Detective Comics #610

Issue Details

Synopsis

SNOW AND ICE PART 1 - ODE TO A PENGUIN It's sunset at the Gotham Cemetery and several people are at the place at the funeral of one of the greatest criminal minds of Gotham City. Oswald Cobblepot, better known as the Penguin had suffered a heart attack while doing some exercise at the prison's gym. The media is broadcasting the funeral and among the attendees are some of Penguin's longtime enemies like fellow criminal Rafael Santini and Police Commissioner James Gordon. However, there is a figure that can't go unnoticed and it's that of the Batman, watching from the shadows. Gordon approaches Batman and learns that the Dark Knight is suspicious about Penguin's sudden death and the prompt funeral he received. Batman goes closer to the coffin, where Penguin's body is laying down and takes a closer look, despite the minister's disapproval. Everything seems to be in order and Batman leaves the place along with all the people in attendance, leaving the minister to end the last rites. As the day comes to an end, Penguin is buried underneath a statue of himself as the tombstone.  Outside of the Graveyard, Commissioner Gordon tells Batman that Penguin's last will will be read at the Ritz Hotel, but before going there, Batman has something else in mind. There was an old man who Batman didn't recognize among the people at the funeral. Batman follows him back to his place, where he learns that the old man is apparently an ornithologist. Batman decides to leave, considering that the man is not a threat, but unknown to Batman, this old man was also the person responsible for designing and providing Penguin his iconic trick umbrellas.   In the darkness of the night, a couple of thugs break into the Gotham Graveyard and dig out Penguin's body, following his prior instructions. The two of them try to wake Penguin using a code word, but it doesn't work and they are forced to take the Penguin's body with them to figure out how to help their boss.   After dealing with some street punks, Batman makes it to the Ritz, where most of the same people at Penguin's funeral have arrived. Much to everyone's surprise, Penguin's last will was to start a fund to preserve penguins and with such a honorable action, many of the people decide to contribute as well. When the fund is announced, ice and snow is dropped unto the audience and many small penguins starts delivering subscription cards to the people at the place. The whole situation is strange and even though Penguin's criminal enemies relish the fact that Penguin is gone, Batman suspects that there is more than meets the eye.   At that moment, Ventriloquist and Scarface win a poker match against his own thugs, Rhino and Billy, at the Gotham State Penitentiary and they discuss their drug trade plan with Rafael Santini. However, a helicopter soon approaches the prison that same night and springs open the window cell of Mortimer Kadaver, releasing the inmate and taking him inside the chopper. Although Kadaver is tempted to end his existence during the getaway, he is convinced by Penguin's thugs to help them revive their boss, as it was arranged. Kadaver agrees, considering that he is responsible for Penguin's hypnotic state which emulates death and whispers the real secret code, which he intentionally hid from the thugs, to Penguin's ear. In a few seconds that appear to be an eternity, nothing happens until eventually, The Penguin comes back to life.