Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Batman.
The Batman franchise is most known for its long list of villains from the Joker to Poison Ivy. Evidently, there’s no shortage of mutated humans and just straight-up bad guys to serve as formidable foes to Batman. Among them is the ever famous Oswald Cobblepot AKA the Penguin, a wealthy businessman turned villain, known for his tuxedo and trick umbrellas. Making his TV debut on the original Batman series, portrayed by Burgess Meredith, the Penguin was an immediate smash and became a regular villain to appear alongside the Joker.
After the recent release of The Batman, which featured Colin Farrell in a supporting appearance as Penguin, HBO Max confirmed a spinoff series about Penguin's origins. With Matt Reeves choosing to refer to Oswald Cobblepot as Oz, this new take on the classic villain may be just as groundbreaking as Tim Burton’s Penguin, portrayed by Danny DeVito. With all this hubbub about the new Penguin, it’s only appropriate that we dive deeper into the Penguin’s origins, especially how he got his villain name in the first place.
Who is Oswald Cobblepot?
Oswald Cobblepot was born to a wealthy debutante family, but this did not make him immune to the cruelty of others. His origin story varies greatly, with some saying he was merely teased as a child for his short stature, his bird-like nose, and in some cases, his mutated hands that looked like flippers, while others have claimed that he was raised by penguins in the Gotham City sewers as seen in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns. The constant rejection from those around him led Oswald to become bitter and evil. With small beginnings as a petty thief, Oswald Cobblepot grew his criminal activity into a full-blown empire, using his ownership of the Iceberg Lounge. The Penguin aspires to be respected by those in high society, like his parents, even going so far as to become a part of the political world despite his criminal history. His crimes often revolve around stealing bird-related items of value.
Why is Oswald Cobblepot Called Penguin?
Some may wonder where the term Penguin comes from, but there are a few reasons that Oswald is called the Penguin. The original reason that the term Penguin was used for Oswald is due to his regular wearing of a tuxedo, giving him an appearance similar to that of an emperor penguin. His natural physical appearance of a short and stout man with a beak-like nose adds to the accuracy of his alias. However, one particularly interesting addition to the character that was not a part of the original was that of the mutated hands, originally introduced by Tim Burton in Batman Returns. This led to many changing the Penguin’s appearance with some iterations of the Penguin now having webbed hands which appear more like flippers than hands. That said, the original concept of the character and his name revolves more around his fashion choices including a monocle, a top hat, and a Bulgarian Umbrella.
In The Batman, Colin Farrell's Oswald is outfitted with a tuxedo, and the actor wore facial prosthetics to give off a rougher and scarred appearance (even his nose is shaped like a beak). What's more, in perhaps a more light-hearted moment in the film, there's a scene in which Penguin actually waddles a few steps after being handcuffed and cuffed at the legs by Batman and Jim Gordon.
What Makes the Penguin Such a Great Villain?
The Penguin is one of the most regular Batman villains alongside the Joker and has repeatedly been called on of the best comic book villains, ranking #51 on IGN’s list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time. Unlike the Joker, Penguin still has all of his sanity and despite his short-temper, he appears to be the most rational of all the Batman villains. On top of this, his variety of umbrellas gives the audience a surprise as we don’t know what the umbrella will hold, whether it's a sword, a mini-helicopter, or even a flamethrower. While he may not be a part of the physical action most of the time, he is often the brains behind the operation, using his smarts to concoct plans, including a plan to tamper with his batmobile, making him one of Batman’s most compelling adversaries.