The landmark Batman #171 came out March 4, 1965…
By PETER BOSCH
Riddle me this: When is 77 actually 60 after being divided by 2? Answer: When it is the story of two Riddlers, one from Earth-Two and the other from Earth-One.
Introducing the Golden and Silver Age Riddlers. Left: Detective Comics #140 (Oct. 1948) with cover art by Win Mortimer. Right: Batman #171 (May 1965), with pencils by Carmine Infantino and inks by Murphy Anderson.
The Earth-Two Riddler first appeared in Detective Comics #140 (Oct. 1948) and had only one other appearance during the Golden Age after that, Detective Comics #142 (Dec. 1948), which ended with him going to prison. And into obscurity.
First story page showing the Golden Age Riddler. Detective Comics #140 (Oct. 1948). Bill Finger (script), Dick Sprang (pencils), and Charles Paris (inks).
Detective Comics #142 (Dec. 1948). Sprang (pencils) and Paris (inks).
The Riddler’s second — and final — Golden Age appearance. Detective Comics #142. Script: unknown. Pencils: Sprang. Inks: Paris.
Now we cross the dimensions to Earth-Prime (our Earth), on March 4, 1965 to be exact, when kids like myself rushed to the comic rack to find the first appearance of the Earth-One Riddler in Batman #171. This Count of Conundrums shared the same criminal name, as well as the identity of Edward Nigma (“E. Nigma” = “enigma”), and history of his Earth-Two counterpart. (“Nigma” was decades later changed to “Nygma” or “Nashton.”)
The story started as he got out of prison, ready to antagonize the world’s greatest detective.
First appearance of the Riddler in the Silver Age. Batman #171 (May 1965). Gardner Fox (script), Sheldon Moldoff (pencils), and Joe Giella (inks).
First appearance of the Riddler in the Silver Age. Batman #171 (May 1965). Gardner Fox (script), Sheldon Moldoff (pencils), and Joe Giella (inks).
Those two story pages above serve as the lead-in for why – in my opinion – the Silver Age Prince of Puzzlers became a success far beyond that of his predecessor: They were adapted into the first 1966 episode of the Adam West/Burt Ward Batman TV series with a super-insane, frantic, nimble, and completely unforgettable, scenery-chewing performance by Frank Gorshin!
Batman episode “Hi Diddle Riddle”: Lorenzo Semple Jr. (script) and Robert Butler (director)
By the way, you may have heard the 45 from 1966 that featured Gorshin doing the Riddler song (music and lyrics by Mel Tormé)…
The Riddler. A&M 45 RPM 804.
…but have you seen him do it on TV? This video clip from The Dean Martin Show on September 29, 1966, features Gorshin doing hilarious impressions of Burt Lancaster as Batman and Kirk Douglas as Robin, and then Marlon Brando as Batman and Rod Steiger as Robin. Following that, he performs “The Riddler” song.
The rest of the comic book Wizard of Quiz’s appearances in the Sixties included a few small guest-villain cameos here and there in various DC titles with Batman (and, of course, follow-up appearances by Gorshin on the TV series – and the 1966 Batman movie – before they recast the TV role with John Astin in Season 2, with Gorshin returning in Season 3), but the following Silver Age comic book tales featured the Riddler prominently:
Batman #179 (Mar. 1966). Gil Kane (pencils) and Murphy Anderson (inks).
No, no, don’t ask for more details… please… and, especially, don’t ask about the Bat-Hulk Signal! The Brave and the Bold #68 (Oct.-Nov. 1966). Mike Sekowsky (pencils), Giella (inks, with possible Batman alterations by Anderson).
Detective Comics #362 (Apr. 1967). Cover art: Infantino (pencils) and Anderson (inks). Splash page script by Fox, pencils by Moldoff, and inks by Giella.
Detective Comics #373 (Mar. 1968). In the issue’s backup story, for a change of pace, the Riddler is discovered in the middle of a crime by the Elongated Man. Fox (script), Kane (pencils), and Sid Greene (inks).
Detective Comics #377 (July 1968). Irv Novick (art).
The last Silver Age appearance of the Emir of Enigmas was in Detective Comics #377 (July 1968) above, but he would go on to confound the Caped Crusader in the Bronze Age and later, including in other media such as animated TV series, video games, and even more movies.
And to draw this Batman/Riddler article to a snappy close…
Riddle me this: What do Wayne Manor, the TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, and this article’s writer have in common?
Answer: The real mansion in Pasadena, California, which served as the exterior of Wayne Manor in the ’60s TV series was used again (exterior and interior) as a magicians’ club in the Lois & Clark 1994 episode “Illusions of Grandeur”… in which I was a tuxedo-wearing extra standing behind Lane Smith as Perry White and Ben Vereen as a hypnotist.
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MORE
— 13 QUICK THOUGHTS: Why the RIDDLER Was the Perfect Childhood Villain. Click here.
— 13 PANELS That Show THE RIDDLER Was Cool From the Very Beginning. Click here.
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13th Dimension contributor-at-large PETER BOSCH’s first book, American TV Comic Books: 1940s-1980s – From the Small Screen to the Printed Page, was published by TwoMorrows. (You can buy it here.) A sequel, American Movie Comic Books: 1930s-1970s — From the Silver Screen to the Printed Page, is due in 2025. (You can pre-order here.) Peter has written articles and conducted celebrity interviews for various magazines and newspapers. He lives in Hollywood.
March 4, 2025
Love it! I actually have a couple of the comics here, but not the Brave and Bold…uh…thing…And I don’t have the Batman 179, so I’ll have to look up the answers to those riddles! (I’m guessing Hulk no like Hulk-Signal, Hulk smash!)
March 4, 2025
BATMAN #179 was my first Silver Age comic I’d seen and held in my hands.
March 4, 2025
That Detective Comics No. 142 ‘crossword puzzle’ cover is just awesome.
March 4, 2025
David Gates wrote the flip side of Gorshin’s single, “Never Let Her Go.” Gates later released it himself in 1975, peaking at #29.
March 5, 2025
Back in the summer of 2001 I saw Frank Gorshin at the New York Comic Con at Madison Square Garden. He was there with Yvonne Craig and Adam West. I spoke to him and never once brought up Batman or the Riddler. I think he appreciated that, and got a kick out of the fact that I knew he’d filled in doing Foghorn Leghorn and Yosemite Sam for an ailing Mel Blanc once.
There was a Detective Comics 140 on the convention floor at one of the vendor’s booths. It was water logged and moldy. The guy wanted 300 for it. I wanted that issue to have Frank sign it. I passed on it. I’ve never seen such a collectable out there with Gorshin’s signature on it. Don’t know why nobody thought to do that. Maybe I should have pulled the trigger on the poor condition origin issue.
Oh well, I got to speak with Frank. And because I knew other aspects of his career he waved his handler off when the guy tried to shoo us away. We had a nice chat.