Riddle me this: Who loved playing the Riddler so much in Matt Reeves’ The Batman that he’s writing a spinoff comic based on the character? Paul Dano, that’s who! The Batman director Matt Reeves has announced that Riddler: Year One is coming with Dano at the helm.
Dano’s Riddler is a wild departure from Frank Gorshin’s portrayal of the character in Batman: The Movie. In The Batman, Dano’s Riddler is more reminiscent of the mysterious Zodiac Killer than the kooky trickster found in the pages of Batman comics. Given the grizzly nature of Dano’s version of the character, I would not be surprised to find Riddler: Year One arriving under the DC Black Label banner. DC‘s Black Label is an imprint that allows for more mature storylines to be told in the DC Universe. In my opinion, some of the publisher’s best stories have been released under this label, and I think Riddler: Year One would feel right at home on that platform.
Plot details for the comic have not been revealed, though the comic may focus on how forensic accountant Edward Nashton solved the mystery of Gotham’s dark past, and how Martha Wayne is directly tied to the corrupt city’s dark history. It’s also possible that the comic will serve as a deep character study for Dano’s version of the iconic character. The “Year One” build has been done at DC several times in the past, with characters like Scarecrow, Robin, and more all getting their own deep-dive comic series.
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