It seems just like yesterday Batman: Dark Patterns kicked off its first issue, but the penultimate issue is already here this week. The fourth and final case involves fire, but the why and the location of the next fire remain to be seen. Batman is hurt and needs rest, but if he doesn’t move fast, all of Gotham could burn.
It’s clear this series has always been about Gotham first, and how Batman fits into it. The series has explored history and delved into how a vigilante like Batman was necessary, like a fever in the body when a virus needs to be expelled. That idea, and the idea of the sum of parts, are brought up in this issue, leading to earned clues and reveals with a firm foot on the gas pedal.
Batman: Dark Patterns #11 opens with Firefly being pushed out of a paddy wagon to help with an investigation into a recent fire. Commissioner Gordon wants answers, especially since his life was nearly taken last issue. The dialogue here is great as Firefly details a ritual fire and what it means for the city. This bookends well with Batman’s realization and rush to save the people in the next targeted arson.
Bruce, you need some sleep.
Credit: DC Comics
The following two scenes effectively hammer home a point, which doesn’t come across as preachy since they complement each other, yet are spoken by different characters. The first involves Bruce, feverish from his infected gunshot wound, seeking answers and determining he has to treat this case like Gotham was a body and to pay attention to its wounds and scar patterns. It’s resolute and pragmatic. On the reverse side is our new arsonist, and he views Gotham more as a myth that unfolds because of what is done to it. It makes you think about Gotham in different ways.
Sherman keeps you invested in these detective scenes thanks to great layout design and clever visual cues. At one point, Batman is running to the next fire before it starts, and he seemingly goes in and out of the past great fire and into the present. Visually represented in pinks, Sherman draws Batman running in pink smoke, or swinging through it, in one panel, and then in the modern city of now in another. Smaller details help with character elements, like the bruises under Bruce’s eyes to show he’s weak and tired, or the burned skin on Firefly to show his grotesque love of flame.
Details in environments are also excellent, such as the pipes in a room where the doctor is interrogated or the city towering behind the characters. This never feels like a stage play, but a big cinematic experience.
Batman: Dark Patterns #11 is a gripping, cinematic penultimate chapter that blends detective work, thematic depth, and stunning visuals, all while keeping Gotham itself firmly in the spotlight.
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