60 Years Later, DC’s Greatest Riddler Makes The Batman’s Villain Look Tame

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I was completely blown away by Matt Reeves and Paul Dano’s Riddler in The Batman – it was such a memorable take on the character! What really struck me, though, was how much he seemed inspired by the real-life Zodiac killer, rather than the Riddler I knew from the comics. Traditionally, the Riddler is all about showing off and wanting to be seen as a clever criminal. This version felt much more secretive and operated completely in the shadows, which was a fascinating but unexpected twist.

When it comes to portraying the Riddler with over-the-top energy, Frank Gorshin’s performance in the 1966 Batman TV series is unmatched. His lively and eccentric take on the villain made the character incredibly popular and helped establish him as one of Batman’s most memorable foes.

Frank Gorshin’s Riddler Had Style

Dano’s portrayal of the Riddler is unsettling, and the costume itself looks quite uncomfortable – a plastic wrap covering and a leather mask. Though visually interesting on film, it seems like a terrible thing to actually wear, likely explaining why it didn’t become a popular Halloween choice.

Frank Gorshin’s portrayal of the Riddler featured two memorable costumes. One was a tight-fitting suit with a large question mark, mirroring the comic books of the era. The other, a suit and tie, was created specifically for the TV show and became incredibly popular with viewers. This outfit gave the Riddler a unique sense of style, something most supervillains lack.

Even comic book versions of the Riddler adopted the suit and tie style, and that’s how he’s generally portrayed now. Despite his silly obsession with riddles, the Riddler looks undeniably stylish, all because actor Frank Gorshin disliked the original, tight-fitting costume and requested something more comfortable.

Batman ’66 Saved Riddler From Obscurity

It’s crazy to think about now, but the Riddler wasn’t always a huge Batman villain! Before the old 1960s TV show, he’d only shown up in a few comics and hadn’t been seen in nearly twenty years. I read that when they were planning the first episode of the series, the showrunners picked the Riddler specifically to make the network executives feel more comfortable with the show – they wanted a villain who wasn’t too intimidating right off the bat.

According to the story, the network ABC was worried that villains like the Joker and Penguin, who looked quite unusual, might not appeal to viewers. They decided to introduce the lesser-known Riddler in the first episode of Batman. This turned out to be a good move, as Batman quickly became a popular show.

The show’s popularity helped make the Riddler one of Batman’s most well-known enemies. He went on to appear in various other media, including as part of the Legion of Doom in Super Friends, and as the central villain in two films, as well as countless comic books. His iconic line, “Riddle me this!” was also first introduced on the show. Without Batman ’66 and Frank Gorshin’s energetic portrayal, the Riddler might never have become so famous and could have remained a minor character in the comics.

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2026-01-20 06:28