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The Riddler
Cover of Green Arrow vol. 3, #35 by Marcos Martin, featuring the Riddler.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Detective Comics #140 (October 1948)
Created by Bill Finger
Dick Sprang
In-story information
Alter ego Edward Nigma (Nygma), Sean Shivell
Team affiliations Secret Society of Super Villains
Legion Of Doom
Secret Six
Partnerships Bane
Mad Hatter
Red Hood
The Joker
Notable aliases E. Nigma (Nygma), Edward (Eddie) Nashton, Eddie Nash, Patrick Parker, Enigma, Mr. E

The Riddler is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He usually appears as an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Dick Sprang, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #140 (1948). In 2009, the Riddler was ranked as IGN's 59th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.[1]

Character overview[edit]

The Riddler is obsessed with riddles, puzzles and word games. He delights in forewarning both Batman and the police of his capers by sending them complex clues. With this self-conscious use of a gimmick, the Riddler's crimes are flamboyant and ostentatious. The character is depicted as wearing a domino mask either with a green suit and bowler hat, or a green unitard with question mark prints. A black, green, or purple question mark serves as his visual motif.

The Riddler is typically portrayed as a smooth-talking yet quirky character, motivated by a neurotic compulsion to commit crimes based on riddles and puzzles. This aspect of the character was first introduced in the 1966 issue of Batman (titled, "The Riddle-less Robberies of the Riddler") in which he tries to refrain from leaving a riddle, but fails. This compulsion has been a recurring theme, as shown in a 1999 issue of Gotham Adventures, in which he tries to commit a crime without leaving a riddle, but finds that he cannot help himself: "You don't understand... I really didn't want to leave you any clues. I really planned never to go back to Arkham Asylum. But I left you a clue anyway. So I... I have to go back there. Because I might need help. I... I might actually be crazy." It is a theme further explored in the 2003 Batman Adventures story "Free Man", where Riddler, officially ruled cured, sells communication technology he developed to an electronics firm only to be pursued by shadow assassins; he turns to Batman for help, buts breaks down when their trap succeeds and Riddler is seized by an overpowering sense of survivor guilt.

The Riddler was popularized by Frank Gorshin’s Emmy-nominated portrayal in the 1960s Batman television series. Jim Carrey played the Riddler in the 1995 film Batman Forever with Gorshin as his inspiration. The character was also featured in Batman: The Animated Series (voiced by John Glover) and The Batman (voiced by Robert Englund). In both series, he was portrayed as a smooth-talking intellectual who presented genuinely challenging riddles. While the former utilized his traditional wardrobe and appearance, the latter reimagined him with a Marilyn Manson-esque sense of style. Since the first animated series and Batman Forever, Riddler often carries a trick "question mark" cane.

Fictional character biography[edit]

Detective Comics #140 (October 1948), the first appearance of the Riddler. Cover by Win Mortimer.

The Riddler's criminal modus operandi is so deeply ingrained into his personality that he is virtually powerless to stop himself from acting it out (as shown in his fourth comic book appearance). He cannot simply kill his opponents when he has the upper hand; he has to put them in a deathtrap to see if he can devise a life and death intellectual challenge that the hero cannot solve and escape. However, unlike many of Batman's themed enemies, Riddler's compulsion is quite flexible, allowing him to commit any crime as long as he can describe it in a riddle or puzzle.


In Batman: The Long Halloween, the Riddler appears as an informant. He first appears when Carmine "The Roman" Falcone hires him to figure out who the Holiday Killer is. Falcone eventually loses his patience with the Riddler, however, and orders his daughter, Sophia, to force him to leave. Upon exiting Falcone's office, Holiday attacks the Riddler, but for some reason leaves him alive. The attack was planned to coincide with the holiday of April Fool's, and several items pertaining to it were left at the scene. This may be why the Riddler was left alive, as matters are traditionally reversed on the holiday. He appeared again in the same chapter of the story in which Harvey Dent is disfigured, when Batman comes to him for information about the attack. He plays a slightly larger role in the story's sequel, Batman: Dark Victory, in which Batman turns to him to figure out the significance of the lost games of hangman that are left at the scenes of the Hangman killer's crimes. He later showed up as a member of Two-Face's jury during the Hangman's trial.






After Harley Quinn briefly breaks free of her devotion to the Joker, she attempts to hold up a large party at Wayne Manor, only to find that the Riddler is targeting the building also. The two gangs engage in a firefight, but Harley gains the upper hand when Big Barda (who was secretly allied with her at the time) interrupts the conflict and captures the Riddler and his men. During the storyline, the Riddler makes constant allusions to a "mystery" that is hidden within the mansion, and after his apprehension, damage done to the building causes the entrance to the Batcave to open. The Riddler sees this, and then declares that he has "solved the riddle of Wayne Manor".[5]


During a crisis caused when Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth was broken, resulting in the laws of truth breaking down and causing reality to be shaped by the perceptions of individuals, one of the symptoms was when Batman found himself unable to solve any of the Riddler's riddles, but was nevertheless still able to defeat the Riddler as the Riddler himself couldn't solve the riddles either – most likely reflecting the public idea of the Riddler's puzzles being insoluble – claiming that he managed to "improvise" to defeat the Riddler. His low reputation among heroes and villains was reflected when the Flash noted that Batman having trouble with the Riddler was a clear sign that the world was ending.[6]


In the 12-part storyline "Hush", it is revealed that Riddler suffers from cancer, which also afflicted Dr. Thomas Elliot's mother. Riddler uses one of Ra's al Ghul's Lazarus Pits to rid himself of the disease, and offers Elliot the chance to cure his mother as well, provided he pays a large sum of money. However, Elliott is in fact eager for his mother to die in order to inherit her fortune. Elliott, who goes on to secretly become the masked criminal Hush, explains he wants to get revenge on his childhood friend Bruce Wayne. The two of them agree to work together and the Riddler sets Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Joker, Clayface and Scarecrow out to destroy Batman, with Ra's and Talia al Ghul and Lady Shiva being temporarily drawn into the scheme as well.

During the psychotic break that follows exposure to the Lazarus Pit, the Riddler deduces Batman's secret identity and that the late Jason Todd was once Robin. He then tells Clayface to shapeshift into a replica of Jason in order to torment Batman, who is haunted by the former Robin's death. Batman first thinks that Riddler had stolen Jason's corpse and hid it outside of Gotham Cemetery, but it is revealed in a later storyline that Jason was alive the whole time and collaborates with him and Hush. However, when the Riddler threatens to expose Batman's secret identity, the Caped Crusader mockingly labels it an empty threat, pointing out that if Riddler revealed the answer to the riddle "who is Batman?", it would become worthless, something Riddler wouldn't be able to stand. In addition, Batman warns him that if he reveals the secret, it would give Ra's al Ghul a vital clue that he used a Lazarus Pit without his permission, and the League of Assassins would subsequently retaliate against him.[7]


The fallout from Riddler's failed scheme is played out in Batman: Gotham Knights #50-53. In the story "Pushback", Hush reappears and beats Riddler senseless across a rooftop. Seeking refuge, Riddler goes to the Joker and the Penguin. He offers to tell the Joker who had killed his pregnant wife, Jeannie, if the Clown Prince of Crime would protect him from Hush. The Joker immediately agrees, but eventually Hush, with the help of the impostor Prometheus, defeats him, forcing the Riddler to flee for his life.

In Detective Comics #797-799, the Riddler seeks shelter from Poison Ivy only to be humiliated. Riddler and Ivy then face off in a physical duel, which Ivy wins easily.





Riddler reformed[edit]






In the 2008 miniseries Gotham Underground, Riddler investigates the Penguin's involvement with the events of Salvation Run. He saves Dick Grayson, who is working undercover during the Gotham Gang War between Penguin and Tobias Whale and deduces that Grayson is Nightwing.











Return to villainy[edit]




Riddler's return to villainy is cemented in "Eye of the Beholder". Investigating the Sensei's attack on the Jade Society, Batman (Dick Grayson) is ambushed by Riddler and a young woman introduced as Enigma, Riddler's daughter. Riddler and Enigma escape, delivering the Jade Society member list to Gilda Dent. Riddler is paid, but is more interested in another reward, which Gilda promises after one more job. This occurs in "Pieces", where Gilda reveals herself to Two-Face, hiring Riddler and Enigma to help Harvey best Mario Falcone and reclaim his coin. The plan works, defeating Batman and reuniting the Dents. The Riddler is rewarded with multiple DA dossiers of himself ... but Enigma is unimpressed, voicing concerns that Riddler is washed up. Riddler retorts with a new riddle: "What's green and purple and bleeds profusely?" Enigma's response is cut short by her scream, implying the Riddler has done away with his "daughter" in issue #712.

The New 52[edit]



Interviews and Twitter correspondence from 2012 indicated that after the "Death of the Family" story arc is complete, writer Scott Snyder will begin work on a Riddler origin story[11] and artist Greg Capullo revealed new Riddler artwork in 2012.[12] The Riddler made an appearance in Batman, vol. 2, #21, the opening book of the "Zero Year" arc, where his surname is changed from Edward Nigma or Nashton to Nygma. He is hired by Philip Kane (uncle of Bruce) to be his strategist and help push Wayne Enterprises to new levels, despite a controversial past. One of Edward's suggestions to help the company get publicity was kill his nephew. While Edward's dialogue in the subsequent issue indicates Philip rejected this idea, Edward took it upon himself to hire the Red Hood and commit the crime.

Skills and abilities[edit]

The Riddler possesses extreme originality in decoding and formulating puzzles of all kinds. His deductive ability perfused his role of private detective when he was reformed, during which he was shown to have investigative skills that rival those of the Dark Knight.


Other versions[edit]


Edward as he appears in Joker



The Riddler makes an appearance at the end of Batman: Earth One.[15]







In several promotional ads for the IB program, the Riddler was shown as a graduate, talking about the many possible career choices for a new graduate. This is debatably canon as DC knew about the ads.[citation needed]





In other media[edit]


Live action[edit]

Frank Gorshin as the Riddler, from the Batman TV series
  • The Riddler appears in the 1960s Batman television series and one of the villains in the theatrical film spin-off. Frank Gorshin portrayed The Riddler in the first and third season of the series and the film and John Astin portrayed The Riddler in the second season of the series. The popular television series was inspired by the first Silver Age appearance of the Riddler, with the premiere episode being an adaptation of Batman #171. Gorshin's portrayal of the character was loosely inspired by Richard Widmark's portrayal of gangster Tommy Udo from the film Kiss of Death.[citation needed]
  • Gorshin also portrayed the Riddler in Legends of the Superheroes in 1979. The Riddler was the first supervillain to appear on the show, where it is implied he has already met the Batman, planning to sue him for false arrest.
  • Riddler will be featured in the TV series Gotham portrayed by Cory Michael Smith as a coroner for the GCPD and who tries to present all pertinent case information as riddles. Smith is promoting as a Series Regular.[20][21][22]


  • The Riddler made his first appearance in animated form in the Filmation Batman installments first seen on CBS Saturday Morning in 1968 as part of The Batman/Superman Hour with Ted Knight providing his voice. The Riddler did not appear in the 1977 The New Adventures of Batman episodes, however he did appear in the show's opening wearing a red version of his outfit.
The Riddler as he appears in Challenge of the Super Friends
  • The Riddler appeared in Hanna-Barbera's Challenge of the Super Friends voiced by Michael Bell. He appears as a member of the Legion of Doom; he usually gives riddles to the Super Friends to delay them from meddling with the Legion's plans. In "Monolith of Evil," he uses a riddle to trick the Super Friends into getting a Monolith of enormous power guarded by a Lava Monster for the Legion after they fooled the Super Friends into abducting the United Nations and disguising the Monolith as the United Nations.
  • He made his only solo appearance in a Super Friends short episode, "Around the World in 80 Riddles", again voiced by Michael Bell. Here, he uses his new Stupid Spray (which slowly causes the intelligence of those sprayed upon to be reduced to the intelligence of babies) on Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and Robin, where different riddles will provide clues where the antidote can be found. The first one quotes "As your I.Q. drops to below 42, you'll need mya help to tya your shoes". The answer to the riddle led Super Friends to the Mayan ruins, where they ended up in one of Riddler's deathtraps. After barely escaping the deathtrap, Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and Robin find what appeared to be the antidote only to be a container for another riddle. The riddle reads "You're probably too stupid now, so here's an easy clue. Climb the tallest mountain until you turn blue". Due to the group's dwindling intelligence, Batman had to use the Batcomputer on his Batplane to decipher the riddle, with the answer being Mount Everest. Upon arriving at Mount Everest, Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and Robin encounter Riddler's blimp, where the Stupid Spray is at its final part on them. The Super Friends managed to claim the Stupid Spray Antidote and defeat Riddler. In "Revenge of Doom", Riddler was with the Legion of Doom when they got back together.
  • The Riddler appears in Batman: The Animated Series voiced by John Glover. He made his debut in "If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?", and has also appeared in "What Is Reality?" and "Riddler's Reform". For this version, the producers decided to play against the popular Gorshin image of a cackling trickster to avoid confusion with The Joker and have the character as a smooth intellectual who presented genuinely challenging puzzles. The series' creators admit they didn't use him often because his character often made story plots too long, too complex or too bizarre, and the creators also found it very hard to devise the villain's riddles.[23]
  • John Glover returns as the Riddler for cameo appearances in The New Batman Adventures episodes "Over the Edge" and "Judgment Day". His design is completely different from his early appearance, losing not only his hair, but also his green suit and mask. Instead, he is now dressed in a unitard with a large question mark. In "Over the Edge", Riddler appeared in Batgirl's nightmare (which was induced by Scarecrow's fear gas), where he was seen on a talk show with the other Batman villains. In "Judgement Day", Riddler was among the victims of a vigilante called the Judge at the time he was crashing a banquet.
  • John Glover reprised his role as the Riddler in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "Knight Time". He is in league with Bane and the Mad Hatter, planning to take advantage on Batman's recent disappearance (which was caused by Brainiac) in Gotham City. He is quickly captured by Superman (dressed as Batman) and Robin.
  • A Riddler drone fights Batman in the opening of the Batman Beyond episode "Terry's Friend Dates a Robot". The Riddler's appearance is that of his The New Batman Adventures appearance.
The Riddler as he appears in The Batman


  • Jim Carrey portrayed the Riddler as the main antagonist in Batman Forever. Edward Nygma is an employee of Wayne Enterprises who invents a device called "The Box", that transmits images directly into the user's mind. Nygma sees it as the next generation of television, but Bruce Wayne rejects the idea, as mental manipulation raises "too many questions". Nygma ultimately discovers that his device can increase his own intelligence and, after killing his supervisor, he dons the identity of the "Riddler", allies himself with Two-Face and steals vast amounts of money and jewels to fund his own company, Nygmatech, and mass-produce his Box, all of which transfer the stolen information to a gigantic Mother Box on Claw Island, where it is planted in Nygma's mind. In the process, Nygma learns Batman's identity and he and Two-Face raid Wayne Manor, destroying the Batcave. However, in the film's climactic battle, Batman destroys the Mother Box, causing the intelligence Nygma stole to either be siphoned back out or re-arranged badly, and driving Nygma into insanity. Driven insane, the Riddler is locked up in Arkham, where he believes that he himself is Batman.
  • In Batman & Robin, The Riddler's uniform can be seen in Arkham Asylum.
  • The Riddler makes a brief cameo in a flashback scene in the animated film Batman: Under the Red Hood. He attempts to rob a museum, but he is defeated by Jason Todd after he and Batman take down his henchmen. Although Bruce Timm receives screen credit for voicing him, he has no lines.

Video games[edit]

The Riddler has appeared in several video games based on Batman.

  • The Riddler is a character in Lego Batman: The Videogame[25] with his vocal effects provided by Tom Kenny. He is one of the three masterminds of the Arkham breakout, and leads Two-Face, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy and Clayface, with the goal of stealing the contents of the Gotham Gold Reserve. In this game, his trademarked question-mark cane grants him the ability to exert mind control over marked targets, or to confuse other characters if they are close enough.
  • Riddler appears in the 2009 game Batman: Arkham Asylum voiced by Wally Wingert. The Riddler is never actually seen in the game but hacks into Batman's communication system. He challenges Batman to solve various riddles located throughout the asylum, though only one is required to complete the game. He grows increasingly unstable as Batman finds more of his riddles. In his interview tapes, he says that he believes Batman affords his high-tech arsenal by stealing from the criminals he defeats, and that Commissioner Gordon is covering it up. The tapes also reveal the origin of Riddler's obsession with riddles: when Edward Nygma was young, his abusive father called him a "moron", so he attempted to prove him wrong by entering a riddle-solving contest in school, which he wound up winning. However, his father accused him of cheating (which Riddler reveals at the end of the interview he had) and proceeded to beat him. The traumatic event caused Nygma to become obsessed with riddles as a way to prove his intellectual superiority, as well as developing a need to punish those whom he deems to be "morons". After solving all of his riddles, Batman transmits the police his location, leading to his arrest.
  • Wally Wingert once again voices Riddler in Batman: Arkham City. He kidnaps Aaron Cash's medical protection team, sets up death traps, and threatens to murder them all if Batman does not solve his riddles. As part of the challenge, he places Riddler Trophies across Arkham City to be collected. To access the location of Riddler's various trophies and riddles, Batman must interrogate his henchmen, who are scattered throughout Arkham City and blending in with gangs working for Joker, Penguin and Two-Face. At certain intervals, when Batman finds enough "challenges", the location of a room containing a hostage is revealed. Batman must then outwit the deadly conditions within the chamber and rescue the hostage. Afterwards, the freed hostage gives Batman a sequence of numbers from Riddler, which are a radio frequency. Once tuned into the frequency, Riddler will either give Batman a new riddle or tell him to find more trophies. He does this four times, and comes to a dead end when the fifth hostage is rescued. Believing that this final room would end Batman once and for all, the Riddler neglected to create any more leads to his remaining captives. Batman must then continue to find secrets in order to discern where the Riddler is hiding himself and the medical staff. When 400 Riddler challenges are completed, Oracle discovers a connection between the death trap rooms through a shared property broker. She then contacts Batman and tells him where she believes his hideout may be. Once inside the Riddler's base of operations, Batman observes that the remaining hostages are trapped in a prolonged torture: they must continuously walk along a path or the explosives strapped to their heads will detonate. Batman must then avoid walking in front of each hostage until he reaches a weak point below the Riddler's office and proceeds to pull the Riddler through the floor and incapacitate him. Aaron Cash and the remaining hostages are freed from their traps, and the Riddler is in turn hooked into one of the devices himself. Fearing for his life, the Riddler must walk as he forced his captives to do. He then demands that Hugo Strange share Batman's true identity with him. Strange refuses to tell him, however. The Riddler also plays a major role in the game's challenge mode which is called Riddler's Revenge. Various challenge maps show him having numerous henchmen working for him including TYGER Guards, Ra's al Ghul's ninja assassins, Mr. Hammer and his twin Mr. Sickle, a Titan-empowered henchman, and even Black Mask.[26]
  • Riddler appears in Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes voiced by Rob Paulsen impersonating Jim Carrey's interpretation of the character. He appears as a boss in the level "theatrical pursuits" and is later an optional boss fight and unlockable character, found on top of Wayne Tower.
  • Riddler makes a cameo appearance in Injustice: Gods Among Us. In the Arkham Asylum level, if one of the characters is thrown through the cell door on the right side of the second tier, they will be attacked by Two-Face, Killer Croc, Penguin, and Riddler before being punched by Croc into the next tier of the Arkham arena. It should be noted that their appearances are based on their Batman: Arkham City looks, hinting that the game takes place in the same universe. He also appears as a support card in the IOS app.

Spoofs and parodies[edit]

  • In Family Guy there's an episode in which Peter says that he fought the Riddler, shown in a similar style to the 1960s Batman television series.
  • An episode of "BadMan," a CollegeHumor parody of "Batman," features Batman finding a kidnapped Rachel Dawes held hostage by the Riddler.
  • In an episode of "The Simpsons", a Ned Flanders parody of Riddler is featured called the Diddler, a joke about Flanders's tendency to use "Diddly" in a sentence.

Action figures[edit]

Riddler action figure, part of the "Super Amigos Collection"













Amusement park rides[edit]

See also[edit]


  1. ^ Riddler is number 59, IGN.
  2. ^ The Question #26
  4. ^ Detective Comics #705-#707
  5. ^ Harley Quinn #6-#7
  6. ^ JLA #64 (May 2002)
  7. ^ Batman #619
  8. ^ Green Arrow #50 (July 2005)
  9. ^ Gotham City Sirens #1 (June 2009)
  10. ^ Gotham City Sirens #9 (February 2010)
  11. ^ "'Batman': Scott Snyder promises Riddler return". ComicBookMovie.com. Retrieved July 26, 2012. 
  12. ^ "Greg Capullos Teases Riddler Image". Comic Vine. Retrieved November 26, 2012. 
  13. ^ Joker
  14. ^ Batman: Thrillkiller # 1-3
  15. ^ Batman: Earth One
  16. ^ JLA Secret Files 2004 #1
  18. ^ Batman: Crimson Mist
  21. ^ " Inside TV Fox’s ‘Gotham’ scoop: The Riddler cast ". Entertainment Weekly  . April 1, 2014. Retrieved April 1, 2014. 
  23. ^ Comics Scene #43, published by Starlog
  28. ^ Frank Gorshin appearance on Dean Martin show

External links[edit]