The heat is on in Gotham City. A deadly arsonist is loose. Body counts are rising. Batman is early in his career and putting the pieces together. All signs point towards Dr. Sereika. Gotham’s newest coroner is shrouded in mystery. This seems to be an open and shut case. In the case of Batman, there is no such thing as easy.
BATMAN: DARK PATTERNS #11 by Dan Watters, Hayden Sherman, Tríona Farrell and Frank Cvetkovic brings its’ second part of “The Child of Fire”.
Let’s take a deeper dive into what unfolds now!
BATMAN: DARK PATTERNS #11 by Dan Watters, Hayden Sherman, Tríona Farrell and Frank Cvetkovic (DC Comics)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Watters shows the desperate grab for truth in the beginning pages. The pairing of Firefly and Jim Gordon is awkward to say the least. It is a necessary evil as fires are raging. The dialogue is sharp and proves Gordon is out of his element. Garfield Lynns knows exactly what he is doing. He’s playing Gordon’s insecurities against him. The same can be said for Batman.
Readers watch as the grind is wearing him down. His body is failing from the previous cases. Alfred serves as the voice of reason. He is met with some resistance. This plays into their “father-son” relationship with their exchanges. Even when progress is made, Batman still finds issues with his lecturing. The conversation with Dr. Sereika & Nicky Harris proves influential to the case. Watters paints Harris’ dark view. This leads into a frantic close. Pacing tightens up to bring all events into a shocking final phase. It is perfectly executed to show Batman’s flaws growing as Gotham’s life is on the line.
Sherman & Farrell delve into the uneasiness of Lynns and Gordon to start. The structures of panels in this series has been very impressive. It blends in full page images with bending side shots. The result presents itself with such a striking feel. The tension is brewing from Lynns getting out of the police truck. Their reactions are cold as they dive into the hot topic at hand.
This feel moves into both Batman/Alfred and Sereika and Harris. The full page image of Batman sitting on the floor is an instant win with readers. Their expressions show both frustrations with the matters at hand. Harris’ haunting dialogue is taken up some notches with the art. These moments give way to Batman’s chase in the city. Farrell’s coloring spotlights Batman’s growing hallucinations. This also works in a stunning full page image. The way the cowl is used for panels is sheer brilliance. This feel carries into the final panels. Readers will have much to look forward to in the closing chapter due to this set-up.
OVERALL GRADE: 9.5
The pen-ultimate chapter of “Dark Patterns” presents all the makings for a superb case finish. Watters’ writing digs into the eternal struggles of the key players. Sherman and Farrell beautifully structure the drama with amazing art. This series continues to impress at every turn!
Let me know your thoughts on Batman: Dark Patterns #11 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!