Batman: Dark Patterns is entering its fourth and final case, and it’s all about fire. The bold psychological excavation of Gotham City – and of Batman himself – continues its noir horror approach while building on pieces that have come before. With crime waning, can Batman stop the fires from taking out the streets and buildings?
Batman Dark Patterns #10 is yet another fantastic read, and similar to the last issue, it’s actually light on action. Dan Watters and Hayden Sherman are building up a new singular threat, and from the very first page, it’s clear the three previous cases are somehow tied to this one. In this opening scene, we see the villains of the cases made from sticks, which are lit with gasoline and set aflame. This adds additional weight to the final case, and it seems Batman needs to act quickly or everything may go up in flames.
The problem is, at the start of this story, Batman is in a bad way. Alfred is tending to the wounds he suffered in the last issue, and even the Gotham civilians are noticing he’s not taking out threats like he usually does. By the end of the issue, it’s clear Batman is in a weakened state, at least in body, as his willpower is as strong as ever.
Is Hayden Sherman the best at layouts…ever?
Credit: DC Comics
Woven into this story is James Gordon, who plays a significant part in the new case. Some astute detective work by him sets up several threads to follow as the mystery unfolds. At the center of this mystery is a killer who uses fire and wears a mask shaped like a china doll. Perhaps there’s a clue in the mask I’m not seeing, but I’m very curious to discover who this villain ultimately is.
Per usual for this series, the art is stunning. Sherman utilizes layout to carve out a man on one page, with the outline of them acting as gutters for the panels. The symmetry is delightful in the Alfred scene, while diagonal-shaped panels are used sporadically to create the illusion of shattered glass, or in some cases, chaos. In another ingenious choice, Gordon holds up a newspaper, and Sherman aligns various panels on top of it as if they are part of the paper, or at least aligned with it. It’s a visually arresting idea that draws you in.
While there’s limited action in this issue, there is an intense rescue that draws the eye. It culminates in a page that may give you vertigo, as Batman soars down, and the panels draw your eye downward as well.
Batman: Dark Patterns #10 is another strong entry that leans heavily into psychological horror, weaving past cases into a fiery climax while showcasing Hayden Sherman’s boundary-pushing artistry. Though the action is sparse and the new villain still opaque, the issue’s tension, creativity, and character beats set the stage for a finale that could be truly explosive.
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