“We are the Wounded” part 2 launches today in Batman: Dark Patterns in a new maxiseries that should be on your radar. Crafted by Dan Watters and Hayden Sherman, Batman is facing a new kind of enemy known as the Wounded Man. This villain can endure great pain, with nails, screws, and rebar coursing through his body as he targets high-profile victims. The second issue further opens up the mystery with good detective work and exploring areas outside of Gotham City.
Batman: Dark Patterns #2 opens with James Gordon and Batman on the roof of the GCPD with the bat symbol bright and shining. Fairly early on, we’re reminded this is a high-risk taking Batman, who is keen on allowing targets on a list to go about their day so Batman can capture the Wounded Man. Gordon doesn’t agree with the method, but Batman shrugs him off. In an earlier era for Batman, it’s clear his working relationship with Gordon isn’t quite as tight.
Much of this issue evolves once Batman pinpoints where the Wounded Man will strike and the fallout from that. This allows Watters to further explore Dr. Sereika, a strange formaldehyde-loving coroner who certainly doesn’t pass the “normalcy” test. It’s nice to see this character get more page time since he was one of the most peculiar additions in the first issue.
Sherman’s art is so striking.
Credit: DC Comics
Watters and Sherman also introduce a journalist character who opens up the narrative of the corruption in Gotham. Once, in a case where Batman is now sniffing out, it’s clear that powerful corporations have the ability to snuff out their crimes before the public finds out. It’s in this scene, as well as the cliffhanger, that it becomes far clearer Batman is facing a threat that isn’t directly tied to one supervillain but a more relatable evil corporate entity.
Regarding worldbuilding, Sherman gets to show off a suburban area outside of Gotham. It’s always refreshing to see locations like this, which Watters backs up with the fact that Batman could patrol it but chooses not to. Watters continues to pluck at the fact that Gotham is incredibly dangerous, with well-placed captions detailing atrocities across the city. When a hospital goes up in flames, even Batman is surprised, showing how chaotic this era of Gotham is.
Sherman continues to make the Wounded Man frightening as hell, with details of the end of screws near his eyes or his overall body looking like it’s studded with jewelry. Of course, it’s anything but, as each dot is something entering his body. Sherman continues using shadow to highlight Batman’s silhouette and the starkly yellow bat symbol on his chest. It makes the look iconic and represents another era for the character.
My one gripe is the lack of stakes, which feel middling at most. That’s partly due to where the Wounded Man ends up but also because a corporate enemy doesn’t seem too dangerous to Batman or Gotham people. While I’m intrigued by the mystery I’m also waiting for more complexities and danger in regards to the main threat.
Batman: Dark Patterns #2 builds on the promising foundation of the first issue with rich character moments, unsettling imagery, and a fascinating new villain. However, the central threat lacks the high-stakes tension often associated with the Dark Knight’s most memorable stories. Despite this, the series remains a captivating entry in Batman’s mythos, with plenty of room to grow into something truly special.
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