"This is not a Batman story."
The world being what it is today, you can't blame comic creators for becoming more preoccupied with doomsday scenarios and world-ending catastrophes. All-Star Batman's "Ends of the Earth" story arc has been especially preoccupied with the end of the world. That culminates in an explosive finale issue that manages to reinforce the power of Batman in these troubled times and offer a satisfying new take on a familiar supporting character.
One of the first lines in this issue is "This is not a Batman story." And in some strange way, that's actually true. Scott Snyder and Jock emphasize Bruce Wayne over Batman here, though the line between Bruce the man and Batman the symbol has always been a little more blurry in Snyder's work than some others. But any way you slice it, this issue is very much abut pulling Bruce out of his comfort zone. As with past chapters of "Ends of the Earth," Bruce finds himself dragged out of Gotham and into less familiar territory (In this case, Washington DC). The script plays nicely with the discomfort and confusion the Dark Knight feels being out of his own city and racing against the clock to save his sidekick and the world at large.
This issue also reveals the mystery villain pulling the strings in recent issues. Said villain's identity is a pretty poorly kept secret at this point, but that does nothing to diminish their impact in this issue. Snyder's biggest success here is in turning the familiar dynamic between Batman and this foe on its head and channeling that dynamic into an exploration of apocalyptic dread. Is the end of the world inevitable? Can Batman be a symbol for truth, and is that symbol powerful enough to triumph over certain doom? It's no coincidence that this issue takes place in Washington. The iconic symbols of America are every bit as crucial to this story as Batman himself.
Even though Jock wasn't originally slated to draw this issue, the fact that his work book-ends "End of the Earth" does create a nice sense of symmetry. Stylistically, though, this issue does distance itself quite a bit from All-Star Batman #6. Compared to the bleak, snow-swept, claustrophobic imagery of issue #6, this issue is more colorful and marked by more defined architecture and figures. Washington becomes a key character just as Gotham City so often is in Snyder's stories. Jock's pages are great at creating a clear, palpable sense of tension. With the clock continuously ticking and the fate of billions hanging in the balance, Snyder's script deserves no less than what Jock is able to bring to the table.
The Verdict
"Ends of the Earth" wraps with what is easily one of the strongest chapters of All-Star Batman to date. This issue manages to drag the Dark Knight out of his comfort zone even as it offers a powerful meditation on the end of the world and the power the Batman symbol holds to light the way in dark, confusing times.
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