Absolute Batman Debuts the New Riddler, Giving the Villain a Mind-Blowing Redesign

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Absolute Batman #3!Absolute Batman has just met his world’s version of the Riddler, and he’s not what fans were expecting. Everything that fans know about the Dark Knight’s world is different in the Absolute Universe, including his relationship with his traditional foes. Now Bruce is coming face-to-face with a powerful reinvention of a classic enemy.

In Absolute Batman #3 by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta, Bruce realizes that the Party Animals and their leader, Black Mask, may be too big for him to take on himself. He consults with his childhood friend Eddie, who introduces Batman to his AI-powered robot, Al.

Al is unfinished, but Eddie marvels over his creation, saying he contains nearly the entirety of all human knowledge. He’s even toying with giving Al a riddle-related name (like Riddle-Man), saying that the greatest riddle of humanity is how to live forever, which it can through a machine like Al.

Absolute Batman’s ‘Riddler’ is Al, a Highly-Advanced AI

A Dramatic Redesign Worthy of the Absolute Universe

Thanks to Darkseid’s interference, the Absolute Universe has deviated from the norm and wildly changed from the Prime DCU. In Batman’s world, he wasn’t born into a life of privilege, but rather, grew up on Crime Alley. In this life, he had a small collection of friends that he’s had since childhood, and they’re all people he’s enemies with in the standard DC Universe. Harvey Dent, Oswald Cobblepot, Waylon Jones and Edward Nygma assist Batman in the Absolute Universe, serving as his private consultants who help keep him in the loop about the hidden threats facing their city.

Aside from turning several of Batman’s rogues into his childhood buddies, the first issue of Absolute Batman ended with a tease of this world’s Joker, who is one of the planet’s richest people and not known for laughing, ever. It wouldn’t be that much of a surprise that this world’s Riddler is a highly-advanced AI, especially since Eddie is one of Bruce’s closest pals. Eddie doesn’t seem like he’d be that intimidating if he suddenly broke bad and became a villain. But a robot with artificial intelligence that gains sentience could prove to be a real threat to Absolute Batman.

Absolute Riddler is Smarter and More Dangerous Than His Counterpart

Batman Would Struggle Against a Sinister AI

The Riddler’s greatest strength is his mind, but as smart as the villain is, he’s still just a man. Al, on the other hand, by Eddie’s own admission, has four-fifths of humanity’s knowledge in his system. And with how fast AI progresses, it could only be a matter of time before he gains more. Not to mention, the Absolute Universe is permeated with Darkseid’s energy, which causes the obstacles of the world to be even greater. If Al really is the Absolute Riddler, he’s going to be one of the most dangerous villains Absolute Batman has ever faced.

Of course, Al is simply a tool that Eddie is using. But Al wouldn’t be the first creation to turn on its creator in a comic book. And given how brutal the Absolute Universe is, it could be just a matter of time before it breaks free and uses its knowledge for evil. It’ll be interesting to see how Bruce will outwit an intelligence as powerful as Al’s, if he even can. There’s no doubting that Absolute Batman is strong, but he might have a mental superior in the Absolute Riddler.

Absolute Batman #3 is available now from DC Comics.