It seems every day we are learning of more anticipated projects being pushed back due to COVID-19. New to the list is Matt Reeves’ The Batman which has now been set for October 2021.

Ha. F*** me.

Along with the announcement came the word from the films creative camp that the October shift almost “suits the mood” of the movie… Alright. Enough bulls***. This thing is CLEARLY going to adapt Jeph Loeb’s iconic, The Long Halloween. What is that you ask? Only one of THE greatest Batman stories ever written! Yes, we are going to have to wait a bit longer to see the film, but while you’re locked inside you can experience the story right now!

Here are some clues that we’ve received so far of the film’s likelihood being an adaptation of the tale as well as some elements that make it so fantastic.

1: The Art of Tim Sale: I can be a bit of a diva when it comes to my comics. I know there are many stories that are worshiped in the archives, but if the art doesn’t speak to me I have a really tough time getting on board. This issue however does not come up when it comes to Tim Sale’s work on this book. His beautiful depiction of Poison Ivy, the purple suited Catwoman, the lankiness of Scarecrow, the height and exaggeration of the Jokers grin… There is something about all those choices as well as the mellow use of color that makes it all feel somewhat Burton-esque?

I understand that for some it is a love-hate relationship with the book when it comes to Sale’s work. In my case it makes the experience all the more unique and enjoyable.

2: All Those Villains Though: It’s rare to include a wide range of rogue’s gallery members in a single story and even more rare to pull it off successfully. TLH allows for multiple to show up and it all feels cohesive, fluid, even, and fair.

The upcoming film has announced that it will feature Penguin, Riddler, and Catwoman. All three of these characters appear in TLH so, makes sense. Catwoman has a large role in the book so we can certainly expect her to be front and center along with Pattinson’s Batman. What role does she play in the story? Read and find out!

3: A classic ‘Who Done It’: If you like yourself a good mystery or even enjoyed watching some of Batman’s detective adventures in old episodes of TAS, then look no further. This is for you.

TLH is very much a murder mystery. The story begins with the murder of a prominent mafia figure on Halloween which then continues with more murders of big mobsters taking place on prominent holidays throughout the year (Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc…)

The Meroni and Falcone families (you may be familiar with these names from Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins) are at the center of this ordeal and Reeves’ film has announced that John Turturro will be playing Carmine Falcone himself. This is yet another big clue to the books adaptation.

4: One Character Missing: One figure absent from the cast list, and a big one for the story, is DA Harvey Dent. This might be the biggest red herring that the book isn’t the source of inspiration.

Well, it can’t be EXACTLY like the book.

The reason the character is being left out, most likely, is that we have already seen his arc from the graphic novel adapted. Let me explain a little more while trying to avoid stepping on a spoiler; If you have seen The Dark Knight, which tells an amazing Dent story, it seems redundant and challenging to attempt it again now.

I believe there are ways to include elements of his involvement in the story with what characters have been announced and still make it something great.

Guys, we’re in for a long quarantine and an even longer year of social distancing. If you’re looking to fill up some of your time with great reading then The Long Halloween will not disappoint.