Chip Zdarsky loves putting Batman in impossible situations. Defeating Failsafe was so difficult he had to survive falling from the moon to Earth and later faking his death to beat him. In his current story (titled “The Dying City”), Zdarsky has Batman going up against Riddler, the Court of Owls, and a vigilante endorsed by Commissioner Vandal Savage named Commander Star. Then, in his personal life, Bruce Wayne is battling Riddler’s tech company (NygmaTech) while the Court of Owls helps Bruce's so-called brother get half of Wayne's assets.
The Dark Knight's trouble doesn't end there. Jim Gordon is accused of killing former Gotham City Mayor, Christopher Nakano. Unfortunately for the former Commissioner, things didn’t look good. Batman No. 155 starts with Jim having an affair with Nakano’s wife (Koyuki Nakano) and there is evidence of it in her phone. To top it off, we see Gordon fighting Nakano and then pulling a gun on him.
Eventually, Batman finds a video of Gordon disposing of evidence. Luckily for Jim, the Caped Crusader has an eye for detail. He notices something odd about Jim Gordon’s glasses. When he looked closer, he saw technology he recognized. The tech is the signature of the mind-controlling villain, Jeris Tetch, aka the Mad Hatter.
Batman was furious that he was fooled. As he said, Riddler laid it out for him. Inside the NygmaTech sign is a hidden letter “T” making the sign say “NygmaTetch” as in Edward Nygma and Jervis Tetch. During Batman No. 154, The Dark Knight said if Riddler was involved he’d leave clues. He was right and it was in big, green, glowing letters.
As someone who pays close attention to details in comic books, I’m upset I didn’t catch this myself. I assumed someone like the Mad Hatter was involved (check here for proof), but I never would have put Riddler and Tetch together. They look like they would hate each other. So much so that they were even on opposite sides during The War of Jokes and Riddles.
Now that we know they’re together, some things come to mind. First, what made them collaborate? Their egos and insecurities are well-documented and are reasons enough for them to clash. Second, is Tetch okay with taking a back seat to Nygma? Sure, his name is on the building, but no one knows he’s involved. Is it enough for Tetch that he’s hiding in plain sight? Maybe he’s also working with the Court of Owls and they convinced him this is the only way this works. What if he's being forced to work with them and his name on the building is Riddler's was of teasing him?
No matter the reason, the team of Riddler and Mad Hatter is an intimidating one. However, their eventual implosion will be hilarious. Stay tuned to Caped Crusades to know when that happens.
What do you think is going on with Mad Hatter and Riddler? Are they working together as friends or is this a forced partnership? Let us know on the Bam Smack Pow Bluesky, Instagram, and Twitter.