The Riddler in 'We Never Sleep' by Matt Duarte
Panel 1
Description: The Riddler calmly stands in an dark alley, leaning on his trademark cane. Before him, Batman (Dick Grayson) is swooping in from above.
BATMAN: End of the road, Nigma. I know you are back to your old habits.
RIDDLER: Please, “Batman”, you know I am not a common thug like the rest of the denizens of that crude asylum.
RIDDLER: My recent villainous acts have rhyme and reason to them.
Panel 2
Description: Batman is holding the Riddler by the neck of his jacket. He is clearly not in the mood for this, but Riddler remains as collected as before.
BATMAN: I'm sure you will explain it on the way to Arkham, as you always do.
RIDDLER: Riddle me this, Batman: What is pink but pretends to be red?
BATMAN: I don't care.
Panel 3
Description: The Riddler sits in the back of an Arkham Asylum van (the kind that would take the new guests to their premises), with shackles on his hands. Despite this, he is sitting comfortably, still smiling. We can see a small barred window where the drivers are.
RIDDLER: A pinkerton.
DRIVER 1: What? What did you say?
DRIVER 2: Remember the training? We are not supposed to talk to them.
Panel 4
Description: Same as before, but the Riddler has turned his head to talk to the drivers, but one of them is already closing a little hatch to the window.
RIDDLER (quietly): Hehe...
RIDDLER: Pinkerton detectives used to infiltrate unions and communist parties and pretend to be one of them to investigate them more thoroughly.
DRIVER 2: Thanks for the history lesson, but we don't care.
Next: A Private Eye in Arkham
Oooh! This one's pretty clever! I would totally read that story. :D
ReplyDeleteNice work. Everyone's really brought their A-game this week, which is going to make my page seem all the more uninspired. Damn you all! :P
ReplyDeleteClever!
ReplyDeleteI found the (the kind that would take the new guests to their premises) part redundant but I'd read it this, good job!
I could get all proof-ready on this one, Matt, but I enjoyed it too much to gripe. Nice riddle.
ReplyDeleteNice idea, Matt. I would have cropped the final panel, no explanation is needed. If someone doesn't know what a pinkerton is then they should look it up. But maybe that's just me...
ReplyDeleteI'd have also put a mother in the background of panel 2 holding her hands over her young son's ears - but, again, maybe that's just me :)
@Ryan: I decided adding last panel because "pinkerton" is quite a common term for a detective, but not specifically what I wanted to convey, which was that Riddler was trying to get into Arkham to investigate from within.
ReplyDeleteGreat page. I love the idea of a) Riddler going undercover at Arkham Asylum and b) him doing it without anyone really knowing what the heck he's getting up to.
ReplyDeleteI think the last panel works really well for a one-page script. Perhaps the intent could be cleared up in the context of a longer story, but as is, I really like it.
@Danial - Don't worry, I think my script will only help to make everyone else's gems look even better.
Very cool premise for this page.
ReplyDeleteAs Rol said it could do with a bit of proof-reading (I'm guilty of it myself this week) but the idea behind the page far outweighs this notion.
Wow, I can't believe it took me this long to actually get what the comic is about. O_O
ReplyDeleteGreat page Matt. Love the first "I don't care" line, and the call back at the end.
ReplyDeleteWell done!