Just Imagine - A Time to Reap - R.A. Wonsowski

Panel 1- Interior of Saint Patrick's Cathedral in NYC. Background, around and on top of the altar, numerous bodies covered in bloodied sheets. Foreground, two plainclothes detectives, HARVEY BULLOCK and JOHN JONES. BULLOCK is smoking his cigar inside the church, JONES is opening a file.

BULLOCK: Did I hear right?
JONES: Twenty-three bangers. Used to meet here 2 in the morning as a distribution point. All dead.
BULLOCK: Any suspects?

Panel 2- Over the detectives' shoulders, we see a surveillance photo from above. A big bruiser of a man, African-American with close-cropped hair, dressed all in black body armor, a hand-painted white question mark on his best front. He's carrying a large automatic machine gun with a belt feed.

JONES: 21st century, cameras everywhere. Victor Van Der Van. Ex-marine. Pregnant wife killed in a drive-by, no arrests.

Panel 3- Background, JONES still reading from the file, holding out a plastic evidence bag with a sheet of paper in it. Foreground, BULLOCK pulling back one of the sheets, ashing his cigar in the dead banger's face.

BULLOCK: He must've done that job last night on Lex. Same M.O.
JONES: Now he's leaving notes.

Panel 4- BULLOCK reading the note through the bag with an expression of distaste. JONES closes the file.

BULLOCK: "How do dirtbags get to Heaven? When they're hole-y." Wow, that's awful.
JONES: Media's already got hold of it. Some idiot on Facebook gave him a nickname and it stuck...

Panel 5- TV screen with Van Der Van's military photo, from a news broadcast. Banner across the bottom has local news logo, local weather, and reads: ST. PATRICK'S MASSACRE - Who is the Riddler?

The Riddler – The Worlds Maddest Detective - MK Stangeland Jr.

(5 Panels)

Panel 1: RIDDLER and BATMAN (BRUCE WAYNE) are on a rooftop in Gotham City. RIDDLER is wearing a BATMAN costume, though his cowl and cape have a greenish tint to them and the body suit is darker. RIDDLER is turned towards BATMAN from previously being perched on a rooftop ledge, and has a very un-BATMAN like grin on his face.

BATMAN: Riddle me this, Edward. When is Batman not?

RIDDLER: A riddle? I LOVE riddles! Oh, oh! I’ve got this one, don’t tell me…

Panel 2: BATMAN stands directly in front of RIDDLER doing his best intimidation death-glare. RIDDLER, however, knows BATMAN well enough to not be affected by it very well and instead continues to have a grin on his face that would look outright creepy if the regular BATMAN were wearing it.

BATMAN: (Not giving RIDDLER a chance to answer.) When I haven’t approved it.

RIDDLER: Oh, you mean this old thing?

BATMAN: You want to explain to me why you’re running around Gotham dressed like me?

Panel 3: RIDDLER crouches as he sticks one foot up on the ledge of the building and stretches the opposite arm out in front of his face while holding his cape, using it to cover his face below the eyes.

RIDDLER (1): I’m trying to get inside your head and answer one of the second greatest riddles of the Batman!

RIDDLER (2): Riddle me this – how does he run around in tights all the time without going as bats as the very madmen he puts away?

Panel 4: RIDDLER stands on the ledge of the building with his back to the open air. His arms are stretched wide, each hand holding an edge of his cape.

RIDDLER: The answer?

Panel 5: RIDDLER leaps off the rooftop backwards. BATMAN rushes to try to catch him, worried that RIDDLER may have snapped even beyond his normal self and is leaping to his death.

RIDDLER: HE DOESN’T!

(END PAGE)

The following page would show that no, RIDDLER isn’t committing suicide, but instead has his own grappling cable which he uses to try to swing away while he laughs maniacally.

The Riddler - Words, Words, Words - Grant McLaughlin

Classic 3 x 3 grid. All panels equal size. Nothing crazy fancy there.

1 – Nighttime.  Shot focused on the Riddler. He is puzzling over the question of what he should do next.

RIDDLER: It's really been far too long since I last matched wits with Batman.

2 – Pull back to show that the Riddler stands before a long line of filing cabinets. He looks towards them eagerly.

RIDDLER: Certainly I must have some clever capers collected within these cabinets.

3 – Riddler rifles through the first filing cabinet. He reads from a pile of cue cards.

RIDDLER (1): Here we are. “I am light as a feather, yet no man can hold me for long.”

RIDDLER (2): ...

RIDDLER (3): Wait. I used this one when I tried to drown him...

4 – Riddler walks around the room absentmindedly, discarding the cards he deems useless by throwing them over his shoulder. The filing cabinets are visible in the background. It is clear that he has been at this a while, because a few more drawers are open and there are cue cards lying all over the room.

RIDDLER (1): “What turns everything around but does not move?”

RIDDLER (2): No, I did this one too. He escaped from that funhouse much quicker than I had anticipated...

5 – The Riddler continues his search. He has removed his jacket, leaving it hanging on one of the filing cabinets. His shirt shows sweat stains from his exertions. More drawers are open. The cue cards are starting to overwhelm the room.

RIDDLER (1): “What kind of clothes does a lawyer wear?”

RIDDLER (2): Suing the Cape Crusader seemed like such a good idea at the time...

6 – Even more drawers are open. The Riddler sits on top of one of the filing cabinets, looking through cue cards. His initial exuberance has long since been replaced with irritation. He crumples the cue card in his hand in frustration. Discarded and crumpled cards continue to fill the room.

RIDDLER (1): “What is not enough for one, just right for two, and too much for three?”

RIDDLER (2): Ugh. I thought I had finally figured out the true identity of Gotham's Dark Knight...

7 – Light starts to shine through the windows. It is daytime. Riddler has been searching all night, and he looks awful. The sweat stains have increased in size, his eyes are red with tiredness, he has a five o'clock shadow. The man is exhausted.

RIDDLER (1): “The man who built it doesn't want it. The many who bought it doesn't need it. The man who needs it doesn't know it.”

RIDDLER (2): By all logic, burying him alive should have been far more successful...

8 – Riddler drops the last cue card. He looks around the room glumly. It is covered in cue cards. All the filing cabinets are open and empty. No dialogue.

9 – Still sitting on the filing cabinet, Riddler slumps his shoulders, defeated. Far away shot, with the Riddler in silhouette.

RIDDLER: What now, Edward?

The Riddler - Better Left - Danial Carroll

[I started researching riddles this week, and found that I really, really don't like them, so instead, I decided to research Edward himself. It turns out, he was a really curious kid--incessantly asking questions and such--so I figured that this trait has probably never left him. So, when I think of enquiring minds, I automatically think of...]


PANEL ONE
Edward Nigma is walking up to a large columned building. A sign nearby reads, "Gotham City Library".

CAPTION: Ever since I was a child, I have questioned the world around me.


PANEL TWO
He is now seen entering a dark doorway, next to which is a small sign reading, "Grimoire and Occult".

CAPTION: Curiosity is my muse.


PANEL THREE
He is seen pulling a large, leather-bound book from the shelf.

CAPTION: Some questions, however...


PANEL FOUR
Edward is at a reading-table. His head is upon the table, eyes vacant and dilated, drooling. He has dropped the book, the spine of which reads, "Necronomicon".

CAPTION: Are better left unanswered.

The Riddler - We Never Sleep - Matt Duarte

The Riddler in 'We Never Sleep' by Matt Duarte

Panel 1

Description: The Riddler calmly stands in an dark alley, leaning on his trademark cane. Before him, Batman (Dick Grayson) is swooping in from above.

BATMAN: End of the road, Nigma. I know you are back to your old habits.

RIDDLER: Please, “Batman”, you know I am not a common thug like the rest of the denizens of that crude asylum.

RIDDLER: My recent villainous acts have rhyme and reason to them.

Panel 2

Description: Batman is holding the Riddler by the neck of his jacket. He is clearly not in the mood for this, but Riddler remains as collected as before.

BATMAN: I'm sure you will explain it on the way to Arkham, as you always do.

RIDDLER: Riddle me this, Batman: What is pink but pretends to be red?

BATMAN: I don't care.

Panel 3

Description: The Riddler sits in the back of an Arkham Asylum van (the kind that would take the new guests to their premises), with shackles on his hands. Despite this, he is sitting comfortably, still smiling. We can see a small barred window where the drivers are.

RIDDLER: A pinkerton.

DRIVER 1: What? What did you say?

DRIVER 2: Remember the training? We are not supposed to talk to them.

Panel 4

Description: Same as before, but the Riddler has turned his head to talk to the drivers, but one of them is already closing a little hatch to the window.

RIDDLER (quietly): Hehe...

RIDDLER: Pinkerton detectives used to infiltrate unions and communist parties and pretend to be one of them to investigate them more thoroughly.

DRIVER 2: Thanks for the history lesson, but we don't care.

Next: A Private Eye in Arkham

The Riddler - Questioning the Unquestionable - Sime McDonald

PANEL ONE

The Riddler – Edward Nigma – is battered and bruised, his iconic garb torn.

He’s been through the wringer and is propped up against the wall of an abandoned Gotham City warehouse. 

The Joker looms over him. He is not smiling. He actually looks quite distressed. 

My take on the Joker is he’s not always the maniacally-laughing clown he’s so often portrayed as.  He’s a psychopath; he never displays the same characteristics from one day to the next. 

And today, he’s a brooding clown.

JOKER

Poor dear.

You’re asking yourself why, aren’t you?

PANEL TWO

The Joker crouches on his haunches, his face inches from Riddler’s.

JOKER

You need to know why.

Need an answer for everything.

Every riddle.

PANEL THREE

The Joker has unholstered a glinting pistol.

The barrel is pressed against Riddler’s head.

JOKER [1]

Your whole world revolves around questions and answers.

Answering the unanswerable.

JOKER [2]

But your world is fiction, Edward.

Buddy, ol’ pal.

PANEL FOUR

Joker licks the Riddler’s cheek.

Nigma’s eyes are wide with fear.

JOKER [1]

You live in my world, see.

There are no questions.

There are no answers.

JOKER [2]

There’s just me.

PANEL FIVE

Completely black, save for Joker’s word balloon.

JOKER

That’s the joke.

The Riddler – Wrong Answer – Ryan K Lindsay

PAGE 18 - 5 PANELS

1. Damian is punching The Riddler in the guts. They are in a room, a basement, chains on the walls, stains on the ground. This is Damian’s playground.

Damian: I got one for you. Listen closely.

2. Riddler is on the ground, holding his stomach. He’s in pain.

Damian: There is a room.
Damian: It is sound proof.
Damian: Two guys walk into aforementioned room.
Damian: One of them is pretty awesome.

3. Damian stands above the Riddler. Damian’s close to rocking that stance he did on Batman & Robin #1.

Damian: The other is you.

4. Damian grabs the Riddler’s hat off the ground.

Damian: The Batman is off, busy, definitely not coming back any time soon.
Damian: So, how much blood does this other guy give up before he names his source?

5. Damian is wearing the Riddler’s hat. He’s about to punch, or kick (go with your instincts), the Riddler.

Damian: Riddle me that, @$$#@^

The Riddler – Riddle Me This - Ben Rosenthal

1. Night. Edward Nigma sits at a desk, illuminated only by a desk light. He is in a singlet and boxer shorts, however upon his head is his trademark green question mark hat, his black eye mask on his face. He is hunched over his table, pen in hand.

2. A close up of the desk, specifically the paper on which Edward is writing on. On the top of the page it reads ‘Bank Heist’. Below it are words and short sentences, some are legible through the scrawls, some are not. A few crude scrawling of Batman are visible, with his tongue poking out and X’s where Batman’s eyes should be.

PAPER ON DESK READS

Bank Heist

Knab...bank backwards....is there a word or person which contains a knab?

When is the top of a mountain like a saving’s account? When it peaks one’s interest.

3. Looking up at Edward’s face from the desk. His hand rests upon his head, face scrunched up in concentration.

EDWARD

Ugh. Time for an easier gimmick.

The Riddler - Wise Men Fold - Rol Hirst

The story so far…

The Riddler has fallen in love and renounced his evil, duplicitous ways. Batman is suspicious but gradually comes to believe that Edward Nigma has turned over a new leaf. The Joker, of course, is having none of this. He kidnaps Nigma’s bride-to-be and when Batman and the Riddler arrive to rescue her, he murders the woman before their eyes. Batman captures the Joker and ships him back to Arkham. The Riddler disappears… until, one night a few weeks later, he returns – more vicious and driven than ever. He lures Batman into a trap, captures and imprisons the Dark Knight inside an unbreakable plexiglass prison. Then he gets out his gun…


Panel One.

The Riddler points his gun (an old-fashioned revolver, but BIG) at Batman. The Dark Knight has little room to move within his cell. There’s no way to dodge this bullet.

Riddler: It’s broken, yet it keeps on working. What is it?

Batman: Edward…

Panel Two.

Close on the Riddler, over the top of his gun, his face wracked with pain. No tears. He’s past tears.

Riddler: What begins but has no end… yet it’s the end of everything that begins?

Panel Three.

Close on Batman, looking grim.

Batman: Edward, you don’t have to do this…

Panel Four.

Edward cocks his gun, ready to fire. Batman is pleading now, his palms against the glass.

Riddler: What’s the one crime the Batman won’t ever be able to punish me for?

SFX: Click!

Batman: Edward, please—

Panel Five.

The gun fires – Batman screams out.

BATMAN: Noooo!

Panel Six.

Batman can only watch as the bullet ricochets off the unbreakable plexiglass wall and strikes Edward in the heart.

Why The Riddler?

Riddle me this, boy and girls...

Which Batvillain walks on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs at night?*

Which Gotham rogue ties up Batman's brain more than his body, has a mysterious pun for a moniker, and makes question marks almost as fashionable as bowler hats?

Who's the one Batfoe even Jim Carrey couldn't kill? (Though he gave it a pretty good shot.)

He's a puzzle, wrapped in a mystery, called E. Nigma.

Why The Riddler? Hey, I'm not giving you all the answers...

(*In the morning he's crawling through sewers to escape Arkham Asylum. In the afternoon he's standing tall as he launches his latest diabolical plan. At night he's hobbling about on his cane after taking another beating from the Batman.)