The Riddler (WIP)

This list is gonna be a little different from the others, and by that, I mean that I'm gonna give a detailed, ranked list of recs. The list in each section is in chronological order, but this page as a whole is not. For a simple chronological list without all my yapping, click here!

The Best (in my opinion)

The Brave and the Bold (1955) #183

I think it's so fun whenever Batman is forced to team up with his most annoying rogues <3

Detective Comics Annual #8

THE Riddler comic of all time, and probably the most prominent backstory he's got. It gets down to the core of his character to explain why he's like That. It's so. Auuagh

Batman Confidential #26-28

Another RiddleBat team-up story! Very fun time and has some interesting details about his feelings on Batman.

Batman (2011) #23.2

The Riddler: Year of the Villain

Also Pretty Good

Impulse #48

You don't need to know much about Impulse to read this, I just think it's so funny to see Edward get destroyed by a 12 year old who's kinda just chilling. Truly ADHD vs autism

Detective Comics #797-799 (2nd story in each issue, Low)

This might be an unpopular pick, but I include it simply because it lines up very well with my own interpretation of Eddie. Maybe I'll elaborate on this later. Also just a fun time watching Ivy thoroughly obliterate him until he loses the will to live lmaoo

Joker's Asylum: The Riddler

Much to unpack here. Goes deep into Eddie's riddle fixation in a way that's so fucked up. I wasn't a fan of this comic the first time I read it back when I still had my deeply cringey uwu-ified interpretation of him but it's grown on me since. Have no idea what else to say about this comic without just spoiling it

Major Arcs / Lore

Dark Knight, Dark City (Batman #452 - 454)

The first major Riddler arc. His characterization is whatever but the writing is good imo

Hush (Batman #608-619)

Without spoiling much, this sure is a major arc for Eddie! If you're newly into Batman I wouldn't suggest this as a starting point because it assumes you have some knowledge of the lore.

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (1989) #185-189 (Riddle Me That)

He's just some emo guy here but this is where the abusive dad part of his backstory comes from.

Zero Year (Batman (2011) #21-33)

I'm not a fan of the New 52 and I believe that the only good thing that came out of it was the introduction of Duke Thomas (who appears in this arc! As just a little guy!) but I think this arc is a fun time. It holds a special spot in my heart as one of the first Riddler comics I read, but otherwise I'd consider it the comic equivalent of a DC movie I enjoy in the moment and then forget about forever. Also features many instances of the Riddler going :3

Private Investigator Arc (wip)

MY FAVOURITE RIDDLER ERA. I love how even though he's trying to reform he's still so deeply annoying and egocentric and kind of shitty. I love how Batman is forced to work alongside his least favourite rogue. Maybe it's the silly tv commercial he has but I think he's a little bit Saul Goodman coded here

• Detective Comics #822, 824, 828, 837, 845
• Gotham City Sirens #1, 3, 8-10
• Batman #686, #698, 699 (Riddle Me This)

The Aftermath

• Batman #704-707 (Eye of the Beholder)
• Batman #710-712 (Pieces)

Classic Era Riddler

Silly guy shenanigans. These are all the pre-crisis comic issues not previously mentioned:

• Detective Comics #140, 142
• Batman #171, 179 (2nd story, The Riddle-less Robberies of the Riddler), 263, 279, 292, 317, 362, 400
• Detective Comics #362, 373 (2nd story, The Riddler on the Roof), 377, 493, 526
• Super Friends #4
• The Brave and the Bold (1955) #68

Everything Else

This section consists mostly of issues I don't remember reading, and issues where Eddie is there but doesn't play much of a role.

• Batman #490
• Legends of the World's Finest (1994) #2 (minor appearance, forgettable)
• Showcase '94 #3-4 (rogues gallery baseball game <3)
• Detective Comics #661, 662 (part of the Knightfall arc)
• The Batman Chronicles #3
• The Long Halloween #7, 11 (I would highly suggest reading this entire series -- these issues won't make much sense otherwise. Plus, this is also often recommended as a good first Batman series to read.)
• Dark Victory #2 (Again, won't make much sense if you just read this issue without the rest of the series, but the series as a whole is good)
• Detective Comics #705-707
• Justice #2
• Batman (2011) #23.3
• Batman Eternal #39, 40
• Deathstroke #25 (minor appearance)
• Harley Quinn: Make 'em Laugh #1 (minor appearance)

Kinda Mid

Question #26

He's just some pathetic guy here /negative

The Riddle Factory

The concept sounds so good, with the Riddler hosting a fucked up evil game show, but the story itself wasn't great and there's a random transphobia moment thrown in there.

Batman 3-D

This thing is like impossible to read if you have any issues at all with eyestrain

The Worst

The War of Jokes and Riddles

I hate Tom King and I hate this arc. Oh wowww he's sooo edgy now and he kills children and he loves murder. Where is his WHIMSY where's the fun

Batman: Prelude to the Wedding: Batgirl vs The Riddler

Incel Riddler. Who claims that the real reason he can't get laid is because he's sapiosexual. He spends this entire issue trying to seduce(??? not really but close enough) Barbara Gordon. Get AWAY from her

One Bad Day

Did I mention I hate Tom King? This isn't the Riddler, this is King's edgy oc who hates riddles for some reason and is so inexplicably powerful that Batman breaks his no-kill rule just for him. What the hell, man.

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