Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #4 Review

 

Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #4 Review

Writers: Jadzia Axelrod, Nicole Maines & Klaus Janson

Artists: Rosi Kämpe, Brandt&Stein & Klaus Janson

Colorists: Tríona Farrell & Dearbhla Kelly

Letterers: Jodie Troutman, Frank Cvetkovic & Lucas Gattoni

Cover Artist: Brandt&Stein

Variant Cover Artists: Phil Jimenez & Arif Prianto; Robin “Zombie” Higginbottom

Editors: Ash Padilla, Andrea Shea & Paul Kaminski

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (cardstock)

Release Date: June 24, 2026

 

The Justice League proudly includes Superman in its ranks. But while Batman carries Kryptonite in his utility belt, some worry that Galaxy's abilities represent a greater potential danger to their fellow heroes. As Galaxy stands on trial, a villain tempts Dreamer in her sleep. And as her accusers fight to yank Galaxy's membership card because of what she might do, the Key makes progress toward achieving his goal. Can Galaxy aid her "villainous" friend? And how might the Key use the Akashic records to attack the Justice League? Let’s leap into Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #4 and see!

 

Story: Something Borrowed, Something Doomed

When Dreamer pushed Galaxy out of her dream, the princess of Cyandii awakened to a nightmare. Jessica Cruz and Guy Gardner were prosecuting Galaxy for crimes against the Green Lanterns and asserting she didn't belong in the Justice League. Galaxy stood up for herself for a time. But instead of trying to prove she wasn't a danger to the Justice League, Galaxy knew who represented the real threat. So, she found a way back to the Dream Dimension. But by the time Galaxy arrived, the Key had put Dreamer under his thrall.

 

In Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #4, the Key reveals why he has fought so hard to access the Akashic Records. But Galaxy is more interested in rescuing her friend. Under Amanda Waller's domination, Dreamer might have been an indentured servant. But the Key can turn Dreamer into his mindless slave.

 

Jadzia Axelrod and Nicole Maines's story follows Galaxy and Dreamer's battle in the Dream Dimension. It also revisits the argument about the kind of person who represents a threat to others. Like Batman, both Galaxy and Dreamer can weaken and control other superheroes. While Batman has proven himself time and again, a question mark hangs over the young metahumans.

 

Galaxy and Dreamer's actions led to their current difficulties. Both may want to be heroes. But the Justice League doesn't just hand out membership cards to people who demonstrate their powers. If Galaxy and Dreamer can escape the Dream Dimension, they must decide if they are willing to develop a track record that their elders can respect in Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #4.

 

Art: Something Borrowed, Something Doomed

Black eats away at glimpses of her surroundings as the Key chokes Galaxy, while Dreamer gazes upon them, unseeing, in her wedding dress. After binding Galaxy in chains, the Key drags her along as he and Dreamer walk among the bookshelves towering above them. When Galaxy shakes off her chains, the panels tilt as she battles her captor. As Rosi Kämpe and Brandt&Stein portray the confrontation amid the storehouse of knowledge, they compare his ambitions with the wealth surrounding the Key.

 

Tríona Farrell and Dearbhla Kelly enliven Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #4 with a palette of bright colors. Yet, black surrounds scenes of the Key battling his challenger. The blue interior suggests why people strive to learn. His orange chains undergird his ambitions, as a red book reminds readers why the Key has returned. Yet as the villain attacks with yellow energy, Galaxy fights him with waves of violet power.

 

Frank Cvetkovic and Jodie Troutman fill white dialogue balloons with uppercase and lowercase letters. The letters grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and revert to lowercase for lowered voices. Blue symbols in a cloudy balloon overlay Dreamer's dialogue while under the Key's control. Sound effects enhance a brutal confrontation in the library, while giant letters either deform balloons or escape their domination.

 

Story: Heroes Just For One Day

It’s not easy to realize that you are different from others. But in Klaus Janson's story, the protagonist immediately discovers that people who look or act differently don't fit in. And when they stand out in a crowd, people ostracize them. In Heroes Just For One Day, the protagonist finds something he loves. But he must decide what he does with his new hobby.

 

Art: Heroes Just For One Day

Klaus Janson introduces his character as a smiling boy in love with his new bicycle. His black, white, and gray art grounds the biographical story in reality, while the things that inspire the boy glow with color. The children wear uniforms to school and hang up their jackets before classes. Yet an image on the TV, a visit to the library, and a long, thin panel of his journey to another city chart his search to discover who he will become. 

 

Lucas Gattoni places uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons as Klaus Janson shares pivotal scenes from the hero's journey. Yet small lowercase letters in boxes guide us through the coming-of-age story. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Everyone has different definitions of heroism. For some, all that matters is the result. With others, method and motives matter more than accomplishments. But as young people strive to prove themselves as they forge their futures, a villain demonstrates why he can never achieve lasting success in Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #4.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #4. 

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Justice League: Dream Girls—A DC Pride Event #3.

 

For what happened before that, see my preview of Justice League: Dream Girls—A DC Pride Event #2.

 

For the beginning of Dreamer and Galaxy's dream journey, see my preview of Justice League: Dream Girls—A DC Pride Event #1.

 

For the precursor to this series, see my review of Justice League Intergalactic Special #1.

 

 

Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #3 Review

 

Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #3 Review

Writers: Jadzia Axelrod & Nicole Maines

Artists: Brandt&Stein, Jan Bazaldua & Rosi Kämpe

Colorists: Dearbhla Kelly, Adriano Lucas & Tríona Farrell

Letterers: Frank Cvetkovic & Jodie Troutman

Cover Artist: Brandt&Stein

Variant Cover Artists: Phil Jimenez & Arif Prianto; Oscar Vega

Editors: Ash Padilla, Andrea Shea & Paul Kaminski

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (cardstock)

Release Date: June 17, 2026

 

Everyone wants to condemn Dreamer for aiding Amanda Waller when she robbed the metahumans of their powers. So, after Galaxy invites Dreamer along on Star Sapphire's mercy mission to Naltor, Guy Gardner and Jessica Cruz argue against Dreamer's future participation in the Justice League. But while the heroes weigh whether Dreamer and Galaxy represent a greater threat than Lex Luthor, the condemned lie under the Key's spell.

 

Dreamer may be unaware of the battle raging in the Watchtower over her future. Yet as she dreams, Dreamer discovers that she is not a passive participant. And although she refuses to believe that she can be a hero, Dreamer pushes Galaxy out of their shared dream. Like one of the costumes she wore in her dreams, can Dreamer embrace a more hopeful view of the future? And as he lurks in her subconscious, what knowledge does the Key hope Dreamer can unlock for him? Let’s leap into Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #3 and see!

 

Story

She helped rescue Steve Trevor in Themyscira. As Robin Hood, she protected participants in a Pride parade. After visiting exotic places and combating foes, Galaxy feels exhausted when she revives. Worse, the display screens filling the Justice League Watchtower are an onslaught on her senses. Yet when the Question tells Galaxy that her membership in the Justice League is in jeopardy, she ignores Jon Kent and Kat’s pleas. Galaxy refuses to rest and let others decide where she belongs.

 

As Galaxy rushes to defend herself before the Justice League, Dreamer abandons her recent superhero cosplay in Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #3. As she told Galaxy in the castle, she is tired of combating the naysayers. After trying so hard to prove herself, she realizes that the superhero community will never accept her. And rather than be seen as a villain, it is easier to sleep the pain away.

 

Before expelling her from their dream, Dreamer argued that all the heroes love and admire Galaxy. Yet in Jadzia Axelrod and Nicole Maines, Galaxy must defend her right to stand among her fellow heroes. As they question her ability to control her powers, they also debate Galaxy's judgment.

 

All this takes place following the Justice League's decision to offer amnesty to villains. As Jack Ryder argued on the set of Hardwired, the Justice League leaders imposed the controversial pilot program on their membership. In their wisdom, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Captain Marvel threw open the doors to villains who have stolen, tortured, and murdered people. So as Galaxy begins to wonder where she belongs, a hero who embodies youth, change, and idealism becomes a first step toward attacking the leaders’ more questionable choices in Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #3.

 

Art

After Galaxy clutches her head, she raises her arm before her face. Jon catches her when she falls, while Kat elicits a smile when she cradles Galaxy's chin with her hand. Then Galaxy marches off toward the meeting, where she raises her hand toward the heroes standing above her on the dais. While Guy Gardner, clad in his priestly robes, crosses his arms and frowns at Galaxy, Dreamer stands upon the castle parapet. As Dreamer’s trenchcoat pixelates, the glowing fragments float away like flower petals on the wind. When Steve Trevor appears, his features shift, evoking how Dreamer altered her friend’s attire.

 

As Brandt&Stein, Jan Bazaldua, and Rosi Kämpe portray Galaxy and Dreamer’s battles for their future, Dearbhla Kelly, Adriano Lucas, and Tríona Farrell adorn Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #3 with a loaded palette of bright colors. Galaxy’s violet outfit links her with Kat and Star Sapphire. Her indigo skin links her with Extraño, who regards all costumed superheroes as vigilantes and rule-breakers.

 

The blue wraparound viewscreens link with Batman and Wonder Woman's impartiality. As Dreamer wears a blue-and-white costume, the energy flung across a blue-and-white corridor represents all the colors in the emotional spectrum. Yet as Steve Trevor comforts Dreamer in his green flight suit, Guy Gardner and Jessica Cruz's uniforms reveal what they're most afraid of losing.

 

Frank Cvetkovic and Jodie Troutman fill white dialogue balloons with uppercase and lowercase letters of varying sizes and fonts. Dreamer’s thoughts inhabit blue boxes, while white letters in black balloons and boxes signal danger. As laughter and coughing fill the air, and an unseen threat demonstrates its fiery temperament, sound effects enhance the actions that alarm the Green Lanterns. The bonus story, One Fine Day, focuses on Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn’s relationship and illustrates why they have become one of the most popular couples in comics. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Everyone wants to belong. Yet sometimes, the fight doesn’t seem worth it. As Dreamer loses hope of acceptance, Galaxy fights to retain what she has achieved. Yet as she argues her case, Galaxy must also question why she is waging this battle against her accusers. And while the heroes attack someone who would never willingly hurt them, a villain takes strides toward achieving power over them in Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #3.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #3.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Justice League: Dream Girls—A DC Pride Event #2.

 

For the beginning of Dreamer and Galaxy's dream journey, see my preview of Justice League: Dream Girls—A DC Pride Event #1.

 

For how this series started, see my review of Justice League Intergalactic Special #1.

 

For Jack Ryder's argument on the set of Hardwired, see my review of Justice League #19. 

 

Batman: Dark Patterns #12 Review

 

Writer: Dan Watters

Artist: Hayden Sherman

Colorist: Tríona Farrell

Letterer: Frank Cvetkovic

Editors: Arianna Turturo & Rob Levin

Cover Artists: Hayden Sherman & Ashley Wood

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: November 12, 2025

 

After rescuing Commissioner Gordon from a burning coroner’s lab, Batman sequesters himself in his library. Alfred tries to get Bruce Wayne to tend to his injuries and the infection raging inside him. But while Alfred tries to defuse Bruce's anxiety over Gotham's fate, a chance remark connects with his research into Gotham's history. The young crimefighter races back to the city without taking his medicine.

 

Like Firefly, Bruce Wayne believes he knows the Child of Fire’s intentions. But he doesn't realize that the arsonist has Gotham's volunteer coroner in his clutches. Can Batman rescue Dr Sereika before the flames consume him like they almost did Commissioner Gordon? And can Batman prevent the Child of Fire from burning down the city he loves? Let's grab a fire extinguisher, leap into Batman: Dark Patterns #12, and see!

 

Story

When Nicky Harris uncovered a story that the authorities didn't want unearthed, Gotham's government tarnished his credibility, forcing him into obscurity. So, the reporter goes outside the law, leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for the police and Batman to unearth. Along the way, Nicky sets a few fires.

 

In Batman: Dark Patterns #12, Nicky Harris believes he knows what is best for the city. He knows people cling to symbols in difficult times. For many in Gotham, Batman is a symbol of hope. But as Batman investigated Nicky’s design, Dr Sereika threatened to turn Batman into just another police detective.

 

As he unleashes the final portion of his plan, Nicky Harris sets the Gotham Stock Exchange ablaze and drags Dr Sereika inside. With the flames roaring around them, Nicky waits for the fire to decide. Who will influence Batman the most? The reporter who wants Batman to inspire change? Or the coroner, who helps Batman preserve the status quo?

 

Dan Watters’ story focuses on how symbols influence us. Like those used by religions, organizations, and governments, these iconic images take on a life of their own. People cling to them for the ideas they express. These symbols become living entities that inspire those who believe in them. For Firefly and Nicky Harris, the fire chooses who should live and who should die. But for Batman, there is no choice. He will defend Gotham and the people in it, regardless of the cost to himself. That's something he demonstrates to Alfred, Commissioner Gordon, and the city’s inhabitants in Batman: Dark Patterns #12.

 

Art

As Hayden Sherman shifts camera angles of the Blackgate Penitentiary van, a close-up shows Detective Bullock glance over his shoulder. Commissioner Gordon leaves Firefly to approach the panel of chicken wire. The gray-and-black van becomes a character as it sweeps through an intersection, turning into oncoming traffic as it races through the city. Buildings rise on either side as the van speeds toward the financial district. Flames dance amid the Corinthian columned splendor of their destination, turning the Gotham Stock Exchange into a torch. 

 

Tríona Farrell paints Batman: Dark Patterns #12 with a loaded palette of vibrant colors. Nicky Harris and Dr Sereika wear beige and black insulated suits, resembling tigers surrounded by yellow and orange flames. While Nicky promised a fair competition, Dr Sereika sits in chains. And instead of wearing another cracked infant's face, the coroner's mask resembles a skull. Green flames join their yellow and orange brethren, suggesting the growth and rejuvenation that fire can bring. But when Batman appears in blue and grey, he clutches a yellow coil of bat-line like a Lasso of Truth.

 

Frank Cvetkovic fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase dialogue that grows bold for intonation. Bruce's thoughts appear as bold lowercase black letters in gray paper scraps. Lowercase letters accompany coughs, sighs, and lowered voices as the Bat-Signal once again forms a symbol of hope, dominating an iconic page in this final issue of the series. Thanks to DC Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

  

Final Thoughts

When the political leadership covers up Gotham's problems instead of dealing with them, Nicky Harris believes a complete overhaul of the city is necessary. But Batman knows that Gotham will pay for such rapid change in blood. So, he risks his life to give people the choice to introduce manageable, beneficial change by meeting the Child of Fire on his own terms in Batman: Dark Patterns #12.

 

Rating 9.8/10

Batman: Dark Patterns #11 Review

 

Writer: Dan Watters

Artist: Hayden Sherman

Colorist: Tríona Farrell

Letterer: Frank Cvetkovic

Editors: Arianna Turturo & Rob Levin

Cover Artists: Hayden Sherman & Martin Simmonds

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: October 8, 2025

 

A baby-faced killer clad in protective clothing pulled the Cabreras into a housefire. An effigy of Batman lured Commissioner Gordon into a burning coroner’s lab. After journalist Nicky Harris told Batman about Dr Sereika's incendiary past, Gotham’s volunteer forensic pathologist disappeared. Is Garfield Lynns, aka Firefly, subjecting Gotham to a trial by fire through his agent outside Blackgate Penitentiary? Or is the Child of Fire following their own twisted plan? Let's grab a fire extinguisher, leap into Batman: Dark Patterns #11, and see!

 

Story

Commissioner Gordon doesn’t like his decision any more than the police who serve under him. But the Child of Fire shares Firefly’s views on Gotham. So, Gordon takes Firefly to the scene of the latest arson attack. The aroma of burned flesh tantalizes Firefly’s nostrils. Based on what he knows of his pen pal and what he's seen, Firefly senses a pattern involving Gotham's development as a city.

 

Firefly isn’t alone in this assessment. Although Alfred urges him to rest, Bruce Wayne compares the recent arson incidents with historic fires. Batman is so focused on his task that Alfred loses his characteristic reserve. While Alfred shouts to get Bruce to pay more attention to his young charge in Batman And Robin: Year One #3, the butler forces Bruce to see that he and the city are one in Batman: Dark Patterns #11. If Bruce dies because he doesn't tend to his wounds and the infection raging inside him, who will protect Gotham?

 

As Batman investigates Gotham's history in Dan Watters' story, the arsonist sees fire as a means to cleanse Gotham from disease and corruption. When the Child of Fire compares the unfolding events to his grand plan, Dr Sereika becomes his enemy. Like Alfred, the arsonist sees Batman as focusing too much on his immediate tasks. But instead of caring for his physical health, the Child of Fire wants Batman to guide Gotham’s cleansing and renewal.

 

Art

While police survey the rubble, armored guards help Firefly from the Blackgate Prison van. Chains link the metal bands circling Firefly’s neck, waist, and limbs. When the inmate with a burned face kneels to study the burned remnants, Commissioner Gordon lights his pipe and inhales smoke from the burning tobacco in Batman: Dark Patterns #11.

 

Along with energizing layouts, Hayden Sherman builds symbology into this story about myth and legend. Alfred stands in the library doorway, seemingly at the feet of a bat-like shadow. Bruce sits cross-legged, with his shirt off and his head bowed. Open books surround him like a circle of power. Shadows obscure the arsonist's features as he sits with Dr Sereika. Only briefly does his face emerge with clarity. Then the Child of Fire dons his mask once more.

 

While Tríona Farrell paints Batman: Dark Patterns #11 with vibrant colors, gray forms a link between Firefly and Bruce. Yet pink shines most brightly, illuminating Firefly's scarred face, the arsonist's intense stare, Bruce taking his temperature, and the smoke rising from the fires. When Batman visits Gotham, illustrations from his books superimpose over the pink background.

 

Frank Cvetkovic fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase dialogue that grows bold for intonation. Extracts from Bruce's books appear as bold lowercase black letters in gray paper scraps. A surprised off-camera voice speaks into a spiky balloon, while a frightened man shouts into a star as the Child of Fire enacts the final portion of his grand plan. Thanks to DC Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Gotham's growth has outpaced its ability to serve its citizens. Business leaders prey on the city’s inhabitants. Officials evict people from the buildings where their families lived for generations. Villains make the streets unsafe for residents, and the unhoused eat rats to survive. While weaving myth into Gotham’s rich history, Batman: Dark Patterns #11 tackles the economic inequality that empowers the crime families and prevents Gotham from addressing the needs of its populace.

 

Rating 9.8/10

Batman: Dark Patterns #1 Review

 

Writer: Dan Watters

Artist: Hayden Sherman

Colorist: Tríona Farrell

Letterer: Frank Cvetkovic

Editors: Arianna Turturro & Rob Levin

Cover Artists: Hayden Sherman & Stevan Subic

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: December 11, 2024

 

Gotham is a dangerous place. It always has been. While Batman can protect people from others, he cannot rescue them from their destructive inclinations. So, he watches and listens for someone preying on the citizens of his beloved city. What evil will he discover when the bat-signal shines in the sky? Let’s leap into Batman: Dark Patterns #1 and see!

 

Story

When Batman rushes to Gordon’s aid, he finds the young police detective consulting with a gray-haired man. Dr Sereika is a forensic pathologist who has started advising the GCPD. He is fascinated by what a corpse's injuries say about the victim's life. Batman distrusts the newcomer. But lacking another police coroner, Dr Sereika will have to do. In Dan Watters' story, Batman studies the patterns of city life to understand the dangers that threaten Gotham's citizens. Mr Choi is the third victim in a recent string of brutal slayings. But aside from the manner of his death, Gordon sees nothing to connect him with the other two.

 

In Batman: Dark Patterns #1, Bruce Wayne is in the early days of his career. He has yet to take on a partner. When he faces danger, he must consider his options, rather than reacting in tune with his crime-fighting aids and inventions. He takes time to muse before deciding his next course of action. And he suffers wounds his more experienced self will avoid.

 

In that, Batman shares commonality with the victims. It also links him with Gotham's latest serial killer. The perpetrator is a meticulous practitioner in the art of pain. He delivers a maximum of suffering to his victims before releasing them to death. Unlike Batman, he feeds upon the pain. It seems to strengthen him.

 

Art

Hayden Sherman superimposes a bust with concealed controls over scenes of danger. Batman dons his suit and ascends to a rooftop to see flames devouring a building. He climbs into a Batmobile parked atop a high-rise. When the bat-signal hovers above the glowing towers, Batman races down a road bordered by trees that aspire to ascend higher than the distant buildings.

 

An inset panel of gray and brown dogs overtakes a billboard as Batman roars past. Hayden Sherman tilts the panel to show Batman racing upward. Despite his elegant design, the Batmobile’s straight lines signal the owner’s adherence to law and order. Tríona Farrell imbues the night with yellow, orange, and green as Batman ascends to investigate a crime. The yellow symbol on the hero’s dark chest evokes the signal Gordon shines into the sky in Batman: Dark Patterns #1.

 

Frank Cvetkovic shares Batman’s thoughts with lowercase black letters in pale blue paper scraps. Balloons with uppercase black letters grow spiky when Batman overhears a potential victim speak with his tormentors. Thinner spikes push through balloons composed of straight lines with lightning bolt arrows when Batman discovers the culprit for a recent series of crimes in Batman: Dark Patterns #1. Thanks to DC Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Now, to honor of Batman Day 2025, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

This series, composed of three-issue story arcs, reveals the historic crimes that spur the corruption afflicting Gothamites today. Gotham becomes the primary character, simultaneously the hero, villain, and victim, as Batman investigates a serial torturer in Batman: Dark Patterns #1.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For another reviewer's thoughts, see his review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Batman: Dark Patterns #10 Review

 

Writer: Dan Watters

Artist: Hayden Sherman

Colorist: Triona Farrell

Letterer: Frank Cvetkovic

Editors: Arianna Turturro & Rob Levin

Cover Artist: Hayden Sherman & Stevan Subic

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: September 10, 2025

 

Gordon urged Batman to move on. He argued there were other cases to solve. But Batman prided himself on seeing through patterns that weren't there. He insisted that the body found in the Rookery was part of something larger. Now, Batman wonders if he was as susceptible to suggestion as anyone else. And he is in pain. Terrible pain. Batman has fallen. Can he pick himself up and protect the city he loves? Let's leap into Batman: Dark Patterns #10 and see!

 

Story

Gordon lights the Bat-Signal every night. But Batman doesn’t show. Some people, like Mr Cabrera, believe it is for the best. Then, he and his wife discover a burning building. No one rushes to help when they glimpse a figure moving through the flames.

 

Batman has grown used to fires in Gotham. Like the children who play chicken with subway trains, and the wild dogs running loose in the Bowery, fires have become part of the background hum of his storied city. Batman saw them as the inevitable consequence of shoddy building methods, accidents among the unhoused, children playing with fire, and arson. But in Batman: Dark Patterns #10, Bruce Wayne burns. A fever rages inside him as his body struggles to recover from his recent injuries.

 

In Batman’s absence, Gordon investigates on his own. He seeks to learn who is responsible for the recent fires and may ignite more. But he may already be too late. In Dan Watters' story, Gotham perches amid a storm of whirling destruction. Fire purifies Humanity and its creations, enabling them to survive amid this storm. While the fire destroys, it also offers opportunities for renewal. Like the Phoenix, that burns when it dies to be reborn, someone seeks to cleanse Gotham by rebuilding it from the ashes of destruction.

 

Art

Hayden Sherman shows a disguised figure regarding symbols of former disciples in a fading family room. As a man and his wife pass a product of old Detroit, iron bars protect a raised planter bed fronting a house. Ignoring the coin-operated newspaper machine bolted into the sidewalk beside a streetlight, the woman raises a gloved hand, while a man studies his cellphone. Behind the windowpanes, a broken child's mask appears. Stapled to strips of fabric and adorned with a dangling belt, this symbol of a damaged youth evokes an Egyptian sarcophagus.

 

While Hayden Sherman enriches each page with a different panel layout, Triona Farrell wields a loaded palette of color on Batman: Dark Patterns #10. Bruce sleeps amid pink, purple, and green in the gray Batcave. Alfred's shadow casts a pink hue over Bruce's sweaty face. While he sleeps, Batman explores an otherworldly realm. Like his skin, pink soaks the landscape. Pink and white streak the sky. Yet Batman's black cape swirls like a wraith amid this landscape of death.

 

Frank Cvetkovic peers behind the child’s mask to reveal tiny, black, lowercase thoughts in orange paper scraps. While black uppercase dialogue in white balloons and boxes hesitate to grow bold for intonation, Alfred leans forward to clasp Bruce's hand and bows his head as if in prayer. Giant black lowercase letters reveal an illicit letter, as a man leans forward and stretches his neck to search the sky. Yet all words vanish as a familiar figure swings into action in Batman: Dark Patterns #10. Thanks to DC Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Batman sought to protect people amid a culture of corruption, decay, and disinterest. But while he solved individual cases, Batman failed to discern a pattern behind the fires in Gotham. Nor did he realize who was inspiring people to perpetrate acts of destruction. So, in Batman: Dark Patterns #10, while the Bat-Signal burns a symbol into the clouds, the architect of the chaos unleashes the final stage of his master plan.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Batman: Dark Patterns #10.

 

Batman: Dark Patterns #10 Preview

 

Gordan told him to move on. There were other cases to solve. But Batman prided himself on seeing past patterns that weren't there. He insisted that the body they found in the Rookery was part of something larger. Now, he wonders if he is as susceptible to suggestion as anyone else. 

Batman has fallen. Can he pick himself up again and protect the city he loves? 

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

Batman: Dark Patterns #10

Writer: Dan Watters

Artist: Hayden Sherman

Colorist: Triona Farrell

Letterer: Frank Cvetkovic

Editors: Arianna Turturro & Rob Levin

Cover Artist: Hayden Sherman & Stevan Subic

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: September 10, 2025

 

The final Dark Patterns case begins as Gotham burns!

 

CASE 04: Child of Fire

 

A mysterious arsonist has been secretly guiding the growth of Gotham and Batman from the shadows…now their dark design enters its final stage. Will this grand work be a success, or will the world’s greatest detective douse the blazing plot before it’s too late?

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.