Batman #40 Review

writer: Scott Snyder / artist: Greg Capullo / DC Comics So…Batman. Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo have sent us on a trippy ride through Gotham from a fresh perspective that changed the Batman mythos for better and for always. From creepy owl cults to the bone monsters….shining light in new (and some old) corners of Dark Knight’s origin. They even went and made the Riddler relevant again. And now we’ve come the end of our time with this epic teamup in the finale of Endgame. [divider type=”space_thin”]When Issue #40 starts off Bats and the “Family” are in a reluctant team up with some of Gotham’s biggest villains. This is a great way to lend to that notion of neighborhood spirit that Snyder loves to play with so much. After all, they seem to like living in Gotham, too, so it makes sense for them to earn their keep. Granted, I would have liked to see it play more with the cliffhanger effect they still had going from Issue #39, but it served its purpose for the most part. However, for all the talk of hometown pride and unity, the struggle between Batman and the Joker has always been a very private, personal one, so it’s good they didn’t stick too much to the whole “city full of laughing zombies” widescreen approach. It doesn’t take long for the book to zoom in on comics’ greatest rivalry. Snyder’s scripting of the final battle adds gravitas and atmosphere, but Greg Capullo makes it truly shine. This is easily one of the most visceral, brutal slobberknockers between these two I…