The Batman’s reaction to Riddler discovering his identity is priceless

Here at Polygon we like to spend (almost) every Monday celebrating the best moments in comics from the past week, but today I’d like to start with something a little different. To celebrate Batman, the Riddler’s first live-action, big screen appearance since 1995, I need to talk about my favorite Riddler moment ever.

For a long time, DC Comics was aware that Batman was Bruce Wayne. He’d figured it out all on his own because, well, if characters like Ra’s al Ghul and Bane could simply deduce Batman’s true identity, then it follows the hyper-intelligent Riddler could as well. This was a big addition to the short list of supervillains who knew Batman’s big secret, most of whom could be trusted with the information for reasons of sympathy or honor.

The Riddler, on the other hand, hates Batman’s guts and loves lording information over people. You might wonder: How could Batman stop Eddie Nygma leaking all the secrets to Gotham?

This answer is both logical and ferociously ignorant.

Were there other things happening within the pages of comics we love? We’ll tell you. Welcome to Monday Funnies, Polygon’s weekly list of the books that our comics editor enjoyed this past week. It’s part society pages of superhero lives, part reading recommendations, part “look at this cool art.” There may be some spoilers. You may not have enough context. However, there will be many great comics. This is the latest edition.

“What time is it when an elephant sits on a fence?” Batman asks the Riddler. “‘Time to get a new fence.’” he replies. “Everyone knows that one. It’s worthless.” “That’s why I have nothing to fear from you,” Batman says, in Batman: Hush.

“Riddles are your compulsion. Your addiction.” Batman tells the Riddler, “And a riddle that everyone knows the answer to is ‘worthless.’” The Riddler adjusts hits hat. Then raises a finger to protest. Then lowers it without saying anything. Then collapses onto the table in front of himself, eyes wide in disbelief. “Get out,” he whispers in Batman: Hush.

When the Riddler asserts that his new knowledge gives him the ultimate knife at Batman’s throat, Batman counters with an apparent non sequitur: What time is it when an elephant sits on a fence? And when Riddler scoffs at this, a riddle that everyone knows the answer to, Batman leans in, and tells him that that’s exactly why he’ll never tell anyone that Bruce Wayne is Batman. Because a riddle that everyone knows the answer to isn’t a riddle at all.

It’s an absolute farce of a reason, made even more hilarious when it’s growled out of Batman’s cowl, somehow in shadow even in a brightly lit room. But then, that’s the Riddler! That’s the long and the short of him! The man whose mind is so enslaved by compulsion that it turns against him and his interests. Artist Jim Lee fully sells horror of someone who knows this is the dumbest possible reason to be unable to ruin his enemy’s life, and It is still impossible to do.. Definitive, definitive Riddler stuff.

“We both love her Irene,” says Gambit to Destiny as he walks away from her, “But the difference is my love don’t come with no strings attached. Destiny’s impassive mask watches him go, and then she lifts her hands in a mock strangling gesture, hissing “HATE. YOU.” in X-Men #9 (2022).

Destiny’s role in the whole Krakoan era has been to be ominous, powerful, and utterly poised, so this quick beat of her impotent rage at having GambitIt is quite surprising that a son-in law would be so happy (she and Mystique have raised Rogue, Gambit married Rogue back in 2018).

Dressed in full business attire, She-Hulk lifts an ambulance out of bumper to bumper traffic with her bare hands, and sets it down in a clear intersection. Then she dusts off her hands, and leaves her business card “Jennifer Walters, Attorney” tucked in the rear window in She-Hulk #2 (2022).

I’m a She-Hulk fan a Rainbow Rowell comics fan to begin with, but two issues in and … I’m head over heels in love with Rainbow Rowell’s She-Hulk. I have no idea what’s going on with the main superhero plot because I’ve never even heard of Jack of Hearts before, but any book that spends two whole pages just on the superhero’s commute to their day job — a commute where they spot an ambulance stuck in bumper to bumper traffic and decide to help out — that’s a great book.

“...You were just a boy,” Emma frost says to Spider-Man, and then kisses him on the cheek and thanks him for what he does as a superhero in Devil’s Reign: X-Men #2 (2022).

Look! I’m a sucker! I’m a sucker for exactly this kind of thing! Emma Frost, a Spider-Man friend and chance encountere, does a brief mind meld. He needs her to move and clear his memory of seeing her. She also manages to download all his trauma in less than a minute. This is done through the beautiful splash page by Phil Noto, which tells the whole story of Spider-Man’s origins from Uncle Ben to Gwen Stacy.

And the Ice Queen’s reaction? She would never have: Peter Parker, the injured and struggling little boy that is he. Like I said, I’m a sucker!

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