Supervillain Origins: The Penguin
Oswald Cobblepot, The Penguin, Penguin, Batman, Dark Knight, Supervillain, Origin, History, Bio, DC Comics, Comic Book, Batman Returns, Umbrella, The Joker, Iceberg Lounge, Bob Kane, Bil Finger, Gotham, Arkham,
Supervillain Origins: The Penguin
This bird-like mobster with a love of trick umbrellas has become one of Batman’s oldest and most persistent foes. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we will explore the comic book origins of The Penguin.
As with most comic book characters, there are often re-imaginings and different versions to a character’s past. We have chosen to primarily follow the storyline, which unfolded in 1941’s Detective Comics #58 and was expanded upon in 1989’s Batman Secret Origins Special #1.
Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot was once a child of a wealthy family that was bullied due to his short height, obese figure and bird-like nose. Often taunted, he had no friends, and instead flocked to the company of birds. Due to this, he received the nickname Penguin. At the same time, he was forced to carry an umbrella by his overprotective mother following his father’s death after contracting pneumonia.
After finishing school, he adopted the Penguin name and inherited his family’s fortune. In turn, he began presenting himself as an intelligent, rich and sophisticated gentleman who preferred the look of a tuxedo. Behind the façade, he had become angry at the world, due to never having felt accepted. As a result, he took up crime as a means for gaining power and taking revenge on citizens of Gotham who had dared sneer at his appearance.
In his first stint as a criminal, Penguin robbed the Gotham museum. There, he stole a valuable painting as a means to gain his acceptance as a mob member. Soon enough, he fell into an argument with the mob’s boss, whom he killed with a rifle built into his umbrella. Following this, he became their new leader, using its vast criminal resources to stage several thefts around the city.
This spurred Batman and Robin to investigate. Eager to rid himself of the troublesome crime-fighting duo, Penguin framed Batman for stealing a jade idol.
With the police arresting Batman for the crime, the Penguin decided to break Batman out of jail in order to cement the Dark Knight’s guilty appearance. Despite this ploy, Batman and Robin soon tracked the Penguin’s gang and found the evidence needed to clear their names. While many of the Penguin’s henchmen were captured, the mastermind managed to escape.
Re-emerging with countless schemes over the following years, he would later spend significant time in Gotham Penitentiary. Upon release, Penguin turned his attention to white-collar crime. Namely, he portrayed himself as a legitimate businessman running a restaurant and casino called the Iceberg Lounge. This was a front for his dealings in the black market.
At the same time, he made a bid to control Gotham’s criminal underworld. Failing, he found himself forced to work for Batman as an informant, using his criminal contacts to give the caped crusader an edge over the city’s large criminal presence.
Despite this arrangement, in which Batman would let small time crimes slide, the Penguin would often cross the hero by launching larger exploits. These involved teaming up with much more notorious villains, such as the Joker. At one point, he even participated in an auction hosted by professor Hugo Strange to buy the true identity of the Dark Knight, and worked alongside a multitude of deranged criminals in Ra’s al Ghul ploy to lay siege to Gotham’s police headquarters.
An iconic fixture in the Batman universe, the Penguin stands out from other criminals due to always having a cigarette holder in his mouth, wearing a tuxedo with top hat, and for having learned Judo. Equally recognizable is his use of countless umbrella gadgets and weapons. These have ranged from those containing hidden blades and guns to hypnotic patterns and even a personal helicopter.
Appearing in various media over the years, the Penguin is best known for his comical portrayal by Burgess Meredith in the 1960s Batman series. He is similarly recognized for Danny DeVito’s deformed and monstrous interpretation in 1992’s Batman Returns.
This bird-like mobster with a love of trick umbrellas has become one of Batman’s oldest and most persistent foes. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we will explore the comic book origins of The Penguin.
As with most comic book characters, there are often re-imaginings and different versions to a character’s past. We have chosen to primarily follow the storyline, which unfolded in 1941’s Detective Comics #58 and was expanded upon in 1989’s Batman Secret Origins Special #1.
Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot was once a child of a wealthy family that was bullied due to his short height, obese figure and bird-like nose. Often taunted, he had no friends, and instead flocked to the company of birds. Due to this, he received the nickname Penguin. At the same time, he was forced to carry an umbrella by his overprotective mother following his father’s death after contracting pneumonia.
After finishing school, he adopted the Penguin name and inherited his family’s fortune. In turn, he began presenting himself as an intelligent, rich and sophisticated gentleman who preferred the look of a tuxedo. Behind the façade, he had become angry at the world, due to never having felt accepted. As a result, he took up crime as a means for gaining power and taking revenge on citizens of Gotham who had dared sneer at his appearance.
In his first stint as a criminal, Penguin robbed the Gotham museum. There, he stole a valuable painting as a means to gain his acceptance as a mob member. Soon enough, he fell into an argument with the mob’s boss, whom he killed with a rifle built into his umbrella. Following this, he became their new leader, using its vast criminal resources to stage several thefts around the city.
This spurred Batman and Robin to investigate. Eager to rid himself of the troublesome crime-fighting duo, Penguin framed Batman for stealing a jade idol.
With the police arresting Batman for the crime, the Penguin decided to break Batman out of jail in order to cement the Dark Knight’s guilty appearance. Despite this ploy, Batman and Robin soon tracked the Penguin’s gang and found the evidence needed to clear their names. While many of the Penguin’s henchmen were captured, the mastermind managed to escape.
Re-emerging with countless schemes over the following years, he would later spend significant time in Gotham Penitentiary. Upon release, Penguin turned his attention to white-collar crime. Namely, he portrayed himself as a legitimate businessman running a restaurant and casino called the Iceberg Lounge. This was a front for his dealings in the black market.
At the same time, he made a bid to control Gotham’s criminal underworld. Failing, he found himself forced to work for Batman as an informant, using his criminal contacts to give the caped crusader an edge over the city’s large criminal presence.
Despite this arrangement, in which Batman would let small time crimes slide, the Penguin would often cross the hero by launching larger exploits. These involved teaming up with much more notorious villains, such as the Joker. At one point, he even participated in an auction hosted by professor Hugo Strange to buy the true identity of the Dark Knight, and worked alongside a multitude of deranged criminals in Ra’s al Ghul ploy to lay siege to Gotham’s police headquarters.
An iconic fixture in the Batman universe, the Penguin stands out from other criminals due to always having a cigarette holder in his mouth, wearing a tuxedo with top hat, and for having learned Judo. Equally recognizable is his use of countless umbrella gadgets and weapons. These have ranged from those containing hidden blades and guns to hypnotic patterns and even a personal helicopter.
Appearing in various media over the years, the Penguin is best known for his comical portrayal by Burgess Meredith in the 1960s Batman series. He is similarly recognized for Danny DeVito’s deformed and monstrous interpretation in 1992’s Batman Returns.
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