The Riddler: Year One expands on the story of the Riddler written by the actor, Paul Dano! This is a six issue limited series under DC’s Black Label that has mature content and also is not confined to tying into the DC Universe titles. Paul Dano has created many memorables roles such as Dwayne Hoover in Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Beach Boys co-founder, Brian Wilson, in Love and Mercy, and now Edward Nashton in this year’s The Batman.
He had previously co-written and directed the drama Wildlife (2018). The regular cover of the first issue is by Bill Sienkiewicz of the young Edward in a targeting scope sitting on a stool as we see the menacing glasses, mask, and hood of The Riddler. Honestly, Sienkiewicz should be providing movie poster artwork. “Chapter 1: a new beginning” features Dano’s writing and Stevan Subic’s artwork. Subic worked with other publishers, Soleil and Titan, but this is his first work for DC Comics. This appears to be Dano’s background that he built up for his character in The Batman. If so, this is fascinating not only to plunge into the Riddler’s story, but also Dano’s processes.
It opens with darkness and Edward telling himself to breathe. This turns into a surreal panel of almost dark claws reaching out until we get his hands over some accounting papers. Subic’s art style looks like it can take a realistic, painterly style and mix it with surrealism, like a cross between Sienkiewicz and Kyle Baker. A series of panels takes Edward from the reddish world of the earlier panels to more normal lighting. Numbers give him order.
He fills out numbers and his signature with his red pen. He closes his eyes and then opens them to see his glasses and part of his face in red. The colors are symbolic and very cool. His case worker, Zach in a blue suit, asks about an account. Remarkable is the multi-colored balloons above Zach and the colors that almost look like 50’s advertising art. Edward in silhouette and he questions how Zach with only five months while Edward has working for five years reports to him. I’m getting serious Bill Lumbergh vibes from Office Space (1999). "I'm going to need those TPS reports ASAP."
He eyes Zach in closeup savagely bite into a sandwich. The interesting part is seeing the blank eye glasses so he is almost anonymous compared to Zach. Edward mentions that he completed an account that Zach said was expected at the end of the month. Zach heads off to the office party leaving Edward again in shadow. Finished with work, Edward walks into the city, listening to a podcast of Rene Rouge, the red again.
Edward sees sadness and corruption, yet there is a couple who are together. Closeup of Edward’s face as we see train wheels screeching in red. He rushes and then throws himself in front of the subway train. Underneath it is splatters of red and his white glasses. Again, Edward reminds himself to breathe. He completes a riddle, Sin across and Street down, on the Riddle King app. He smiles at a woman sitting next to him in a red dress and she moves over to a crowded seat. Then, he sees signs of the Renewal Project that obsessed him in the movie. Edward feels unworthy, this shifts to red, he focuses on the man next to the woman.
He wonders if the people deserve a chance. The man’s face contorts and then becomes monstrous with blank eyes and rows of teeth ready swallow him! Again,Edward reminds himself to breathe. His difficulty to socialize, isolation, and depression should get him to a therapist. At night he is playing riddles that calm him, he goes to nigma.org to find news, Edward Nygma was the original comic character’s name. Clever nod there. He sees Mayor Mitchell running for re-election. Edward goes to check on the news item, “Vigilante Bat Spotted” and checks the Vigilante Bat boards.
He looks out to see the harbor with storm waves, bats swarming above it, and in the background Wayne Tower. So this ties in loosely to The Batman’s first year. We eventually see his journal page with “I am enough” scribbled on it. We don’t get into Edward’s beginning as an orphan, this was touched upon in the Before the Batman young readers novel by David Lewman, interesting companion piece here. The narrative construction could easily be made into a movie like The Joker (2019). Edward’s underdog status makes for an interesting fall into what could be a villain, but could there be hope for him? The Riddler: Year One book one is a fascinating look at Edward Nashton connecting to the movie with some stunning art by Subic!
Five Riddle King apps out of Five!
#TheRiddlerYearOne, #PaulDano, #StevanSubic, #TheBatman, #EdwardNashton, #Zach.
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