Endgame’s storyline gives batman everything part ii should attempt: Gotham siege, virus and Joker
A city under siege
Written by Scott Snyder and drawn by Greg Capullo, Batman: Endgame begins with Batman confronting the Justice League, whose members appear to be out of control. The crisis grows as Gotham is locked down and an airborne virus threatens the city.
The virus is a new strain of Joker toxin, turning residents into violent attackers with grinning faces. Batman has little time and few options as the danger escalates across Gotham.
The Joker’s return
The story initially led readers to expect a fight between Batman and the Justice League, based on the cover of issue #35. That setup proves to be a red herring: the plot centers on the Joker’s return.
A sequel to Death of the Family, Endgame gives the Joker a new haircut and skin attached to his face. The story also hints that he may be more than human, casting him as a frightening, possibly ancient force rather than a familiar criminal adversary.
Batman outmatched
Endgame treats the Joker as a threat tied to Batman’s long history, while questioning what Batman believes about their relationship. Its horror elements build uncertainty about whether the Joker can be stopped.
Batman is isolated against a city in crisis and must call on members of the Bat Family as well as former enemies. Unlike the struggle against Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, this conflict gives him no comparable force of thousands of police officers to help.
A possible film finale
The six-issue run combines action and horror, with Gotham portrayed as an overrun city. Its approach reaches toward supernatural and Lovecraftian territory while pushing Batman mentally and physically.
Endgame has not achieved the classic status of stories such as The Long Halloween, Knightfall or The Dark Knight Returns. Still, its scale and resolution of Batman and the Joker’s rivalry offer one possible shape for a conclusive Batman film.
Key points
- Batman: Endgame is a six-issue story by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo.
- A Joker toxin outbreak puts Gotham under siege and turns residents violent.
- Batman must confront the Justice League and seek help from allies and enemies.
- The story’s action-horror approach could inform a dramatic final Batman film.