8 Worst Things The Riddler Has Ever Done

With the year-long Zero Year tale, writers Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV did their best to tell Batman’s origin in a way that felt fresh yet respectful to what fans have come to know and love about the Caped Crusader.

Consisting of three key acts, Zero Year saw Bruce Wayne returning to Gotham City after an absence that was so long, he was officially declared dead. As Bruce begins to take his steps to becoming the Dark Knight, the final arc of this all-encompassing story was titled Savage City and saw the rookie Batman faced with The Riddler. And not the chuckle-heavy, cringe-inducing Riddler, but one who is vicious and sinister.

Here in Savage City, Edward Nygma concocts a scheme that means Batman has to allow himself to be electrocuted in order to save Gotham City. With a flooded Gotham’s power out and with the military prepared to level the city with an airstrike, the final strand of The Riddler’s masterplan finds Bats with no other choice but to attach himself to an electrode in the hope that his heart and pulse can reenergise Gotham’s power and stop the city from being wiped out.

Thankfully, Bruce’s ticker is up to the task, yet it was touch and go there for a minute.