Edward Nygma fancies himself the smartest of the many enemies ofthe Dark Knight. And yet, despite all his brilliance, the mastermind know as The Riddler almost always gets caught. However, Batman #153 finds Nygma finding a legal (if questionable) way to prove his brilliance and make a fortune.
Written by Chip Zdarsky, with art by Jorge Jiménez, Batman #153 opens on a unusually calm Gotham City. Crime is down across the board, thanks to a series of social programs sponsored by Wayne Enterprises. However, the Dark Knight is uneasy, thanks to many of his enemies being out of Arkham Asylum and in-hiding.
(Image Source: DC / Jorge Jiménez)
However, Riddler is an exception to this. Rather than laying low, Edward Nygma is demanding the spotlight, as per usual. However, he is doing so in a completely legal fashion and even has the tentative support of Bruce Wayne in his latest enterprise.
(Image Source: DC / Jorge Jiménez)
The opening pages of Batman #153 reveal that The Riddler has gone legit. Exonerated for his previous crimes, he has established his own security firm, NygmaTech. Within two months he made millions, after putting the “cryptic” into cryptocurrency.
This is not the first time that The Riddler has seemingly mended his ways and applied his intellect to honest work. The Detective Comics run of Paul Dini featured a rehabilitated Edward Nygma going into business as a private eye. This allowed him to prove his superiority to Batman by solving crimes before the Dark Knight and make money while doing so. Nygma also mended his ways to license his Riddler persona as a toys and games spokesman in the Riddler’s Reform episode of Batman: The Animated Series.
Given that, and the questionable legitimacy of cryptocurrency, it seems unlikely that Edward Nygma will stay on the straight and narrow. However, it is completely in Batman’s character to hope that his insane enemies might rebuild their lives and to help them do so. For now, at least, the Riddler is helping bring jobs to Gotham City, regardless of whatever else he may be planning.
Batman #153 arrives in comic shops everywhere on October 2, 2024.