Legends Of The Dark Knight #187

DC Comics
Legends Of The Dark Knight #187
By Koppy McFad
January 18, 2005 - 13:21

DC Comics
Writer(s): Shan McCarthy
Penciller(s): Tommy Castillo, Rodney Ramos
Cover Artist(s): Sean Phillips

This is part of a new story arc that is suppose to establish the Riddler as a major bad-azz. They do this the usual way, by showing that the character suffered brutal mistreatment as a child, leading to his mental problems. But they also tell us that the Riddler was a "child protege." Um, I guess they meant "child prodigy." At any rate, we are now suppose to believe the Riddler is a major threat who blackmails some rich buffoon and almost kills Batman. This is about the fourth time the Riddler has been revamped since the 1980s and this one is probably the least convincing. Was there really something so wrong about having an E. Nigma who sends riddles to Batman to challenge him to stop his crime sprees? Will every Riddler story now have to be stretched out to six issues? Does the art for this title have to look so murky in an attempt to look moody? These are the real questions that this story raises. There is a plot about robbing a museum but it is hard to believe this would really concern anyone.