The iconic limited DC series of the 90's: Batman: The Long Halloween is now a new upcoming animated full length film.  Batman: The Long Halloween, Part 1 will be released on June 22 this year on Digital and Blu-Ray.  There will also be a Batman: the Long Halloween, Part 2 which will be released in 2022.

The film is based on the 13-issue series by Tim Sale and Jeph Loeb which began in November 1996.  Tim Sale's cover art features a different holiday each issue, beginning with Halloween.  Beyond the first issue of the series, holidays depicted in cover art include Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, April Fool's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Independence Day, Roman Holiday (OK, that one was a stretch), and finishing with a shrunken pumpkin Punishment Halloween cover. 

The storyline by Loeb centers around Batman, law enforcement (Captain James Gordon) with District Attorney Harvey Dent attempting to discover the identity of the mysterious murderer, Holiday.  Holiday's modus operandi is to kill one person each month on holidays.  Initial leads come from an incarcerated Calendar Man, a supervillain who knows the identity of the killer but will only give riddles as clues about Holiday.  The murders and the clues continue until the last issue when Holiday is unmasked.  

This series is considered one the best Batman series due to Sales' moody dark art and Loeb's great cliffhanger storyline.  This was a popular series in the mid-90's with sales staying consistently around 50,000-60,000 copies sold.  It also ranked in the top 50 most popular comics by sales during that time.  

The film is coming, so what are the spec opportunities for Batman: The Long Halloween?  

Batman: Long Halloween #1

 Issue #1 is the biggest mover so far in the series when it comes to value.  A 9.8 CGC graded has an FMV of $375 and a 9.6 CGC graded will run you $170.  The trend is +39.1% with sales increasing.  

Three years ago, you could pick up a CGC 9.8 for around $100.  So, between the crazy Comic Market increases and the feature film news, values are making a respectable rise.  

Batman: Long Halloween #4 and #5

I'm not sure why, but issue #4 (New Year's Eve) and issue #5 (Valentine's Day) are next in value after issue #1.  Issue #4 has an FMV of $150 for a CGC graded 9.8 and issue #5 has the same FMV.  Why these two issues?  Like I stated, I don't know why these two issues are leading the pack in value of the 13 issues, but they are.

Batman: Long Halloween #10

The reason I am listing issue #10 here is not that it has risen so much in value, but because I consider the cover art as one of the best ever Batman covers.  I am doing an upcoming blog on best ever Batman covers soon (be on the lookout).  So, get you a copy for your PC not because of the spec but just because of the cover!

Calendar Man

So, for an outside spec possibility that may be overlooked, I give you Calendar Man!  

Calendar Man first appeared in the Silver Age comic Detective #259 (1958).  This villain's next appearance was in the Bronze Age comic Batman #312 (1979), though he had a brand new, strange look (don't miss that helmet with horns).  Next, Calendar Man showed up in Batman #384 and #385 (1985) with another whole new look!  

Detective #259 checks in with a 6.5 CGC graded coming in at $625, while Batman #312 clocks $400 for a graded 9.8 (a 9.6 is $34?!?!).  And lastly, the Batman #384 has an FMV of around $120 for a 9.8.  

Spec Conclusions

I think Batman: Long Halloween #1 still has some meat on the bone.  I would pick up a copy and hold it until the next movie Batman: Long Halloween, Part Two is released in 2022.  

Get a Batman: Long Halloween #10 just because of the simple, gorgeous cover.  Just because...

Finally, I think if you want to back Calendar Man for spec, go with Batman #384.  The trend is +87.8%!  Where else will you find a super-villain with 1 and 31 on the shoulders of their costume?

"The town isn't big enough for two homicidal maniacs."   Batman: The Long Halloween

(Joker, I'm looking at you...)