The following contains spoilers for The Riddler: Year One #2, now on sale from DC Comics.

In Matt Reeves' The Batman, as twisted as Paul Dano's Riddler came off, there was at least some sympathy to be garnered. He just wanted to root out corruption, cull the elites and restore social parity in Gotham City. Admittedly, he had to be arrested, as there was just too much collateral damage, making him a full-fledged villain.

However, his comic book prequel, The Riddler: Year One, gives fans further insight into the Riddler's mind and his early days as Edward Nashton when he worked at the KTMJ firm. This story serves as the origin of his discovery of how dirty the city was, spurring him to do things his own way -- like Batman. Interestingly, while Nashton saw a lot of shady stuff, in and out of his own company, issue #2 (by Paul Dano, Stevan Subic and Clayton Cowles) finally revealed what really broke the cryptic investigator.

RELATED: Paul Dano’s Riddler Series Reveals Surprising New Facts About the Batman Villain

Riddler: Year One Confirms Money Laundering

Riddler: Year One #2 has Nashton causing Joon's death

Nashton was suspicious of certain files he came across in his office, such as the New Beginnings Animal Shelter. However, when he started asking questions, he was asked to stop crunching the numbers. But eventually, he discovered laundering between their firm, Thomas Wayne's Renewal (a fund meant to help the impoverished Gotham) and other businesses run by the gangster, Carmine Falcone. This second chapter now affirms that the aforementioned animal shelter is indeed a part of it.

More so, the Shelter's boss, Joon, is a drug dealer, using the firm to cover up his shady business. Using this information, Edward's boss, Mr. Stone, takes action, but not against who Nashton expected. The future Riddler eavesdrops on their conversation where Stone threatens Joon for skimming off the top and stealing from Falcone. This could endanger Stone, so, in turn, he ensures that Joon will pay for his sins.

RELATED: The Batman's Riddler Shares a Surprising Belief with Pattinson's Dark Knight

Riddler: Year One Shatters Edward Nashton

Riddler: Year One #2 has Nashton causing Joon's death

Nashton watches as the goons chain up Joon and smash his head into a wall. It's one of the series' most gruesome, graphic scenes. To make it worse, Nashton's sick to his stomach, knowing the thugs will be going after Joon's daughter and grandchild. Joon just wanted to get them money to leave the seedy city and start a better life, making his passing a tad tragic. The issue ends with the gangsters capturing his family en route to Metropolis, suggesting they'll be killed, too. Now, prior to this, Nashton knows that his investigations got the wrong man terminated. He only wanted the launderers and true sinners to be taken out. Thus, he feels culpable for Joon's pain, especially after hearing the family was now marked for death.

This, ultimately, made Nashton believe that Batman's methods weren't working. This triggered Nashton to become, in his mind, a weapon for justice and social equality. In his eyes, while he respected the Caped Crusader, he feels that someone better, more direct and punishing was needed, aka the cerebral Riddler who'd end up bombing and flooding the city in the film as a means of making room for a better future.