Rating: 
Summary: Great art, great story, what else do you want?
Review: A sequel that delivers for a change! The art is just fantastic. Tim Sale is one of the few artists with whom the "less is more" school of art actually works. A lot of empty spaces and exaggerated grotesque characters give the story its mood, which is admittedly influenced by Frank Miller's Year One. Jeph Leob also isn't afraid to give Sale the use of full and two-page spreads for dramatic effect. Leob is one of the few writers who actually seems to tailor his writing style to fit the artist he is working with. Its totally different here from the style he uses with Ed McGuinness on Superman and with Jim Lee on Batman: Hush. One more thing: If you are a Catwoman fan, you'll like this.
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Rating:
Summary: Stunning Victory
Review: After reading and enjoying author Jeph Loeb/artist Tim Sale's Batman epic, The Long Halloween, I found out that there was a sequel. I was surprised how hard it was to find a copy. Every time I tried to purchase the follow up, it was either on order or, completely sold out. My months of frustration are now done, having just completed Dark Victory, I can safely state that the tale is a worthy follow up to what came before.
The story follows an intricately woven series of challenges for the Dark Knight of Gotham. Shortly after the events of The Long Halloween, a cop killer, known only as Hangman strikes and plunges Gotham into further chaos. The populace is being over run by a gang of villianous freaks, as the cops are determined to catch this brutal killer, led by the city's new police commissioner, James Gordon. The Falcone crime family takes advantage of the situation and decides to rebuild their now decimated empire. We also meet a new District Attorney, Janice Porter, following Harvey Dent's fall from grace to become the evil Two Face. In the midst of all of this, Batman meets an orphan, that will change his life forever. If it sounds like a "crowded" story, it is, but Loeb, who's also a consuting producer for the Superman as a teen series Smallville, is able to tell a story in such a way, as to draw readers right in. All of these plotlines work well off each other and never bogg down the book. Sale, who also wrote the trade paperback's intoduction, gives the story some fine contasts, using darker shades with burts of color, for the art. Matching the style created for TLH, his layout is one of tradition and innovation. Betweem the words and pictures, Dark Victory is a feast for the eyes of every comic book fan. The 392 page book also includes a Falcone "family tree" and some of Sale's character sketches. ****1/2 stars and of course, the book is recommened.
Rating: 
Summary: Know your Loeb
Review: Current readers of the "Hush" storyline told in Batman might want to do some research on Jeph Loeb's past Batman series. If you thought the end of the last Batman issue was a shocker, hold onto your seats because the ride ain't over yet! Dark Victory is the sequel to Loeb's previous story "The Long halloween," which focused on the war between Batman, DA Harvey Dent and Comissioner Gordon against the crime family of the Roman "Empire." During this war, a serial killer named Holiday was picking off key members of the Roman crime family or peopel associated with them, all around a certain holiday each month (Thanksgiving, New Year's, etc.) In the end, the head of the Roman Empire dies, Holiday is caught and revealed (or is he?), but at the cost of Harvey Dent, who is now Two-Face. DV brings back a lot of key characters from LH, but also introduces Dick Grayson, the first Robin. Another serial killer stalks the streets of Gotham: the Hangman. Only this time, the police are being targeted. Who is this Hangman, and what's with the new DA? When it comes to Jeph Loeb, it's always the person you'd least expect that reveals themselves in the end. This is a great read, whether you like mysteries or comics or if you're just bored. However, I'd recommend reading Long Halloween first to gain a better understanding of events prior to DV.
Rating:
Summary: Batman at his best
Review: I had read many great things about this book and was not even slightly dissapointed. My only previous exposure to the creative team was Daredvil: Yellow, which was good, but it left me completely unprepared for what I was about to read. Batman, in my opinion, has the most potential of any comic book character. His combination of physical prowess and mental acuity, partnered with a deep, lenghty history and top notch supporting cast place him at the top of the super-hero food chain. The problem has always been in execution. Done properly, he is fantastic. Unfortunately, he is so rarely done in away that plays to the characters strengths and makes use of his long and deep history. This story got everthing out of his rogues gallery and made the most of his detective skills. What could have been a typical slugfest with the cream of his rogues gallery was instead a well paced, rivetting detective thriller. Two face had depth I have never seen before. Writers usually beat you over the head with his crimes based on the number two, but here we were given a much deeper view of what drives Harvey Dent. The same can be said of all of the other characters, hero and villian alike. The artwork was perfect for Batman. It was dark and gritty, which is what Batman artwork should be. I also like how the story was retro-fitted to blend with Batman continuity, introducing Robin into the Batman mythology. I didn't want to give away any plot elements with my review, but I hope it gave an idea of the style and flavor of the story. It was Batman at his best, in my opinion as good a story as The Dark Knight Returns.
Rating: 
Summary: Has action, has mystery, has flaws!
Review: I think this goes for Long Halloween and Dark Victory: Cool, but characters not well enough developed. The whole mystery thing is cool because that is what Batman is really about, man. It would have been nice to not see the mob families again, though. After like 300 pages of them in the last book, I got bored with them. They're not even likeable! I mean, they're bad guys, I get it, but Joker could be even cooler than Batman himself. Plus, Robin sucks plenty in this book. He's on the cover and junk but he's only in the last two issues. Loeb tries to reinvent the Robin story, but fails miserably. He tried to make Robin mad about his parents but I just don't feel bad for Dick Grayson like I should. Someone in the reviews said that this was better than anything Frank Miller has done. Don't believe it! Batman Dark Victory: Don't believe the hype. It is page turning, hence at least three stars, but that could just be denial from paying 20 bucks talking.
Rating:
Summary: Another great graphic novel
Review: In this sequel to Batman: The Long Halloween, a new District Attorney has plans to clean up Gotham, and her plans include cleaning up Batman. But, someone is playing Hangman, and with each new game, someone in the police department gets hanged. As if things aren't bad enough, a mass breakout from Arkham puts a lot of super-villains on the street (including Two-Face, Joker, Solomon Grundy, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, and Penguin). This is another great graphic novel, and a worthy sequel to The Long Halloween. I thought the story was nice and gripping (just like a Batman story should be!), while the illustrations were wonderfully done, making the whole read that much better. I enjoyed the Catwoman character once again, and thought that the author did a great job with the Robin character. I highly recommend this book to any, and every, Batman fan!
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding Sequel ! Almost as Good as The Long Halloween
Review: Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale have done it again in "Batman: Dark Victory." The story is still a "whodunnit" and is similiar in formula to the first (killings take place on a Holiday). The target this time are "cops" and many "cops" only mildly remembered in previous Batman stories are quickly brought into this story only to be killed. The plot thickens as Gordon and Batman try and get the killer. The art work is much better than the Long Halloween. It has a similar style, but is perfected in this series, especially on the Batman. The story is thinner and I easliy figured out the killer after the first death. Neverless, the story is still written so well, I stayed tuned and felt compelled to go on. Enjoying every minute as I turned each page. Robin is skillfully brought in to the story. Even if you have the magizine format, get this special hardbound edition. You can re-read the story withhout touching the magazine (therefore, not having to take a chance of devaluing the comic)and enjoy the read.
Rating:
Summary: Better than Long Halloween
Review: People that have read Long Halloween know the back story on this and if you haven't read Long Halloween pick that up and read it before reading this book. While they are seperate books they could be combined to be one book. Dark Victory starts where LH ends and continues to tell the story of Two-Face, The Maroni and Falcone families, and the new murderer "The Hangman".
Loeb and Sale are awesome again in this book the pace is still fast and includes many of Batman's trademark villians with Joker, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Mad Hatter, Scarecrow, Two-Face, and Solomon Grundy all making appearances. Loeb uses these villians so well in the little time they are in the story because ultimately its not about all of them. While Joker and Two-Face get the most attention it revolves around Two-Face and the two families that are still vying for Gotham after the Roman died in the last book.
Loeb throws in the story of how Batman takes Dick Grayson in to be the first Robin in towards the end. While it isn't to big of a part in the book it makes it more interesting.
If you're a Batman fan you should definitely pick up both of these books and set aside about 3-4 hours to read them straight through.
Rating:
Summary: best graphic nove I have read
Review: This book has the best combination of art and story in a Comic I have ever read. I think it is better than Miller at his best. The story reads like a Chandler or MacDonald noir mystery with some of the best art work put onto page. Greatly follows up the first part. Hard bound edition is excellent. A good way to introduce a new generation of young and old to the Dark Knight.
Rating:
Summary: Better than the original.
Review: This book is the follow up to the much successful story, The Long Halloween. Now keep in mind that The Long Halloween is one of the most popular Batman stories written in recent times and trying to beat that or at least tie it is a daunting task. But Loeb and Sale successfully pull it off and even gets one up on the original. Dark Victory pick up where the Long Halloween left off. The Holiday case is re-opened and he is released due to technicality, Harvey Dent escapes from Arkham, and a young Dick Grayson is left an orphan. From the very beginning, a war ensues between the old-school wiseguys and the modern freaks (i.e. Joker, Two-face, etc.) for the control of Gotham. I won't spoil the story more than it has already been done. All I have to say is that Jeph Loeb successfully manages to tie in all the events in a very coherent manner. For example, the death of Dick Grayson's parents are not just thrown in as a random act of violence but is tied in with the war between the freaks and the mobsters. Loeb also incorporates the idea of Batman (who is dark and moody) having a partner (who is on the other hand restless, talkative and dresses in a bright red and yellow outfit) in a mature manner. And as for the mystery itself, it continues in nearly the same manner as the Long Halloween. A killer is murdering former members of the Gotham City Police Department and is tagging them with hang-man puzzles. I'll admit that I was surprised by the killer's identity. But I can't say the same for all the other readers out there who might be a better sleuth than I am. All in all, in my opinion, Dark Victory reads better than the Long Halloween and is highly recommended.
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