For years now there’s been a set of standard recommendations to give to new Batman readers, the same 10 or so titles that have been sitting in libraries and at every Barnes & Noble in America. Now we finally have some new blood that can be shown to fans as a steady place to start. With Batman: Dark Patterns, DC has not only continued its legacy of delivering standalone stories that don’t shoulder the burden of a larger continuity but which also give potential readers a brand new place to enter.
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Batman: Dark Patterns was announced as a “series of Lo-Fi, Mystery-Focused,” and after reading it that is exactly what it’s doing. Scripted by writer Dan Watters (Detective Comics, Lucifer) a specific kind of noir tone is established. This feels like quintessential Batman not only because of the way we’re embedded into the dark knight detective’s mind but in the world around him. Gangsters run amok, corruption abounds, crime is rampant, and a killer is targeting people with an unknown connection (and his methods seem…torturous).
Watters’ story is carefully plotted, with meticulous attention to the clues and details that never feel like a heavy handed “look over here, pay attention to this.” As readers we are embedded in the mystery with Batman, not only as he starts to peel away the layers that are in front of him but in how he’s juggling life as Gotham’s vigilante. The drive to stop crime is there, but there’s also the reminder that he’s human. Every hit he takes is a wound that needs to be patched up later, and we see it all.
Central to making this moody, stoic story work (and thrive) is that art by Hayden Sherman and colors by Triona Farrell. For starters, Sherman’s unique paneling makes every new page a surprise, as the layout will be dictated entirely by the sequence itself. This may seem natural in traditional rectangular panels that we are used to, but Sherman manages to create pages where it begins with a larger circular image that spirals out and fits all the panels together with rounded edges. Another could be jagged rectangles that slice across the page itself or an action scene where the punches themselves appear to dictate a break in the paneling. It’s all a unique and exciting exercise in the form of layouts and makes this something worth just staring at because it’s a visual treat.
Beyond the paneling, Sherman and Farrell also deliver amazing action sequences and character designs. Batman himself has a classic style, one that harkens even to Keaton’s take on the character from Tim Burton’s first movie with its pitch-black suit and bustling yellow emblem/utility belt. A key element of Sherman’s take on Batman visually is how often we seldom see all of him, especially his face. Instances where Batman is alone and contemplating his next move offer a chance to really see him, but in the midst of a fight or while conversing with people he may not trust we’re given an image that often obscures him. The story itself may have us as passengers along for the ride in Batman’s head but we can see that in the world itself he keeps an arms length away from many others.
Batman: Dark Patterns is off to a very strong start. Not only has Watters crafted a story that feels like a classic Batman tale, but it brings a new narrative to the table that allows fresh readers to arrive and enjoy. Dark Patterns doesn’t require reading any other Batman comics to track what’s going on or to become aware of its new characters, everything it has is introduced in its pages. This, along with the fact that it’s a refreshingly low-key tale, makes this a perfect jumping in point for new readers and (provided it sticks the landing) an easy recommendation for new readers.
Published by: DC Comics
On: December 11, 2024
Written by: Dan Watters
Art by: Hayden Sherman
Colors by: Triona Farrell
Letters by: Frank Cvetkovic
