This town isn't big enough for two homicidal maniacs. 
Batman: The Long Halloween #3 is an issue of the series Batman: The Long Halloween (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1997.
Synopsis for "Chapter Three: Christmas"
It is Christmas in Gotham City and The Joker is on the loose. The maniac is terrorizing a family that he tied up and steals all their Christmas presents. Before he leaves the house, Joker reads the newspaper and learns about the serial killer labeled as "Holiday" and feels rage towards the responsible.
In Arkham Asylum, James Gordon and Batman seek the help of the inmate Julian Day; also known as "Calendar Man". Gordon points out the increasing amount of inmates in Arkham since Batman's appearance in Gotham and Batman realized that Gordon was implying that he was somehow responsible for the presence of the many maniacs in the city. They arrive at Day's cell and try to make him help them in the investigations on the holiday killer but Day seems to be too much out of his mind to be of any help. Day suggests that the killer is a woman but at the same time a man. Gordon and Batman leave him and Batman decides to focus on catching the Joker before he is able to make his move.
At Sal Maroni's restaurant, Maroni is having dinner with Toots, one of his henchmen, when suddenly the man starts laughing uncontrollably and drops dead on the table. Before he could react, Joker comes from the kitchen and points a gun at Maroni's head. Joker asks him about the Holiday killer and Maroni tells him that he doesn't know anything about the man and Joker believes him. Maroni calls two of his men to take the body of Toots and put him in the trunk of his car. Batman arrives at the scene as they are placing the body away and knocks them out. Batman asks Maroni what happened and Maroni tells him all about Joker and his curiosrity about the holiday killer. Maroni also points out that the city is filled with lunatics since Batman appeared in the city and Batman leaves the man talking to himself.
Elsewhere, Harvey and Gilda Dent arrive at their new house. Upon entering, Harvey notices some footprints on the floor and tells Gilda to go upstairs. Harvey goes into the living room and finds the Joker near the christmas tree. Harvey attacks the Joker and lands a couple of hits on the madman, but the Joker kicks Harvey in the groin and gets the upper hand. Joker warns Harvey that if he finds out that the rumors about him being the holiday killer are true, he won't be as forgiving the next time they meet. Joker leaves and Gilda finds Harvey in the floor of their living room.
Later, at Falcone's penthouse, Carmine Falcone is awakened by The Joker on top of him. The clown tells Falcone to find the holiday killer because if not, he would kill everyone in Gotham until he find out who is it. As Joker leaves the building, Milos Grapa, Falcone's personal bodyguard, tries to sneak up behind Joker before he is able to climb inside his car. The madman notices Grapa and throws many Joker playing cards at him, making him drop his gun and allowing Joker to escape.
Milos Grapa is taking his gun from the ground when someone aims a gun with a baby bottle nipple at him. The gun is fired twice and Grapa dies instantly. The killer leaves the gun and a snow globe in the crime scene.
Batman arrives at the scene and finds Grapa lying on the ground. He notices the gun and the snow globe but also the Joker playing cards. Batman promises that the next time, he will capture the Joker.
Appearing in "Chapter Three: Christmas"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Gotham Organized Crime
- Carmine Falcone
- Milos Grapa (Dies)
- Sal Maroni
- Francis "Angel" Carbone (First appearance)
- Joe "Curly" Bandano (First appearance)
- Luca "Toots" Mareli (Single appearance; dies)
- The Joker
- Holiday
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in Batman by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale Omnibus.
Trivia
- Calendar Man refers to Holiday as a man and a woman at the same time. This would prove to be true in Chapter 13; where the identities of Holiday are revealed.
See Also
- Cover gallery for the Batman: The Long Halloween series
- Images from Batman: The Long Halloween Vol 1 3