Brian Truitt

USA TODAY

Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's birthday present to the Dark Knight? Putting him in conflict with his best pals and old rogues.

Out Wednesday, DC Comics' Batman No. 35 kicks off "Endgame," their biggest story line in terms of cast and scope during the duo's classic four-year run on the series and one designed to celebrate the character's 75th anniversary.

The first issue alone, written by Snyder and drawn by Capullo, puts Bruce Wayne in an impressive suit of armor and also tosses him in a rumble against Superman, Wonder Woman, the Flash and his superfriends in the Justice League.

It's just the first part of a tale "that's meant to burn certain things down and then also set new things up," Snyder says.

"It alters the mythology and status quo of Batman in ways that both will give a lot of resolution to some of the things we've set up in our run, and then also leave you in a place where it'll give a lot of opportunity for me and Greg to tell new kinds of stories with Batman moving forward afterwards — assuming he survives."

"Endgame" takes aspects and characters old and now — including the Court of the Owls — and uses them in game-changing fashion on the continuity. Snyder also is reinventing a couple of Bat-baddies fans wouldn't expect to see.

"Whenever I ask people what villain they'd like to see, there's always someone who yells Condiment King or Crazy Quilt," Snyder says, "and I promise there will even be somebody of that eclectic background reinvented but also his major rogues and allies in various ways.

"You'll see people you hope would be and expect to be, and also people who will surprise in fun ways."

In addition, the arc brings Batman back to the present after spending time in the past reshaping his origin the three-act epic "Zero Year," which was "the biggest honor of my writing career," Snyder says.

"Writing him that raw and new was so thrilling, and to get to show his formation against the backdrop of a city that was meant to reflect modern fears of terrorism and superstorms and all kinds of things like that was such an incredible thrill."

But the shared fabric of Gotham City in other Bat-books such as the weekly Batman Eternal, Catwoman and the upcoming Arkham Manor will also affect the landscape and climate of "Endgame."

The end is not in sight for Snyder and Capullo when it comes to their pairing on Batman, however. The sustained popularity of their series has been admittedly overwhelming for Snyder — Batman is consistently DC's top-selling title and has been the No. 1 comic five months so far in 2014, according to Diamond Comics Distributors.

The writer says he and Capullo would love to stay through at least the 50th issue. "Honestly, our policy has always been that we would stay as long as fans would rent us a room in Gotham and like having us there."