DETECTIVE COMICS (1937-2011; 2016-) #140
CGC VG/F: 5.0
(Stock Image)
SOLD ON: Monday, 06/09/2025 6:16 PM
$11,498.85
Sold For
30
Bids
PUBLISHER: DC
COMMENTS: A 15% BUYER'S PREMIUM WILL BE ADDED TO THIS ITEM AT CONCLUSION OF THE AUCTION
crm/ow pages
1st appearance of the Riddler, w/ origin (10/48) COMIC BOOK IMPACT rating of 8 (CBI)
Read Description ▼
crm/ow pages
1st appearance of the Riddler, w/ origin (10/48) COMIC BOOK IMPACT rating of 8 (CBI)
DESCRIPTION
A 15% BUYER'S PREMIUM WILL BE ADDED TO THIS ITEM AT CONCLUSION OF THE AUCTION
crm/ow pages
1st appearance of the Riddler, w/ origin (10/48) COMIC BOOK IMPACT rating of 8 (CBI)
Detective Comics #140 came along over 100 issues after Batman began, but this Golden Age classic marks the first appearance of The Riddler as one of the Caped Crusader's most popular foes! This diabolical debut assured fans that were plenty more surprises left to come, years after Batman #1 introduced The Joker and Catwoman!
Bill Finger still crafted this classic origin story so that the Riddler immediately seems like a classic Batman bad guy. We get a look at the troubling early years of puzzle expert (and compulsive cheater) Edward Nigma, with his overblown obsession perfectly fitting into the existing Bat-mythos. The Riddler would become the perfect foil for Batman's own exacting self-discipline and Sherlockian-level detective skills.
In a puzzling twist, the Riddler would reappear in Detective two issues later, and then promptly disappear until 1965's Batman #171! From there, however, The Riddler would even briefly eclipse the Joker as Batman's most beloved foe. He was even brought in as the first Bat-villain for the hit '60s TV series. (Frank Gorshin would credit Detective #140 as the inspiration for his Riddler's particularly nasty personality.) This issue was released when DC and other hero publishers were experiencing a post-war sales dip, meaning that reduced print runs have made this an unusually rare key issue for a major Bat-villain. This issue is set to remain a top collectible with the Riddler's expected return to the big screen in 2027's The Batman: Part II !
________________________________________________
Matt Reeves reworked the Riddler in 2022’s “The Batman” into a modern-day technologically adept terrorist, whose evil puzzles were disturbing and violent in a way that stands in harsh contrast to the earlier iterations of this Batman nemesis. Anyway you slice it, the Prince of Puzzles has been one of Batman’s top adversaries for decades. The character’s first appearance is one of the important keys in the run of Detective Comics, which has enjoyed plenty of success at auction. This 5.0 copy is a handsome and sturdy book, which has retained its colors well throughout the years. With just over 230 copies on the census, this is not an easy book to find, and it generally exists in lower grades. Another amazing Batman classic that will be available to our clientele in EA #62.
If you are a new customer planning to make a first-time purchase over $25,000, please contact us 24 hours in advance of the item closing at 212.895.3999 or support@comicconnect.com so that we may approve your account for bidding. (This policy was instituted to protect consignors and bidders against bids from fraudulent accounts, and to ensure the integrity of the bidding process.) Once approved, please log out of your account and then log in for the approval to take effect.
_______________________________________________
Looking to make a purchase? Learn more about how to buy Detective Comics #140 from ComicConnect!
_______________________________________________
crm/ow pages
1st appearance of the Riddler, w/ origin (10/48) COMIC BOOK IMPACT rating of 8 (CBI)
Detective Comics #140 came along over 100 issues after Batman began, but this Golden Age classic marks the first appearance of The Riddler as one of the Caped Crusader's most popular foes! This diabolical debut assured fans that were plenty more surprises left to come, years after Batman #1 introduced The Joker and Catwoman!
Bill Finger still crafted this classic origin story so that the Riddler immediately seems like a classic Batman bad guy. We get a look at the troubling early years of puzzle expert (and compulsive cheater) Edward Nigma, with his overblown obsession perfectly fitting into the existing Bat-mythos. The Riddler would become the perfect foil for Batman's own exacting self-discipline and Sherlockian-level detective skills.
In a puzzling twist, the Riddler would reappear in Detective two issues later, and then promptly disappear until 1965's Batman #171! From there, however, The Riddler would even briefly eclipse the Joker as Batman's most beloved foe. He was even brought in as the first Bat-villain for the hit '60s TV series. (Frank Gorshin would credit Detective #140 as the inspiration for his Riddler's particularly nasty personality.) This issue was released when DC and other hero publishers were experiencing a post-war sales dip, meaning that reduced print runs have made this an unusually rare key issue for a major Bat-villain. This issue is set to remain a top collectible with the Riddler's expected return to the big screen in 2027's The Batman: Part II !
________________________________________________
Matt Reeves reworked the Riddler in 2022’s “The Batman” into a modern-day technologically adept terrorist, whose evil puzzles were disturbing and violent in a way that stands in harsh contrast to the earlier iterations of this Batman nemesis. Anyway you slice it, the Prince of Puzzles has been one of Batman’s top adversaries for decades. The character’s first appearance is one of the important keys in the run of Detective Comics, which has enjoyed plenty of success at auction. This 5.0 copy is a handsome and sturdy book, which has retained its colors well throughout the years. With just over 230 copies on the census, this is not an easy book to find, and it generally exists in lower grades. Another amazing Batman classic that will be available to our clientele in EA #62.
If you are a new customer planning to make a first-time purchase over $25,000, please contact us 24 hours in advance of the item closing at 212.895.3999 or support@comicconnect.com so that we may approve your account for bidding. (This policy was instituted to protect consignors and bidders against bids from fraudulent accounts, and to ensure the integrity of the bidding process.) Once approved, please log out of your account and then log in for the approval to take effect.
_______________________________________________
Looking to make a purchase? Learn more about how to buy Detective Comics #140 from ComicConnect!
_______________________________________________