Of the many Batman villains that have plagued Gotham City over the years, few have put as much effort into their costumes as The Riddler (And even fewer have as strong a trademark or symbol). Introduced in 1948, Edward Nygma has had decades to tweak his appearances, both evolving with the times and taking some daring risks.
The costume typically relies on a few staple features: its green and purple color coordination, a bowler hat, and its signature question mark symbol. While most comic versions of the Riddler showcase these components, the more interesting ones do not. Some versions of the puzzle-themed villain are much less flamboyant (closer to Paul Dano’s portrayal of the character in Matt Reeves’ The Batman), while other versions take even more creative liberties. Let’s take a trip through history as we examine The best Riddler costumes ever featured in comic books.
10
The Riddler merges two of his classic designs
Appearing with his daughter, Enigma, wearing a question mark, in Batman #711, The Riddler combines two of his most famous costumes. Combining the Trickster’s signature bowler hat and trench coat with his signature bowler hat and trench coat, it also features his green and black spandex reminiscent of the character’s earliest appearances, which began in the late 40s. One big difference, however, is that Edward Nygma trades his purple eye mask for a pair of sleek, cat-eye sunglassesBut still manages to put on his purple gloves and stick with his question mark ornament.
It’s an outfit that’s complimented well by Enigma, who wears her own puzzle-themed costume that contrasts with shades of green, purple, and yellow. It’s a short-lived look for Nygma, but it’s the only instance where he meshes together his two most iconic guises.
9
Batman: Zero year Riddler gives Riddler a gangster vibe
Wearing a hat and eye mask reminiscent of Quick Draw McGraw’s alter ego, El Kabong, the Riddler ditches his question mark symbol for an appearance that is both sleek yet minimalistic. In Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s multi-issue Zero yearExplaining how Bruce Wayne became Batman in the New 52, ​​Nigma ditches his signature bowler cap for a fedora and bandana over his eyes, perfectly complementing his all-green suit and purple gloves.
Related
His question mark stick is an accessory kept constant in almost all of the Riddler’s designs, As an overall much more subtle look for a villain with a history of not-so-subtle behaviorBut it’s a costume that certainly fits Snyder’s Riddler. in zero year, The Trickster is much less of a petty thief and much more of a maniacal extremist bent on controlling Gotham.
8
The Riddler gets a hipster design adjustment
Illustrated by legendary comic artist Ivan Reis, this modern depiction of the Riddler debuts at the beginning of a new story arc in Detective Comics #1059, Which sees Edward Nygma at the helm of his own underground radio show and, in turn, become Gotham’s biggest media personality. Using his fame and influence to damage Batman’s reputation as he tries to protect Gotham, the Riddler hints at crimes that are planned to happen around the city through the screens of the residents’ cell phones.
The Riddler’s look screams 2000s hipsterComplete with his distinctive orange handlebar moustache, black neck tie, dark sunglasses and signature bowler cap. This is one of the more subtle appearances of the character, as the outfit lacks any purple color and only two question marks on his hat and tie. The black fingerless gloves give Nygma an edgy vibe when paired with his sleek trench coat, creating a tone that’s darker and more rugged than most of his other versions.
7
The long Halloween’s Riddler keeps it classy
Appeared in one of the Caped Crusader’s most prominent storylines, 1997 the long halloween, Written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Tim Sale, The Riddler manages to showcase his eccentric style while still managing to incorporate dark, sinister elements. Consider the nature of his appearance in the long halloween, Where the Riddler is less of Batman’s typical antagonist and more of a detective-like role, The muted suit and bowler hat combination successfully captures a persona more akin to Sherlock Holmes.
6
The Riddler ditches Green for Red
Batman #133 by artists Mike Hawthorne and Adriano Di Benedetto offers perhaps one of the Riddler’s most unique costumes in the character’s comic history, based solely on the fact that there isn’t a drop of green on his entire outfit. instead, The color is replaced with a bright orange hue that offers an even greater contrast to Nygma’s purple undertonesAnd the look is completed with an orange question mark tattoo that curls around his eyes and strips down through his mouth. The tattoo features the only question mark in the entire appearance, but its placement still makes a striking focal point that emphasizes the Riddler’s enigmatic nature.
5
Earth One’s Riddler isn’t afraid to show some skin
Debuting in the first chapter of the Batman: Earth One Storyline written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Gary Frank, this Riddler gives readers perhaps the most real-world representation of the character’s appearance. Lacking any sort of bowler hat, cane, or even any dashes of purple, this is a much more muted scheme for the puzzle-obsessed villain. Besides his olive trench coat, this incarnation of the Riddler only sports a question mark necklace, green pants and black shoes, which makes a guy who deviates far from the character’s norm.
Related
4
One Bad Day’s Riddler Dons Eye Makeup
Penciled, inked and colored by Mitch Gerrads in the one-shot comic, Batman: One Bad Day – The Riddler, Edward Tierney of DC’s Prime Earth wears a classy, ​​forest green suit, with matching green gloves and green eye paint. Although he also wears his iconic bowler hat in several panels of the comic, he is mostly without it in the August 2022 issue, which portrays the Riddler in a much darker and more violent matter.
​​This version of the character is much less concerned with developing clever riddles and more bent on killing the civilians of Gotham City in a seemingly random fashion. Like other darker versions of the Riddler on this list, the lack of question marks and color contrast do an excellent job of portraying a villain who has become “bored” by Riddles and more interested in harming the people of Gotham.
3
The Riddler’s classic look is still timeless
The Riddler’s green and purple spandex costume is one that is often the first thing people think of, as it’s a look that has been mimicked in so many of the character’s best-known appearances in television and cinema. The Riddler, sporting the question-mark-covered suit when he first debuted in 1948, is a much more fun and dynamic villain when he’s not afraid to sport the skin-tight uniform.
While the green suit jacket or trench coat would be given to the Trickster in comics of the late 60s and early 70s, the spandex outfit would develop more first, Eventually adding purple gloves, more question marks and his iconic bowler hat. It may be a look that is somewhat dated in today’s day and age, but even Batman and Robin’s tight, colorful uniforms have continued to stand the test of time and remain as the characters’ most legendary costumes.
2
From villain to hero, Edward Nashton is enigma
Resident in DC Comics’ Antimatter Universe from the 2008-09 Trinity Mini-series where all the good characters turned bad and all the bad characters turned good, this version of The Riddler is a crime fighting genius bent on preventing evil deeds done by Owlman, also known as Thomas Wayne Jr.
After a battle with Ultraman left half of his face burned and resulted in the death of most of his family members, Nashton put a metal mask over the damaged part of his face. Other than that, the only Riddler-esque components to his costume are his signature green trench coat and elongated question mark staff, which in this universe is imbued with energy that can be used against his enemies.
1
The bowler hat and suit combo can’t be topped
While it’s undoubtedly Nygma’s most famous costume, it’s not even one that was born on the pages of a comic book, as actor Frank Gorshin was the first to portray the Riddler this way in the 1966 TV series, Batman, which starred Adam West as the Caped Crusader. This look has everything that the Riddler is supposed to have: an abundance of question marks, the right mixture of colors, and even a purple eye mask to make the character all the more menacing. There is no doubt that the criminal’s costumes will continue to evolve over time, but with each new version, this look will always be worshiped in some form.