The Batman fans longing for another deep dive into Matt Reeves’ gritty neo-noir world of Gotham can look forward to Paul Dano’s Riddler comics series for DC’s Black Label. Dano is penning the 632-page comic book series which explores the life events that made Edward Nashton go from an accountant to becoming a serial killer who intended to submerge all of Gotham underwater.
The follow-up to Reeves’ The Batman will arrive this October though not as a live-action for the big screen but rather as a six-part comic book series exploring the origin of Dano’s Riddler. The prequel comic titled “The Riddler” Year One” could even play a part in Warner Bros. Reevesverse, the franchise that’s already developing a Penguin spin-off. In an interview for the Empire November issue, Dano addressed the possibility of the comic taking shape as a motion picture.
“I mean, I suppose so,” Dano said. “I think it would also have to be different. You don’t just want to straight-adapt a comic to film.”
While 2022’s The Batman prioritized exploring the caped crusader’s formative years, it also offered a glimpse into The Riddler’s origin through the film’s tie-in comic. Some details highlighted Nashton’s interest in puzzles and crosswords but also shined a light on his struggles from bullying and his hatred for Bruce Wayne. Similarly, the upcoming tie-in series explores the story from the Enigmatic villain’s point of view. Artist Stevan Subic is illustrating the comic series giving it a shadowy sinister look, resonating with The Batman movie’s art style, as portrayed in the comic panel images from Riddler: Year One, below.
“I always had in my mind an image of the Batman that Edward had drawn, very crude but trying to make contact,” said Dano. “And that first time seeing the Batman – what would that feel like, this rush of almost love?” He further stated, “This is borne of the film, but it has to be something stands on its own.”
Riddler: Year One comic will drop this October and will follow a bimonthly release but in the meantime, The Batman is streaming on HBO in the U.S. and on Prime Video in India.
