Wednesday, April 6, 2016

E is for Edward Nygma

Day 5 - A to Z Challenge - "E"

E is for Edward Nygma
Character Facts:
Abilities/Powers: Genius Level Intellect
Occupation: Professional Criminal
Real Name/Secret Identity: Edward Nygma (Nashton)
(Source: dccomics.com)

Origin Story:
Edward was always a curious boy, who sought answers to every question that popped into his mind, which often exasperated the adults around him. (Endless questions will certainly do that.)  One day at school, a teacher told Edward about a contest to assemble a puzzle in the least amount of time and the winner would receive a prize.  Edward not only wanted the victory, but also desired attention and popularity.  So, he became determined to win the contest.
Every night, he sneaked into the school and practiced solving the puzzle.  He continued to practice until he was able to solve the puzzle in mere seconds.  After winning the contest, Edward was awarded a book of puzzles and riddles, which was the beginning of his fascination with brain-teasers.
As an adult, Edward took to working at a carnival, where he reveled in cheating his customers out of their  money, with his bizarre (and difficult) puzzles.  He soon found himself bored and decided to begin a life of crime, so he could challenge the Batman. (The Riddler felt Batman was a worthy opponent.)
(Source: comicvine.gamespot.com)

Interesting Tidbits:
-The Riddler made his first appearance in October of 1948 and is one of Batman's most enduring enemies. 
-The Riddler was played by Frank Gorshin in the 1960s Batman series and many say it was his portrayal of the character that led to the Riddler's fame. 
-Like Batman, the Riddler possesses no super-human abilities. 

My Observations: 
I really do like the Riddler and loved Frank Gorshin's portrayal in the 1960s Batman series.  I found the character devious, yet fun and I always had a good time guessing at the meaning of his riddles. (Remember I was just a young kid at the time, so my guesses were probably pretty far fetched.)
I'm not a huge Jim Carey fan, so I wasn't overly impressed with his interpretation of the Riddler. (Honestly, I think that had more to do with my dislike of his "style" of acting.)

I have watched The Batman (2005) cartoon series and liked the new, Gothic style they gave to the Riddler. (It did take some getting used to at first, though.)  The character was still very much the same, with his crazy puzzles and overly elaborate plans, that were always thwarted by the Batman.
All in all, the Riddler is definitely on my list of top 10 super-villains that I love to watch.
 

8 comments:

  1. He is a great Villain. I was watching Batman when it first aired in the 60's. It was one of my favorites.

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  2. Also NOT a fan of Jim Carrey and again, still a fan of the 60's version!

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  3. Your alphabet is growing well

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  4. I am so enjoying learning about each character Carrie. I'm not a fan of Jim Carrey either.

    Linda

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  5. The Riddler is one of my favourite bad guys too

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  6. When you think about it, all "super-villains" are geniuses, but with The Riddler having no super-powers and wealth his character is more believable. Solving problems and mysteries definitely makes for more interactive and entertaining watching. :)

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  7. I only know the Jim Carrey version, unfortunately. Very cool stitching! :D

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