Penguin appreciation thread

[Aelle3]

the jason aaron penguin story from the first joker's asylum is my favorite penguin story and is also the best of either volume of that series. such good stuff.

Very much agreed, great comic.

[Aelle3]

So what are peoples favourite comics or scenes with Penguin in?

[Keehar]

So what are peoples favourite comics or scenes with Penguin in?

So many to choose from.

My favorite comic book stories are:
- Hail Emperor Penguin from Batman #257
- The Malay Penguin from the infamous Steve Englehart run in Detective in the 70's. Penguin really shows off his smarts in that story, and puts Batman's detective skills to the test.
- Secret Origins Special. The backstory of the Penguin is delved into, where he exacts revenge on a childhood bully who tormented him for years.
- Detective Comics #610 and 611. The Penguin and Kadaver team up. Alan Grant writes a really menacing bad ass Penguin.
- The Penguin Affair in Batman #448, 449, and Detective #615. Introduces Harold, whom The Penguin manipulates into helping him trash Gotham using mind controlled flocks of birds. It's like Alfred Hitchcock brought to life. They even invade the Batcave and Wayne Manor.
- Batman #548, 549. The Penguin Returns. Doug Moench has Penguin get fed up with running The Iceberg Lounge, and return to his super villain ways.
- The Penguin story in Joker's Asylum.

From BTAS:
- Birds of a Feather. Veronica Vreeland brings The Penguin into her upper crust social circle just to gain some huge publicity for her big party. But Penguin thinks she's genuinely fond of him, and it all ends horribly when he learns he's just being used.
- Blind as a Bat. The Penguin steals a military helicopter called The Raven, and blinds Batman in the process. Brilliant episode. Penguin was on top evil form in this one.
- Almost Got 'Im. I loved seeing Penguin with his fellow super villains, playing cards, and all of them stroking their egos about who came the closest to killing Batman. Penguins "Aviary of doom" tale was classic.
- The Ultimate Thrill. Penguin tries to assassinate Roxy Rocket after she becomes a loose cannon as a lackey. I loved seeing Penguin shoot up his swanky penthouse trying to kill Batman.

Batman 60's show:
- Penguin opening the umbrella factory, and using Batman to formulate his villainous plot for him. Genius.
- The Penguin kidnaps and brain washes Alfred into being his willing puppet who'll find out where the millionaires award dinner will be held.
- The Penguin running for Mayor against Batman. I suspect this is where they got the idea for Batman Returns.
- The Penguin opens a swanky restaurant, but it's all a cover to get hand writing samples of Gotham's wealthiest for a brilliant forgery scheme.
- The Penguin/Joker team up, where they go on a crime spree based on signs of the Zodiac
- The Penguin/Marsha team up, where Pengy opens a movie company, with Batman as his leading actor lol. But again it's all a front for an even bigger scheme, where he wants to infiltrate the military for plans to build a giant tank
- The episode where Penguin and an old childhood chum of his, Lola Lasagna, team up to fix the big horse race at the Wayne Foundation handicap.

[Ben D]

So what are peoples favourite comics or scenes with Penguin in?

well its not really a good story compared to many others but there was one storyline where he, his aunt, Batman, and robin take down a major thug that was one of my first batman stories, so I love it.

[Keehar]

well its not really a good story compared to many others but there was one storyline where he, his aunt, Batman, and robin take down a major thug that was one of my first batman stories, so I love it.

Did you happen to read that in The Greatest Batman stories ever told? It's one of the first Penguin stories I ever read, too. Penguin is pretending to be straight in it because his Aunt doesn't know he's a criminal. Batman plays along with it for her sake.

It was one of the campy stories from the 40's.

[Aelle3]

So many to choose from.

My favorite comic book stories are:
- Hail Emperor Penguin from Batman #257
- The Malay Penguin from the infamous Steve Englehart run in Detective in the 70's. Penguin really shows off his smarts in that story, and puts Batman's detective skills to the test.
- Secret Origins Special. The backstory of the Penguin is delved into, where he exacts revenge on a childhood bully who tormented him for years.
- Detective Comics #610 and 611. The Penguin and Kadaver team up. Alan Grant writes a really menacing bad ass Penguin.
- The Penguin Affair in Batman #448, 449, and Detective #615. Introduces Harold, whom The Penguin manipulates into helping him trash Gotham using mind controlled flocks of birds. It's like Alfred Hitchcock brought to life. They even invade the Batcave and Wayne Manor.
- Batman #548, 549. The Penguin Returns. Doug Moench has Penguin get fed up with running The Iceberg Lounge, and return to his super villain ways.
- The Penguin story in Joker's Asylum.

From BTAS:
- Birds of a Feather. Veronica Vreeland brings The Penguin into her upper crust social circle just to gain some huge publicity for her big party. But Penguin thinks she's genuinely fond of him, and it all ends horribly when he learns he's just being used.
- Blind as a Bat. The Penguin steals a military helicopter called The Raven, and blinds Batman in the process. Brilliant episode. Penguin was on top evil form in this one.
- Almost Got 'Im. I loved seeing Penguin with his fellow super villains, playing cards, and all of them stroking their egos about who came the closest to killing Batman. Penguins "Aviary of doom" tale was classic.
- The Ultimate Thrill. Penguin tries to assassinate Roxy Rocket after she becomes a loose cannon as a lackey. I loved seeing Penguin shoot up his swanky penthouse trying to kill Batman.

Batman 60's show:
- Penguin opening the umbrella factory, and using Batman to formulate his villainous plot for him. Genius.
- The Penguin kidnaps and brain washes Alfred into being his willing puppet who'll find out where the millionaires award dinner will be held.
- The Penguin running for Mayor against Batman. I suspect this is where they got the idea for Batman Returns.
- The Penguin opens a swanky restaurant, but it's all a cover to get hand writing samples of Gotham's wealthiest for a brilliant forgery scheme.
- The Penguin/Joker team up, where they go on a crime spree based on signs of the Zodiac
- The Penguin/Marsha team up, where Pengy opens a movie company, with Batman as his leading actor lol. But again it's all a front for an even bigger scheme, where he wants to infiltrate the military for plans to build a giant tank
- The episode where Penguin and an old childhood chum of his, Lola Lasagna, team up to fix the big horse race at the Wayne Foundation handicap.

Wow fantastic list, there are some i need to check out. What did you think of penguin's triumph?

[Keehar]

Wow fantastic list, there are some i need to check out. What did you think of penguin's triumph?

Oh yeah, the GN by John Ostrander. I really enjoyed it, especially the little sub plot about the beautiful blond woman from his childhood whom he paid to be seen with him.

"You taught me what I was, Oswald. And I benefited from it. I've had three husbands, all wealthy and well off. I'm very well to do now".

In that story, Batman actually admits that the Penguin is smarter than him.

[RubberLotus]

Anyone here read Peter David's "Cracks" from Showcase '94 #7? My personal favorite Penguin story.

[Ben D]

Did you happen to read that in The Greatest Batman stories ever told? It's one of the first Penguin stories I ever read, too. Penguin is pretending to be straight in it because his Aunt doesn't know he's a criminal. Batman plays along with it for her sake.

It was one of the campy stories from the 40's.

yep that exact same story.

[Keehar]

Anyone here read Peter David's "Cracks" from Showcase '94 #7? My personal favorite Penguin story.

I've got that one. The one with Penguin and Gordon in the interrogation room, and Penguin has kidnapped Sarah Essen, and won't tell Gordon where she is. I completely forgot about that one. Another favorite of mine.

[jelebino]

Birds of Prey, couple of issues back. Penguin sends about a grand's worth of flowers to Dove, after she'd punched him in the face. There's the W.C. Fields pose of gallantry, and then there's the real style.

[Jvan]

Birds of Prey, couple of issues back. Penguin sends about a grand's worth of flowers to Dove, after she'd punched him in the face. There's the W.C. Fields pose of gallantry, and then there's the real style.

Yes, and you of course have to include the earlier scene where he's having a delirious fantasy involving the Birds due to blood loss. Great Cobblepot moment there.

I've never understood the hate for him, personally. I mean, yeah, he's not really threatening, at least on the conventional scale, but he adds color and variety to Batman's rogues gallery. He's not really insane, and doesn't get sent to Arkham, and you never really feel like Bats is in danger or anything, but he's one of the few criminals in Gotham who's played it smart by doing most of his activities in a low-key manner.

So yeah, consider me a fan.

[Android]

Probably the most successful rogue of them all, by operating under the radar so much.

Really need to check out some of these stories, don't have nearly enough Penguin stuff.

[Aelle3]

Birds of Prey, couple of issues back. Penguin sends about a grand's worth of flowers to Dove, after she'd punched him in the face. There's the W.C. Fields pose of gallantry, and then there's the real style.

Those were a good few issues, i thought it was going to set up to penguin as a major villain for the series. Still might see him again when the huntress goes for some revenge.

Yes, and you of course have to include the earlier scene where he's having a delirious fantasy involving the Birds due to blood loss. Great Cobblepot moment there.

I've never understood the hate for him, personally. I mean, yeah, he's not really threatening, at least on the conventional scale, but he adds color and variety to Batman's rogues gallery. He's not really insane, and doesn't get sent to Arkham, and you never really feel like Bats is in danger or anything, but he's one of the few criminals in Gotham who's played it smart by doing most of his activities in a low-key manner.

So yeah, consider me a fan.

I know what you mean, he is one of bats rogues who must be constantly getting away with it. And has convinced the batman he is more useful out of Blackgate.

[Patroklos]

I've never understood the hate for him, personally. I mean, yeah, he's not really threatening, at least on the conventional scale, but he adds color and variety to Batman's rogues gallery. He's not really insane, and doesn't get sent to Arkham, and you never really feel like Bats is in danger or anything, but he's one of the few criminals in Gotham who's played it smart by doing most of his activities in a low-key manner.

So yeah, consider me a fan.

There is the obsessions with birds and umbrellas though... Not quite sane, I would say. This leads me in on a sidetrack: Does Batman have any completely sane foes?