The life of Edward Nashton continues with his obsessive work in The Riddler: Year One! “People lie number’s don’t” is by Paul Dano and Stevan Subic. The Bill Sienkiewicz cover has the shadowy Edward sitting before a wall of blue screens of offices, closeups of his face, and a brown screens of The Batman. It opens with oily, blackish tendrils of hair around faces, an adult, Thomas talking to Edward.
We realize that this is Thomas Wayne, the father of Bruce Wayne. Thomas asks Edward what he likes in school, hair parts to reveal Edward’s glasses. The memory is becoming clearer from not haze, but darkness. Thomas mentions the Renewal Program that will help bright students like Edward. The memory ends with Thomas’ words, “you matter.” We see a closeup on the adult Edward’s eyes and glasses with young Edward in the right lens and Thomas in the other. A brilliant image.
He is shaken from his daydreams by his arrogant boss, Zach, who points out that Edward had written “Something’s not right” on his papers. Zach had been celebrating his promotion and new office. He says that Edward is slow who mentions that he is finishing divorce papers. We get a medium shot locked on Edward expressionless as Zach slaps his shoulder calling him boy. Then, we get a closeup to an infant in Edward’s glasses.
The panels are interesting matches of imagery with the text. Edward watches as the workers leave with finally the janitor walks away in silhouette. He is still troubled by a number. Then, enters the office of the Division Director, R. Stone. Edward checks his calculations on his phone, he knows he was correct, checking papers with a flashlight. We see behind him a framed newspaper headline, “Maroni Drug Bust.” He finds Waterfront Industries as part of his company’s papers.
Edward is confused by something missing and then checks the paper shredder going through the strips until coming across a name, Mr. Joon. He realizes that Joon is the owner of New Beginnings. Then, Edward starts reassembling the strips to check payments. Closeups as we find that corrupt money is sent to the Renewal Project. Edward is stunned as we see him react to his discovery in a partial splash page. He wonders what to do with his finding until reaching his apartment and a man mentions to Edward about rats.
The man flicks his cigarette before leaving and Edward is shaken. He flashes back to being bullied as a child. Edward goes over his application to the Renewal Project and his rejection for every year from 1999 to 2009! He thinks back to a scarlet, blood red, images of Thomas and himself. Then, we get a stunning splash page with Edward’s thoughts about the corruption, twisting, incredible work by letterer Clayton Cowles, in a technique I’ve not seen since Alan Moore’s comic work. It twists will we see Edward growing up from an infant until we see him at the end forming a question mark.
Esward reminds himself over his rejections, Zach smugly going to his office, then himself screaming in a grisly image. Then, he reminds himself to breathe in the darkness. Back at work, he begins, an image of The Batman shows on his phone. He starts writing the connections to Mr. Joon. A garbage collector, Edward in disguise, wheels out a trash can from a truck. He tails Mr. Joon to the bank, watches him at night and sees him give a packet to an Asian woman. He wonders what is in the packet and also why the woman lives in a housing project. The next day, Stone takes Edward into his office, and thanks him for bringing up his findings that will be “investigated.”
Then, he asks if Edward has connections to Wayne Enterprises. Stone wants Edward to audit their accounts. He wonders on the ride back to his apartment if he has done good. Edward Nashton would be capable of good, but we know he will ultimately fall. This is seen with green panels of Stone and Edward and then red steps, until we see Stone horribly distorted into some beast. He decides to continue his investiation on his own using nigma.org to hack into the CCTV cameras around Gotham City. This is paired with The Batman in action. The Riddler: Year One is a stunning comics work with a dark and surreal look into Edward’s mind as he starts his own investigation!
Five Riddle King apps out of Five!
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