You shouldn’t judge someone on their looks. That can lead to all kinds of harm. In the case of Oswald Cobblepot, that harm would include the lives of hundreds, possibly thousands. How does a strange looking child become a criminal kingpin? Let’s find out!
Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot was born and raised by his mother, alone. Oswald’s father had died from pneumonia after a terrible rainstorm, a storm his mother had warned the man to take an umbrella for but had refused. This gave Oswald’s mother a constant fear for her son to carry an umbrella with him to keep him safe, just in case. Being an oddly shaped and overweight child, along with his constant umbrella, lead to plenty of bullying for the poor youth.
There is much debate as to whether Oswald was born wealthy and due to his awkwardness, he was shunned by high society, or if he didn’t come from money at all. Instead, it’s believed that Oswald’s mother ran a pet store that specialized in birds and these were his only friends. When Oswald’s mother died, to pay off her debts, the birds and the storefront had to be sold off, leaving an angry and desperate Oswald. Either path leads to the same destination, Oswald would don a tuxedo and take up a theme of birds to become Gotham’s fancy villain, the Penguin.
Using his intellect, Oswald would be able to steal expensive artwork and use this as his entry into the Gotham mob. Here, he would work his way up and prove himself vital to crime family he worked for. As time wore on, he and the mob boss’s relationship would wear thin and this is when Oswald would strike, killing the boss and taking his place. Now in charge, Oswald would try to get rid of Batman by framing him for theft and getting away with insurance fraud in the process. This would prove unsuccessful.
Dealing with Batman would become a common occurrence for Oswald, using his crime connections and a variety of gadget-filled umbrellas to try and stay ahead. As time went on, Oswald felt his time as a criminal was running thin. He was becoming too predictable and tired of spending time in prison. Realizing he could use his contacts and criminal acumen to run a business, he would open the Iceberg Lounge, a night club that would cater to all walks of Gotham life.
This business would be above the board in how it was run, nothing for the police of Batman to go after him for. Oswald realized that he could use his clout as a former villain for merchandising and giving the Iceberg Lounge an air of infamy and danger. While he would cater to criminals who wanted a public place they could safely plan their next crime, all the while Oswald could claim ignorance and no responsibility for what his patrons did outside his establishment, he would also bring in thrill seekers and tourists who wanted to live dangerously.
Where once Oswald would go toe-to-toe with Batman and lose, now he was able claim legitimate business to protect him. He would even try to entice other villains of Gotham to try and join his side of the law to be more profitable but none have really been able to join the grey side of the law like Oswald has.
During Gotham’s No Man’s Land, in which a cataclysmic earthquake nearly destroyed the city and was left to fend for itself by the United States government, Oswald was able to gain some control of the city. Able to make contact with outsiders, he could bring goods into Gotham and become a pillar to the community. This did start his slide back into working directly with other villains and coming up with plans while using his front as a legitimate businessman to try and keep him safe.
There you have it! The Penguin is one of those classic Batman villains that has been a part of many iterations of Gotham’s rogues. He’s been animated and on the big and small screen in live action. Where he’ll end up next is anyone’s guess. See you next time!
Suggested Reading
Detective Comics #58
Batman: Penguin Triumphant
Joker’s Asylum: Penguin
Batman: No Man’s Land
Dr. Bustos
drbustos@comicattack.net
