So here we are with the first part of the new and exciting story arc called The War of Jokes and Riddles which will run exclusively in the current volume of Batman written by Tom King. Batman # 25 also has interior art by Mikel Janin.

So what happens is that The Riddler gets in on the action that Joker has setup for Batman. This Riddler is different from the silly one we grew up with back in the day. This guy is smart, savage and deadly. Starting with Scott Snyder’s run on Batman till the current volume, we’ve seen just how vicious this guy can be. He’s clever enough to even find out what Joker was planning and instantly acts on it.

And while the Joker was going on his killing spree somewhere else in Gotham City, Riddler was enacting his escape. The guy’s such a bad ass now, that when he confronted with heavily armed guards, he doesn’t even lift a finger.

Instead he does threats.

This is where it gets interesting, a clash of M.O.s with a bit of clashing of egos, Nygma makes his way to Joker’s hideout. The Clown Prince of Crime gets to be every bit of surprised that Riddler got there first.

During their conversation the Riddler has figured out that there’s something wrong with the both of them. Joker can’t laugh anymore while he’s not as hyped as he was with riddles. Both of them are stuck in this situation until they get rid of Batman. But to do that, they have to either get together or kill each other to get to Batman.

And since this is Joker we’re dealing with, you know he doesn’t play nice. So Eddie has to go.

Batman comes in, assumes that the wound is fatal for Riddler and pursues Joker instead. This gives Nigma the opening he needs to escape and thus begins the War of Jokes and Riddles.