The first spin-off toThe Batmanwill release sooner than fans thought. The Riddler’s actor, Paul Dano, is writing a prequel comic titledRiddler: Year One, which will detail the beginnings of this crazed killer.
Riddler: Year Onemarks the first major spin-off in this newBatmanuniverse, before the upcoming HBO Max seriesabout The Penguin and Arkham Asylum. TheYear Onetitle is also a reference toBatman: Year One, perhaps the most influential Batman comic in history. The gritty and bare-bones approach to Batman’s origin has inspired adaptations for ages, from the first Tim Burton movie all the way up toThe Batman.
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This was teased for months on Rata Alada,The Batman’s official ARG game. The website presented riddles for players to solve, with correct answers unveiling official Easter-eggs from the movie. Towards the end, acountdown teased the return of the Riddler, which will now be seen in Dano’s comic.
Dano’s decision to writeRiddler: Year Onehimself is a surprising and satisfying one. Whenever DC publishes a comic based off a movie, they always do their best to remain authentic. The first of these, theBatman ‘66comic series, was a huge success and restarted widespread interest in the original Adam West show. And more recently, theBatman ‘89sequel comic was written by original screenwriter Sam Hamm; andBatman Returnsactor Danny DeVito wrote a Penguin story for the character’s 80th anniversary.
If done right,Riddler: Year Onewill be a promising step forward for the new series. Between the new film, its upcoming HBO Max shows, and now this comic, it’s clear thatThe Batmanwill spawn a widespread multimedia franchise. And for good reason, as every scene of the new film is very dense with appreciation for this world and characters. Matt Reeves and company are the first proper fans to helm a Batman franchise, and they’re already itching to do more. This includes Dano, as playing the Riddler wasn’t enough, and he wants an active part in shaping this character.
This is all very good news for Batman fans. The new team is arguably the most exciting and creative since the crew onBatman: The Animated Series. Everyone involved is passionate aboutwhereThe Batmangoes from here, and fans can’t wait to see what they cook up.
Riddler: Year Onewill release in October andThe Batmanis in theaters now.
