The Evolution of The Riddler (Animated)
This article contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase a product through an affiate link, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Edward Nygma, AKA. The Riddler, is one of Batman's most formidable foes, but just how has the punctuated puzzler changed over the years? Let's dive into his onscreen evolution to find out...
warning: spoilers ahead!First appearing in the 1966 Batman Series, the Riddler sports his signature green bodysuit, with a giant question mark emblem, smaller question marks on his cuffs and legs, and underwear over his tights. He pairs this with a purple-colored belt, gloves, and eye mask. At times, he fashions a question mark spattered dress suit with a black bowler hat, and a rarely seen plaid and pink ensemble. He’s also briefly mustachioed, looking unrecognizable and using an added cane. This Riddler adores playing dress-up whenever he's given the chance...seriously, like all the time...and, this puzzle-lover slash maniacal Batman-hater would re-appear in a more heavily question-marked bodysuit in Legends of the Superheroes.
His basic 1966 design would inspire his appearances in The Batman/Superman Hour and The Super Friends cartoon shows, although in the opening credits of The New Adventures Of Batman, a pink and yellow suited Riddler is featured, but that doesn't matter, because his original look would continuously be recreated in modern media, including The Brave and the Bold, Under the Red Hood, and Return of the Caped Crusaders.
In the DC Animated Universe, starting with Batman: The Animated Series, computer programmer, Edward Nygma, wears a more dignified suit, with dark pants, white accents, and his signature question mark on his tie. This look would later be traded in for a lime-green bodysuit in the Superman: The Animated Series, eyeliner, and a fully shaved head.
In Batman Forever, Nygma dons a question mark speckled green bodysuit, has added eye shadow and dyed red hair. He pairs this with a matching popped-collar jacket and also fashions lounge attire with a light-up feature, as well as a rhinestone white jumpsuit with devilish hair. This Riddler invents a machine that harnesses other people’s knowledge, but when Batman demolishes it, the Riddler’s mind turns to jelly.
The 2004 Batman series presents a long-haired Nygma. His bodysuit has revealing arms and shoulders, and he wears goth-inspired makeup to match his inner despair.
To modernize his look, Young Justice's Riddler sports a simple green jacket, has a single-gloved hand, question marks artfully hidden throughout his outfit, and his usual eye-mask is replaced with green-tinted glasses, plus he has very large sideburns.
Assault On Arkham's Riddler, much like his initial DCAU look, sports a more simplified suit, featuring only a gold question mark on his tie and a bowler hat to distinguish him as the Riddler.
In the series Gotham, Edward Nygma is a nerdy forensic scientist with an evil psychopathic split personality, that eventually takes control and, for the bulk of the show, fashions a sleek green pantsuit ensemble, and occasionally has emo-styled hair. In the final he sports a trench coat with mismatched question marks paired with a heavily patterned under-suit. And, unlike Gotham's Joker and Harley Quinn, he actually goes by his comic accurate name!
The DC Super Hero Girls online shorts features a dapper young Nygma showing off a fancy bow tie. He's, apparently, love-sick over Bat-Girl – but this Romeo-Riddler would be set aside for a stylized 66' throwback look in the official TV series.
Justice League Action’s Riddler looks largely like a combination of both of his DCAU looks, although the only visible punctuation is on his question mark-shaped cane.
In Batman: Hush, The Riddler notably has a question mark-shaped surgery scar on his head, and later dunks himself in a Lazarus Pit, turning his eyes red, and his skin pale and veiny. This Nygma is tired of being made fun of as the Riddler, so he goes incognito in a brown jacket getup with a wrapped mummy head, taking on the alias: Hush.
The Harley Quinn Show's Riddler has a question-mark tattoo on his forehead and a cane that fires electricity. Later on, he becomes more swole and wears a revealing leotard with pink sneakers.
In the 2022 Batman film, Edward Nashton wears military boots and an oversized green jacket with a painted question mark symbol. He also has cellophane wrapped around his head and a winter combat mask with his glasses over top. This Riddler is inspired by Batman’s crime-fighting to go on a serial-killer spree against Gotham’s corrupt elite, but either way, you decipher it, he’s quite different from the questioning-quipsters that came before him.
Wolverine’s live-action costuming hasn’t always lived up to his potential, but how has he evolved on screen? Let’s find out now...animated!