Riddler
The Riddler is a fictional character, a villain in Gotham City, the home of Batman in the DC Comics series.
Edward Nashton, aka E. Nygma, the Riddler, is a man who delights in the planning of a crime, and in forewarning the police (and Batman) of his upcoming capers. These warnings are always sent in the form of a riddle. The Riddler discovered how fun and challenging puzzles were when he was a young boy (he cheated on a puzzle in school to win a prize), and he gradually turned to crime as he matured. The Riddler often has two female assistants (whose names sometimes differ) that help him, Quiz and Query.
The Riddler, unlike many of the other members of Batman's rogues gallery, is more of a cerebral than physical villain. Although he is quite suited for physical combat and often has weapons ready for use, he has probably always been among the least homicidal of the major Bat nemeses; indeed, one story showed him lamenting the rise of murderous villains.
His riddles are in fact a bizarre obsessive compulsion; his attempts to stop himself from sending them have met with failure. However, of Batman's themed enemies, Riddler's compulsion is quite flexible, allowing to commit any crime as long as he can describe it in a riddle or puzzle.
The Riddler is one of the few rogues that have deduced true identity of the Batman. However, there is no major concern that the Riddler will leak the information, as Batman explains "What good is a riddle in which everyone knows the answer to?" - playing with the Riddler's obsession with riddles and the greatest riddle of all "Who is Batman?".
Media Portrayal
- In the 1960s Batman television series and spin-off movie, the Riddler was played by Frank Gorshin and John Astin. Before the television series, the character was a minor villain, but the exposure of the series, especially with the manic portrayal by Gorshin elevated the character in the comics to a major enemy.
- In Batman: The Animated Series, the Riddler was played by John Glover. For this version, the producers decided to play against the popular Gorshin image of a cackling trickster and have the character as a smooth intellectual who presented genuinely challenging puzzles.
- Jim Carrey portrayed the Riddler in the movie Batman Forever with Gorshin being his primary influence.
His name E(dward) Nygma, or enigma, describes him fittingly. In Canada, his French language name is Le Sphinx.