What a way to kick things off.
The last story in Dark Patterns is aptly named “The Child of Fire.” I wondered in the last review whether the (dark) pattern of fire in each of the previous three stories would play a role in this final one. Well, yeah, it does. In fact, it looks like fire is going to bring this whole thing to an epic (if violent) close.
If you read the last issue and the previous arcs (you definitely should), you saw Batman lying helpless on the floor as an old man accidentally killed a kid with a shotgun in his apartment. We find Batman at the beginning of this issue still recovering, but physically spent. His mental state is even worse, blaming himself for the deaths he had to lie there and watch. But he’s also reeling from new intel about his mortician lab partner, Dr. Sereika, courtesy of “journalist” Nicky Harris. Turns out he’s not such a great guy either. So it’s understandable we find him laid up in the Batcave, barely conscious and trapped in a nightmare. But at least he has Alfred there with him.
Meanwhile, our newest villain sits around with very flammable stick figure friends representing the Wound Man, Scarface, and the Red Hood. He’s got a taste for the dramatic, and before you can notice the gasoline poured all over the floor, the whole scene is engulfed in flames. Two unfortunate passers-by notice the fire from outside on the street and try to call for help. It’s here we get a good look at our newest villain, sporting a fireproof suit and babydoll mask as he yanks the couple inside the burning building. Whether he planned their arrival or not isn’t clear, but it’s the proverbial spark that sets this arc in motion.
Longtime Batman fans will rightly wonder about another notable fire-themed villain. In case you were wondering, he does show up. We get to accompany Jim Gordon to visit the one and only Garfield Lynns. It’s not much to go on, and it doesn’t turn up any leads, but it does put Gordon in the actual Child of Fire’s crosshairs. Unlike the previous arcs, here we are shown the villain’s identity in the first issue. We’re meant to strongly suspect someone in particular; however, I think the twist is much more interesting, so we’ll see where it goes.
I just want to keep reminding you how excellent this book is. The stories have all been compelling, with three issues per arc being just the right length between room to breathe and not dragging out. Honestly, I wish this were the standard approach in more monthly books. Three mysteries with memorable new villains, and we’re just diving in on the fourth. But as great as the stories have been, the art may be even better. Multiple times in this issue alone, the panels morph into flames, broken glass, corpses, whatever the scene calls for. It’s presented so effortlessly, but it captures your attention in ways that only well-crafted comics can. Gotham is a weird place; these are weird stories, but there’s a definite purpose behind every aspect of the presentation in these pages. Note the contours of the panels on the pages in the Batcave with Alfred at Bruce’s side, compared to the harsh angles in Firefly’s cell on the very next page. It’s great stuff, well done, Watters, Sherman, and creative team. This is an immediate purchase for me when the hardcover gets released, and the book’s not even finished yet. But I can’t wait for the rest of the ride. – Trey Jackson
