How do you like your Penguin?

[Restingvoice]

Jason Fabok Penguin torturing Falcone gave me the idea that he's brutish in a fight after he sheds his gentleman mask
The angst of course came from Penguin Pain and Prejudice drawn by Szymon Kudranski
Then Mikel Janin drew Burton's Penguin in comics but with comic personality instead of the movie, showing that the deformed but gentleman Penguin can work
(BTAS Penguin is like that, but I'm talking about comic artist)
So those three are my favorite artists for Penguin

[adrikito]

I like him in this way.

Elegant/Classy
English (or otherwise foreign)
Deformed & Sympathetic
Strong Bird Theme
Grounded Mobster

[Yohei72]

The angst of course came from Penguin Pain and Prejudice drawn by Szymon Kudranski

Heh. When you just google "penguin pride and prejudice," you get results related to the Penguin Classics edition of Jane Austen's novel.

EDIT: "pain." Not "pride." What's in this bourbon?

[Alan2099]

He dresses and tries to acts classy, but he has a bit of a temper that can reveal a thugish brute. At the very least he considers himself upper class.

He's not deformed, but he is a bit funny looking, waddles when he walks, and has a habit of squawking when he laughs.

He uses trick umbrellas that have weapons hidden in them and often employs other umbrella shaped gizmos. Nobody is quite sure why.

He smokes, even in places where it's not allowed.

The idea that all he does is sit around his club until Batman comes to beat him up for information is one I never want to see again.

[Riv86672]

An Elegant/Classy native Gothamite who became a Grounded Mobster w. a Strong Bird Theme.

[Captain Nostalgia]

An elegant mobster.

In a world where most of the bat villains are psychologically unhinged, it's nice to have a wheeling and dealing grounded mobster.

[K. Jones]

I was swinging in here to get right to the point of "I'm a Burgess Meredith guy" when it comes to how I like my Penguin, and the same reason why no "take" on him has worked since then, in that no new riff on Penguin has superceded the collective pop culture imprint of the '66 and incredibly comics accurate depiction.

But I immediately realized, well no actually I like a LOT of these elements in my Penguin. So I checked off every one of them except "Englishman".

Batman's best enemies reflect aspects of him. Oh, it's usually better if that's symbolic or subtext and isn't spelled out in big narrative diatribes by modern writers who can't help but over-narrate everything, sure, but it's still true! And I've always loved Penguin's riff on that. "Billionaire Playboy Bruce Wayne", an upper class gentleman's man, the one born with all the good looks. Well here's little Oswald Cobblepot and he's no less well-born, from old white-ass money, "Olde Gotham", but he's not some perfect adonis, not some Greek ideal, but my god he's every bit as much the gentleman and playboy and cavalier player in these strange Gotham games of crime and drama that all these rich Gotham boys keep getting involved in. A gimmick that literally comes from his propensity to wearing tuxedos, taken to a hedonistic and tacky Andy Warhol extreme.

But just like Bruce Wayne has a dark side ...

I mean everybody knows Oswald Cobblepot is The Penguin, so the secret identity thing is out the window for him after his first appearance. But the dark side? The monster behind the gentleman veneer? Oh yeah, that's just like Bruce Wayne. If we harken to the whole notion of the Iceberg Lounge, that was Dini & Timm's (and whatever other writer) notion to put Penguin in a new spot, but what it really does is give him "Legitimate Business" while completely owning and trading in on his career as a Gentleman Criminal with a crazy bird theme. Everybody knows he's the umbrella guy who tried to steal the Stellar Seahawk Sapphire and escape in a hot air balloon but Batman had a helicopter. So he gets out of jail, cashes out and opens a night spot, using his notoriety and infamy to profit (and secretly work on new back-door schemes, of course). So he's put himself into this "Public Persona" of, well, if not a "good" guy, a very public figure, somewhat beloved by Gotham, that lots of people want access to, have questions about, just like Bruce Wayne. And he's all about that hustle. Nobody can accuse the guy of not working hard, all the time.

Now as far as "Deformed & Sympathetic", I say yes Sympathetic but no to Deformed, at least in the "why does this guy have flippers and sharp teeth?" way. That's Killer Croc's entire story arc, please don't waste it on Penguin. But psychologically I 100% buy the fact that he's short, not particularly great looking, can't keep the weight off, makes him feel "Deformed" next to his other rich gentleman peers. Cultural or community-based body-self-shame. Hates that guys like lazy Bruce Wayne "don't even seem to have to do anything but hire a personal trainer and they get to look like super-heroes".

And then yeah, on that dark side, I'd say as a gentleman (and guy trying to keep his foot in the "legit" door), he's not likely to get his hands dirty with the dirty business of gang-land murder or anything. But I mean, through back-channels and knowing the right people, his gang-land rivals do seem to get dead (if necessary) or removed or politically framed and so he'd be a master of playing that game - the "Very Public Person with Back Room Dealings" game. The rich man's game. In fact his being more of a natural at that than Bruce Wayne, who can barely stand hanging out with those upper crust richy rich types, there's more irony. Bruce, who they all admire and thing is attractive, wants nothing to do with them and only uses those connections when it's a tactical advantage for Batman to navigate that world. Penguin, who they all look down upon and snicker at, and he knows it, is a natural at those dealings, although then he's kind of getting his revenge by using them for what he wants, too.

[Spencermalley935]

He dresses and tries to acts classy, but he has a bit of a temper that can reveal a thugish brute. At the very least he considers himself upper class.

He's not deformed, but he is a bit funny looking, waddles when he walks, and has a habit of squawking when he laughs.

He uses trick umbrellas that have weapons hidden in them and often employs other umbrella shaped gizmos. Nobody is quite sure why.

He smokes, even in places where it's not allowed.

The idea that all he does is sit around his club until Batman comes to beat him up for information is one I never want to see again.

I especially agree with this part.

[TheBatman]

I prefer a Penguin who feels somewhat like a threat. The guy who at one point was the number 2 Bat Rogue behind The Joker. Not, as someone else said, the guy who chills at the Iceberg Lounge just waiting until Batman comes in and beats him up for information.

Trick umbrellas are a must.

For me, I'd like a Penguin who pretends to be classy and elegant, but is grimy deep down.

The obsession with birds is great to me. I even love when he has absurd plans using birds.

I like the cockney accent he has in the Arkham Games. I think if I wrote Penguin, he'd have it, but it's not his real accent at all, as he does come from Gotham royalty.

[Mistah K88]

I was swinging in here to get right to the point of "I'm a Burgess Meredith guy" when it comes to how I like my Penguin, and the same reason why no "take" on him has worked since then, in that no new riff on Penguin has superceded the collective pop culture imprint of the '66 and incredibly comics accurate depiction.

But I immediately realized, well no actually I like a LOT of these elements in my Penguin. So I checked off every one of them except "Englishman".

Batman's best enemies reflect aspects of him. Oh, it's usually better if that's symbolic or subtext and isn't spelled out in big narrative diatribes by modern writers who can't help but over-narrate everything, sure, but it's still true! And I've always loved Penguin's riff on that. "Billionaire Playboy Bruce Wayne", an upper class gentleman's man, the one born with all the good looks. Well here's little Oswald Cobblepot and he's no less well-born, from old white-ass money, "Olde Gotham", but he's not some perfect adonis, not some Greek ideal, but my god he's every bit as much the gentleman and playboy and cavalier player in these strange Gotham games of crime and drama that all these rich Gotham boys keep getting involved in. A gimmick that literally comes from his propensity to wearing tuxedos, taken to a hedonistic and tacky Andy Warhol extreme.

But just like Bruce Wayne has a dark side ...

I mean everybody knows Oswald Cobblepot is The Penguin, so the secret identity thing is out the window for him after his first appearance. But the dark side? The monster behind the gentleman veneer? Oh yeah, that's just like Bruce Wayne. If we harken to the whole notion of the Iceberg Lounge, that was Dini & Timm's (and whatever other writer) notion to put Penguin in a new spot, but what it really does is give him "Legitimate Business" while completely owning and trading in on his career as a Gentleman Criminal with a crazy bird theme. Everybody knows he's the umbrella guy who tried to steal the Stellar Seahawk Sapphire and escape in a hot air balloon but Batman had a helicopter. So he gets out of jail, cashes out and opens a night spot, using his notoriety and infamy to profit (and secretly work on new back-door schemes, of course). So he's put himself into this "Public Persona" of, well, if not a "good" guy, a very public figure, somewhat beloved by Gotham, that lots of people want access to, have questions about, just like Bruce Wayne. And he's all about that hustle. Nobody can accuse the guy of not working hard, all the time.

Now as far as "Deformed & Sympathetic", I say yes Sympathetic but no to Deformed, at least in the "why does this guy have flippers and sharp teeth?" way. That's Killer Croc's entire story arc, please don't waste it on Penguin. But psychologically I 100% buy the fact that he's short, not particularly great looking, can't keep the weight off, makes him feel "Deformed" next to his other rich gentleman peers. Cultural or community-based body-self-shame. Hates that guys like lazy Bruce Wayne "don't even seem to have to do anything but hire a personal trainer and they get to look like super-heroes".

And then yeah, on that dark side, I'd say as a gentleman (and guy trying to keep his foot in the "legit" door), he's not likely to get his hands dirty with the dirty business of gang-land murder or anything. But I mean, through back-channels and knowing the right people, his gang-land rivals do seem to get dead (if necessary) or removed or politically framed and so he'd be a master of playing that game - the "Very Public Person with Back Room Dealings" game. The rich man's game. In fact his being more of a natural at that than Bruce Wayne, who can barely stand hanging out with those upper crust richy rich types, there's more irony. Bruce, who they all admire and thing is attractive, wants nothing to do with them and only uses those connections when it's a tactical advantage for Batman to navigate that world. Penguin, who they all look down upon and snicker at, and he knows it, is a natural at those dealings, although then he's kind of getting his revenge by using them for what he wants, too.

*Claps* standing ovation at that

I've always said that much like Joker is supposed to be Batman's opposite, ol' Oswald is supposed to be Bruce Wayne's. The 'clumsy' philanthropist vs the elegant criminal mastermind. There's a reason why a KNOWN criminal like Penguin running for mayor is a popular storyline that they like to use (even if it made less sense in Batman Returns), he's affable enough to be likable, and clever enough to make his schemes untraceable. He's one of those criminals who knows how to make the law work in his favor, not by simple intimidation, but manipulation. Even in his first appearance he used his rather unintimidating funny looks to become a gang leader and get away with crimes. He's one of those people you know did something but you have no way to prove it.

[Lightning Rider]

That was a great breakdown by K. Jones and a joy to read. Those subtle parallels were always there but I can now appreciate viewing Penguin through that lens more consciously.

I suppose more than a few people were a little let down by Penguin in The Batman, going by some of the posts. I'm guessing people would have preferred seeing him do more to justify his status as #2 crime boss?

[TheRay]

I definitely like him having a love hate relationship with Riddler. Seeing them work together is great fun.

[Confuzzled]

I know that "Grounded monster" is broad enough but I liked Returns focusing on the 'sleazy politician' aspect that made him all the more real and chilling.

[Restingvoice]

I know that "Grounded monster" is broad enough but I liked Returns focusing on the 'sleazy politician' aspect that made him all the more real and chilling.

As a kid I didn't realize that he's groping. I only noticed it when I'm older

[Lightning Rider]

I know that "Grounded mobster" is broad enough but I liked Returns focusing on the 'sleazy politician' aspect that made him all the more real and chilling.

Ah yes, another good metric, the political aspirations. I like a mayoral run existing somewhere in his background.