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[SpaceWolf]

I was just thinking about this today. Now bare with me here...

Just look at this dude.

In popular culture, The Penguin is generally considered to be one of the most widely recognised and iconic super-villains in the world....certainly in the world of comic books where he's undoubtedly regarded as one of the most widely enduring figures in the Batman universe. From his Wikipedia page:

The Penguin has repeatedly been named one of the best Batman villains, and one of the greatest villains in comics and, paradoxically, has also been described by others as among the least convincing. Penguin was ranked #51 in IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time.

But....why exactly is The Penguin so popular? In the grand scheme of things, The Penguin's popularity is especially surreal considering the fact that the Batman universe has long been synonymous as offering the absolute cream of the crop when it comes to endlessly compelling, psychologically complex super-villains who readers and audiences alike have gravitated towards for generations: The Joker, Two-Face, The Riddler, Catwoman...these are all great, interesting characters....and yet for some reason, among all these timeless, iconic characters, The Penguin always seems to be able to effortlessly break into the A-List, perhaps even the top five of Batman's most famous villains.

What exactly is it that's interesting about The Penguin? There's no real psychological hook to the character, no real, easily identifiable personality traits that really make him interesting, unlike the countless other Batman characters who continue to be both reinvented and adored. As a matter of fact, in an attempt to make the character more interesting, you just have to look at how dramatically the character has been reinvented in his recent media outings over the years....

First he was a strange sewer mutant who lead an army of robotic penguins in Tim Burton's Batman Returns.

Then he was a pompous, upper-class businessman (albeit a fairly harmless one) in the animated series:

Then he became an overly-theatrical cockney weapons dealer in the Arkham franchise.

And now, in the more recent Telltale Games series, he's been reimagined as a handsome, slightly eccentric childhood friend of Bruce Wayne.

All wildly different characterizations who rarely seem to settle into the same theme or form of familiar characterization, I think you'll agree.

So all in all, who is The Penguin really? What does he represent to us? What makes this guy continue to endure as a celebrated staple in the Batman mythos? And what's the deal with the umbrellas? Am I overthinking this? Most definitely.

Thank you for your time.

EDIT: APOLOGIES TO BURGESS MEREDITH AND THE BLOKE FROM GOTHAM, FORGIVE ME FOR YOUR UNHOLY EXCLUSIONS.

 

[RobbieNick]

Burgess Meredith. You're not going back far enough.

 

[Mutanthands]

Burgess Meridith.

Edit: great minds...

 

[Ithil]

 

[Escape Goat]

He was in the 60s TV show. And subsequent cartoons.

 

[HStallion]

Wait that's the Penguin in the Telltale game? That's certainly an interesting interpretation.

 

[Slightly Live]

Ignoring Gotham's version?

 

[BoogieWoogie]

YO HO!

Also, I think the reason the Penguin gets so much play is that he's the perfect bridge between the mob and the crazies of Gotham. He's not quite either so he works as a good bridge between them both.

 

[Slayven]

He has a good gag

 

[ZombieFred]

 

[The Albatross]

I think a lot of it has to do with how good a job Danny DeVito did in Batman Returns. It was just such a memorable character.

 

[Guzim]

Batman Returns also took its Penguin for mayor plot from an episode of the 1966 TV show.

 

[SatoAilDarko]

I always liked Penguin as being the closet a straight crime lord of Batman's most recognizable foes. It's a nice contrast to the superpowers/mental problems of the others.

 

[Ahasverus]

Also, I think the reason the Penguin gets so much play is that he's the perfect bridge between the mob and the crazies of Gotham. He's not quite either so he works as a good bridge between them both.

Perfect description

 

[Fancyarcher]

Because in the words of Bill Finger "The Penguin represents the high society gentleman of the Batman rogue gallery".

Despite all those changes you listed, it's hte businessman "I'm so called sane" aspect of The Penguin that has stuck around in most of the Batman adaptations, whether he's treated like a freak or not. He doesn't want to blow up Gotham or go crazy, he just wants to be rich and respected. He's an easy villain to write in many aspects (The Penguin Triumphant was a damn good one shot back in the day for example), and many others not. I can see why the character is so famous.

Plus during the golden age he and Joker were literally Batman's only two real big recurring villains, he was clearly popular with kids, his distinct beak appearance no doubt helping.

 

[NealMcCauley]

He's Batman's most down to Earth rogue. I like the interpretations that have him as the last of Gotham's gangsters but vile enough that he can go toe to toe with the freaks and come out ahead.

 

[RustyNails]

OP, why did you miss Gotham's GOAT version of Penguin?

 

[Shanlei91]

The Penguin being a thing is as weird as the male romper being a thing.

 

[Escape Goat]

Penguin's fupa is making me hot.

 

[Discotheque]

wth at this Telltale mess (admittedly I haven't yet played the game) and leaving out Gotham and the Burgess Meredith version.

I like that he's ran for mayor in 3 different live action adaptations at this point.

 

[bjork]

Penguin in "The Batman" was pretty dope, he could do all kinda of flippy karate moves when he fights Batman in an atrium or something. Penguin is ok by me.

 

[More_Badass]

YO HO!

Also, I think the reason the Penguin gets so much play is that he's the perfect bridge between the mob and the crazies of Gotham. He's not quite either so he works as a good bridge between them both.

That too. He's 1) the cultured mobster archetype on the surface, with ruthless violence simmering underneath that facade, 2) a bridge between gangster and rogue, like you said, 3) works as that kind of backstabbing always-out-for-himself character that people love to hate.

Not sure if that's only in the Arkham games, but him being an information broker, who helps whoever gives him an advantage among Gotham gang wars, even if that means helping Batman, places him in a unique spot among Batman's villains IMO

 

[Kenzodielocke]

I was shook when I realised that the Arkham Penguin didn't have a monocle on his eye, but a glass bottle in his eye.

 

[BossDarkseid]

Wew. That's dark.

Whats that from? Art looks vaguely JRJR...

 

[HylianTom]

I love Meredith's Penguin. Even when I see someone else playing the Penguin, my mind inserts his laugh into the dialogue..

 

[Sephzilla]

OP didn't even mention one of the best Penguins

 

[Slayven]

Wew. That's dark.

Whats that from? Art looks vaguely JRJR...

He was a lot nicer than Marvel Knights King Pin

 

[Sgt. Kabukiman]

He represents an interesting dichotomy: he's completely unthreatening on the surface and yet he's also one of the most dangerous men in the worst city on earth.
Plus he has an iconic look and a memorable gimmick. And he's associated with Batman.

 

[7Th]

Just like with the Joker, his second design in BTAS was pretty bad compared to the first.

 

[norm9]

The best penguin.

eta- the original tv show had the most iconic looks (for myself at least) for the villains including Riddler, Catwoman, Joker, Penguin, Egghead.

 

[TheBear]

That telltale version makes no goddamned sense

 

[More_Badass]

He represents an interesting dichotomy: he's completely unthreatening on the surface and yet he's also one of the most dangerous men in the worst city on earth.
Plus he has an iconic look and a memorable gimmick. And he's associated with Batman.

Here's another good example of the Penguin's ruthlessness
http://imgur.com/a/tNA2Q

 

[Sephzilla]

Just like with the Joker, his second design in BTAS was pretty bad compared to the first.

The animation revamp to Batman TAS was a net loss all around. Batman looked worse. Joker looked worse. Robin looked worse. Penguin looked worse. You get the point.

 

[Hero Prinny]

wow thats not nice

 

[BossDarkseid]

That telltale version makes no goddamned sense

A lot of things in Telltale Batman didn't make a whole lot of sense...

 

[SpaceWolf]

OP didn't even mention one of the best Penguins

I have rectified my mistake. Forgive me, child.

 

[modernmalady]

*snip*

What book is this from? I really like this art.

 

[ERotIC]

Between the Penguin and Joker, TellTale made some really baffling "re-imagining" decisions.

 

[StayDead]

This is why penguin is my kind of villain.

Rather than straight up murderkilling people he messes with their entire lives.

 

[ZombieFred]

Here's another good example of the Penguin's ruthlessness
http://imgur.com/a/tNA2Q

Wew lad.

 

[GeeTeeCee]

Wew. That's dark.

Whats that from? Art looks vaguely JRJR...

What book is this from? I really like this art.

I'm not 100% certain, but it's very probably from the mini-series The Penguin: Pain & Prejudice.

 

[Staccat0]

I am sure it's been done, but if I were making a batman movie I'd cast The Penguin as Bruce Wayne's foe more than Batman's.

 

[Pinko Marx]

Batman is essentially a Superhero gone Noir. And what's Noir without a Gentleman Gangster.

 

[ZombieFred]

What book is this from? I really like this art.

Jokers Asylum the penguin.

 

[BoogieWoogie]

Just like with the Joker, his second design in BTAS was pretty bad compared to the first.

Those designs are forgiven because it gave us the BEST Scarecrow:

 

[DorkLord54]

Because he's the type of guy you know wouldn't diddle kids if he ran a youth pageant.

 

[Fancyarcher]

The animation revamp to Batman TAS was a net loss all around. Batman looked worse. Joker looked worse. Robin looked worse. Penguin looked worse. You get the point.

Some of the designs were good though, I liked Scarecrow and Clayface's. Two-Face was the oddest to spot though, since it took me forever to realize he looked somehow more freakish and out of proportion then previously.

 

[More_Badass]

Saw this on Reddit

The Penguin is the greatest Batman villain for the simple reason that he's the meanest. He's not crazy, he's not super-strong, he's not endowed with any real overriding mania or fixation. He has motifs, yes, but ultimately he's perfectly sane.He doesn't go to Arkham, he goes to real big-boy jail.

What the Penguin has that no one else has is a simple abundance of pure, unadulterated spite. He's a short man with a paunch and a beakish nose. He's been picked on and derided and underestimated his whole life, dismissed by his social betters and spit on by women. He's ruthless and cunning and amoral because those are the cards life dealt him.

I admit I'm not the biggest fan of his current status quo: the evil-nightclub-owner-slash-gangster routine has been stale for a while, because it essentially neuters him by turning him into a static threat. He has a base of operations but no real active agenda anymore. That should change: the Penguin should be out and about, stirring shit up and hatching master plans. When the Joker steps into a room, you know he's going to kill you just because he's crazy; but when the Penguin steps into the room you know it's because he has a reason to be in that room, and if you are in his way he will not hesitate for one second to pop open a trick umbrella and shoot your kneecaps. He might not kill you just for the sake of killing you but he knows how to make you wish you were dead if you ever cross him. He's cold, cruel and calculating. He's resourceful and cunning, because that's how you get ahead in the world.

In Batman's world there's madness, obsession, will and strength - but ultimately it all comes back to crime, pure and simple. The Penguin's motivations are pure because he simply resents the whole damn world and will not rest until he gets his. The Penguin is a criminal, nothing more and nothing less, with avarice in his heart and hatred in his eye.

 

[RangerX]

I don't actually think he is all that popular anymore.

 

[SpaceWolf]

Here's another good example of the Penguin's ruthlessness
http://imgur.com/a/tNA2Q

These stories seem very Daredevil: Born Again-like. It's the kind of behaviour I've always associated with The Kingpin, although I'm not sure which character really capitalised on this way of punishing their enemies first.