One thing I don't like about most Batman stories is that the detective side of the character is often overlooked. Instead he's more running around the city fighting crime head-on rather than doing any actual investigating, and that is something that is even more lost when other characters are thrown into the story that aid him in various ways. I find that the character is most interesting when he's actually under the pursuit of something, when an event takes place that leads to him running around various environments in the night seeking information, whether it's from within the streets or sneaking into buildings to find clues in paperwork. It's rarely the action and wacky characters that drives any major engagement for me, especially as the foes end up being recurring ones that Batman annoyingly deals with over and over again with no conclusion. So when I stumbled across Dark Patterns I was interested for the fact that it was an individual story and not part of the general run that's still ongoing with DC. Though I admit I am excited for Hush 2 with the next release of that series. Dark Patterns started off with a bit more of a serious undertone to it, with Batman investigating a strange number of murders that had been taking place. Incredibly brutal, but also rather odd in their approach. Not seeming as if they're all that connected at first. Albeit the manner in which they're killed.
This starts the investigations off with quite a surprise: people are being killed in a rather horrific manner that speaks of torture and repetition: bodies covered in nails and left behind. It leads Batman into a hunt during the night to uncover more information about the victims by searching their belongings in their offices, noticing a pattern that shows potential of there being another killing soon. I liked this side of the character, where we see Batman breaking the rules a bit and not caring. Illegally breaking into buildings and searching through files knowing he has no permission, and leading to him even being caught and shot at for doing so. Guards not seeing Batman as the hero the city has to stop crime, but as another criminal simply entering a place he shouldn't be in. One could argue that guns are a bit of a direct action for breaking and entering an office building, however. But even that is considered by Batman on his way out. Noting the strange levels of security within the building that holds the workplace of a now dead man. Who would be protecting such information to that degree? It does lead Batman to an idea of where the next victim might be, and that's where we get a really cool glimpse of the person responsible; well, more a question of what thing is responsible. As it hardly appears to be human.
I've quite liked this introduction so far, it's quite an interesting start that has all the elements of the character I quite enjoy. It feels a bit more grounded despite the strange concept of a man nailing people to death. And the foe seemingly responsible being a man that himself is covered in nails, with truly horrific wounds. With Batman's digging, he discovers the concept of a man that engages in self-torture in a similar fashion, something done to the self in a religious manner. The concept that those killed are being punished for something, and that by subjecting them to such horrors, they themselves have their sins removed. Given all of this takes place within one issue, it's constantly in motion, with so many questions raised that were enough to really engage me into the story and want to know more. There's a bit more of this horror feeling to it that I really enjoy, especially when we directly see the person responsible, and Batman in the moment realising that he can't quite fight back. Any single punch could lead a fatal blow due to the wounds already held. It's a reaction that Batman has that sort of considers this whole thing odd, uncertain of how to go about approaching it all. Even if it requires taking a few punches himself. It definitely has me curious as to how future engagements might turn out, if Batman goes a total pacifist approach to which he can't throw a single punch and gadgets might also cause harm.
It's nice to see a different idea within the Batman world. A villain that seems like they're more supernatural than just insane. Not the usual Arkham villain that runs around for the sake of it. This time having a clear agenda that doesn't actually have any interest in Batman. A killer running around with nails within their own body and subjecting others to that, leading to Batman actually having to investigate something. I do want to quickly add that the art style is really cool too, it really suits the story. It feels a bit more closer to the Year One release sort of style, strong dark black colours and little detail, but lots of shadows. It works well within the theme that feels more gothic.
I haven't yet jumped into the next book yet, but I'm really looking forward to. Though I have a bit of catching up to do given new issues of Magik and Absolute Batman just dropped today! But I'm excited to see where this goes from here. With just four issues of Dark Patterns to read, I'm actually quite glad it's a short story, and not something trying to be larger with various tie-ins. I feel these are the strongest stories for the character. Self-contained, and distanced from the usual universe.