Batman: Dark Patterns #4 is the beginning of a new story arc in this limited series that’s focused on telling street-level mysteries set during Batman’s early days. The infamous Bledin Towers is scheduled for demolition, but the gang that runs the tower isn’t playing ball, going as far as to kill a cop and take another hostage in order to keep their turf. It’s up to Batman, then, to rescue the hostage and put a stop to the leader of this small-time crime operation…
There’s lots to love about Batman: Dark Patterns #4, but perhaps the most striking element of the book are its colors, rendered expertly by Tríona Farrell. The fact that this is a throwback story gives Farrell leeway to present Batman more as he appeared last century, tinged purple with a brash yellow spotlight outlining the bat symbol on his chest.
It doesn’t end with Batman, though. Blues, purples, reds and greens all play different roles in the story. For example, the initially separated reds and blues cast by police lights slowly bleed to a menacing purple as the story’s primary villain is revealed. It’s a really effective way of conveying story through color and adds so much to the book’s moody atmosphere.
Also doing tremendous work is the art. The panels by Hayden Sherman are on another level here. From swooping curved panels to convey Batman flying through a window, to the composition of an entire page conveying the abstract image of a character’s facial features, Batman: Dark Patterns #4 is pushing the form of comic book storytelling.
DC
It’s not just the panels, though. The sheer level of detail that Sherman has put into the setting is impressive; he’s imbued Bledin Towers with a real sense of personality. Spray painted graffiti, twisting staircases evoking Escher, and cramped living spaces all push the nightmarish aspect of this story. Very simply, this in incredibly fun setting for a Batman adventure.
It’s hard not to ding the story a little, though. Plot-wise, this very much feels like the first act of a longer story, and even then, it feels very light. I counted seven pages that feature no more than one speech bubble or caption box. A handful more only have two or three containers of the written word, all of which means that readers are likely to fly through this book in minutes.
The reading experience will no doubt be improved for those who choose to stop and smell the roses—or in this case, stop and gawp at the artwork — but Batman himself really goes through very little in these pages, and nothing about the story affects him personally. Admittedly, it’s fun seeing him confounded by the confusing architecture of Bledin Towers and using his detective skills to figure out where the hostage might be, but there isn’t much depth there.
By the end though, the pieces are all in place for an explosive subsequent issue. The effect of the final pages might be somewhat reduced for those who aren’t familiar with their D-List Batman villains, but there’s no doubting that some of those concluding beats are wild and will most definitely leave the reader wanting to know more.
Overall, Batman: Dark Patterns #4 is an exceptional piece of comic book storytelling. Even if the story is a little light on plot and character depth, there’s no denying the outsized impact of the incredible art by Farrell and Sherman. It’s beautiful, propulsive, and creative in equal measure. The issue serves as the perfect jumping-on point for the series, and if future installments are half as fine as this one, you’d be crazy not to hop on board.
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