Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I thought that the artwork was very good, and I certainly enjoyed the stories. What was the meaning of the third story? I guess that it is up to you (and Bruce) to decide. As for me, I highly recommend this book.


Last Story Is Pretty Crap.   December 6, 2005
 14 out of 15 found this review helpful

This here is Loeb and Sale's first batman stories. This book is a collection of three batman halloween specials that were released in the mid 90's. The first story is entitled 'Fears', the second 'Madness', and the third and final story is titled 'Ghosts'.

The stories:
The first story called fears is deffinately the best story in the whole book. The storie's villain is the scarecrow, and him and his goons have been taking out sub stations so parts of gotham is in darkness, stores and places are then looted because of the sudden darkness. Scarecrow also is trying to bring fear to the people of gotham city, by putting the fear pwder into teddy bears and other stuffed toys that children play with. In many ways this story actually inspired the batman begins movie. This is by far the best story in this book, it's very original and keeps you entertained the whole way through.
The next story called madness is the second best story in the book. The villain this time is the absolutely insane mad hatter, who thinks he is the character from the children's book Alice In Wonderland. Jim Gordon's daughter Barbara has a fight with him, because it's halloween night she want's to go out trick or treating, she gets out without jim's approval and is then being threatened by men dressed in outfits. The mad hatter saves her but then kidnaps her for his reinactment of the story he obsessed about, he thinks she's alice, so he tends to keep her and the other kids who have been missing. This story is another story that has a lot of fun reading it, but somehow lacks a bit.
The next story named ghosts is actually the let down of this book. Bruce Wayne is actually a scrooge character in this story, he is visited by hi father telling him that he will be visited by three spirits, warning him about being batman. The first Is Poison Ivy, The second is The Joker, and the third is the grim reaper. This story is very lame and dissapointing, it is not a very exciting read and tends to get pretty cheesy and annoying.
This is a good effort by Tim and Jeph but fails to deliver a knockout read like the long halloween and dark victory. If you own the other two batman books that Loeb And Tim did, buy this if you want to complete their collaberation together doing the year one books then buy this. But the only reason buying this is the fears story. Overall it's an ok book.


The third story is best   June 27, 2005
 11 out of 13 found this review helpful

This book is a collection of three Batman tales. In the first, Bruce Wayne begins to get serious with a woman while the Scarecrow terrorizes Gotham. In the second, the Mad Hatter is up to his usual schemes. Finally, the third is a Batman version of the Dickens classic, "A Christmas Carol."
My favorite is the third story. The tale is woven so that it becomes obvious to Bruce that the Batman can sometimes be his own worse enemy. I just love the way a night of strange visions can change even the most uncompromising character. The thing I always loved about the whole "Scrooge" archetype is that the presence of three spirits, a mystical and supernatural event, takes back seat to an even more incredible event; the redemption of a wayward human heart. So I am a sucker for the whole "Christmas Carol" mentality.
The thing about the Mad Hatter is I believe they've taken the character a bit far; he went from a dreaming schemer to a delusional psychotic. He once was just an eccentric criminal whose sense of reality was a bit distorted; now he is a homocidal maniac. I don't, in general, like the way they write the Jervis Tetch character nowadays.
Nonetheless, the third story is good and the first one is good enough to warrant a good recommendation for this book.


Batman + Halloween = Good Readin'   October 9, 1999
 8 out of 9 found this review helpful

This TPB collects the 3 Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Specials, and is not a bad compilation at all. The first story appears to be simple Scarecrow tale, but looks are decieving. It's more about the incredible differences between Bruce Wayne and Batman. The second tale, a Mad Hatter story, is pretty basic; nothing special about it. Its average-ness is what caused the book to earn 4 stars rather than 5. But Loeb and Sale make up for it with the 3rd story, a 'Christmas Carol' knock-off that you have to read to believe. Sale's artwork is absolutely gorgeous in all 3 tales. My reccomendation is to buy the 'Batman: Long Halloween' TPB first. If you like it, then buy Haunted Knight, they are by the same people and in the same vein.


3 Fine Stories   August 31, 2002
 7 out of 8 found this review helpful

Set early in Batman's career, these tales show what Gotham's worst criminals do on All Hallow's Eve.

In the first story, entitled 'Fears', Batman confronts the Scarecrow, who's destroying Gotham's power plants, then using the subsequent darkness to commit crimes.
In the second story, entitled 'Madness', Batman battles the Mad Hatter, who has captured children in his perverse version of 'Alice in Wonderland'
And in the third story ('Ghosts'), Batman confronts the ghosts of his past, present, and future. Loosely based on 'A Christmas Carol', Batman has to deal with his inner demons.

As I've said before. Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale are perfectly suited to bring us tales of the Dark Knight. These stories are very well written by Loeb, whose words mesh well with Sale's dark artwork.

The only reason this book doesnt get 5 stars is for the somewhat linear Mad Hatter story. I may be a bit biased, because the Mad Hatter is my least favorite Batman villain, but I was a little disappointed with it. The other two stories, however, are marvelous.

Overall, this book is well worth owning. I strongly recommend it.