The Riddler: Year One
It takes a village to raise a child
— African Proverb
This is the only one of the Year One series that features a villain, and I wondered why. The Riddler, as told in this story, is indeed a hero. Not a villain turned good, anti-hero or anything of that sort—a straightforward hero.
A nerd, a sensitive one, a would-be engineer or mathematician— Edward could've been any of these. But, Gotham failed him. Beaten by fate, robbed away of any possible hope Edward lived in sheer agony until Batman appeared and his hope rekindled.
I enjoyed it thoroughly with its well-written story, outstanding artwork and how kind the portrayal of the Riddler is.
"As depicted in Matt Reeves's hit movie The Batman, the Riddler wasn't simply an amusing eccentric with an affinity for wordplay and baffling clues, but as terrifying a villain as any in the annals of the Dark Knight. How did an unknown forensic accountant uncover the dark secrets of Gotham's underworld and come so close to bringing down the entire city? This collection is an immediate prequel to The Batman-the detailed, disturbing, and at times shocking story of a man with nothing to lose."--