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Penguin
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Creation & Design

The Penguin was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, designed as a short, rotund man with a penchant for crime and a love for birds.

Early Years

Initially portrayed as a comical villain, the Penguin evolved into a more serious and complex character, often depicted as a crime lord in Gotham City.

Character Development

Over the years, the Penguin has transitioned from a mere comic relief villain to a formidable crime lord with depth, often exploring themes of power, betrayal, and survival in Gotham's dark underbelly.

Cultural Reception

The Penguin has been well-received as one of Batman's most iconic foes, often praised for his unique character design and complex personality.

Character Details

Real Name:
Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot
First Appearance:
Detective Comics #58
Aliases:
The Penguin, Oswald Cobblepot
Species:
Human
Gender:
Male
Affiliations:
Injustice League, Gotham City Crime Syndicate, The Rogues
Abilities:
Genius-level intellect, Master strategist, Expert in hand-to-hand combat
Equipment:
Umbrella weapons, Various gadgets
Weight:
180lbs
Height:
5' 3"
Eye Color:
brown
Hair Color:
black

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Detective Comics #58
DC ⋅ 1941
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Detective Comics #58
 
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Key Facts

1st appearance of the Penguin

[March 2022 - Colin Farrell will reprise the Penguin in an HBO Max spin-off]

Detective Comics #59
DC ⋅ 1942
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Detective Comics #59
 
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Key Facts

2nd appearance of the Penguin

1st appearance of Wing Tong in costume

Detective Comics #67
DC ⋅ 1942
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Detective Comics #67
 
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Key Facts

1st cover appearance of the Penguin

Batman #14
DC ⋅ 1942
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Batman #14
 
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Key Facts

2nd cover appearance of the Penguin, first cover appearance in the Batman title

Batman #25
DC ⋅ 1944
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Batman #25
 
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Key Facts

First time two major Batman villains team-up - Joker and Penguin

Detective Comics #99
DC ⋅ 1945
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Detective Comics #99
 
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Key Facts

Cover art by Dick Sprang featuring the Penguin

Batman #38
DC ⋅ 1946
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Batman #38
 
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Key Facts

First interior art on Batman by Jim Mooney

Detective Comics #120
DC ⋅ 1947
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Detective Comics #120
 
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Cover art by Win Mortimer featuring the Penguin

Batman #155
DC ⋅ 1963
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Batman #155
 
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1st appearance of the Penguin in the Silver Age

Batman #169
DC ⋅ 1965
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Batman #169
 
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Key Facts

2nd appearance of the Penguin in the Silver Age

🥈 Runner-Up

Batman #190
DC ⋅ 1967
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Batman #190
 
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Key Facts

Iconic cover art featuring the Penguin

Best of DC, The #10
DC ⋅ 1981
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Best of DC, The #10
 
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Key Facts

Origin of Penguin

Detective Comics #683
DC ⋅ 1995
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Detective Comics #683
 
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Key Facts

Introduction of the Iceberg Lounge, the Penguin's nightclub

Detective Comics #13
DC ⋅ 2012
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Detective Comics #13
 
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Key Facts

1st appearance of Emperor Penguin, AKA Emperor Blackgate

Detective Comics #30
Variant ⋅ DC ⋅ 2014
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Detective Comics #30
 
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Variant cover art by Hermann Mejia, inspired by MAD Magazine

Batgirl #6
DC ⋅ 2017
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Batgirl #6
 
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1st appearance of Ethan Cobblepot, the son of the Penguin

Batman #58
Non-Key
DC ⋅ 2018
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Batman #58
 
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Key Facts

Cover art by Mikel Janin

Batman #58
Non-Key
Variant ⋅ DC ⋅ 2018
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Batman #58
 
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Variant cover art by Francesco Mattina

Detective Comics Annual #2021
Non-Key
Variant ⋅ DC ⋅ 2021
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Detective Comics Annual #2021
 
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Variant cover art by Jason Fabok

Batman: Killing Time #5
Non-Key
1:25 ⋅ DC ⋅ 2022
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Batman: Killing Time #5
 
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Variant cover art by Ben Oliver

Batman #126
DC ⋅ 2022
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Batman #126
 
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1st appearance of Aidan and Addison Cobblepot

1st full appearance of Failsafe, an android created by Batman to neutralize him if he turned evil

Death of Ethan Cobblepot

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