The Batman Strikes #40

Tied to the popular WB Kids animated series, The Batman Strikes! #40 delivers a delightfully puzzle-obsessed cover by Christopher Jones and Terry Beatty: the Riddler smirks confidently in the foreground, question-mark cane in hand, as Batman and a second figure burst through a giant crossword grid behind him. The clue "WHERE IS CATHERINE" spelled out among the squares hints at the mystery at the heart of "The Burning Question," while the Riddler's taunting speech bubble — "Welcome to the Riddler's puzzle, Batman!" — sets the tone perfectly. Matthew K. Manning and Adam Archer bring the animated world to the page in this 2008 entry that puts one of Gotham's cleverest villains squarely in the spotlight.