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Collects Batman 35-40, Arkham Manor Endgame, Batgirl Endgame, Batman Annual 3, Detective Comics Endgame, and Gotham Academy Endgame
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Batman: Endgame is primary story, with tie-ins and adjacent stories in the trade as well
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Main story written by Scott Snyder, with art by Greg Capullo, ink by Danny Miki, colors by FCO Plascencia, and lettering by Steve Wands
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Joker has returned after "Death of the Family" storyline – starts off by infecting the Justice League with toxin that causes them to attack Batman – he has contingency plans for each of them, but they take their toll on him – after subduing the League, Bruce goes to Arkham for clues, but is surprised by guard Eric Border, who turns out to be the Joker in disguise – he paralyzes Bruce and leaves
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Bruce wakes up in the Batcave, where Alfred and his daughter Julia reveal the Joker has infected the city with Joker Venom, which spreads through laughter – and there's no known antidote
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Meanwhile, Joker attacks Jim Gordon with an axe, and reveals he knows Bruce Wayne is Batman
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Batman then discovers the Joker has a regenerative virus within his body, similar to the Lazarus Pits, making him basically immortal, and also discovers the new Joker Venom is the inversion of that virus – whatever is keeping Joker alive will kill Gotham City
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Batman heads to Arkham to find information on the virus, and finds the doctor, Paul Dekker, who discovered it – Dr. Dekker calls the compound Dionesium, and says somehow Joker has it in his spine
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Batman goes to confront the Court of Owls about this, but they don't care if Gotham burns, as they'll simply rebuild from the ashes – while he battles one of the Talons, the Joker breaks into the Batcave, chops off Alfred's hand, and steals trophies from the cave
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Batman gathers his allies, and a few enemies like Bane, Penguin, Ivy, Clayface, Scarecrow, Killer Croc, and Mr. Freeze, to help him battle through the Joker's mob so he can extract the fluid from Joker's spine to revers the effects of the Venom
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Batman fights his way to Joker, only to be subdued by an ear-piercing scream – Joker tears off his mask to reveal Dick Grayson – meanwhile, Bruce has discovered a hidden cache of Dionesium under Gotham – Joker shows up, and they battle
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After a bloody fight, the cave collapses on top of both of them, and both are believed to be dead – but Julia was able to get the Dionesium sample that Bruce sent her, and she synthesized a cure for the Venom, so Gotham was saved
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Review – enjoyed the story, although the notion that Batman always has a contingency plan for everything that he can draw up at a moment's notice is tiring
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Capullo's artwork is engaging and incredibly detailed, and enhanced by Miki's inkwork
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FCO Plascencia's colors are bold, like the use of different palates for different locations
