HOME | DD
kinjamin — The Dark Knight Trilogy Epilogue: The Riddler
by-nc-nd
Published: 2013-12-19 18:40:13 +0000 UTC; Views: 53863; Favourites: 586; Downloads: 231
Redirect to original
Description
I apologize for this being so wordy. But if any of my epilogues was going to be, it would be the Riddler's.Most of the aspects of the Riddler is 1:1 with how I portrayed him in my Batman 291 homage. kinjamin.deviantart.com/art/Ba… He looks like a hipster because he's BEEN the ultimate hipster before hipster was even a thing. seriously, Williamsburg should revere him like a deity. And I'd like to think I proclaimed him the ultimate hacker prior to how the comics and games portray him as such. But I mean really, he always has been the ultimate hacker even before computers were big, right? So we all probably just came to it naturally.
Bear with me because I wanted to go really meta with the Riddler. I took the ridiculous rumor that WB wanted Leonardo Dicaprio as the Riddler and ran with it. And in doing so, I asked myself what if 'Inception' was really Edward Nygma trying to solve the ultimate riddle in his own subconscious? What if there was some underlying reason the cast was similar between TDKR and Inception? What if this whole time all of us Nolan fans had our Riddler this whole time and we just didn't know it?
People tend to draw him like some athletic model and I kind of disagree that his appearance needs to have that. I like the idea that he tries to keep it lowkey but still manages to wear outlandish shit anyway. While I love his Arkham City appearance, I wanted go a different route and keep him a Beta male that locks himself up in his basement or his office in Rykin and does all his crimes there (as opposed to Batman, Joker, and Bane - the ultra Alpha males)
Speaking of, I wanted to steer away from him being a second rate Joker. Prior to any official news on TDKR, people on the internets had painted a picture of Edward being some Zodiac killer that left clues. That is absolutely the wrong way to go.
Greek mythology buffs might recognize the riddle of the Sphinx at the top right (I kind of spell it out for you anyway) and how the TDKR trilogy brilliantly satisfies it.
I didn't have room to explore Edward's theory on the Batman being an 'off-the-books' black ops division of the GCPD. Basically he theorized Bats was actually several police officers with extensive training doing major crime related patrols at night.
Riddler getting close to Batman's identity isn't new - he actually succeeded in Hush. Ugh and in Batman Forever. (which I regret I may have been subconsciously influenced as I'm having Eddie claim 'I am the Batman!') But I like that Riddler is egotistical enough to conclude he's the smartest of all and therefore there could not possibly be a Batman.
Also regrettably, for design purposes, I broke one of my rules and gave him white panelling (previously all villains borders where black, heroes were white) - but I can make the excuse Edward THINKS he's the hero deep down anyway.
My absolute favorite aspect of this is making Eddie a Rykin co-founder. And the Clean Slate author. And thus he unwittingly was partly responsible for Bruce and Selina's 'European' vacation.
Oh and UPDATE: Didn't know if I had to indicate that's Harley on the right panel - but I'd like to point out her disgust. She isn't attracted to Riddler's lukewarm analytical madness - she definitely prefers Joker's batshit psychosis.
Related content
Comments: 83
👍: 2 ⏩: 0
👍: 3 ⏩: 1
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
What is the full riddle in the upper left? There appears to be no trace of it online, so is it your own creation?
And awesome concept, by the way. Love the conspiracy theories! If only they'd bother bringing this realistic side of the Riddler to any of their movies soon.
👍: 2 ⏩: 1
actually it's the Sphinx riddle in greek mythology (the Oedipus story) Glad you like it!
👍: 2 ⏩: 1
No, I mean the partially obscured on the left.
"What can be read in the past but not in the present..."
👍: 1 ⏩: 1
Oh! Yeah that was totally me. Hahahaha God it has an answer but I honestly don't remember it.
👍: 1 ⏩: 0
Was Riddler thinking he was Batman a reference to Batman Forever?
👍: 2 ⏩: 0
Really enjoying seeing all these concepts and the expanded world.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
He would play better as The Joker then The Riddler.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I have to say, I really enjoy this concept of the Riddler. I think the design is neat, and the iea of him being lost in his own mind is truly thought provoking, except if we are being realistic here, all he needs to do is film himself overnight and hear Batman had captured another criminal, and the tape would prove it's not him, but oh well. Still an awesome idea though
👍: 1 ⏩: 0
This is the best Riddler drawing that I've ever seen.
👍: 1 ⏩: 0
Maybe you could have Basil Karlo/Clayface take advantage of Riddler's identity theft and cause a lot of confusion before Bats deduces it as Nashton. He could, being an actor, literally steal someone's identity. Taking hold of their social security # and passport/ID he could then use his film company's makeup and costume supply to transform himself into the person physically.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
What if before he is in Arkham, the police use Riddler as a detective/criminal to find the Batman?
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
That's pretty funny that there was rumours that leonardo dicaprio was going to play the riddler WHAT A TERRORIBLE CHOOSE. The rumours I remembered hearing and seeing was that doing jones was rumoured to play the part and most notiabily johnney depp at first I didn't like him getting the Part how ever he does and look the part good chose but everybody knows that he is in connection with tim burton ...so I said to myself why no let jim carrey do it again if your gonna let depp get the part for the riddler ...and also ...what was your choose for playing the riddler
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I mean jones was rumoured to play the riddler sorry for bad grammar I'm using an old I phone to type which is crap
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I just came up with a great idea for a Nolan Hush: (Unconfirmed sighting #8)
When Nashton does the identity heist, he could have been hired by a criminal known as Hush. Riddler gave him access to Bruce Wayne's funds and identity in return for the identity of the Batman. In order to distract the police, he hacked thousands more so the attack couldn't be pin pointed towards Bruce Wayne. Hush got what he wanted but Nashton was caught before he could accept his prize.
Batman leaves Nashton for the cops. There is something else he must do instead. After stealing a file from Riddler's computer, he learns of Hush and decides to investigate. The next week a man is found dead in the slums. The killer's fingerprints left on the gun belonged to Harvey Dent. The Batman went to investigate but it was a trap. Hush was waiting for him. Hush wanted not to replace Bruce. But to become him. In order to do so he must kill him. As they fight, Hush reveals his past. Bruce's childhood friend Thomas Elliot. He wants the same things as in the graphic novel Batman: Hush. Batman gains the upper hand but only before Elliot tells him that he had placed a tracker on himself. The police arrive and try to kill Batman for the murder of Harvey Dent and for trying to murder Elliot. The bullets hit Elliot killing him and the Batman gets away.
👍: 1 ⏩: 1
I like the idea of Hush wanting to become Bruce rather than replicate him, but i'm not too sure how including Two-Face as it is in the Graphic Novel would play out, seeing as how Two-Face is already incorporated into the Nolanverse with a closed ending and no need to bring him back.
How about Hush and Riddler work together as you said, and after Hush got the funds, he sabotaged the Riddler's programs by buying out Rykin Data and took down the walls that previously prevented Edward from being discovered by GCPD, which also triggered the GCPD to capture him after Batman's anonymous tip (which is why they took credit for it). Then we go back to your idea where Batman hacks into Nashton's computer (possibly because he discovers all of the illegal transactions) where he discovers an individual Nashton only refers to as Hush rather than a real name which is behind the transactions. Soon, using Rykin technology, Elliot overlapped all of his personal data with that of Bruce Wayne's. And since Bruce is now a recluse, Elliot doesn't necessarily have to do the whole surgery thing because he doesn't need to make any public appearances as Bruce Wayne.
I have no idea of a conclusion to this story, this was just an edited set up i made using your core ideas.
👍: 1 ⏩: 1
I think your ideas are good too. My Harvey idea was that somehow, Elliot could stage something where it seems as if Harvey is still alive and then we realize Hush was behind it.
I really like Elliot buying Rykin and then when he is killed in the end, Daggett buys it.
My storyline plays out like this:
Elliot wants to get revenge on Bruce for breaking a childhood promise. Maybe something like "we'll always be equal". He hires Riddler to steal identities as a mask for stealing Bruce's. Let's say he was paying him 50 Million. As soon as Riddler finishes the task, Elliot betrays him and buys out Rykin Data and takes down the walls. The GCPD, already received Bruce's anonymous tip, locates Riddler and goes to the building. The Batman attends in the shadows to make sure nothing goes wrong, but Riddler, anticipating the situation, uses his computer to lock some of the doors behind him as he escapes to the parking lot. The doors are rigged with explosives that are on a two minute timer. The opener must answer a riddle in order to open the door or else it will blow. Batman goes down to the parking lot to intercept Riddler but he then unlocks the doors, sending the police down which causes Batman to flee. Riddler is more scared of Batman than he is of the police. The cops capture Riddler and see Batman escaping so they chase him out of the building but loose sight of him.
Im not sure how yet (maybe your idea), but Batman somehow gets his hands on a cyber conversation between 3NYGMA and an anonymous user named HUSH. It seems as if the two are discussing an agreement. Elliot then replaces his info with Bruce's via Rykin tech and Batman/Bruce gets confused because he hasn't bought Rykin.
MY IDEA FOR AN ENDING: Bruce intercepts a 911 call from a man claiming to be either Bruce or Harvey Dent. Bruce is intrigued by this and he investigates. At the scene he finds a man tied to a pole. Immediately after releasing him the man is shot by a bandaged man who walks out of the shadows. Hush talks to Bruce telling his story and they fight but soon after, the police arrive. Batman flees but Hush stays and shoots all three officers before pursuing Batman. He follows him into a construction site, where after gunfire and deception, Batman and Hush fight before Hush pulls out a grenade and blows the site up with him (and supposedly Batman) in it.
Again, just my ideas and yours. The ending seemed cinematic to me but probably not good.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Oh i get what you mean by using Harvey.
Maybe Thomas Elliot sets up a meeting with Bruce Wayne, and he meets a very distraught Bruce, where Tommy tells Bruce about his life when Bruce was out of Country. They talk about business and their current life as well, were Thomas gathers information. Later, Lucius discovers several more transactions and then decides to transfer all of the remaining money to a separate account (which ended up making it easier for Bane to access it in TDKR) then Thomas recognizes Fox as a danger to his plan and sets up an attempt on his life. Bruce is informed by Fox that he is victim of identity theft, and Bruce begins to track him down. Using all of the transactions he made since the money was transferred, Bruce links them to Rykin Data, and more specifically, The Riddler, which begins to reveal the connection between Nashton and 'Hush'.
Hush uses Harvey Dent's phone which he purchased from a corrupt cop under the alias of Hush to call the GCPD and without leaving a message or anything causing them to track the call to one side of Gotham. While they travel, Hush enters Wayne Tower wrapped in bandages and in a trench coat to hide his identity as he pulls out his revolver to shoot and kill Fox. After discovering Fox was a target after accessing 'Hush's' computer, where he saw several encrypted video journals of Thomas Elliot, Batman arrives at Wayne tower where he discovers 3 dead security guards and Elliot holding Fox at gunpoint. Batman stops him and Fox escapes, where Thomas then proceeds to shoot Batman, then himself. Which leaves even more mental scars on Bruce after knowing his childhood friend just committed suicide as a result of his actions.
But that's my ending. I incorporated a few of your ideas as well as adding a lot of my own, but i like this connection between the Riddler and Hush that we both have going on.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I like that idea. Maybe Hush could have a man waiting at the police site. A distraction for Batman while he kills Lucius. Instead, Bruce accesses Hush's computer (which he took from Riddler) and finds the video journals so he goes to Wayne Tower. I feel like Tommy committing suicide by gunshot isn't right. There should be something else that causes his death. He could be trying to take Bruce and himself when his plan fails. He doesn't need to kill Lucius anymore. This scene could take place on the roof of the Wayne Tower. Also, maybe instead of having Lucius at gunpoint, Lucius is handcuffed to a pole or something and Hush fires a warning shot before revealing himself.
It is more of a mystery story than the other films a sort of "Who is Hush?" idea. The suicide attempt could be meant for both Bruce and Hush but fails resulting in Hush dead.
I might incorporate this plot into a screenplay I have been working on. An adaption of kinjamin's Riddler story.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
yeah I think that ideas good, it's an even blend of both your ideas and mine. Maybe Elliot shoots Batman which knocks him down and then he puts hit head to Batman's and holds the gun to it, so in like one shot it takes them both out but Batman maneuvers out of it. Or maybe he shoots Batman and tackles him off the building where Batman escapes but Elliot falls to his death (maybe that's a bit too much like Two-Face). Oooor GCPD or security just comes by and takes him out (there has to be at least one witness for this to be a Batman sighting right?). lol I'm running out of ideas. But that screenplay sounds really interesting, good luck on it.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you. I think that there could be a police helicopter that maybe arrives at the scene at the end and Batman escapes or something. The Skyfall double-head-shoot idea seems to fit. I think I will use that.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Everyone should definitely check this out:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_ioQP…
As much as i enjoy all of your designs,in my mind,if a Nolan's treatment of the Riddle ever come to be,this would be it.
What do you think?
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I think my favorite part was the reference to eye makup with Mayor Garcia...
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Wow, I don't know why you havent been hired yet, Or better yet, WHy you havent come out withyour own characters and stories, You have the total package. You write, draw, and create a story all very well. You can do it.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Hey man I updated my nolanverse Robin design let me know what you think.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I'd love to see takes on (get ready):
-Anarky (perhaps a sort of 'Anonymous' network)
-Batman Beyond
-Black Mask
-Calendar Man (the Lecter-inspired version)
-Clayface (no idea how you'll spin that)
-Court of Owls (I know they're recent, but they are great)
-Deadshot
-Deathstroke
-Firefly
-Hugo Strange
-Hush
-Killer Croc (I'd go with the not too reptilian take)
-Killer Moth (yes, that's right; he could be great done correctly!)
-Mad Hatter
-Man-Bat (though I really doubt that, due to his fantastical nature)
-Penguin
-Solomon Grundy
-Ventriloquist and Scarface
Might any of these be forthcoming?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Very sweet rendition of enigma. I am considering having him in my next movie script.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I'm honestly not sure yet
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
i think one of your most requested pieces is deathstroke cant wait to see what you do with him
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Ha that is true - I get a lot of D-Stroke requests, if I can come up with something clever and not a derivative of his Arkham Origins appearance I'll definitely do it.
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
His Arkham origins appearance is the best design of him I've seen thus far I mean the mask is just beautiful, you could just modify the armor a bit and bam but keep that mask, lol how about a batman beyond year one piece? There's so very little of terry McGinnis but is he's to become the third official batman then it would be nice to see him I know you've featured him in an epilogue piece as a child but a year one would be epic. I this since it would be a bit in the future his armor could resemble Raidens armor from MGS 5 Rising. Plus with the nano machines it would be convenient since they provide neuromuscular amplification that would provide him with 10x his Normal strength. Not that he'd be able to rip a steel wall but sure could put a dent in it. Plus enhances reflexes would make for a badass batman. Just my two cents.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Haha funny you should ask - already working on a Batman Beyond piece
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
What about slide being a soldier in Afghanistan who comes across the League on his way home. They train him and try to make him the new demon but he refuses and goes home to Gotham where he becomes a hitman to raise money for food. As death stroke he could wear LoS robes with painted military gear on top of it. He could have lost his eye in battle or something.
👍: 0 ⏩: 3
i like the idea of him being trained by the LoS and the military, here's how i imagine it using both of your ideas:
Slade worked as a heavily decorated soldier in Vietnam, but after he was captured and tortured and lost his eye, Slade was capable of escaping as an air-rade took the camp by surprise. Taking a trek from Vietnam to Bhutan, Slade is taken in by the LoS and trained and taught to overcome the obstacle of being one-eyed. Then, after another is offered to become the new Demon rather than him, Slade kills "Ra's" then is confronted by Ducard and barely escapes alive. Returning to a village in Vietnam after 8 years in Bhutan, Slade is confronted by Khmer Rouge and hired as a mercenary in the war for the Vietnamese side and aided in the Cambodian Genocide which struck home in his belief of starting the world over as the LoS taught him. During the war, Slade was given a codename by the US Military and allies as 'Deathstroke'. At the end of the war when Vietnam emerged victorious, Slade returned home to Gotham and continued the life of the mercenary.
I liked Pie's concept art with the LoS armor and i definitely think that style of armor should be the basis for Slade, with dry and cracked orange and blue paint over-top of it with some symbolic meaning.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
my idea for deathsrtoke is that he was apart of a secret military special ops group that was sent the japann.there his entire team was killed in battle and he was captured nd tourtured(this is when he lost his eye).one day a man comes into his cell(ra's al ghul)with the chance to escape,he takes it.ra's al ghul personaly trains him,and right before he his chosen to become the new leader of the league of shadows, he steals most of their weapons and leaves.he returns to america and makes a name for himself as a assassin/mercanary for hire calling himself "deathstroke",the name of his special ops group.
its just my idea for him
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
That's a good idea lol imagine desthstroke in CoD and then come back to his old infantry groups after being trained by the LoA, the failed military enhancement project now as a full time merc and already having fought batman damn that would be epic.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Check out my concept drawing on my page. It has a longer story. I like your idea.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
that would be sweat
i still wanna see killer croc
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I've always imagined Croc as he is in the Joker graphic novel, more of a skin diseased individual with tough skin rather than scales, and i think he's be a great side-villain/henchman/mercenary
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
| Next =>