Batman’s hunt for the hostage taken by Scarface has reached a crisis point, but with an unlikely ally by his side—Arnold Wesker, a.k.a. the villainous Ventriloquist — he might just be able to save her. Uncovering the last of Bledin Towers’ secrets as he goes, Batman discovers the truth behind the origin of this new and improved Scarface.
This latest three-issue arc of Batman: Dark Patterns has been absolutely fantastic. Centred on a caper early in Batman’s career and taking place entirely inside one condemned tenement building, the story stands out by trapping The Dark Knight in such a unique setting and exploring all the permutations that arise from the scenario.
The artwork has been spectacular, and Batman: Dark Patterns #6 is no different. Once again, inventive panels, incredible detail, and storytelling through color make this a comic worth picking up. Artist Hayden Sherman and colourist Tríona Farrell in combination are a powerhouse of talent and skill.
DC
Writer Dan Watters played his cards pretty close to his chest with this arc, but we finally get some much-needed answers in Batman: Dark Patterns #6. Previously, he set up several mysteries around who is really behind this new iteration of Scarface. No spoilers, but we did find out who this individual was in the last issue, but #6 needed to provide quite a bit of backstory to make this reveal feel earned.
Thankfully, Watters delivered and in a really fun way, too. The flashbacks that provide us with context for what we learned last issue are told through the lens of Batman’s detective skills, which Watters highlighted exceptionally well in this issue. Wesker — who had his tongue cut out — can’t provide answers. Instead, Batman reads into his silence, his body language, and his history to extract the answers we needed.
Batman: Dark Patterns #5 previously showcased Batman-as-action-hero as he climbed Scarface Towers floor by floor. Issue #6 pivots to focus on his detective skills and preparedness. It’s a nice contrast that gives us a full picture of what kind of hero Batman is, although if you’re looking for something that explores Batman’s psychology, you won’t find that here.
DC
Batman: Dark Patterns #6 did a great job of wrapping up this arc without feeling rushed, but I can’t help but notice that it achieved this by sidestepping some moments that readers might’ve been expecting. For example, there’s no showdown or confrontation between Batman and Scarface’s new puppeteer and the way the threat of this new antagonist comes to an end felt a little coincidental.
Similarly, the whole reason a hostage was taken by the Bledin Towers residents in the first place was because they wanted to defend their home from demolition, but the narrative never really checks back in with this thread. In the fallout of the events of this issue, I can’t help but wish there’d been space for some kind of resolution to the conflict that kicked off the story in the first place.
That said, there’s a strong character arc centered on the main antagonist running through these past few issues that feels personal and a little tragic. Combined with the beautiful art and moments that spotlight Batman’s detective skills, there’s more than enough to recommend the final installment of this current story arc.
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