The Riddler: Year One #6 variant cover, via DC Comics.
The Riddler: Year One #6 — Paul Dano, Writer; Stevan Subic, Artist
Ray — 8/10
Ray: This series, by the actor who portrays the character in the Matt Reeves movie, has been immersing us in the twisted mind of the Riddler since the beginning. That’s a bit of a mixed bag, as spending a lot of time with this character can be trying and many of the earlier issues were just a collection of conspiratorial ramblings. But as we reach the end of the run and Riddler prepares to make his big debut on the Gotham scene and take his war to the people who ruined his life, the story feels a bit more focused and intense. We see a tour of Arkham Asylum that illuminates a little more just why Nashton hates Gotham so much and how it ties into his childhood. We also see a few more glimmers of humanity in him, as he prepares to attack Gotham and tries to get one of the very few people he cares about out of town before it’s too late and the city floods.
Countdown. Via DC Comics.
But probably the most interesting part of this issue is how Riddler and Batman interact. While we saw them as rivals in the original movie, with Riddler being obsessed with how differently he and Bruce were treated after they became orphans, here he almost seems to hero-worship Batman at points — viewing him as a lone warrior against the system. But that becomes a dangerous obsession — one that obviously curdles with time. As the clock ticks down to his first attack, we see him move against other power players in the city, including driving one to suicide. This series’ biggest strength has largely been the brilliant art by Stevan Subic, feeling as gritty as this twisted take on Gotham deserves. Aside from that, how much you enjoy this series will likely depend on how much time you want to spend with The Riddler in this version, and even at the end I’m not sure the answer to that question.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
