Where does the Joker come from? Who was he before his madness? What is his obsession with Gotham and Batman?
These are questions Batman readers have wondered about for years. The Joker's aura of mystery, the fact he doesn't have a fleshed out origin story, is what makes him one of the greatest villains in comics. Is he simply a man, or something more? Batman #38 attempts to give readers an answer, but it also leaves fans with a lot more questions.
What writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo are doing here in "Endgame" is one heck of a risky move. Things don't look so hot for Batman and Gotham City. Joker's poisoned the entire city with a deadly virus, the Justice League is out of commission and Jim Gordon is down for the count after an encounter with the Clown Prince himself. As Batman dives deeper into the origins of Joker's virus, he may have also discovered more about the origin of Joker himself.
Batman also manages to track down the man responsible for helping Joker manufacture the virus. Turns out it is none other than the New 52 version of Crazy Quilt, a former Wayne Enterprises scientist by the name of Dr. Paul Dekker. He is definitely still crazy here, having learned the "truth" about the Joker and his seemingly magical ability to never stay down for good.
It's a dangerous proposition. Dispelling some of the myth surrounding Joker as a character has the potential to backfire. Big time. But Snyder manages to make every reveal, every additional piece of the puzzle compelling, as if this was always what was intended for Joker's character.
Along the way we see the toll Gotham's destruction is taking on Batman. He is watching his city fall apart before his eyes. Moving from point A to point B is a struggle, as the citizens of Gotham attempt to rip the Dark Knight apart. For once, he doesn't have a plan. He doesn't know how to cure the virus. He doesn't know where Joker is or how to stop him. And new revelations make Batman question everything he thought he knew about his archenemy.
Snyder and Capullo have taken readers for one wild ride in "Endgame" so far, and it's not even finished yet. It seems impossible that the duo can keep the forward momentum moving, but they've done just that in Batman issue #38. The result is an issue fans will be talking about for years to come.
Story
★★★★☆
Art
★★★★☆
Overall
★★★★☆
