Penguin appreciation thread

[Keehar]

Whats this from?

It's from this GN:

[Aelle3]

Cool thanks, Iv been trawling the internet going on a penguin issue binge, got a few ordered for after christmas, ill have to update the thread with mini review when they come through.

[Mistah K88]

^I''m looking forward to them.

One thing I've noticed about Penguin is he tends to get along with the other Bat-rougues more often than not. Sure he has his little rivalries every now and then (who doesn't), but generally he seems to get along with the crazies of Gotham...even Joker (who almost every Arkamite hates).

[Aelle3]

^I''m looking forward to them.

One thing I've noticed about Penguin is he tends to get along with the other Bat-rougues more often than not. Sure he has his little rivalries every now and then (who doesn't), but generally he seems to get along with the crazies of Gotham...even Joker (who almost every Arkamite hates).

Your right he does seem to get on with alot of gothams lunatic fringe. Although sometimes he gets on with the Joker (as in the Arkham screens posted back a page) but at other times he dislikes and fears him.

[NathanielEssex]

Aelle, did you check out Penguin in Ostander's Suicide Squad from the 80's/early 90's? He had some cool showings and characterization in that one.

[Aelle3]

Aelle, did you check out Penguin in Ostander's Suicide Squad from the 80's/early 90's? He had some cool showings and characterization in that one.

Is that in the first few issues? When i was looking through comic vine to find penguin issues i think i saw a few but i have not read them. Thanks for the recommendations, ill definitely check them out. Since im in London for christmas ill be near comic shops for once so ill have a chance to pick up single issues, does anyone else have any good issues in mind.
Since im in a holiday mood has Penguin ever had a Christmas issue?

[Aelle3]

The way I see it, where Joker is the anti Batman, Penguin is the anti Bruce Wayne. Bruce is handsome, generous, and seems to even forget that he himself is very wealthy. Oswald however is pretty ugly, greedy, and feels the need to throw it in your face that he has more class than you.

Mistah, I hope its alright but I quoted this in another thread. Cheers

[Aelle3]

Right, so I bought few Penguin issues over Christmas and here are some very short reviews. I typed this up after a long day of work and I hope that I haven’t mixed up the issues or arcs.

Detective #610 and 611 Snow and Ice: Penguin fakes his own death with the help of Kadaver and uses the opportunity commit crimes framing other villains. In the end Batman catches Penguin because throughout his crime spree he was compelled to leave clues so that someone knew it was him, showing off a little of his ego. Kadaver has the hypnotic power with a word to put Penguin back into a death like trance, near the end Penguin leads Kadaver to the toilet and after stuffing his ears with loo roll point blank shoots Kadaver in the chest. A poignant reminder of want happens when you try to control the Penguin. So overall a great little story, Alan Grant makes the Penguin very smart with his planning (to the point that batman seems a few steps behind) and a pretty masterful thief. And all with a brilliant cover http://www.comicvine.com/detective-c...uin/37-113063/

Batman #448, 449 and detective #615 the Penguin Affair: It starts with the Penguin picking up the mute Harold off the road who turns out to be a mechanical genius. After he is ‘rescued’ by the Penguin he builds a device that allows Penguin to control birds, which he uses to steal and in the end tries to sell at an international crime auction. I really enjoyed these issues a lot, there is loads of fun and silliness to the story with the mind controlled birds, but at the same time a good amount of creepiness. It’s also good way of showing the Penguin using birds in crime without making him in to the expert bird trainer, as he is in the animated series. It’s also another story that shows Penguins weakness for women, something that seems to crop up every now and then. Something I like to think is linked to his superiority/inferiority complex. The issue also has a particular panel showing the penguins smarts as he plays multiple games of chess on a huge computer and wins.

Detective # 683 and 684 : Penguin and the Actuary match wits with the Batman as they try to work out what statistically is the best crime to beat Batman. Of course they loose and Penguins plans are foiled but it’s a really solid read and in my opinion Dixon writes a really good Penguin, suave, smart and a little ruthless. Plus the cover for 683 is really cool. http://www.comicvine.com/detective-c...nst/37-113145/

Robin #137 and 138: I picked up these two issues of Robin solely because of the cover of 138 http://www.comicvine.com/robin-the-f...rine/37-99205/ . It wasn’t the best issue, especially if your reading it for the Penguin. He was tied up for questioning most of the issue, it could have been any mob boss of the week. It was also hard to get past Damion Scott’s art which I found quite hard to follow. Over all not great but at least 138 had a cool cover.

Batman #586 and 585: I had really high hopes for this because I had just finished reading the first half of Gotham Central (which I loved) and these two issues were by Ed Brubaker, however I was a little disappointed. Firstly I’m not a huge Scott McDaniel fan and although he didn’t draw Penguin that badly, the way he drew Batman really put me off. In terms of the story I think I’m under appreciating it because its halfway through a storyline (and you don’t get a whole lot of the story in either issue), something that hopefully will become better when I get the whole thing. I did enjoy the dream/fantasy issue 586 and thought it was a nice nod to Penguins unyielding ego.

As I just said I also got the first 22 issues of Gotham central, not a lot of Penguin in but Michael Lark draws a really good realistic version of Ozzie and I would love to see a Greg Rucka/ Ed Brubaker and Lark take on the Penguin and the iceberg lounge.

On the recommendation of NathanielEssex I picked up the first few issues of the 80s Suicide Squad, and im very pleased I did. I really liked that they brought him in as the specialist thief. But the shop only had three of the issues so ill talk about it again once I get the whole story. But it was really good.

Special mention: I just reread shadow of the bat #85, its part of the no mans land story arc. I thought this was really good, they put Penguin in the perfect position as the controller of supplies in Gotham, just a shame it didn’t last longer.

[Keehar]

Great reviews. Alan Grant's story in Detective # 610 and 611 is one of the Penguin's deadliest stories. He was such a ruthless beast in that.

I've got another suggestion for you if you haven't already read it: Detective Comics Annual #1. Written by Dennis O'Neill, and features a very deadly Penguin.

[Aelle3]

Great reviews. Alan Grant's story in Detective # 610 and 611 is one of the Penguin's deadliest stories. He was such a ruthless beast in that.

I've got another suggestion for you if you haven't already read it: Detective Comics Annual #1. Written by Dennis O'Neill, and features a very deadly Penguin.

Thanks man, I haven't read it so ill look into it. Its strange I wasnt sure i would like some of the earlier issues but I thought they were some of the best.

[Aelle3]

Just saw the blurb for Gates of Gotham, it says its about the old families of Gotham and im pretty sure i can see a Cobblepot (and its by snyder!).



looks good

[Keehar]

That looks awesome.

[RubberLotus]

Have you read Peter David's "Cracks" yet? I highly recommend it as something of a prologue to Dixon's 'tec two-parter.

[Mistah K88]

Just saw the blurb for Gates of Gotham, it says its about the old families of Gotham and im pretty sure i can see a Cobblepot (and its by snyder!).



looks good

I was just about to post this, now it mentions the Waynes, the Kanes, and the Elliots. There's NO way that the Cobblepot family will not be explored. Hopefully Penguin's family will have a massive role in the story.

[Keehar]

Have you read Peter David's "Cracks" yet? I highly recommend it as something of a prologue to Dixon's 'tec two-parter.

Is that the Penguin story from Showcase '94? It's excellent.