The Riddler: Year One has given actor Paul Dano the chance to get deeper into the twisted mindset of the villain he brilliantly played in last year's The Batman movie. Written by Dano and drawn by artist Stevan Subic, the six-issue miniseries is an impressionistic nightmare that follows Edward Nashton as he grows ever more obsessed with the Batman.
The story reaches its penultimate chapter on June 27 and Dano and Subic are really dialling up the weirdness. The new issue makes use of an unusual format - showcasing the pages of the Riddler's journal, as glimpsed in the movie.
DC's blurb for the issue reads:
"The penultimate issue of this hit miniseries features an unusual break in format, as we will see Edward Nashton constructing his master plan for taking down the corrupt officials and criminals of Gotham City in the pages of his journal.
As his mind spirals deeper and deeper, so too does his writing become more unhinged. How can he continue to labour at his accounting job by day while also become more enraged by what he's uncovered?
As shown in The Batman movie, Edward fills thousands of pages with his rantings. Here we get a glimpse into something that was never meant to be seen and a mind equally brilliant and unhinged.
By the end, a turning point will be reached and Gotham's greatest menace will come one step closer to being unleashed. Actor Paul Dano (The Batman) and artist Stevan Subic continue the origin of the Riddler, leading up to his appearance in Matt Reeves's epic film."
Edward Nashton's backstory differs significantly to the Riddler in the comics. In the film he is a brilliant forensic accountant who bears a pathological resentment to the Wayne family, due to his troubled upbringing. A criminal genius, he leaves elaborate clues and riddles for twisted fun and as a way of exposing the corruption at the heart of Gotham.
The original comics character, as co-created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang, is a far more colorful character. He's had a few different origin stories over the years (and a few variant names - Edward Nigma, Edward Nygma and occasionally Edward Nashton, as used in the film). His prevailing motive, however, is a clinical obsession with puzzles, which he leaves as way of proving his intellectual superiority to his foes. His look is also altogether less terrifying than the serial killer chic rocked by Dano in the movie.
The Riddler: Year One #5 is published by DC Comics on June 27.
Want to find out more about Edward Nigma/Nashton? These are some of The Riddler's best stories.
