Derrick read and liked Jace's review of Batman: Dark Victory:

"I don't have a lot to say about this book. It's a sequel to The Long Halloween, and the connection shows. Ultimately, DARK VICTORY suffers from its similarity to its predecessor. Aside from the details of who gets murdered, the stories are nearly ide...more I don't have a lot to say about this book. It's a sequel to The Long Halloween, and the connection shows. Ultimately, DARK VICTORY suffers from its similarity to its predecessor. Aside from the details of who gets murdered, the stories are nearly identical:

An unknown villain kills his victims on holidays.
Harvey Dent/Two-Face is suspected in the crimes.
Batman tumbles with all of his rogues gallery while investigating the murders.
The killer is (disappointingly) revealed to be a character you never suspected.

The problem with DARK VICTORY is that its far too dependent on The Long Halloween. If you haven't read the first story, a lot of DARK VICTORY will be lost on you. And if you have read the first story, why would you want to read the same story all over again? I also take issue with these stories being marketed as "murder mysteries." This is not Sherlock Holmes or Agatha Christie. There are no clues left along the way that would allow the reader (or Batman, for that matter) to discern the identity of the killer. No one actually even discovers the killer's identity--it's just revealed near the end of the book.

One high point in the story is the introduction of Robin, and the developing relationship between Dick and Bruce. Loeb does a good job using their shared history of loss to bond them together.

The best part of this book is Tim Sale's art. His figures are so angular and colorful. The pages are a delight to look at, especially the ones featuring Batman's rogues gallery. I love his depiction of the Joker above all others.

Overall, it's not a bad book--I just don't see the point of it. The Long Halloween was a decent story, but DARK VICTORY tries to duplicate its success without adding anything new to the mix. Makes a fine library read, but I wouldn't shell out money for this one. (less) "