There’s nothing quite like a Batman detective story set in Gotham.
I’m not opposed to Batman mixing it up with other heroes and venturing out of Gotham. And I happen to think Robin is a vital part of the Batman mythos. But there’s something to be said for the simplicity of solo Batman solving a mystery in his hometown. Sure, the stakes may not be as high as other stories. And without the Bat-Family and other DC heroes, there’s not as much bombastic action. But sometimes that simplicity is exactly what Batman fans are looking for.
With that in mind, I’ve been reading the first three issues of the limited series BATMAN: DARK PATTERNS with real interest. Written by Dan Watters with art by Hayden Sherman and Triona Farrell, this series promised to be a “lo-fi, mystery-focused” look at some of Batman’s early cases. The series is supposed to be twelve issues total, with three issues per story. So one mystery down, three to go. Batman is three years in, so we’re past the rookie mistakes but not yet to the giant penny and T-rex stage of his career. This is probably my favorite period of Batman’s career because the main pieces are all in place, but there’s still so much to look forward to.
However, the story begins with Batman pretty disturbed by what he’s seen from Gotham so far, not looking forward to anything. Being Batman feels less like a mission and more like an obligation, with no higher goal in sight. There are, as he says, “heinous things in Gotham I can do nothing about, I cannot save people from themselves.” So he just waits for the signal to light up. Quite a way to set up the story.
From there it takes off with a serial killer on the loose and Batman working with Gordon to track him down. As you’d expect, Batman can piece together the clues, anticipate the next victim, and eventually capture the featured villain — a new character called the Wound Man. And he’s about as horrifying-looking a comic character as I’ve ever seen. Not to give too much away, but I’ve seen him compared to Victor Zsasz only more “extreme.” That’s a good way to describe him visually. But after reading the whole story, I think the better comparison is Scarecrow. What fear is to Scarecrow, pain is to the Wound Man, though he’s much more tragic. While Batman does capture him, his background and origin lead to more questions and a larger conspiracy. And it involves a familiar face with powerful connections in Gotham by the time Batman uncovers the whole thing. So yes, this is a story of Gotham corruption but with a horrifying and tragic character at the center. You’ll see how it comes together if you make it to the end.
What works: Like I said at the beginning, the story is Batman solving a mystery in Gotham. What’s not to love about that? Studying clues in the Batcave with Alfred, breaking into shady offices at night, interrogating questionable allies, it’s all here. The artwork is also fantastic. If you’re like me, the best Batsuit is dark blue and grey with a yellow oval, and it looks incredible here. Not only that, we get some great pages of Gotham, the Batcave, and the Batmobile. Nothing we haven’t seen before, but classic Batman stuff nonetheless. Overall, Sherman and Farrell’s art reminds me of the late, great Tim Sale in the best possible way, with a hint of Jim Lee for good measure. Oh, and the page of him driving towards the city and the signal would make an incredible poster, you’ll know it when you get there.
What doesn’t work: This really depends on how much you can handle.
The villain is grotesque, the first time you see him you might instinctively look away. I’ve reread it a few times and I still don’t want to look at him too long. He’s like a victim in a Saw movie, so if you like that kind of thing you won’t mind this, although you should get your head examined. To anyone who cringes about needles and eyes, consider yourself warned. Also, Batman is pretty down on Gotham and people throughout these first three issues, so that may wear thin too. You can’t blame him based on some of the things he mentions in the narration. But I’m hoping he gets a little more optimistic.
Overall: This is another Batman detective story that gets back to the basics of the character. But it doesn’t go as far back to basics as something like BATMAN: YEAR ONE or THE BAT-MAN: FIRST KNIGHT did, which is fine with me, I think this strikes just the right balance. Looking forward to more.
GRADE: A-
