Year of the Villain: The Riddler #1
Critic Rating
User Rating
| Writer | Mark Russell |
| Artist | Scott Godlewski |
| Cover Price | $4.99 |
Lex Luthor has presented dark gifts to super-villains across the DC Universe, setting off what can only be called the Year of the Villain. Unfortunately, resources are limited, so not everyone got something. The Riddler is one such person, and he is most displeased about it. Was this merely an oversight or a deliberate slight? The Riddler is determined to find out which-and so should you!
CRITIC REVIEWS Back to Top
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10
The Batman Universe - H. Ham
Sep 12, 2019This comic is so good it's encouraged me to come out of my slump and start writing again. It's so good. Honestly, this really is the best comic I've seen come out this year. Read Full Review
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10
Kabooooom - Matt Morrison
Sep 12, 2019Overall, this is a must-read for all fans of The Riddler and a respectable Year Of The Villain tie-in. Read Full Review
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10
Nerdly - Dean Fuller
Sep 13, 2019This was nothing short of excellent. Tut and Riddler read like a supervillain version of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold at their height, hilarious dialogue and a fun insight into the world of the lower league villains. Never malicious, Mark Russell's script kept the jabbing light, and let the characters shine, despite their less than stellar abilities. It was a great character study of Nygma especially, really capturing what makes him tick, and I'm genuinely interested in seeing where this leads him. The art by Scott Godlewski was also excellent, I loved his depiction of the classic oversized traps Tut put Batman through. The art style, and colouring, suited the lightheartedness perfectly. Brilliant book. Read Full Review
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10
DC Comics News - Tony Farina
Sep 16, 2019Riddle me this.. What will it take for Mark Russell just win an Eisner already? What does he have to do but keep thoughtful, funny, touching, and intellectually demanding comics? Oh wait, he already does that. Ok, this is not a riddle. If you have not read any part of the Year of the Villain, you will be fine. If you have, you are right on track. Spend some time with a ne'er do well, who is not doing well no matter how much he tries. Read Full Review
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9.6
Forces Of Geek - Lenny Schwartz
Sep 11, 2019Russell writes another excellent script here. He does a great job keeping things moving and keeping things interesting. The art by Godlewski is fantastic too. I love that this exists. I'd also like more like this to come along. It's a nice fall surprise. Read Full Review
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9.0
But Why Tho? - Charles Hartford
Sep 11, 2019When taken just as it is, The Riddler: Year of the Villain #1 is a near-flawless piece of character introspective. The Riddler feels real and genuine, despite how outlandish his setting is. The character depth and tonal balancing are pieces of art. Unfortunately, just as a character's history can elevate them through long-running arcs, it can also make them stumble when the story feels retold. Read Full Review
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9.0
Dark Knight News - Carl Bryan
Sep 17, 2019Mark Russell provides even the most seasoned Batman fan with a story that really examines what it's like to be a villain. Are they truly evil, or people that are a bit misguided, or have lost their way? At any rate, it'll be interesting to see what the future holds for Edward Nigma. Read Full Review
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8.8
Monkeys Fighting Robots - Grant DeArmitt
Sep 11, 2019The Riddler's entry into Year of the Villain is smart, sad, and deeply human. A must-read for fans of the character. Read Full Review
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8.8
Comic Watch - Jimmy Hayes
Sep 12, 2019Yeah, there are some goofy moments in this issue, but this book is leaps and bounds better than the typical event tie-in book. I was expecting a left-over issue of "New Year's Evil", but was pleasantly surprised by how much better this issue was, Read Full Review
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8.5
AIPT - David Brooke
Sep 11, 2019Witness Riddler come to new realizations and possibly change forever. This is a clever take on Lex bestowing powers on villains and I can't wait to see if Riddler becomes a different sort of character going forward. Read Full Review
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8.0
Batman-News - Nicholas Finch
Sep 11, 2019Recommended If:You've been a fan of Year of the Villain so far, and how it seeks to reinvent its antagonists.You like a comic that doesn't take itself too seriously.You enjoy Lex Luthor monologues, because who doesn't? (Other than Superman.)You want a Riddler story that doesn't begin and end with him in the same place as before, and goes beyond his usual games.You love King Tut as much as you god damn should. Read Full Review
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8.0
Newsarama - David Pepose
Sep 16, 2019While the finale of this one-shot might not necessarily add up from a storytelling point of view, Russell and Godlewski do such fun character work that it's hard not to recommend picking up these Gotham City losers' adventures in The Riddler: Year of the Villain #1, showing that even in defeat, in the right hands every bad guy can have his day. Read Full Review
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7.6
Multiversity Comics - Matthew Blair
Sep 12, 2019It's a comic that strongly disapproves of its roots from the Adam West tv show, but there are some nice little funny moments and it's all in the name of a potentially interesting character shift. Read Full Review
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7.0
Big Comic Page - Craig Neilson-Adams
Sep 12, 2019Like most of these one-shots, and indeed the Year of the Villain as a whole, this really isnt required reading unless youre a fan of the character, although it does open up some interesting possibilities for the Riddler moving forwards. I hope theres some sort of payoff down the line, and while we dont get to see him at his Riddler-y best, this is an enjoyable, slightly meta look at a character who has been dismissed by a lot of people for far too long. Nothing ground-breaking, but still well worth a look. Read Full Review
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6.5
Weird Science - Reggie Hemingway
Sep 11, 2019If you're one of the handful of die-hardRiddler fans in the world, or if you want to see some nicely-executed sequentialart, then you might check this out. But if you're looking for a lively storywith some moments that "count," then you can look elsewhere, Read Full Review
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6.0
ComicBook.com - Chase Magnett
Sep 11, 2019The result is a fun one-shot that certainly understands its central character and problems, but one that lacks enough character on its own to make it a must read material beyond any readers already dedicated to The Riddler's career. Read Full Review
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6.0
Major Spoilers - Matthew Peterson
Sep 16, 2019It's a nice twist on 'Yaer Of The Villain' and gives us some insight into Riddler. Just don't think too hard about it. Read Full Review
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5.0
Lyles Movie Files - Jeffrey Lyles
Sep 11, 2019This wasnt an essential YOTV villain tie-in and one most readers can easily skip without fear of missing anything important. Read Full Review
USER REVIEWS Back to Top
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9.0
"Killed by his obsession in the world he neglected." Apex Lex
+ Like • Comment -
9.0
Aww man, you'll always be my favourite, Riddler.
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8.5
I love the relationship that Tut and Riddler have in this issue, I'm glad there was a chance for that to be a thing. I doubt the ending will stick, but it's a great issue as its own piece.
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8.5
Prelude: Cards on the table, The Riddler is one of my favourite characters from DC so let's see how it goes. The Good: Lex has a point here, Riddler has just ended up repeating himself similar to Tut This is quite a funny issue as well especially with Tut. I'm intrigued by where Nygma goes from here. The Bad: Riddler did feel a bit more campy here, cracking more jokes than he would usually. Art was a bit off at points. Conclusion: Providing a bit of an outside perspective, Russell sets up a new change for Riddler that I'm interested in and he does it well throughout the issue. However, the art was off at points and the characterisation of Riddler didn't match up completely with what has been established.
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8.0
I liked this, shockingly.
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7.5
I can see how this comic may be divisive to some readers, due to its a bit lighthearted, if not outright comedic tone, and not much happening in its span. Can't say I disliked it, though. The reason being Ridler's development - I sure am not a fan of what happened to the character in Rebirth. From a sleek and intelligent man, he's become a square jawed brute with a question mark scar on his chest. That's, I have to say, one of the biggest disappointments and regressions I've seen in recent years. So believe me or not, I honestly, unironically, liked this issue. It was silly where it had to be, while also maintaining a deeper, more serious story occuring in the background, showing Eddie's inner conflict, and his realization that he's being h more
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6.5
"I quit" Cheer up Edward, you're not a bad villain, you just need better writers.
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