ECC Ediciones brings us a deluxe edition of Batman: The Cursed Knight from the couple who gave us so much fun, Tim Sale and Jeph Loeb.

For some time ECC Ediciones has been committed to collecting the sometimes timeless classics that appear in certain reading guides and reprinting them in deluxe format, truly meticulous editions to be purchased by the most sybaritic readers. The last comic to receive this treatment was Batman: Doomed Knight.

Sales and lobbying

A screenwriter from Hollywood cinema and a traditional cartoonist (and color blind, something that has never been a problem in his career), he’s one of those people who use washes and make each panel like a miniature painting with a touch that fits the description. Almost by accident in the series plan, they formed a creative team that has given readers so much joy over the years.

The writer’s complex, intricate and sometimes slightly snarky scripts are a great foundation for Tim Sale to build on, and his skill has shown that they work together rather than apart (especially in the case of Jeph Loeb). And they transport us to that special universe where proportions and beauty work under their own rules.

At Marvel Comics, what we might call their color series (Daredevil Yellow, Hulk Grey, Spiderman Blue, and Captain America White), they were responsible for comics that were reissued year after year to ensure they were always in demand. And the most popular thing in DC Comics is the unique universe built around Gotham City, the city’s heroes and the local mafia. And chronologically Batman: The Cursed Knight will be the first of the installments, a collection of three short stories that bring the legend of the Dark Knight to life like never before…

Batman has never been seen before

In the mid-nineties, editor Goodwin proposed to the pair that they create three stories that would appear in the Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight series as special Halloween issues. It could be a coincidence or Goodwin had a wonderful nose as an editor, but the truth is that it is difficult to imagine a commission in which this couple shines more …

In the three special events, we first get a story built around the figure of the Scarecrow and the special lab that Batman must go through to capture him. In the second, we approach Alice in Wonderland, obviously with the Mad Hatter as the villain and Barbara Gordon as Alice. And finally, this time in A Christmas Carol we find another story inspired by an ancient literary work. Poison Ivy, Joker and…another ghost…will be in charge of teaching Bruce Wayne a lesson.

Undoubtedly, the most interesting thing about these stories is the way Sally creates and feeds his own universe, perhaps a little influenced by the films of Tim Burton. The presentation of each new character is an event caused by the choices the artist made in the vignettes, the setting is excellent and unique, the visual narrative is intoxicating. At that time, such an approach to this character and the world had never been seen, and his success was the key to many future works of this group.

Complementing these three stories is what may be the last story made by this team, something that will remain so due to the death of sales a few years ago. It is the title of the most famous long Halloween rhyme. In fact, its inclusion in this compilation is good for completists who want to find everything that this couple did with Batman in this issue, but otherwise it doesn’t make much sense.

Batman: Knight of the Cross (Deluxe Edition)

ISBN: 978-84-19920-90-4

The worst night of the year

Before the holidays, Halloween night was one of the most complicated of the year for Gotham City residents. In the stories included in this volume, Batman must repel the Scarecrow with thorns, rescue young Barbara Gordon from the Mad Hatter, and face off against a Christmas carol with special guests.

Batman: The Cursed Knight compiles three adventures written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Tim Salley, a prequel to the popular Long Halloween. This deluxe edition is complete with a special that deals with the consequences of these minor issues and represents the ultimate Lob and Sales collaboration.

Authors: Jeff Loeb and Tim Sale