Supervillain Origins: The Penguin

this bird-like mobster with a love of

this bird-like mobster with a love of trick umbrellas has become one of

trick umbrellas has become one of

trick umbrellas has become one of Batman’s oldest and most persistent foes

Batman’s oldest and most persistent foes

Batman’s oldest and most persistent foes I delight in the devious I obviate the

I delight in the devious I obviate the

I delight in the devious I obviate the obvious is misleading my intentions

obvious is misleading my intentions

obvious is misleading my intentions they’re going to lay a trap for me a

they’re going to lay a trap for me a

they’re going to lay a trap for me a trap at one it’s spring hey Batman then

trap at one it’s spring hey Batman then

trap at one it’s spring hey Batman then Robin will never go back welcome to

Robin will never go back welcome to

Robin will never go back welcome to watchmojo.com and today we will explore

watchmojo.com and today we will explore

watchmojo.com and today we will explore it the comic book origins of the penguin

it the comic book origins of the penguin

it the comic book origins of the penguin as with most comic book characters there

as with most comic book characters there

as with most comic book characters there are often reimagining and different

are often reimagining and different

are often reimagining and different versions to a character’s past we have

versions to a character’s past we have

versions to a character’s past we have chosen to primarily follow the storyline

chosen to primarily follow the storyline

chosen to primarily follow the storyline which unfolded in 1941 s Detective

which unfolded in 1941 s Detective

which unfolded in 1941 s Detective Comics number 58 and which was expanded

Comics number 58 and which was expanded

Comics number 58 and which was expanded upon in 1989 s Batman secret origin

upon in 1989 s Batman secret origin

upon in 1989 s Batman secret origin special number one Oswald Chesterfield

special number one Oswald Chesterfield

special number one Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot was once a child of a wealthy

Cobblepot was once a child of a wealthy

Cobblepot was once a child of a wealthy family that was bullied due to his short

family that was bullied due to his short

family that was bullied due to his short height obese figure and bird-like nose

height obese figure and bird-like nose

height obese figure and bird-like nose at the same time he was forced to carry

at the same time he was forced to carry

at the same time he was forced to carry an umbrella by his overprotective mother

an umbrella by his overprotective mother

an umbrella by his overprotective mother often taunted he had no friends and

often taunted he had no friends and

often taunted he had no friends and instead flocked to the company of birds

instead flocked to the company of birds

instead flocked to the company of birds due to this he received his nickname

due to this he received his nickname

due to this he received his nickname penguin after finishing school he

penguin after finishing school he

penguin after finishing school he adopted the penguin name and inherited

adopted the penguin name and inherited

adopted the penguin name and inherited his family’s fortune in turn he began

his family’s fortune in turn he began

his family’s fortune in turn he began presenting himself as an intelligent

presenting himself as an intelligent

presenting himself as an intelligent rich and sophisticated gentleman who

rich and sophisticated gentleman who

rich and sophisticated gentleman who preferred the look of a tuxedo behind

preferred the look of a tuxedo behind

preferred the look of a tuxedo behind this facade he had become angry at the

this facade he had become angry at the

this facade he had become angry at the world due to never having felt accepted

world due to never having felt accepted

world due to never having felt accepted as a result he took up crime as a means

as a result he took up crime as a means

as a result he took up crime as a means for gaining power and to take revenge on

for gaining power and to take revenge on

for gaining power and to take revenge on the citizens of Gotham who had dared

the citizens of Gotham who had dared

the citizens of Gotham who had dared sneer at his appearance in his first

sneer at his appearance in his first

sneer at his appearance in his first stint as a criminal

stint as a criminal

stint as a criminal penguin robbed the Gotham Museum there

penguin robbed the Gotham Museum there

penguin robbed the Gotham Museum there he stole a valuable painting as a means

he stole a valuable painting as a means

he stole a valuable painting as a means to gain his acceptance as a mob member

to gain his acceptance as a mob member

to gain his acceptance as a mob member soon enough he fell into an argument

soon enough he fell into an argument

soon enough he fell into an argument with the mobs boss whom he killed with a

with the mobs boss whom he killed with a

with the mobs boss whom he killed with a rifle built into his umbrella following

rifle built into his umbrella following

rifle built into his umbrella following this he became their new leader using

this he became their new leader using

this he became their new leader using its vast criminal resources to stage

its vast criminal resources to stage

its vast criminal resources to stage several thefts around the city this

several thefts around the city this

several thefts around the city this spurred Batman and Robin to investigate

spurred Batman and Robin to investigate

spurred Batman and Robin to investigate eager to rid himself of the Troublesome

eager to rid himself of the Troublesome

eager to rid himself of the Troublesome crime-fighting duo penguin framed Batman

crime-fighting duo penguin framed Batman

crime-fighting duo penguin framed Batman for stealing a jade Idol with the police

for stealing a jade Idol with the police

for stealing a jade Idol with the police arresting Batman for the crime the

arresting Batman for the crime the

arresting Batman for the crime the penguin decided to break Batman out of

penguin decided to break Batman out of

penguin decided to break Batman out of jail in order to cement the Dark Knights

jail in order to cement the Dark Knights

jail in order to cement the Dark Knights guilty appearance

guilty appearance

guilty appearance despite this ploy Batman and Robin soon

despite this ploy Batman and Robin soon

despite this ploy Batman and Robin soon tracked the Penguins gang and found the

tracked the Penguins gang and found the

tracked the Penguins gang and found the evidence needed to clear their names

evidence needed to clear their names

evidence needed to clear their names while many of the Penguins henchmen were

while many of the Penguins henchmen were

while many of the Penguins henchmen were captured the mastermind managed to his

captured the mastermind managed to his

captured the mastermind managed to his named Rhea merging with countless

named Rhea merging with countless

named Rhea merging with countless schemes over the years he would later

schemes over the years he would later

schemes over the years he would later spend significant time in Gotham

spend significant time in Gotham

spend significant time in Gotham penitentiary

penitentiary

penitentiary upon release penguin turned his

upon release penguin turned his

upon release penguin turned his attention to white-collar crime namely

attention to white-collar crime namely

attention to white-collar crime namely he portrayed himself as a legitimate

he portrayed himself as a legitimate

he portrayed himself as a legitimate businessman running a restaurant and

businessman running a restaurant and

businessman running a restaurant and Casino called the iceberg lounge this

Casino called the iceberg lounge this

Casino called the iceberg lounge this was a front for his dealings in the

was a front for his dealings in the

was a front for his dealings in the black market

black market

black market at the same time he made a bid to

at the same time he made a bid to

at the same time he made a bid to control Gotham’s criminal underworld

control Gotham’s criminal underworld

control Gotham’s criminal underworld failing he found himself forced to work

failing he found himself forced to work

failing he found himself forced to work for Batman as an informant using his

for Batman as an informant using his

for Batman as an informant using his criminal contacts to give the Caped

criminal contacts to give the Caped

criminal contacts to give the Caped Crusader an edge over the city’s large

Crusader an edge over the city’s large

Crusader an edge over the city’s large criminal presence despite this

criminal presence despite this

criminal presence despite this arrangement in which Batman would let

arrangement in which Batman would let

arrangement in which Batman would let small-time crime slide the penguin would

small-time crime slide the penguin would

small-time crime slide the penguin would often cross the hero by launching larger

often cross the hero by launching larger

often cross the hero by launching larger exploits these involves teaming up with

exploits these involves teaming up with

exploits these involves teaming up with much more notorious villains such as the

much more notorious villains such as the

much more notorious villains such as the Joker at one point he even participated

Joker at one point he even participated

Joker at one point he even participated in an auction hosted by Professor Hugo

in an auction hosted by Professor Hugo

in an auction hosted by Professor Hugo Strange to buy the true identity of the

Strange to buy the true identity of the

Strange to buy the true identity of the Dark Knight and worked alongside a

Dark Knight and worked alongside a

Dark Knight and worked alongside a multitude of deranged criminals in Ra’s

multitude of deranged criminals in Ra’s

multitude of deranged criminals in Ra’s al Ghul’s ploy to lay siege to Gotham’s

al Ghul’s ploy to lay siege to Gotham’s

al Ghul’s ploy to lay siege to Gotham’s police headquarters an iconic fixture in

police headquarters an iconic fixture in

police headquarters an iconic fixture in the Batman universe the penguin stands

the Batman universe the penguin stands

the Batman universe the penguin stands out from other criminals due to always

out from other criminals due to always

out from other criminals due to always having a cigarette holder in his mouth

having a cigarette holder in his mouth

having a cigarette holder in his mouth wearing a tuxedo with top hat and for

wearing a tuxedo with top hat and for

wearing a tuxedo with top hat and for having learned judo equally recognizable

having learned judo equally recognizable

having learned judo equally recognizable is his use of countless umbrella gadgets

is his use of countless umbrella gadgets

is his use of countless umbrella gadgets and weapons these have ranged from those

and weapons these have ranged from those

and weapons these have ranged from those containing hidden blades and guns to

containing hidden blades and guns to

containing hidden blades and guns to hypnotic patterns and even a personal

hypnotic patterns and even a personal

hypnotic patterns and even a personal helicopter appearing in various media

helicopter appearing in various media

helicopter appearing in various media over the years the penguin is best known

over the years the penguin is best known

over the years the penguin is best known for his comical portrayal by burgess

for his comical portrayal by burgess

for his comical portrayal by burgess Meredith in the 1960s Batman series he

Meredith in the 1960s Batman series he

Meredith in the 1960s Batman series he is similarly recognized for Danny

is similarly recognized for Danny

is similarly recognized for Danny DeVito’s deformed and monstrous

DeVito’s deformed and monstrous

DeVito’s deformed and monstrous interpretation in 1992 s Batman Returns