Batman: Dark Patterns (2024-) #5

Batman: Dark Patterns

by Dan Watters, Hayden Sherman (Artist)

As tensions rise between the inhabitants of Scarface Tower and the GCPD, Batman finds himself confronted by the tower’s immune system—an armed mob wearing the face of Scarface. With the puppet mastermind’s voice ringing through the building like the voice of God, Batman is confronted with a bizarre mystery…one which is further challenged by a startling and violent development.

Genres: Comics, Batman, Dc Comics

Kindle Edition

Published April 9, 2025

About the author

Dan Watters is a UK based comic book writer. His first book, LIMBO, was released through Image Comics in 2016. He has since written THE SHADOW at Dynamite Comics, and ASSASSIN’S CREED and WOLFENSTEIN for Titan Comics.

Currently he is writing the relaunch of LUCIFER for Vertigo’s Sandman Universe, as well as DEEP ROOTS for Vault Comics. Deeply rooted in London Town, and firmly of the Devil's party.

Reviews

[Cybernex007 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another absolutely brilliant issue, I made a connection to the movie the raid last issue and I still get those vibes heavily just turned up to the 11th notch on the amp, but last issue I was thinking that if anyone was behind it other than Wesker I know who I would want it to be…and by the end of this issue my theory was correct! But as we jump into this issue we actually go back to one of Batman’s first altercations with Wesker and Scarface, as he dawned a suit closer to the year one outfit and shattered Scarface to pieces. According to Gordon, Wesker claimed the Scarface personality was gone when the puppet was destroyed and he got an early release. As Gordon says: “Further proof that Arkham psychiatry reports are best utilized as toilet paper.” And as Scarface said as his face lay smashed on the ground: “I’ll return Gatman…I’ll return getter than ever.”

Now we are left with a situation where the building is teeming with Scarface goons armed to the teeth, an officer being held inside, and their only saving grace…batman diving through the stairwell for his life as gunfire surrounds him. Yeah…this is going to be a good day. As the building is now Scarface’s body, he describes batman as a cancer he will root out. Batman evades his pursuers and busts through the first open door he sees…immediately breaking into a calming tone as he realizes a little girl is standing before him. Her ailing mother walks out from the other room and he makes sure to calm them down. She recognizes him from the TV and figures he must look scarier in the dark, lol, as his suit just looks uncomfortable. She’s sick and needs RK get out and get medicine but apparently her doctors been telling her there is nothing wrong with her even though she is coughing and can’t walk straight, ever since Scarface started up. She asks her daughter to get some iced tea for their guest, and batman has her walk through the series of events that led to this. Apparently the residents have been hearing him for months, yelling about how they are safe in his body and he isn’t going to let them take the block away. And the worst part is that everyone has been listening to him like he’s the spirit of the tower, like the tower “would sound like a bad Al Capone impression,” lol. But that also brings us to another thing I love about this series. So far the investigations have drawn back to some real world idea. Last issue the wound man was obsessed with feeling something again and resulted to medieval medical practices, here the concept of acousmatic sound is explored. The idea that sound where the hearer can’t see the source can hold power psychologically and it may even have a spiritual weight. Moses hearing the voice of god, the ancient Greeks thought every cave held the voice of the lost nymph echo, even Pythagoras lectured behind a veil to make his arguments more powerful. Or as the little girl points out as she hands batman the iced tea…like the wizard of Oz.

Elsewhere the man batman through a batarang into is waking up, the wife we saw him abusing last issue helping to get him up. Immediately angering him for the fact she would “dare” leave her post. Everyone is just standing around when the boss gave them an order to find batman, even if that means knocking on every door. Batman continues through his thought process for this situation. The people who lived here were under extreme stress, urban myths of people hearing voices of people who lived and died here echo through the halls, and then a new voice arrives telling them it will protect them if they do what they say. Wesker found a “melting pot of desperation” and just enough belief to buy into his delusion. Now the mom in this apartment argues that she hears her dad every thanksgiving, but suddenly a knock comes to the door. It’s time for batman to leave…the window would be best.

As we find batman outside he is doing his best Adam West impression as he scales the building and calls Gordon to explain the situation and explain that he is going to the only place Wesker could be, the brain of the building the twelfth floor. And it’s time for a lobotomy! Idk why these cops decided to put a spotlight in batman, but it tipped the building off to his location so they could start throwing things and even pointing guns out the windows to try and kill him. But he was able to swing around the side of the building and break into a bathroom through a window. After he made his way to the stairwell, one of the goons called out he was in the ninth floor. That’s good…three more floors to go. Batman then makes the genius move of throwing down white phosphorus, causing the air to burn and any fire alarm still working to go off. This completely drowned out any voice from Scarface giving directions and caused enough confusion for batman to efficiently and brutally bust his way to the twelfth floor. Once he finally made it he kicked down the door and found Wesker…only something’s wrong. He is happy to see batman and once he speaks his words are completely broken as his rounds has been cut out! It wasn’t self mutilation either, based on the wounds, and Wesker is tied up, claiming Scarface did it. And that’s when the big issue ending reveal comes in, it wasn’t Wesker. Scarface is a symptom of an identity disorder that manifests itself externally, he taught someone else. He found someone else he wanted to help, he thought needed to bring out that side of their personality. As we cut back to the apartment with the couple and the cop held hostage it seems this is the only room where the boss can still be heard. The man we saw earlier is crying out as Scarface mentions he has outlived his function. That’s when the woman takes a kitchen knife and stabs him to death, following the orders of Scarface inside her own mind. But the problem is the cop was awake when she saw her kill him, and they just can’t have any witnesses. OH MY GOSH. I swear last issue I was thinking of anyone was in a desperate enough situation to manifest Scarface it would be her, it just makes so much sense in the most nonsensical way, and that’s what makes this series so good!

[Logan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m still not a fan of this new story arc. It’s too cheesy. Too cliche. It gave up its street level mystery vibes for a weak storyline.

The one thing this issue has for it was slowing down the pace. Questioning if this is actually the paranormal Scarface? Batman deceiving himself with educational guesses on what mental illusion this could be. With every sign pointing that Scarface could actually be possessing all of these people.

Batman fighting from the ninth floor to the twelfth was also badass.

[Chris Loan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A decent issue to start this new arc.
I had trouble with some of the journal writings, it felt like they were a little too small but that just might be me. 🤣
I’m definitely interested in this version of Freeze. He looks intense! Sets up what could be a good story. The art in some of those panels was fantastic! Specifically the Matches face shot.

[Nick LeBlanc · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded down.

Sort of an in-betweener issue, building out a larger plot and delivering a significant twist. The art is still great, as is the detective heavy Batman work and the writing. I have no complaints about this series, but this isn’t the strongest issue.

Read as a single issue.

[Richard A · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has gotten bizarre as Batman is fighting a living building ruled by a dummy. The writing is still solid but this villain is not one of my favorites, though the way he talks it does make me chuckle.

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really really like Dark Patterns. Exploring Bruce’s earlier cases is so exciting and I love the twist on this one with Scarface. I liked the reveal at the end a lot!

[James B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure on this arc. The writing didn't seem as good as the previous one, but there is still time for a surprise

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This title has such an early 90s "Legends of the Dark Knight" feel, I love it.

[Garth · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite Gordon quote of the year, so far: “Further proof that Arkham psychiatry reports are better utilized as toilet paper.”

[Annemarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the twist in this issue. It still feels a bit cliché, but better than last issue!

[Mark Cubillos · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second case continues and is way better than the first.

[Frank · Rating 2 out of 5]

Batman just used a white phosphorus grenade and committed a war crime. Who approved this?

[luz · Rating 4 out of 5]

that twist!!