Two months ago, a bit of a furor erupted online thanks to the synopsis on the back of the trade collection for DC’s Batman: Dark Patterns. Well, that blurb has been updated significantly for the second printing of the collection, so case closed! Thanks, Batman, you’ve done it again!
Written by Dan Watters with art by Hayden Sherman, the lauded 12-issue series focuses on four, interlocked cases for Batman to solve that run three issues each. It’s a beautiful book that many have called a modern classic. So when the trade came out, fans were surprised to read a synopsis of the book on the back that seemed strangely ungrammatical, and riddled with curious choices that possibly suggested the use of generative-AI.
Here’s the blurb, as it appears on the back of the original printing of the softcover trade collection:
BATMAN: DARK PATTERNS IS A SERIES OF FOUR SELF-CONTAINED, STREET-LEVEL MYSTERIES THAT DELVE INTO THE EARLY DAYS OF BATMAN’S ROLE IN GOTHAM CITY AND HIS HEALING PRESENCE WITHIN ITS STREETS.
This grounded, mystery-driven narrative evokes the rich tone and style of beloved classics such as Batman: Year One, The Long Halloween, and Hush. Penned by the talented Dan Watters and brought to life through the striking artistry of Hayden Sherman, each three-part story stands alone as a gripping detective case, shedding light on the trauma and resilience of Gotham’s citizens and its urban landscape.
The series masterfully underscores Batman’s dual identity as a methodical sleuth and a shadowy beacon of hope, skillfully steering clear of cosmic of supernatural distractions. This intentional focus reassures readers of a steadfast commitment to a more authentic, detective-driven experience, highlighting relatable mysteries that brilliantly showcase the Dark Knight as a healer cloaked in darkness.
While unconfirmed whether this does use AI or not, it certainly reads like a stretched-out expansion of the originally solicited blurb for the book, remixed and extended by a paragraph:
A series of four self-contained, street -level, evergreen Batman mysteries exploring the early days of Batman’s place within Gotham City and his healing presence within its streets.
Batman: Dark Patterns is a grounded, mystery-driven series set in the early days of Batman’s career, echoing the tone and style of classics such as The Long Halloween, Dark Victory, and Hush. Written by Dan Watters, with art by Hayden Sherman, each three-part story is a self-contained detective case rooted in the trauma and transformation of Gotham’s people and cityscape. Emphasizing Batman’s role as a methodical sleuth and shadowy symbol of hope, the series avoids cosmic or supernatural elements in favor of lo-fi, solvable mysteries that showcase the Dark Knight as a healer cloaked in darkness.
Whether gen-AI was used or not, readers (and those online in general) reacted very poorly to this blurb, given the otherwise high praise for the series… As well as DC CCO Jim Lee’s staunch stance against AI use for DC’s comics. Whatever the deal was with the first printing blurb, that’s entirely gone for an new blurb for the second printing of the book. Just a note for context, I saw the trade on the shelf in a Barnes & Noble a week back, and checked to see if it was, indeed, the second printing — and it was! I’m like a regular Batman myself!
Anyway, while the image on the back is the same, showing a bruised and bandaged Bruce Wayne in shadow, looking at his cowl, the text is almost entirely different.
It’s led by two critics’ quotes praising the series, followed by the following text:
A LIGHT TO CUT THROUGH THE DARK!
Set during the early years of the Caped Crusader’s career, Batman: Dark Patterns delves into four unique, disturbing cases as Batman attempts to cement his place as Gotham City’s protector…while the city itself fights back against him. Each story is a self-contained investigation, pitting Batman against both reimagined classic villains and terrifying ew creations. This is the Dark Knight Detective at his most stripped-down core, a man relying on his wits, his skills, and little else as he tackled some of the most twisted mysteries Gotham City and its defender have ever encountered!
Echoing the tone and style of classics like The Long Halloween, Year One, and Hush, writer Dan Watters (Nightwing) and artist Hayden Sherman (Absolute Wonder Woman) put Batman through his paces in one of the most celebrated titles of 2025!
Now, that’s more like it, Mr. Wayne.
Comic Book Club Live Info:
Share this:
Discover more from Comic Book Club
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.