BATMAN: DARK PATTERNS #7 – A RETURN OF EVIL WAYS

The road to becoming the world’s greatest detective was never easy for Batman. Honing his skills on the streets of Gotham pushed his limits. The early cases have been horrific and noteworthy. They have resulted in some of the best Batman stories in recent memory. It also makes the case for DARK PATTERNS being “the Best Batman series” currently on sale. Now at the halfway point, a new case is on the horizon.

BATMAN: DARK PATTERNS #7 by Dan Watters, Hayden Sherman, Tríona Farrell and Frank Cvetkovic kicks off “Case 03: PAREIDOLIA”.

Let’s not wait any longer & jump into the latest saga.

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

Watters takes readers into a deeper insight of Bruce Wayne. Seeing how Wayne deciphers Pareidolia gives a blunt reaction to his work. The repercussions of of fighting crime are sinking in. This leads into his next case. The writing unveils a new side of Gotham. Watters portrays the Rookery as the worst part of the city. Seeing the crime at hand, there’s little argument to that statement.

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Events take a turn when Batman gets help from his most trusted ally. Seeing Alfred get a major spot in the story helps connecting points. The writing ties in a past familiar group into this present moment. It results into a question of procedure. Adding this element in play showcases the relatively new hero naivety. It results in a gauntlet being thrown down in the close. Batman speaks his case. Judging by the last page, it may have fallen on deaf ears.

Sherman and Farrell continue to display fantastic art in this series. The opening page is a perfect start for the reflective monologue. Panel structure allows a broad view of Wayne’s assessment. It leads into a strong full page image of Wayne looking over the city.

The Rookery comes across as stated in the book: Hell on Earth. With the panel structures, the laundromat discovery hits hard. The body discovery is horrific and sets the pace for the remainder of the book. Alfred’s breakdown of the past transitions events superbly. It will connect the points with the audience before the closing pages. Panel breakdown of stopping an attacker tells a story all its own. This moves to a glimpse of the daunting task at hand. Readers can’t help but be excited to see where things go from the last page.

OVERALL GRADE: 9.2

A dive into Gotham’s past appears to test Batman’s resolve in his latest throwback case. Watters pens a dynamic start with excellent writing. Sherman and Farrell keep raising the levels with every image on page. This series never ceases in setting a high bar of storytelling.

Let me know in the comments below your thoughts on Batman: Dark Patterns #7. Thanks for reading!  CLICK HERE FOR MORE CONTENT FROM KEN