Whether in comics, television, or film, Oswald Cobblepot has become one of Gotham’s most fearsome criminals, his cartoonish image as the Penguin aside.
Don’t let the Penguin’s funny appearance fool you, he’s easily one of Batman’s most dangerous foes. While many might be visually disarmed by his short stature, his tuxedo, and his umbrella motif, Oswald Cobblepot is a true penguin of prey.
As we prepare for Colin Farrell’s portrayal of Cobblepot in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, let’s take a look at The Penguin’s notorious rap sheet.
The first impression
Penguin first appeared in 1941’s Detective Comics #58, and his first scene was not very flattering. Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson saw him at an art exhibit and Bruce told Dick to hurry up because it’s not polite to make fun of someone’s appearance.
That’s pretty harsh, but Penguin soon proved that appearances are deceiving. He stole the art exhibit right under Bruce’s nose, and worse, was able to frame Batman for the theft, convincing the police to arrest the Caped Crusader.
Of course, Batman was able to clear his name and recover Penguin’s stolen goods, but it was still an impressive first outing for the criminal knight.
Oswald’s Origin
Readers didn’t learn that Penguin’s real name was Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot until a 1946 Sunday newspaper strip. From that point on, fans learned his real name, but his origin wasn’t explored until The Best of DC #10. 1981.
The story revealed that Oswald always carries an umbrella due to his overly cautious mother. Oswald’s father had died of pneumonia, and ever since, Mrs. Cobblepot had insisted that her son never leave the house without one.
His love of birds came from the family’s bird shop and the name Penguin, well let’s just say kids can be cruel. 1989’s Secret Origins Special #1 revealed that a boy nicknamed Sharkey was the first to call Oswald “Penguin,” and Cobblepot caught up with him as an adult and made him regret that decision.
Penguin: Pain and Prejudice updated Oswald’s story to reveal that he was bullied by his older brothers, until he murdered them all one by one. Suffice to say, Penguin has always been a bad thing.
From colorful criminal to deadly mobster
Penguin has an interesting role in the hierarchy of Gotham’s villains. He fits right in with costumed criminals like the Joker and the Riddler, but he’s also comfortable around Gotham mobsters like Carmine Falcone and Sal Maroni. In many ways, Penguin is like an emissary between the two worlds of Gotham’s underworld, but that wasn’t always the case.
During most of his early appearances, Penguin committed bird-related crimes using umbrellas and bird-related tricks. However, Penguin set himself apart from his fellow criminals by presenting himself as a high-society con man. Oswald dressed well and committed what he considered to be intelligent and sophisticated crimes.
The beginnings of Penguin’s transition from colorful scoundrel to grounded mobster can be seen in John Ostrander and Joe Staton’s 1992 classic graphic novel Penguin Triumphant. During the story, Oswald Cobblepot becomes a corporate criminal who manipulates the stock market while pretending to be a “legitimate businessman”.
He begins to rub shoulders with Gotham’s elite, and Bruce Wayne isn’t too happy when he starts seeing Oswald at high society events. The Penguin is caught and imprisoned at the end of the comic, but this adventure can be seen as the mock up for the Penguin’s next big endeavor.
a criminal businessman
In Detective Comics #683, Oswald Cobblepot is seen operating a nightclub called the Iceberg Lounge, and the establishment has become a defining part of his character, possibly larger than his umbrellas.
The Iceberg Lounge is a cover for a number of illegal activities, from bootlegging to gunrunning to human trafficking. He has given Penguin what he wanted since his first appearance: power. At the Iceberg Lounge, he is the undisputed king, and it’s a reign that Gotham City’s many crime lords notice and respect.
Despite this change, he is not above working with the likes of the Joker or the Scarecrow. Just don’t expect him to join them in Arkham once the mischief is over.
Mayor Cobblepot
Since 1966, Penguin has had an obsession with Gotham City Hall. Oswald Cobblepot has run for mayor of Gotham City numerous times throughout different continuities in the multiverse.
The earliest example was in the 1966 Batman television show, where Penguin ran a crooked campaign for the office. His opponent was Batman (naturally), which led to one of the dumbest tv debates ever of politics, and that is saying a lot.
Penguin also had an unsuccessful campaign for mayor in the 1992 film Batman Returns. Cobblepot was a puppet candidate for a tycoon named Max Shreck, who wanted a mayor that he could keep in his pocket. In the end, the electorate turned against Penguin after Batman played unflattering audio of Oswald ripping his voters apart.
During the third season of Gotham, Penguin ran for mayor and won, but his term on the city council was cut short thanks to a war between him and the Riddler.
power for power
Oswald also won the election for mayor of Gotham in Batman Adventures (a comic book series set in the continuity of Batman: The Animated Series), but it turned out that the Clock King had rigged the election for him. More recently, Cobblepot was also depicted as a mayor in the graphic novel Batman: Earth One.
In mainstream comics continuity, Oswald’s quest to capture City Hall didn’t begin until 2013. During a city-wide evil takeover, Oswald declared himself Mayor of Gotham, but was stopped by Batman in Forever Evil: Arkham War. He ran a more legitimate campaign in Catwoman: Election Night, but was stopped by the Dark Knight as well.
In short, Oswald Cobblepot wants a town hall, no matter what world in the multiverse it’s on.
penguin heart
Oswald Cobblepot may have a lot of hate in his heart, but there’s also a little bit of love. Unfortunately, his life as a master criminal often gets in the way of any romance.
In Superman’s Girlfriend Lois Lane #70, Penguin proposes to Catwoman, who pretends to agree before attacking him. (It turned out that Catwoman was actually Lois Lane in disguise, which technically means that Oswald Cobblepot was engaged to Lois Lane for a few seconds in the Silver Age.)
In Batman Annual #11, Oswald decided to give up his life of crime to marry Dovina Partridge, a woman he had been writing love letters to from prison. Unfortunately, he did not see Dovina after her debut appearance, and it can be assumed that Penguin’s relapse into a life of crime ended with her engagement.
In the third season of Gotham, Penguin fell in love with the Riddler, but his jealousy destroyed any hope of a relationship. When Nygma started dating a woman named Isabella, Oswald planned her murder to clear the field. The Riddler found out and things took off from there.
Oswald began having an affair with a blind woman named Cassandra during the Penguin: Pain and Prejudice limited series. Oswald worked hard to hide her criminal lifestyle from Cassandra, and worked even harder to keep her from touching her face, fearing that she might not like her true appearance. Unsurprisingly, this relationship ended in a surprising and tragic way. After Cassandra managed to tenderly touch Oswald’s face, Penguin stabbed her before she could push him away. Her last words were marveled at how beautiful Oswald’s face was.
The actors behind Penguin
Although the Penguin has been around for over 80 years, Colin Farrell is only the fourth actor to play him in live action. Burgess Meredith was, of course, the first person to bring Penguin to life on screen in the 1966 Batman TV series and the spin-off movie.
Meredith’s performance included an iconic squawk-laugh hybrid that made its way into the comics. Amusingly, Meredith reprized her role as the Penguin in a brief cameo in The Monkees TV series, which raises a lot of questions about how big the DC Universe really is.
Danny DeVito played a menacing version of Oswald in the 1992 film Batman Returns. DeVito’s penguin had been abandoned by his parents when he was a baby, causing him to lash out at the world in anger. Leading a gang of violent circus performers, Penguin terrorized Gotham City before Batman stopped him.
Penguin in the 21st Century
Robin Lord Taylor played an earlier version of Penguin on the small screen in Gotham. Oswald Cobblepot started out as a low-ranking umbrella boy for mobster Fish Mooney, but by the end of the series, he was the kingpin of Gotham’s underworld. Taylor’s performance brought depth and sympathy to Cobblepot, as viewers watched him experience love, loss, triumph and tragedy. Some would argue that Gotham was as much of an origin story for the Penguin as it was for Gordon and Batman.
Now, it’s Colin Farrell’s turn to hold the umbrella, and what a deadly umbrella it is. Penguin is unpredictable, violent and cunning… and there’s no telling what kind of trouble Farrell’s version of Oswald will bring.
The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz and Colin Farrell as the Penguin.
Source: DC Comics
Penguin, the knight of crime arrives at SMASH and DC Comics Mexico
Violent, vindictive, calculating and resourceful, Penguin presents himself as a sophisticated gentleman, but his need for respect and power is what really fuels him.
From his bombastic beginnings as the master of “aviary” crime, to becoming one of Gotham’s most vicious mobsters, Penguin stands tall among Batman’s oldest and brightest foes.
SMASH and DC Comics Mexico brings you Batman Arkham: Penguin. A volume that compiles some of the best villain stories from the minds of classic creators.
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