Secret Origins Special #1

A look at the secret origins of Penguin, the Riddler and Two-Face. Framing sequence is the making of a "Steve Jones Investigates" special, taking a look at the costumed criminals of Gotham, in "Original Sins."

1. Cover by Brian Bolland.
2. "Original Sins" written by Neil Gaiman, penciled by Mike Hoffman, inked by Kevin Nowlan, colored by Tom McCraw and lettered by Todd Klein.
3. "The Killing Peck" written by Alan Grant, penciled and inked by Sam Kieth, colored by Tom McCraw, lettered by Albert D'Guzman and special thanks to Jim Sinclair.
4. "When is a Door. The Secret Origin of the Riddler...?????????????" written by Neil Gaiman, penciled by BEM 89., inked by Matt Wagner, colored by Joe Matt and lettered by ABCD.
5. "No Title" written by Mark Verheiden, penciled by Pat Broderick, inked by Dick Giordano, colored by Tom McCraw and lettered by Agustin Mas.

Against the warnings of Batman, a news team produces a show about Gotham criminals, featuring interviews with a Penguin henchman, the wife of Two-Face, and the Riddler himself. The stories included:

“The Killing Peck”: The Penguin kidnaps his childhood tormentor, now a steel-toothed criminal named Sharkey, whom he proceeds to torture while recounting his life story. At Cobblepot’s hands, Sharkey learns that revenge is indeed a dish best served cold, cold as a raw fish.

“When is a Door. The Secret Origin of the Riddler...?????????????”: Holding court in a warehouse along with oversized Silver Age props and other relics of a bygone era, the Riddler gives a non-interview with the reporters, answering each question with several more of his own as he wonders why the world seemingly passed him by. Many aspects of this story would be expanded upon later in Batman/Riddler: The Riddle Factory.

“Untitled”: Harvey Dent’s ex-wife (here renamed Grace) recounts how she was once attacked by an ex-con with a grudge against Harvey Dent. While she tells the story of his downfall, we see the flashback from Two-Face’s perspective, where he learned of Grace’s plight and struggled to determine how he should act, if at all.

The issue concludes with the rest of the framing sequence, accompanied by “man on the street” interviews, the main reporter’s all-too-literal final thoughts, and even a surprise guest guest or two. It’s a wrap! HAHAHAHA!

Notes:

• Ranked #54 in Wizard Magazine's list of "100 Best Single Issue Comics Since You Were Born".
• Echo and Query don't appear in the story they only appear in a photo.