Tragically Familiar Stories — Reviewing ‘Batman: Dark Patterns’ #3

Pain is a multi-faceted thing. It provides warning to us, but it also can be a (cruel) teacher of sorts. A reminder of what we want to avoid or what it means to be alive. Losing that crucial system in any way can prove to be catastrophic, even if it feels like a blessing in disguise.

It is pain that takes center stage as the first story and mystery of Batman: Dark Patterns comes to a painful end. There are no resolutions or easy ways out within this all-too-real story built by Dan Watters, Hayden Sherman, Triona Farrell, and Frank Cvetkovic.

Speaking of this story will mean delving into spoilers territory.

So, turn back now, if you’ve yet to read the story. Trust me, you’ll want to go in fresh.

Within the suburbs of Green Field, Batman discovers the hard truth of the Wounded Man. Dr. Jessup Hartnel lost everything as the contaminated land under Green Fields (polluted by Ace Chemicals and covered up by the Gotham City Council) robbed everyone there of their ability to feel pain. Their pleas fell on closed ears and that painless situation caused Amber Hartnel’s death in a fire. Driven to feel pain again, Hartnel turned himself into the Wounded Man and sought out those who covered up this heinous crime.

Watters presents a situation born of far too real situations around our own nation. Lands and people poisoned by the powers that be largely because they have no regard for anything but cold hard cash.

One thing I enjoy, as morbid as it might sound, is how there is no actual resolution here. Batman doesn’t just swoop in and expose things and tear it all down. There is no magical key to making things right. Just like in real life, sometimes those that do terrible things are protected by the systems in place. It leaves only the small things (like causing them a lifelong shoulder pain reminder) as our tools in the moment. This is no story of a godlike, twenty steps ahead, Batman able to do anything.

No, this is a human man trying his best, doing what he can for who he can. In this case, the mystery is solved but the results do not make anything better. There is no healing to be done here. Just harsh reality that has to be faced, even though to do so is painful.

A harshness fills the pages thanks to just how amazing Sherman’s artwork remains month after month. Between this, Absolute Wonder Woman, and things like Into The Unbeing, Sherman is having a time. He just fills the stands with such deep, bold, and visually stunning work that is beyond words.

Different artists can (and will) bring different life to the same story. Substituting one for another would change a lot about the presentation of said story. There is no one else that I can even imagine taking on this particular story in this fashion. That is no knock against other artists, but it just speaks to what a mark that Sherman has made here.

Pairing that work with Farrell’s muted but still quite vibrant and dark color palette makes the best even better. Dipping into different colors to frame and highlight scenes as a sort of filter over the world, it washes out some of the palette to really home in on that gritty street detective vibe. Sharp to the touch, the choices create the perfect atmosphere for this dark and tragic story of death and loss.

Picking up on all of that and giving it back is the lettering. Which Cvetkovic handles with such deftness. Letting it all flow smoothly across the page, picking up steam, and delivering on the emotions of every moment. Every beat that must have impact has that plus even more. Still deeply loving the caption boxes and the journal-esque nature of them. Just something about them really plays to this version of Batman as I hear a gravelly voice narrating them in my head.

Just little touches like that — or the really loud, but grating way that the Wounded Man’s dialogue comes off. As a person suffering and pushing back, really coming through hard in the words.

Batman: Dark Patterns #3 is now available from DC Comics.