Batman: The Long Halloween would go on to spawn multiple sequels — Batman: Dark Victory, Catwoman: When In Rome and, of course, 2024's Batman: The Last Halloween. Now, with the paperback edition of Batman: The Last Halloween officially released by DC Comics, this particular chapter in Batman's long history has officially reached its definitive conclusion, with Loeb confirming it to be the final story in this series — which is fitting given that it follows the unfortunate passing of his longtime friend and collaborator, Tim Sale, i...