It may not be Mother’s Day in Gotham, but don’t tell Mama Falcone that.
THE LAST HALLOWEEN drops chapter 8 of 10 this week, and it’s certainly not saving the best for last. Batman and Gordon reunite at Arkham, then go their separate ways, only to reunite again at a familiar location. Mario Falcone has surprise visitors in the hospital. The Dark Knight gets shot. Two-Face reappears. And Father’s Day is the appropriate holiday.
Whew.
Jeph Loeb is one crafty man. He excels at giving us another juicy chapter in this story as we start inching toward the end. Maybe it was because we’ve had a couple of months off, but I thought this was a standout issue. The beats hit, the drama excelled, and I was left wanting more. My only complaint is that I didn’t do a refresher and revisit the previous issue or two, but that’s not Loeb’s fault. Most people will read this story when it’s collected, so they won’t have to experience the monthly wait between issues. Lucky bastards.
This month’s artist to honor the late Tim Sale is Becky Cloonan, and she (like the others) does a commendable job. I enjoyed her work on the characters and settings, and the slight adjustments to make them fit into this world. It’s a good-looking comic book, and I’d take a whole series with her penciling.
Overall, an excellent chapter that was worth the wait. Great character moments, as well as extending the mystery, that’ll have me eagerly anticipating the final issues.
Then I’ll be sad it’s over. Enjoy the ride. – Ryan Lower
