Question: Who turns crime into a puzzle for the Bat to solve? Answer: The Riddler! Fascinated by puzzles from a young age, Edward Nygma joined Batman’s rogue gallery in 1948. He believed the Caped Crusader to be a worthy adversary for his challenges and mind games. Suffice to say, he was right!
Created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang, the Riddler started his criminal career wearing a green, skin-tight jumpsuit with purple trim and question mark motifs. Just as Burgess Meredith’s portrayal of the Penguin influenced the character’s depiction in print, Frank Gorshin’s demand for a new costume on the TV show also had an impact. At the time, he was given a green business suit with a bowler hat. Although initially ignored in the comics, the costume appeared in Secret Origins Special #1 (1989), illustrated by Bernie Mireault. Once he had worn it, it became his official costume.
The Riddler loves a good mise en scène. His crimes undoubtedly have a theatrical flair that is perfect for the screen and other media. Thanks to his portrayal in television, movies, animation and video games, our criminal mastermind has earned his place in pop culture. Notable actors to have played the Riddler include Frank Gorshin and John Astin in the 1960s TV series Batman, Jim Carrey in the 1995 film Batman Forever, Cory Michael Smith in the 2014 Fox series Gotham, and Paul Dano in the 2022 film The Batman. John Glover, Robert Englund, Wally Wingert and others have voiced the character in animation and video games.
Now is the perfect time to solve some riddles alongside Batman and Robin with this selection of essential comics featuring The Riddler!
The Top 3 Riddler Comics
If you have to only read only three Riddler comics, look no further than the following three titles!
- Batman: Hush
Batman faces the most intense case of his life in Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee’s iconic Batman story, and The Riddler plays a specific part in this mind game. We advise reading the story, not watching the animated adaptation that made changes to the conclusion. - E.Nigma, Consulting Detective (Detective Comics #822)
Has Gotham’s most pernicious puzzler turned over a new leaf, or is it all a cover for a darker scheme? This question filled one of The Riddler’s most iconic story from Paul Dini. - Dark Knight, Dark City
From Peter Milligan and Kieron Dwyer comes an occultist tale that would go on to influence Morrison’s run on Batman, but also became one of the most emblematic Riddler stories in the Post-Crisis era, with Nygma using Black Magic to drive Batman insane and showing his capacity to be a fun and terrifying character.
The Riddler Throughout the Years: A Collection of the Most Enigmatic Comics
The Riddler is no Joker, as Batman’s most famous villain is the focus of two big anthologies. However, you still can discover some of Edward Nygma’s greatest hits in a volume of the “Batman: Arkham” collection covering some of Batman’s classic rogue gallery. Discover the most madcap exploits of Gotham’s resident puzzling prodigy in one book:
- Batman: Arkham: Riddler
Collects stories from Detective Comics #140, #142, #377, #822, #837, Batman #171, #179, #292, #317, #362, Batman #23.2: The Riddler, Brave and The Bold #183, Joker’S Asylum II: The Riddler#1 and Legends Of The Dark Knight 100-Page Super Spectacular #2!
There is no denying that DC Comics knows how to put out those anthologies, always full of classics. We are now taking a closer look at several of those stories available in this collection and other classic Riddler stories in a more detailed manner:
The Riddler’s Early Days
The Riddler first appeared in Detective Comics #140 (1948), standing out from the crowd of villains by challenging the Dynamic Duo and the readers to solve his riddles. Although he managed to escape Batman and Robin at the end of the first issue, the ‘Puzzle Prince of Cryptic Crime’ was stopped two issues later and did not reappear for 17 years.
His return in Batman #171 inspired the pilot episode of the ’60s series, cementing The Riddler’s place in popular culture. He would go on to make more than a dozen appearances during the Pre-Crisis era, delivering some puzzling challenges along the way.
- Detective Comics #140 (1948) – “The Riddler” – Discover the Riddler’s first appearance as the Prince of Puzzles who taunts the Dynamic Duo with clues about his upcoming crimes.
- Detective Comics #142 (1948) – “Crime’s Puzzle Contest!” – After his first appearance, The Riddler quickly came back to challenge once more Batman and Robin to a new deadly game of wits.
- Batman #171 (1965) – “Remarkable Ruse of the Riddler!” – After 17 years in prison, The Riddler made a madcap return in this classic story from Gardner Fox and Sheldon Moldoff.
- Batman #179 (1966) – “The Riddle-Less Robberies of the Riddler!” – The Riddler breaks free of prison and wants to break free of his compulsion to leave clues behind in another Gardner Fox and Sheldon Moldoff story.
- Detective Comics #377 (1968) – “The Riddler’s Prison-Puzzle Problem!” – Gardner Fox continues to write more riddles to solve for Batman, this time with artist Frank Springer, as the Riddler leaves clues about his future robberies.
- Batman #279 (1976) – “Riddler on the Rampage” – Once again, The Riddler breaks out of prison, determined to beat Batman with an overwhelming quantity of riddles, leading us to a final confrontation in the Egyptian pavilion of the Gotham Art Museum where a solid gold model of the Sphinx, one of the world’s greatest riddles, is exposed. From David Vern and Ernie Chan.
- Batman #292 (1977) – “The Testimony of the Riddler!” – Who killed the Batman? As Riddler took credit for the deed, he finds himself having to provide testimony in a trial showcasing Nygma’s intelligence, obsessions and desperation. From David Vern and John Calnan.
- Batman #317 (1979) – “The 1,001 Clue Caper” – Another goofy story for The Riddler who steals a truck full of chickens! From Len Wein and Irv Novick.
- The Brave and the Bold #183 (1981) – “The Death of Batman” – Maybe one of the first Batman and Riddler team-up! The two men have to work together to find a retired mystery novelist. From Don Kraar and Carmine Infantino.
- Batman #362 (1983) – “When Riddled by the Riddler…” – the Riddler decides to go on a crime-spree again under the creative team of Doug Moench and Don Newton, that exploits the more lunatic part of the character here.
Except for Batman #279, all those stories have been reprinted in Batman: Arkham: Riddler.
Riddle Me This! Your Iconic Post-Crisis Riddler Stories (and Beyond)
In the Post-Crisis DC Universe, Edward Nygma continues to create riddles to test Batman’s intellect. While the World of Comics became grittier and darker at the time, The Riddler would stay true to himself, a criminal more interested in the chase and challenge than in crime and violence itself. It would make him a less threatening villain, but one that would go on to show his mastery in manipulation later on. Although Nygma is renowned for his criminal activities, he briefly turned to the good side, mostly in Paul Dini’s stories, offering a new and refreshing perspective on the character. However, he would return to his roots as the Master of Riddles, before being revisited and updated as a darker villain in the New 52 era and beyond.
- Batman: Dark Knight, Dark City (1990) – Part of our Top 3 Riddler story.
- Detective Comics Annual #8 (1995) – “Questions Multiply the Mystery” – This is your classic Riddler’s origin story written by the king of origin story, Chuck Dixon, with art from Kieron Dwyer. Collected in Batman: Four of a Kind.
- Batman: Riddler (1995) – “Riddler and the Riddle Factory” – Published at the time to coincide with the release of the film Batman Forever, this Matt Wagner story became also one of the most celebrated for the Riddler. Nygma is embarking on a strange campaign to expose the secrets of the city’s rich and famous. Naturally, things became more intense when he chose to expose the secrets of Bruce Wayne.
- Detective Comics #705-707 (1997) – The maniacal Riddler and the perplexing Cluemaster team up to form a Dynamic Duo of their own during Chuck Dixon’s underrated Detective run. Collected in Batman: Knight Out.
- Batman: Hush (2003) – Part of our Top 3 Riddler story.
- Legends of the Dark Knight #185-189 (2005) – “Riddle Me That” – In the aftermath of Hush, the Riddler went into a downward spiral of insanity. In this story, Shane McCarthy explores the downfall of the character and the origins of his compulsion for riddles.
- Detective Comics #822-824 & 828 (2006) –”E. Nigma, Consulting Detective” – Part of our Top 3 Riddler story. The Riddler was sent into a coma during the Infinite Crisis period and only woke up one year later, a changed man. He became a private investigator, using his great talents for the good of the people during Paul Dini’s run on Detective Comics.
- Gotham City Sirens #9-10 – “Pieces of the Puzzle” – The Riddler plays a good supporting role during Dini’s run on Gotham City Sirens including in those particular issue where the trio came to his help when they are framed for murder. Collected in Harley Quinn & the Gotham City Sirens.
- Detective Comics #837 (2007) – “Honor Among Thieves” – The reformed era of Edward Nygma continues, still under Paul Dini’s pen, as the Riddler teams up with Harley Quinn to find a a Wayne Enterprises employee. Collected in Batman by Paul Dini Omnibus.
- Batman: King Tut’s tomb (2009) – Riddler returns to villainy in Tony Daniel’s Batman: Life After Death. While he is not on the good side anymore, it will not prevent one of the most famous Batman/Riddler’s team up that put the duo against King Tut. From Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir.
- Batman: Zero Year (2013-2014) – Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo rewrote Batman’s early years for the New 52 era and put their spin on the Riddler’s character at the same time.
- Batman #23.2 Riddler (2013) – “Solitaire” – A tie-in to the Forever Evil event starring the one and only Riddler. Collected in Batman: Arkham: Riddler.
- Batman: The War of Jokes and Riddles (2017) – In an untold chapter of Batman’s early years, The Joker and The Riddler battled each other over who must be the one to kill the Bat! A conflict that turned into full-blown warfare during Tom King’s run.
- Batman: Black & White #5 (2021) –”The Riddle” – An 8-page story from Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie built as a “choose your own adventure” issue. Collected in Batman: Black & White Compendium.
Out Of Continuity Riddler Stories
We conclude our tour of The Riddler’s essential stories with some tales specifically set in another continuity.
- The Batman Adventures #10 (1993) – Set in the continuity of Batman: The Animated Series, this fun heist story from Kelley Puckett highlights Edward Nygma’s motivations. Collected in The Batman Adventures Omnibus
- Batman Adventures: Riddle Me This! – For more tales set in the continuity of Batman: The Animated Series, look no further than this collection focused on the Riddler himself!
- Riddler: Year One – A Prequel to Matt Reeves’ The Batman movie, written by Paul Dano that explores how Edward Nashton became the Riddler.