Batman: Endgame ends today with Batman #40!

Let’s take a look back at the evolution of Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Joker.

As you mightve guessed, this article contains Batman comics spoilers…Enjoy!

A relieved Commissioner Gordon calls Batman to tell him the good news.

But Gordon learned quite a bit about the Joker this issue.

Hed do well to turn around.

There are a couple of big discoveries made about this version of the Joker inBatman#37.

Snyders Joker, it would seem, is the beast thats older than time itself.

At least older than Batman.

That face belongs to none other than the Joker.

Whats even more disturbing is what happens next.

Joker, the haunting of Gotham City has arrived.

Only the word Ha flashes on the screen, a new element in Jokers gas.

Its no accident thatBatman#37 opens with Bruce telling himself that Joker is nothing more than a man.

If Joker is nothing more than a mere man, he can be defeated.

We see Batman easily defeat Joker in the opening pages ofDetective ComicsVol.

This is shortly before Joker has Dollmaker cut off his face, so that he may be reborn.

So much of Synder and Capullos run has focused on the Joker.

He can be anyone and everywhere.

Not much in terms of the supernatural going on there.

Simple and believable, as far as realism in comics goes.

But even this serves Snyder and Capullos purposes.

You helped me evolve.

Now let me help you…

It all comes down to evolution on the Jokers part.

Theres a change in the dynamic.

The Joker doesnt need the Batman anymore.The monster has evolved past the hero.

This is the last Joker story of Batman and Joker.

Joker is moving on, is what Joker would say.

So its really the end of the game played between the two of them.

How Joker survived the events of Death of the Family without a face is anyones guess.

The Joker From Hell.

The Joker is pissed about Bruces decision and decides to end the man himself.

Snyder said, This time, [Joker]s going to be looking for a kind of tragedy.

you could see it in Jokers face:

Endgame has been the subject of feverish discussion for Batfans.

Some thought perhaps it meant that it would be the end of Snyder and Capullos run on the book.

I know, ridiculous.

But it definitely is an end of sorts to their fantastic run thus far.

It will be an all-newBatmanwith plenty of great, gutsy, new stories to tell.

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