365 DC Comics Heroes & Villains Paper Cut-Outs
The Riddler
As a child, Edward Nigma was feverishly fascinated by puzzles and riddles. There had been a school contest to see which student could solve various riddles the fastest and young Edward was intent on winning this contest by any means necessary. Indeed the youngster broke into the school the night beforehand and gleaned the answers, guaranteeing his victory.
His cheating rewarded, Nigma became obsessed and endeavored to become a master of all manner of puzzles, riddles and games of the mind. The obsession consumed him and, as an adult, Nigma turned to crime so to offer him greater challenges. Crafting a fancy costume, he dubbed himself ‘The Riddler’ and devised intricate crimes entailing clues in the form of riddles.
The Riddler purposefully drew the attention of Batman perceiving the Dark Knight as a worthy opponent. Thus began a longstanding rivalry between the two. The Riddler’s twisted genius has made him a vexing foe for Batman and one of the hero’s most troublesome of nemeses.
Alongside his solo criminal capers, The Riddler has also acted as a member of The Legion of Doom, The Injustice League, The Secret Six as well as the Secret Society of Super Villains.
The villain has appeared in numerous live-action and animated projects. Actors Frank Gorshin and John Astin both portrayed The Riddler in the 1960s Batman television series; while actor Cory Michael Smith played the character in the television series Gotham. Actors Jim Carey and Paul Dano have portrayed the villain in feature films.
In animation, The Riddler has been voiced by actors Ted Knight, Michael Bell, John Glover, Robert Englund, John Michael Higgins, Dave Franco, Al Yankovic, Steve Staley, Brent Spiner, David Hornsby, Jim Rash, Rob Paulsen, Matthew Gray Gubler, Wally Wingert, Conan O’Brien and Geoffrey Arend.
The Riddler first appeared in the pages of Detective Comics #140 (1948).
