Batman – One Bad Day: The Riddler #1 is part of a series of one-shots published by DC Comics, written by Tom King, art and colours by Mitch Gerads, and letters by Clayton Cowles. Riddler commits another murder in this issue but doesn’t leave a clue behind.
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This is a brilliantly structured comic that sets the tone of the series considerably. It is a long comic and the pace is slow, leaving it to feel like a long read. But the plot itself is so investing that is rewarding to sit through. When it begins, the lack of a clue but Riddler’s inviting gesture for the Batman creates a deep mystery. At the same time, the story depicts the backstory of the Riddle in an emotional and gripping flashback. There aren’t any major fights but multiple dramatic and violent moments with intense confrontations that are teetering on the edge of exploding. Every showdown has a completion that left me breathless even without any action, like a chess match. The final act is initially unexpected and shocking, with one last page that leaves a smile on the face.
King does an excellent job of making the Riddler an utterly terrifying villain in this one-shot, all whilst he doesn’t necessarily move. With certain other foes such as Joker or Scarecrow, Nygma can’t always be considered scary. Here he shows what he can do just from knowledge. The dialogue in his confrontation with Batman is magnificent as it is jaw-dropping in the bravery he has going up against Bruce.
This is also the first time I have seen his backstory, and whilst it isn’t as tragic as other comic villains it makes sense for the character. What the writer implements within this comic is the notion that Riddler has the potential to be much more dangerous if he chooses to be, placing him very high in Batman’s most threatening of enemies. Batman – One Bad Day: The Riddler #1 does contain a significant amount of Batman as well as Riddler, who is also fantastically crafted. There are some clever callbacks and repetitions to the dialogue as Bruce Wayne’s capacity for compassion shines.
The art is gorgeous. Gerads’ style in this comic is simultaneously unique whilst also carrying traits of the Arkham Asylum graphic novel as well. Their faces aren’t as malformed and altered, but they have the potential to be just as horrifying. There are some really intelligent uses of perspective that I have never seen before in a comic medium. The most prominent example is the opening, which is presented in the first person. This provides a brand new viewpoint on what is about to happen, and the fact that isn’t shown adds to the confusion. That event is then shown again through the facade of a TV screen and pixellated. Much of the violence is like that, off-panel or extreme but hidden. The facial expressions are brilliant and very realistic. Riddler’s design in this comic increases his fear factor greatly. The bald head and green around the eyes is simple yet creepy and a more civilised suit brings him into reality, Batman is silhouetted more than anything, with only his eyes visible most of the time.
The colours are stunning. They are used to help denote the time period. In the flashbacks the scene is covered in orange, taking the colour of Edward’s hair and bathing the page in it. The present-day story is covered in green. These intense tones leave the book feeling so atmospheric, and the way the relationship between the tones is toyed with is remarkably intelligent. The lettering is easy to read and the font matches the art style.
Batman – One Bad Day: The Riddler #1 is a frightening yet irresistible tale. It removes the restraint from a character that can often be considered comical or ridiculous, turning him into something terrifying. The usual format that Batman and Riddler stories usually unfold with is fractured and it means that it is very difficult to predict what is happening. It is an achingly pretty one-shot as Gerads brings his evocative style to the book. This is a creative partnership that only leads to gold.
Batman – One Bad Day: The Riddler #1 is available where comics are sold.
Batman - One Bad Day: The Riddler #1
TL;DR
Batman – One Bad Day: The Riddler #1 is a frightening yet irresistible tale. It removes the restraint from a character that can often be considered comical or ridiculous, turning him into something terrifying. The usual format that Batman and Riddler stories usually unfold with is fractured and it means that it is very difficult to predict what is happening. It is an achingly pretty one-shot as Gerads brings his evocative style to the book. This is a creative partnership that only leads to gold.
