That’s a good point too bad they never teamed up again like in the Scooby Doo crossover as they were like Abbot and Costello and the Laurel and Hardy of DC villains
@@speurtighearnamacterik8230 The one bad day thing is also refuted in The Killing Joke. Which I think may have been the first time that was used, but I could be wrong. The Joker tries to prove his point with Gordon. But ultimately fails. So it's kind of odd to see whenever someone tries to play the line like it's true.
@@speurtighearnamacterik8230 From what I hear the story was supposed to be a one off and wasn't intended to be 'canon' but then DC ran with it. But yeah, a lot of people have criticized what it did to Barbara Gordon despite the story not being 'about' her.
@@MalzraAirwynn With both Gordons in The Killing Joke. So he was doubly wrong. In Killing Joke the Red Hood was a patsy for other criminals, but in the his original comic appearance (Detective Comics #168, The Man Behind the Red Hood), Batman and Robin, along with a criminology class, discover that the Joker was originally a petty criminal called the Red Hood. He jumped into chemicals fleeing Batman, becoming the Joker.
Strangely I feel the Danny Devito Penguin is the most scary and the one who most fits into the Batman universe. Here's a man who's nearly feral and animalistic.
I didn't this Penguin specifically *because* they never really did much with him considering how many episodes he's in. I really love him as a character, I just wish he had more significance in some way.
I think it's telling of how delusional Penguin is that he thought of the other rogues as his friends. Not because they actually reject him specifically, but because it is pretty clear that except for Harley and Ivy, all the rogues pretty much hate one another. They might form partnerships on occasion, or turn to one another when being alone becomes unbearable, but that's it. Penguin tries so hard to fit into what he views as 'prestigious society' that he is unable to tell when that society doesn't even exist.
@@Here_is_Waldo: I'd have never thought it up on my own, but now that the seed is planted, gosh darn it, I feel an unrelenting need to see that crossover actually happen.
Why ANYONE would be friends with the Joker in particular is a mystery that will probably never be solved. Harley Quinn's utterly delusional stupidity has of course been discussed many times, but most if not all of the other Rogues really should know better. It's not just that Joker is an unrepentant psychopathic killer, and would murder anyone at any moment if he ever got the itch to do so. No, even when he's "on good behavior" Joker is not only insensitive to the point of being downright mean, but he possesses ZERO social skills and appears to be perversely proud of that fact. It's obvious that everyone except Harley either openly or secretly hates him, and are polite to his face only because the consequences of offending him would be, to say the least, disastrous. But they should be smart enough to stay at least one mile away from him at all times. Why the people of Gotham City collectively haven't exiled Joker to the most desolate spot in Siberia to starve to death and freeze into a human popsicle is not just a mystery, but utterly mind-boggling.
Yeah. Every Batman discussion board seems to eventually bring up the question "Why doesn't Batman kill the Joker?" And to me, the real question is "Why hasn't everyone else already killed him a thousand times over?" No rival villain. No surviving family of his victims. No trigger-happy cop. No abused henchman. Nope. They're all like 'We can't kill him! That's clearly Batman's job. He should get around to it sooner or later, surely.'@@SeasideDetective2
Penguin kinda bridges the gap between gangster and costumed super villain He seems like he was often used as kinda the default villain Like he probably has the most episodes where he's the villain But the episode doesn't really have much to do with him Like he wouldn't be in the episodes elevator pitch Blind as a bat An episode where Batman goes blind The villain is Penguin The mechanic We meet the guy who made the batmobile And Penguin happens to be the villains I've got batman in my basement Two 12 years help an injured batman I wonder who the villain is He was very versatile and kinda all over the place, but I kinda love it So, in that way, he fits your thesis of not belonging
The Penguin has always had a soft spot in my heart. He's never really portrayed as a character waiting to be redeemed in the comics but even still you see him try his best to just be seen as a human being. And whether or not its due to respect, admiration, or fear, he works to live in a world where no one laughs at the Penguin.
Penguin learned to posture every moment of his life just to get a shred of respect. He’s not an ego maniac he’s an insecure man who pretends to be one. Even his signature umbrella and suit is part of making himself feel bigger.
lol the Penguin is a victim of his giant ego, he is to blame for his problems. And he's definitely not a good person, he acts badly even with his allies, we see this in the episode about the Batmobile. In addition, he is ridiculous and stupid, he considers himself an elite but does not know how to behave in society, which is why the rich people of Gotham make fun of him in one of the episodes. Yes, he was going to start a new life, but because he thought that he would live luxuriously for Veronica’s money, and everyone would forgive him for his impudent antics. Therefore, there is no need to pity him.
@@ninetales9986 yeah, his pomposity is his downfall time and again, but I argue about him planning on Veronica Leland’s money, as his goal was to give a real go at reform even before they got together.
@@Babbleplay I think even if Penguin wanted to change his life, without Veronica, he would quickly forget about this desire. He would soon become a criminal again, even if he could live on the money he had stolen earlier.
His goals are also just make money, he kills people that get in his way not for the joy of killing or revenge. There was a justice league comic were batman told Mirror master if you quit the legion of doom and join the Justice league ill give you double what Lex is paying and he did. Because he only cared about the money he didn't want to kill the flash or help Lex take over the world it was a check thats it.
I do agree that the juxtaposition between his monster-like design and his faux-gentleman way of carrying himself makes him interesting in a way most versions don't really attempt like that.
l’m glad someone else appreciates the BTAS Penguin like I do. I feel like he gets passed on because he’s not as dark or menacing as Joker or Two-Face, but the character’s vulnerability and ennui are what make him a compelling, unique villain. Arkham Penguin is kind of one note in his consistent nastiness after a while, comparatively. The other rogues not greeting him when he gets out of jail particularly stings when taking note of the episode Joker’s Millions. Penguin throws a party for the Joker at the Iceberg Lounge after the latter bribes his way to freedom. Oswald was willing to do so after Joker stood him up when he tried to go legit. He never expected anything from anyone that he wasn’t willing to do himself.
I like how Penguin bridges that gap between high society and crime when he opens the ice berg lounge. He creates it as a place where socialites can be in the same room as some of Gotham's most notorious villains. Penguin even runs a few side jobs out of the place. Whether it's for profit or notoriety can be argued either way. When you think about it, in the end, he does pretty alright for himself and finds his place. Not a gangster, not a super villain, not even a societal host, but all of the above.
The Penguin is my favourite Batman villain. I think it's telling that there hasn't really ever been a bad Penguin performance unlike someone like say, the Joker. He's such a strong foundation that even when the writers don't care about him, they still don't mess it up.
The Penguin was my absolute favorite B:TAS character as a kid, and ever since I have always wished to see other versions of the character reminiscent of that one. It always bums me out how almost all Batman media outside of the comics as of the past 25 years portrayes Penguin as either a generic gangster, a brutish slob who couldn't care less about litteratue and art, or a mix of those two.
He's just a little guy, how could you hate a little guy? 😥 Also i just naturally head canon that him and babydoll would get along, since they're both just looking for someone to see them as people.
See, I'm tired of modern Penguin being just another mob boss. At worst, I want him to cleave more to the Batman: TAS tragic version that we got. What I'd _really_ like is for him to be an actual wealthy businessman who sees wealth as the means to be accepted and even respected by great people (in spite of his physicality). So, he keeps trying to acquire more and to have power over people to the point that he engages in corporate espionage with Wayne Enterprises. Now he has a reason to mess with Batman's gear (something he's known for), he's stealing blueprints before they're even used. He's making "better" versions of Wayne Enterprises products. He's doing something few villains ever do, challenging Batman's money. And he's doing it all for a perverse version of acceptance that he'll never get. Batman stops him by (A. being a better businessman who actually cares about Gotham and (B. luring Penguin to a trap with a fake invention that wouldn't work, even if the Penguin were to steal it and produce it.
I really do feel like that's a missed opportunity for his TNBA version. It's not even just that I like the BTAS one better, it's that they did even *less* with him after the final design switch.
Paul Williams is really one of my low key favorite performers, he's really good here, but he's most famous as a composer and musician, wrote a lot of music for the Muppets. He also does a really beautiful featured performance on the daft punk album. Random access memories. He really brought a lot to the table here.
I love his Muppets work! (I'm hoping to do a video on Muppet's Christmas Carol this year) But I'm honestly surprised he didn't do more voice work, I think he did a great job.
Penguin is a villain that has a lot of potential to explore. He's surrounded by maniacs, super-powered rivals, and the Batman, but he stays in power by being bold and crafty. He shows how even with no powers, he is still one of Batman's biggest threats.
@@marlo176 Tbh in the comics he's also the type of hero that was generally seen as a villain by other heroes (Batman), because of bad press and deliberately acting a menace, so depending on the writer/portrayal he can be seen between an anti-hero or chaotic neutral. (God yes, I'm one of those who can drop an essay on him for no reason, sorry) Not really a villain, but an antagonist (like in the series).
I appreciate the Penguin from FOX’s “Gotham” for similar reasons. Someone who desperately needs love, attention, and respect, but turns sour from the lack of it in his life. On the other hand, I love the Arkham games’ Penguin for the exact opposite reasons. He’s NOT a poser. He’s a dangerous gangster and a savvy businessman. Even more than that, he lives a genuinely enjoyable life of power and riches that only occasionally gets interrupted by Batman, which is more than most of the other villains can say, with the exceptions being Black Mask and Ra’s Al Ghul. Between the Final Offer cruiser and the Museum/Iceberg Lounge, his bases were less so hideouts and more so luxury headquarters to run his operations from. It just always came across that Penguin not only enjoyed his line of work but also his life in general. PS: shoutout to the Penguin from The Batman (2004), who managed the balancing act of being both a genuine threat and comic relief.
You kind of get a mix of BtAS and Arkham game Penguins in The Batman (the 2022 film). There, he's a total gangster, but also someone who craves love and acceptance. For reference on the latter, there's a deleted scene where he's talking to Selina that really makes it clear, and his lines in the trailer for the Penguin series when he's talking about a mob boss he admired.
I liked the Devito penguin but always thought it went too hard in reinventing the character. To me TAS hit that sweet spot in between both versions. A man who wants to be the classy debonair Meredith penguin but is stuck in the body and with the charm of the DeVito version. He lives everywhere because he is a criminal, but that repeatedly he hangs out in a sewer is in of itself a form of commentary. Also he's built like a Warhammer Fantasy dwarf, he feels like an actual physical threat. Just this chunk that is as big around as he is tall and could plow through you and send you sprawling. Neither DeVito or Meredith managed to give that impression.
Paul Williams' voicing of the Penguin is definitive; like Mark Hamill's Joker, it displayed ranged. It was able to evoke fear, disgust, pity, and condemnation from a listener.
Here I'm thinking "eh, more of an Arkham Asylum Penguin fan myself", and Burnett literally says in the next 6 minutes he prefers him too. Underdog villains are rather underrated, probably because on paper, who would want an underdog villain? Plenty of underdog stories make the audience root for the characters to overcome the odds and succeed, but when that character is a conniving villain you don't expect audiences to root for them, not unless you go The Joker or Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul route of a gradual transformative process where people shift from pitying a character they perceive as a good man to realizing that character has become a monster and watching the proverbial attention grabbing car crash in motion. Alternatively, I'd say there's a lot of missed potential in stories with fleshed out villain journeys. We usually see the fully realized arch villain as this monument for our heroes to overcome and topple, the ultra-billionaire mad scientist senator overlord who exists in a vacuum as an obstacle. Compare that to the likes of Penguin, grasping at straws, searching for his place in the machine, being the butt of jokes for other competent villains and seasoned heroes, and yet he's that tick that won't let go. Showing a character fumble along, come into conflict with spontaneous day-to-day hurdles, face those setbacks and either take them on or turn them around to his benefit serves as more show than tell storytelling like this series intended. I can mildly respect Penguin's can-do attitude, after all, though his life is born through abuse and tragedy, he's not the _tragic_ accident of Joker's and Harvey's disfigurement, Frieze's loved one, or the deranged lunacy of either of the former or the Scarecrows, Mad Hatters, and Riddlers. He's just an unfortunate little man trying his best. If you compare that to the likes of, say, Kingpin's unintentionally hilarious backstory where he was overweight, failed as a gangster, went to prison, and left as a fully realized ruthless, respected, hacking genius criminal mastermind, I do have more of a connection to various Penguins getting caught in inter-criminal turf wars, failed bank busts, or even getting jailed over bar fights and just taking the hit, even if that Kingpin grabs more attention. I can bet none of us are that unsupplanted Kingpin, but maybe we're all a bit Penguin.
10:06 Ngl you showing this scene made me feel really bad for him. He’s really got no one in his life that actually seems to like or care about him, not even his own goons.
Paul Williams's Penguin was what the BATMAN RETURNS Penguin really should have been. I've always deplored the stereotype of "ugly" people being just as vile on the inside as they are on the outside. The animated Penguin perfectly embodies the sympathetic circus freak backstory Danny DeVito was SUPPOSED to embody, but didn't I know DeVito could have pulled it off, because he showed flashes of greatness here and there. But instead we get a "sympathetic" villain who's completely repulsive even when he's trying to come off as a good guy. Yes, both DeVito and Tim Burton have a twisted sense of humor, but the Penguin shouldn't have been THAT twisted. One very telling moment that (as far as I know) only I have noticed occurs in the famous episode "Almost Got 'Im." The Joker, Penguin, Two-Face and Killer Croc are playing cards when Poison Ivy joins them. It's worth noting that Penguin is the only male villain to not be rude to Ivy or make fun of her. And there's a LOT to unpack there. Perhaps Oswald genuinely believes that a respectable man should always treat women with old-fashioned chivalry. Perhaps he is so lonely and lovestruck that he keeps hoping some beautiful woman will love him in return. Or perhaps - saddest of all - he so loathes his own deformity that he is in awe of every beautiful person he sees, and perceives them as the image of perfection in his mind. This is very ironic because Poison Ivy, while gorgeous and even superficially charming, is one of the most vicious, sadistic, contemptible women Gotham City has ever seen, and she doesn't deserve ANYONE'S respect. So Penguin's failure to detect in Ivy the ugliness that practically everyone else can plainly see reflects both his longing to at least be adjacent to physical beauty and his childlike simple-mindedness in associating beauty with goodness. This only makes the Penguin more tragic, both because he harbors a shallow conception of morality that will probably prevent him from ever reforming and because he is extremely vulnerable to the sort of "ice queen" beautiful female who could well possess the wickedness and cruelty - and utter contempt for pathetic bird-men - to which he will always be blind. It's at least fortunate that Oswald doesn't actually possess the great wealth he craves in order to fulfill his family's birthright, because all of Gotham's gold-digging bimbo scam artists would eat him alive.
On top of all this he has what's probably my favorite leitmotif in the whole soundtrack Also: if they were so insistent on making the animated version of the Penguin look like Danny Devito, why didn't they make Harvey Dent look like Billy Dee Williams?
honestly, I think it was cause Harvey Dent as Two Face wasn’t as well known as how it is now, or maybe they only wanted to market on penguin due to how dramatic of a different take on the penguin it was in comparison to other penguins, I assume that’s why catwoman also got some more creative change in her costume as well (with how it was more gray then black)
As a fan of the gentlemen of crime version of the character, I really like btas Penguin and agree that the juxtaposition with his grotesque appearence works really well. I feel like this made its way into the comics after the fact, whether intentional or not
Miss the ornothological obsession of Penguin in the later comics. Too much iceberg lounge. In contrast this was prevalent in BTAS, though less in New Adventures.
Someone finally did a video on Penguin. I always liked The Penguin and never understood why no one else did. He’s an outcast among outcasts and that’s one of the reasons I like him. Put some respect on the name of one of Batman’s oldest villains.
Ironically, modern comic writers would eventually take a cue from Tim Burton's maligned and scoffed-at Penguin and make him a consummate artist at finding and exploiting personal information. One of the best examples of this is in 'Joker's Asylum: Penguin', where he sees someone who just happens to be laughing in Penguin's direction. Penguin doesn't know if he's actually laughing AT him, but he MIGHT be, and that's enough for him to immediately dig up everything he knows about the guy, completely ruin his life and those of his friends and loved ones, and it drove him to take his own life in less than 2 months. F***ing. BRUTAL. lol
I'd really like to read more of his actual comics to compare, I've really only found snippets, though I generally like the ones I've seen. The closest thing I can think of to that is Audio Adventures which I also really enjoy, they took his insecurity to absolute sadism. It's great.
I guess you can say because they were the main villains of Batman and Batman Returns, but Joker and Penguin are the only villains on the show that were already pre-established villains when the series started. Everybody else either becomes a villain on the show or we see the first time Batman runs into them.
THANK YOU for making this! As someone whose favorite Batman villain is the Penguin, I find it fascinating how his adaptations oscilate between being more a specific supervillain and a more distinct gangster, and I think this video really explores that. As fun as Batman Returns is, I always thought its portrayal of Penguin was rather mixed (Even with my love for Devito). Batman: TAS was inadvertantly took that idea and actually gave us one of the most compelling versions of him as a combination of Devito's monster and the standard tuxedoed villain, and one who seems to have a bit more motive beyond the more standard villainy. It was such a shame that it never really took with them or anyone. Here's hoping that the upcoming Penguin miniseries may bring back its own sort of depth to the character.
Look at the "Mad hatter' (Jarvis Teche) and try comparing the other villains from BTAS or "Batman Beyond" to characters created by Lewis Carroll; I challenge you to not link the BTAS Penguin to the Walrus character (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking Glass). Now, try the other villains...
How on Earth can your friend's favorite Batman villain be The Creeper!? Creeper isn't a baddie, he's a super hero for crying out loud, and apart from opperating out of Gotham City, he's not connected to Batman. I mean, they've teamed up, but he's no more a Batman character then The Flash is a Superman character.
I mean, he’s well known to be associated with batman as that’s where he got his powers from, in gotham, he has been on the justice league though so it is a little confusing
I’m a queer Batman fan and I’ve always liked the penguin. I think Colin Ferrel might be my favorite interpretation, but TAS Penguin was the one I grew up watching. I think the feeling of being an outsider or the drama of his story, something made me sympathize with him. Also he’s a snappy dresser, can’t be denied.
It's very easy to misinterpret Batman Returns as saying Oswald was just born Evil, but the truth isn't so simple. Yes he does something "evil" as a Baby, but even that was already after his parents were keeping him a Cage like an Animal, so he acted like an Anime, I'm willing to bet they weren't feeding him properly either. Most people feel in order to send a Nature over Nature message the person even at the end of all that bad nuturing still has to have some recognizable redeeming quality, but that's the easy way out. It's far more challenging to say that even the most vile unlikeable despicable person you can imagine was still a product of their circumstances. There's a reason you used Music form Batman Returns in this essay, you know aspect of the filmmaking are sending that message, but you feel the writing doesn't line up because of your unnuanced understanding of nuance.
All I knew about the Penguin as a kid is that he was the boss I kept getting stuck on in a Batman Flash game (I did not get very far), so to me he was one of the strongest, most menacing villains on the show
Only 13 comments and 113 likes? This video deserves more! It’s incredible. Let me tell a sad story short. Penguin was always one of my favorite characters but sometimes during high school my bullies would start calling me penguin and make that one sound (you probably know what penguin like sound he would make) just because I’m short, chubby, and have a mullet. Because I was being called that to be made fun of it really hurt especially when they specifically said that I look like “the one from the old Batman movie” they were talking about Batman returns. I’ve been bullied my entire childhood up until I finally graduated and got into college away from those horrific tormentors. Watching your video and the way you explain the character really does make me feel for him although fictional and really shows how messed up you can turn up from being looked down upon and seen as an outcast.
This was a great design for Penguin. I wish he had better episodes or appearances in the show. I think Birds of a Feather had the right idea but wasn't perfect. Penguin is looking for love and acceptance and thinks being part of high class society is the answer. His character is interesting because he represents physically and morally what high society, what capitalism actually is underneath.
Dang, this was such an insightful vid on Penguin! I never thought abt his character this way, esp in a meta sense. It's nice to know he's getting a little love now, even if it's just you.
This penguin has so much potential like I have a lot ideas for him that he would be the new leader of the Injustice league that it takes place after Lex’s pardon and Grodd defeat in Secret Society episode and before Starcrossed that he was met by these individuals who want and his teammates to fight the Justice league as they would be their surrogates of sort so they can study the league and I also thought of them having them do mind swapping so imagine Penguin in Batman’s body and Metallo in Superman’s body as this Injustice league is more dangerous than ever as they know who they are and also attack them on a personal level and in Batman Beyond he is dying that he puts his mind in Terry’s body as he does switch the Red in the Bat suit with white as it would make it look more like a penguin and I would call the 2 part episode the Wrong Terry as it’s a parody of Wallace and Grommet the Wrong Trousers. I like this version of Penguin in terms of design as he seems more like a supervillain than redesign and I guess you know of the 2004 Batman cartoon Penguin because I really don’t like that version much. I would have gone with the Telltale Penguin backstory for the DCAU Penguin origin as he knew Bruce before Batman and I always felt like that Batman and Penguin should be like Eliot Ness and Al Capone from the Untouchables but not only that but Daredevil and Kingpin and Scrooge McDuck and Flimheart Glomgold from Ducktales as that is what the dynamic should have been.
... Creeper isn't a villain. He's literally a member of the Justice League during Unlimited. He was even a pitch for him to get his own show at one point, said pitch was then reworked into being Freakazoid.
Wow. I had liked The Penguin before, but watching your video shed a new light on not just who this character is in the show, but who he is outside of it too. Of course, I knew of the design being forced to change and whatnot, but it felt really poetic to me and kind of heartbreaking that even the people who made him (this version at least) basically wanted nothing to do with him. You did a really good job on this video, and here's hoping it gets picked up by the algorithm.
Honestly I e always appreciated the comic book version of the Penguin in which Cobblepot is a mildly malformed mafia don who’s successful simply because he can adapt to the fact that he lives in a comic book world.
Penguin would get on good with Flash rouges, Captain cold I wanted to rub a bank with a gun the flash stoped me now I have a gun that shots ice, Do I want to kill the flash no I want to rob that bank again. Cold would just be a guy with a normal gun if the flash didn't exist and be the same place he is now.
I never noticed up until now but thr "it just isn't done" is an Egghead line too. Vincent Price's character says that when he stopped by a farm to steal eggs, and they ask him why he isn't paying. He says it just isn't done among the finer criminals
Excellently made video! I was a fan of the Penguin and his poetic voice way back in the 20th century, but I was a fan of everything they did with this show. I think it did for superhero animation what Watchmen did for superhero comics. EDIT: No top level comment from @huggbees? I'm disappointed!
Frankly, I really disliked Devito's depiction of the Penguin--it was just so...ugly. Which I guess might be a good thing for a villain. But in TAS, while they copied the general design and physique of Devito's Penguin, it isn't ugly. Instead it's like a cross between Burgess Meredith and Danny Devito. And as good as TAS is, I think they could have given Batman a bit more heart and compassion, especially where the Penguin is concerned. Batman had no more interest or empathy for the Penguin than anyone else did. In TAS, at least. But I remember one comic story back in the 80s where Penguin genuinely tried to reform, but Batman was suspicious. And the Batman ruined it by digging into it. When he found out that Penguin violated his parole by hiring ex-convicts for his legitimate business, Batman had a change of heart, but couldn't persuade the parole board to forgive the violation.
A show that did a similar job with The Penguin is The Batman. At least, The Penguin has a similar design. Although that version is voiced by the same voice actor as SpongeBob, so the soft voice does not apply.
This Penguin kind of reminds me of The Phantom (not from the musical, the original book Phantom). They both are overcompensating for their appearance and upbringing by putting on airs of sophistication and trying to be something that they are not. They try to be normal, but they still do strange things like be an avian themed supervillain or sleeping in a coffin, something completely at odds with their what they try to display outwardly. The only difference is that Erik was at the point in his story where he was tired of trying to be amongst normal people and separated himself off. I wouldn't be necessarily surprised if Oswald, perhaps with different writers, would've done the same thing.
I do definitely agree that the Penguin is one of the best Batman villains, And since the 90s all the way to more recent years I think some of his best stories have come about in the comics, but unfortunately I have never been of the opinion that the BTAS Penguin was the best interpretation of the character and if no honesty, clearly neither did the writers as evident by the fact that majority of the Penguin centric episodes in BTAS are pretty bad. I have also never really liked that Tim Burton inspired designs for for Penguin. I especially never liked the flipper hands. Most penguin episodes in BTAS felt like the writers had the penguin as the villain because they didn't know who to include so they just inserted him without thought. If anything I'd say that the best modern adaptation of the character is the one from the Arkham video games. Sidenote: I wrote the part about the Penguin from the Arkham games before I saw you mention it in your video. Funny coincidence.
I don't really like Penguin from the 90s, he was more of a clown than a villain. Some people feel sorry for him, but Penguin is just a victim of his gigantic ego, he himself is to blame for his problems. And he's definitely not a good person, he acts badly even with his allies, we see this in the episode about the Batmobile. In addition, he is ridiculous and stupid, he considers himself an elite but does not know how to behave in society, which is why the rich people of Gotham make fun of him in one of the episodes. Yes, he was going to start a new life, but because he thought that he would live luxuriously for Veronica’s money, and everyone would forgive him for his impudent antics. Therefore, there is no need to feel sorry for him. I like his modern versions much better, where he looks like a real gangster.
I am also a queer person with a whole essay’s worth of talking points about my favorite btas villain/ batman villain in general! Woah! (That villain is Clayface)
The Penguin is to BTAS that the Ferengi were to Star Trek: The Next Generation. "We need a villain, but not one that's too much of a threat. Who should we use?"
Ok I have no idea why it made me so happy but seeing the Kansas City planet con logo, I mean it’s the largest in six states but as a KC native I always get excited when it’s mentioned. I clicked this video right away, this is my favorite penguin, I only recently saw Batman returns and while I loved Danny Devito, how deeply rage filled, awkward and violent shocked me, I’ll take eloquent Penguin any day and I don’t like his “new adventures” redesign, but love his club
From your description it seems to fit Batman Returns with a villain that is evil yet you pity him. Sometimes that's The most realistic character. It mirrors real life. It depends on how a person handles the tragedies in their life That defines a person.
You aren't entirely alone. I can't say any version of the Penguin is my favorite Batman villain, but the one in BtAS is almost certainly probably my favorite version of the Penguin. Even if it's just an accident of resentful writers being forced to alter their original plans by studio mandates, he just presents such an intriguing dichotomy.
I feel called out by the "ask a queer batman fan who they're favorite villain is" line ESPECIALLY since the very first example was Scarecrow, though mine is actually two; the funny fear farm guy previously mentioned... and fucking Killer Moth of all villains (i love Killer Moth), close seconds being Killer Croc and funnily enough Man-Bat!
He's all over the place. When I was younger, I didn't particularly like his episodes but I wanted more, if that makes sense...I see he became an ally/snitch of sorts in Gotham knights, and now he's about to have his own series. They need to stick to his well known gangster gimmick
Absolutely top class, I never comment on anything, but for a channel this size, your video excels in terms of editing, vocal performance, excellent musical choices, and features an interesting compelling subject to boot. I was honestly shocked when I went to subscribe only to notice the view count wasn’t even over a thousand.The only downside was that it ended so soon, hope to see more in the future!
I've always loved this version of the Penguin and considered this version to be the best version, I even loves his TNBA version too since in-universe, they're the same version
I wish I had touched on it more in the video, there's a companion comic that explains it. During some unspecified crime gone wrong, Robin knocked him out of a helicopter where it's implied he got horribly mangled and basically had to be reconstructed by doctors, and that's why he looks completely different. I think it also makes sense from a plot standpoint, if it's the closest he's come to death, it might be the final straw for him to change something about his life. I tried to find panels of it to showcase at least, but for some reason I couldn't.
What I find interesting about the Penguin is he is effectively an anti-batman. A presumably rich man who's main skill is using elaborate gadgets, but focused on self-aggrandizing and loudly stating his presence. Where Bruce is muscular, traditionally attractive and charismatic without trying, Penguin is fat, viewed as ugly, and desperately tries and fails to be charming. Bruce acts as a more modern wealthy philanthropist while Penguin resembles the classic caricature of a wallstreet fatcat. Where bats are the only mammal that flies Penguins are one of the most famous flightless birds. Maybe this is obvious but it feels like it's never stated.
BtAS fanfic tends to be kinder to Pengie, with his Iceberg Lounge a business success and at least some degree of respect from the other Gotham Rogues. He's pretty much as close as any Bat-villain gets to going legit and getting off the crime-batman-arkham-revenge-crime-batman treadmill, for Gothamite values of "legitimate businessman" at least.
In truth I don't hate this version of Penguin ,if anything I've always felt sorry for the guy and I think the sympathetic penguin is the best kind. He's someone who deserves better. Unless it's the one from the BAT MAN. nOW THAT Guy clearly deserves to be hated yet we love him for being a hateable jerk who think's he entitled to what he wants. but the Animates series gave us pengius who, seriasly needs a hug.
I don't know. I can see the line and the overlap between the Burgess Meredith and Danny DiVito Penguins. Heck, they both even retold a classic Penguin comic book story in their respective milieus--the Penguin runs for mayor. A lot of Penguin stories are like this and revolve around the Penguin, an outsider, trying to fit in (even if it is just a ruse). I think his best stories are those where he is cast in the mold of a an embittered, but intelligent outsider, trying to get back at the world that mocks him for his looks and affectations. Even Burgess's Penguin was an odd duck in the world of Adam West's Batman. Because of that the Batman TAS was one of my favorite versions of him, but I had been a fan of his before. I was a little disappointed in New Adventures version, and a lot more disappointed in the Arkham series version. The way Cobblepot chooses to get back at the world is by doubling down and trying to force the world to recognize his greatness, his wealth, his power. In that way he's a bit like a lot of other, more insane, Batman villains who seek recognition (some of them from Batman himself). To such a person, most people would seem like a means to an end. He certainly wouldn't trust most of them having been tormented by "normal people" since he was a child. This shows most often when the Penguin is "betrayed" (as he would see it anyhow) by others, like in Birds of a Feather when he opens up to the idea of having an actual relationship, but also when DeVito's Penguin is once more chased into the sewers after Batman shares the recording of him bragging about how he is 'playing' the people of Gotham. Back in sewers he swears off people again declaring himself 'an animal' even though shortly before that he was contemplating his life as the city's mayor. Every now and then, the shields come down we get to see the human beneath the plumage. All that said, he's still comes off as genuinely dangerous regardless if he is being played by Meredith, DiVito or Williams.
One thing Batman Returns did for Penguin was to establish him as an outsider. Before that he was just a rich guy in a tux that did crimes for fun. I think Gotham actually did a great job of blending these two sides of the character. I was at Planet Comicon too! You probably saw me if you went by the Midland Empire Ghostbusters booth.
You say you have no life, yet you make videos that get 28,000 views in two weeks. Very nice homage to the Penguin, by the way. I completely agree with Alan Burnett. They should have made Penguin a ruthless, highly dangerous gangster, but instead they made him a comical character too often. That was a mistake.
The best Penguin is always going to be Meredith. He is the template. A bigger than life perfectionist villain playing a game of wits with Batman. A Napoleon of Crime.
When I was watching the show as a kid, I never realized that Paul Williams did the voice for the penguin. I thought it was someone doing a Hal Robbins impression, ha ha.
Really pokes a hole in the "BTAS Batman cares about his rogues" that he sees Penquin get abandoned by everyone and he doesn't capitalize on trying to be that one human connection even if its just under a mask. Maybe even Batman doesn't really like how much of a poser he is.
He does repeat henchmen. The ones from Basement make a cameo at the beginning of Birds of a Feather. The ones from The Mechanic and Blind are the same. And then the ones from TNBA are permanent. There's also lair consistency, the Returns Duck appears in both the Mechanic and Birds of a Feather. What changes is his personality. In most episodes he is a Hans Gruber type of poser posh terrorist going for the money, but in Birds he is Danny all the way.
It's the only version of the Penguin that I find a compelling character, tbh, outside of some of the cheesiness of the old school comics. When he's just an asshole and a brute he's kinda boring (like most Batman villains tbh). The whole "i'm ugly and society mocks me for my looks" might be a little cliche, but i think it can work since everyone can relate to having low self-esteem due to being judged for their looks, than the other villains whose origins might be a little more specific or fantastical. And how you said, that the accidental "monster" look plus the elegant voice adds a new layer of characterization that I don't feel was the intention of the writers when creating this version of Penguin.
The Penguin never fit in anywhere, even among the writers who created him. That's the tragedy of the character, and why it makes him the most complicated and sympathetic one. But he is still an evil man who kills people without a second thought, but still expects empathy from others. That's what makes the Rogues Gallery of Batman the best one; the villains are all extremely fucked up people who can't face their mental illness.
I always thought it was cool that every iteration of the Penguin has been unique and memorable. Is he my favorite? No, but I've always had a soft spot for the character. He doesn't get the love he deserves as one of Gotham's hardest working criminals.
Joker: The only difference between you & me is one bad day.
Penguin: The difference between you & me is a bad life.
That’s a good point too bad they never teamed up again like in the Scooby Doo crossover as they were like Abbot and Costello and the Laurel and Hardy of DC villains
Polka dot man: The only difference between you & me is stealing a leopard
@@speurtighearnamacterik8230 The one bad day thing is also refuted in The Killing Joke. Which I think may have been the first time that was used, but I could be wrong. The Joker tries to prove his point with Gordon. But ultimately fails. So it's kind of odd to see whenever someone tries to play the line like it's true.
@@speurtighearnamacterik8230 From what I hear the story was supposed to be a one off and wasn't intended to be 'canon' but then DC ran with it. But yeah, a lot of people have criticized what it did to Barbara Gordon despite the story not being 'about' her.
@@MalzraAirwynn With both Gordons in The Killing Joke. So he was doubly wrong. In Killing Joke the Red Hood was a patsy for other criminals, but in the his original comic appearance (Detective Comics #168, The Man Behind the Red Hood), Batman and Robin, along with a criminology class, discover that the Joker was originally a petty criminal called the Red Hood. He jumped into chemicals fleeing Batman, becoming the Joker.
Strangely I feel the Danny Devito Penguin is the most scary and the one who most fits into the Batman universe. Here's a man who's nearly feral and animalistic.
I didn't this Penguin specifically *because* they never really did much with him considering how many episodes he's in. I really love him as a character, I just wish he had more significance in some way.
If you want a great penguin story, go watch Gotham. These series showed me how deep this character truly is
I think it's telling of how delusional Penguin is that he thought of the other rogues as his friends. Not because they actually reject him specifically, but because it is pretty clear that except for Harley and Ivy, all the rogues pretty much hate one another. They might form partnerships on occasion, or turn to one another when being alone becomes unbearable, but that's it. Penguin tries so hard to fit into what he views as 'prestigious society' that he is unable to tell when that society doesn't even exist.
God now that you point it out that makes him somehow even more tragic goddamn give him a break😭
He needs to move to another city. The Flash's rouges would probably be real friends to him.
@@Here_is_Waldo: I'd have never thought it up on my own, but now that the seed is planted, gosh darn it, I feel an unrelenting need to see that crossover actually happen.
Why ANYONE would be friends with the Joker in particular is a mystery that will probably never be solved. Harley Quinn's utterly delusional stupidity has of course been discussed many times, but most if not all of the other Rogues really should know better. It's not just that Joker is an unrepentant psychopathic killer, and would murder anyone at any moment if he ever got the itch to do so. No, even when he's "on good behavior" Joker is not only insensitive to the point of being downright mean, but he possesses ZERO social skills and appears to be perversely proud of that fact. It's obvious that everyone except Harley either openly or secretly hates him, and are polite to his face only because the consequences of offending him would be, to say the least, disastrous. But they should be smart enough to stay at least one mile away from him at all times. Why the people of Gotham City collectively haven't exiled Joker to the most desolate spot in Siberia to starve to death and freeze into a human popsicle is not just a mystery, but utterly mind-boggling.
Yeah. Every Batman discussion board seems to eventually bring up the question "Why doesn't Batman kill the Joker?" And to me, the real question is "Why hasn't everyone else already killed him a thousand times over?" No rival villain. No surviving family of his victims. No trigger-happy cop. No abused henchman. Nope. They're all like 'We can't kill him! That's clearly Batman's job. He should get around to it sooner or later, surely.'@@SeasideDetective2
Penguin kinda bridges the gap between gangster and costumed super villain
He seems like he was often used as kinda the default villain
Like he probably has the most episodes where he's the villain
But the episode doesn't really have much to do with him
Like he wouldn't be in the episodes elevator pitch
Blind as a bat
An episode where Batman goes blind
The villain is Penguin
The mechanic
We meet the guy who made the batmobile
And Penguin happens to be the villains
I've got batman in my basement
Two 12 years help an injured batman
I wonder who the villain is
He was very versatile and kinda all over the place, but I kinda love it
So, in that way, he fits your thesis of not belonging
"All I wanted was a little friendship. That would have cost you nothing." is a line that keeps Ozzy in my heart from time to time. 🥺
The Penguin has always had a soft spot in my heart. He's never really portrayed as a character waiting to be redeemed in the comics but even still you see him try his best to just be seen as a human being. And whether or not its due to respect, admiration, or fear, he works to live in a world where no one laughs at the Penguin.
And then there's that episode where he really does genuinely try to reform, but gets tricked as a prank by those snotty rich brats.
Penguin learned to posture every moment of his life just to get a shred of respect. He’s not an ego maniac he’s an insecure man who pretends to be one. Even his signature umbrella and suit is part of making himself feel bigger.
lol the Penguin is a victim of his giant ego, he is to blame for his problems. And he's definitely not a good person, he acts badly even with his allies, we see this in the episode about the Batmobile. In addition, he is ridiculous and stupid, he considers himself an elite but does not know how to behave in society, which is why the rich people of Gotham make fun of him in one of the episodes. Yes, he was going to start a new life, but because he thought that he would live luxuriously for Veronica’s money, and everyone would forgive him for his impudent antics.
Therefore, there is no need to pity him.
@@ninetales9986 yeah, his pomposity is his downfall time and again, but I argue about him planning on Veronica Leland’s money, as his goal was to give a real go at reform even before they got together.
@@Babbleplay I think even if Penguin wanted to change his life, without Veronica, he would quickly forget about this desire. He would soon become a criminal again, even if he could live on the money he had stolen earlier.
I like the fact that Penguin isn’t mad. He was in a regular prison, not Arkham. Almost made him an outsider.
His goals are also just make money, he kills people that get in his way not for the joy of killing or revenge. There was a justice league comic were batman told Mirror master if you quit the legion of doom and join the Justice league ill give you double what Lex is paying and he did. Because he only cared about the money he didn't want to kill the flash or help Lex take over the world it was a check thats it.
Penguin has always been one of the few sane members of Batman's rogues gallery.
I do agree that the juxtaposition between his monster-like design and his faux-gentleman way of carrying himself makes him interesting in a way most versions don't really attempt like that.
l’m glad someone else appreciates the BTAS Penguin like I do. I feel like he gets passed on because he’s not as dark or menacing as Joker or Two-Face, but the character’s vulnerability and ennui are what make him a compelling, unique villain. Arkham Penguin is kind of one note in his consistent nastiness after a while, comparatively.
The other rogues not greeting him when he gets out of jail particularly stings when taking note of the episode Joker’s Millions.
Penguin throws a party for the Joker at the Iceberg Lounge after the latter bribes his way to freedom. Oswald was willing to do so after Joker stood him up when he tried to go legit. He never expected anything from anyone that he wasn’t willing to do himself.
Despite being a bit sleazy an amoral at times, Oswald was a bad guy with class.
I like how Penguin bridges that gap between high society and crime when he opens the ice berg lounge. He creates it as a place where socialites can be in the same room as some of Gotham's most notorious villains. Penguin even runs a few side jobs out of the place. Whether it's for profit or notoriety can be argued either way. When you think about it, in the end, he does pretty alright for himself and finds his place. Not a gangster, not a super villain, not even a societal host, but all of the above.
The Penguin is my favourite Batman villain. I think it's telling that there hasn't really ever been a bad Penguin performance unlike someone like say, the Joker. He's such a strong foundation that even when the writers don't care about him, they still don't mess it up.
Eh, I thought Devito was pretty awful.
The Penguin was my absolute favorite B:TAS character as a kid, and ever since I have always wished to see other versions of the character reminiscent of that one. It always bums me out how almost all Batman media outside of the comics as of the past 25 years portrayes Penguin as either a generic gangster, a brutish slob who couldn't care less about litteratue and art, or a mix of those two.
He's just a little guy, how could you hate a little guy? 😥
Also i just naturally head canon that him and babydoll would get along, since they're both just looking for someone to see them as people.
See, I'm tired of modern Penguin being just another mob boss. At worst, I want him to cleave more to the Batman: TAS tragic version that we got. What I'd _really_ like is for him to be an actual wealthy businessman who sees wealth as the means to be accepted and even respected by great people (in spite of his physicality). So, he keeps trying to acquire more and to have power over people to the point that he engages in corporate espionage with Wayne Enterprises.
Now he has a reason to mess with Batman's gear (something he's known for), he's stealing blueprints before they're even used. He's making "better" versions of Wayne Enterprises products. He's doing something few villains ever do, challenging Batman's money. And he's doing it all for a perverse version of acceptance that he'll never get. Batman stops him by (A. being a better businessman who actually cares about Gotham and (B. luring Penguin to a trap with a fake invention that wouldn't work, even if the Penguin were to steal it and produce it.
I really do feel like that's a missed opportunity for his TNBA version. It's not even just that I like the BTAS one better, it's that they did even *less* with him after the final design switch.
@@xentenial yup. He was hardly around. A real shame.
Paul Williams is really one of my low key favorite performers, he's really good here, but he's most famous as a composer and musician, wrote a lot of music for the Muppets. He also does a really beautiful featured performance on the daft punk album. Random access memories. He really brought a lot to the table here.
I love his Muppets work! (I'm hoping to do a video on Muppet's Christmas Carol this year) But I'm honestly surprised he didn't do more voice work, I think he did a great job.
First he’s a swan now he’s a penguin
Penguin is a villain that has a lot of potential to explore. He's surrounded by maniacs, super-powered rivals, and the Batman, but he stays in power by being bold and crafty. He shows how even with no powers, he is still one of Batman's biggest threats.
But to be fair, most of Batmans villains (at least the interesting ones) have no powers.
JACK RYDER/THE CREEPER MENTIONED
I CAN DIE HAPPY
the creeper (jack ryder)?
He’s a super hero though
@@realeala people think he's a villain because of his introduction in TNBA.
@@marlo176 Tbh in the comics he's also the type of hero that was generally seen as a villain by other heroes (Batman), because of bad press and deliberately acting a menace, so depending on the writer/portrayal he can be seen between an anti-hero or chaotic neutral. (God yes, I'm one of those who can drop an essay on him for no reason, sorry) Not really a villain, but an antagonist (like in the series).
I appreciate the Penguin from FOX’s “Gotham” for similar reasons. Someone who desperately needs love, attention, and respect, but turns sour from the lack of it in his life.
On the other hand, I love the Arkham games’ Penguin for the exact opposite reasons. He’s NOT a poser. He’s a dangerous gangster and a savvy businessman. Even more than that, he lives a genuinely enjoyable life of power and riches that only occasionally gets interrupted by Batman, which is more than most of the other villains can say, with the exceptions being Black Mask and Ra’s Al Ghul. Between the Final Offer cruiser and the Museum/Iceberg Lounge, his bases were less so hideouts and more so luxury headquarters to run his operations from. It just always came across that Penguin not only enjoyed his line of work but also his life in general.
PS: shoutout to the Penguin from The Batman (2004), who managed the balancing act of being both a genuine threat and comic relief.
You kind of get a mix of BtAS and Arkham game Penguins in The Batman (the 2022 film). There, he's a total gangster, but also someone who craves love and acceptance. For reference on the latter, there's a deleted scene where he's talking to Selina that really makes it clear, and his lines in the trailer for the Penguin series when he's talking about a mob boss he admired.
"Why can't people just accept me for who I am? Their superior!" - Oswald Cobblepot.
I liked the Devito penguin but always thought it went too hard in reinventing the character. To me TAS hit that sweet spot in between both versions. A man who wants to be the classy debonair Meredith penguin but is stuck in the body and with the charm of the DeVito version. He lives everywhere because he is a criminal, but that repeatedly he hangs out in a sewer is in of itself a form of commentary.
Also he's built like a Warhammer Fantasy dwarf, he feels like an actual physical threat. Just this chunk that is as big around as he is tall and could plow through you and send you sprawling. Neither DeVito or Meredith managed to give that impression.
Paul Williams' voicing of the Penguin is definitive; like Mark Hamill's Joker, it displayed ranged. It was able to evoke fear, disgust, pity, and condemnation from a listener.
Paul Williams is amazing. Kind of shame there wasn't an episode where Penguin sings a Wlliams song
I think the design really works. It’s a lot more striking than the redone design. The voice work also does a lot of the heavy lifting.
Here I'm thinking "eh, more of an Arkham Asylum Penguin fan myself", and Burnett literally says in the next 6 minutes he prefers him too.
Underdog villains are rather underrated, probably because on paper, who would want an underdog villain? Plenty of underdog stories make the audience root for the characters to overcome the odds and succeed, but when that character is a conniving villain you don't expect audiences to root for them, not unless you go The Joker or Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul route of a gradual transformative process where people shift from pitying a character they perceive as a good man to realizing that character has become a monster and watching the proverbial attention grabbing car crash in motion.
Alternatively, I'd say there's a lot of missed potential in stories with fleshed out villain journeys. We usually see the fully realized arch villain as this monument for our heroes to overcome and topple, the ultra-billionaire mad scientist senator overlord who exists in a vacuum as an obstacle. Compare that to the likes of Penguin, grasping at straws, searching for his place in the machine, being the butt of jokes for other competent villains and seasoned heroes, and yet he's that tick that won't let go. Showing a character fumble along, come into conflict with spontaneous day-to-day hurdles, face those setbacks and either take them on or turn them around to his benefit serves as more show than tell storytelling like this series intended. I can mildly respect Penguin's can-do attitude, after all, though his life is born through abuse and tragedy, he's not the _tragic_ accident of Joker's and Harvey's disfigurement, Frieze's loved one, or the deranged lunacy of either of the former or the Scarecrows, Mad Hatters, and Riddlers. He's just an unfortunate little man trying his best.
If you compare that to the likes of, say, Kingpin's unintentionally hilarious backstory where he was overweight, failed as a gangster, went to prison, and left as a fully realized ruthless, respected, hacking genius criminal mastermind, I do have more of a connection to various Penguins getting caught in inter-criminal turf wars, failed bank busts, or even getting jailed over bar fights and just taking the hit, even if that Kingpin grabs more attention. I can bet none of us are that unsupplanted Kingpin, but maybe we're all a bit Penguin.
10:06 Ngl you showing this scene made me feel really bad for him. He’s really got no one in his life that actually seems to like or care about him, not even his own goons.
Paul Williams's Penguin was what the BATMAN RETURNS Penguin really should have been. I've always deplored the stereotype of "ugly" people being just as vile on the inside as they are on the outside. The animated Penguin perfectly embodies the sympathetic circus freak backstory Danny DeVito was SUPPOSED to embody, but didn't I know DeVito could have pulled it off, because he showed flashes of greatness here and there. But instead we get a "sympathetic" villain who's completely repulsive even when he's trying to come off as a good guy. Yes, both DeVito and Tim Burton have a twisted sense of humor, but the Penguin shouldn't have been THAT twisted.
One very telling moment that (as far as I know) only I have noticed occurs in the famous episode "Almost Got 'Im." The Joker, Penguin, Two-Face and Killer Croc are playing cards when Poison Ivy joins them. It's worth noting that Penguin is the only male villain to not be rude to Ivy or make fun of her. And there's a LOT to unpack there. Perhaps Oswald genuinely believes that a respectable man should always treat women with old-fashioned chivalry. Perhaps he is so lonely and lovestruck that he keeps hoping some beautiful woman will love him in return. Or perhaps - saddest of all - he so loathes his own deformity that he is in awe of every beautiful person he sees, and perceives them as the image of perfection in his mind. This is very ironic because Poison Ivy, while gorgeous and even superficially charming, is one of the most vicious, sadistic, contemptible women Gotham City has ever seen, and she doesn't deserve ANYONE'S respect. So Penguin's failure to detect in Ivy the ugliness that practically everyone else can plainly see reflects both his longing to at least be adjacent to physical beauty and his childlike simple-mindedness in associating beauty with goodness. This only makes the Penguin more tragic, both because he harbors a shallow conception of morality that will probably prevent him from ever reforming and because he is extremely vulnerable to the sort of "ice queen" beautiful female who could well possess the wickedness and cruelty - and utter contempt for pathetic bird-men - to which he will always be blind. It's at least fortunate that Oswald doesn't actually possess the great wealth he craves in order to fulfill his family's birthright, because all of Gotham's gold-digging bimbo scam artists would eat him alive.
On top of all this he has what's probably my favorite leitmotif in the whole soundtrack
Also: if they were so insistent on making the animated version of the Penguin look like Danny Devito, why didn't they make Harvey Dent look like Billy Dee Williams?
honestly, I think it was cause Harvey Dent as Two Face wasn’t as well known as how it is now, or maybe they only wanted to market on penguin due to how dramatic of a different take on the penguin it was in comparison to other penguins, I assume that’s why catwoman also got some more creative change in her costume as well (with how it was more gray then black)
@@PunchandJewelee90 Also maybe because Harvey never actually got to become Two Face in those movies? But that's total speculation.
As a fan of the gentlemen of crime version of the character, I really like btas Penguin and agree that the juxtaposition with his grotesque appearence works really well. I feel like this made its way into the comics after the fact, whether intentional or not
Miss the ornothological obsession of Penguin in the later comics. Too much iceberg lounge. In contrast this was prevalent in BTAS, though less in New Adventures.
i wish we had more versions of this character like this one. he's so intensely fascinating to me
Someone finally did a video on Penguin. I always liked The Penguin and never understood why no one else did. He’s an outcast among outcasts and that’s one of the reasons I like him. Put some respect on the name of one of Batman’s oldest villains.
Ironically, modern comic writers would eventually take a cue from Tim Burton's maligned and scoffed-at Penguin and make him a consummate artist at finding and exploiting personal information. One of the best examples of this is in 'Joker's Asylum: Penguin', where he sees someone who just happens to be laughing in Penguin's direction. Penguin doesn't know if he's actually laughing AT him, but he MIGHT be, and that's enough for him to immediately dig up everything he knows about the guy, completely ruin his life and those of his friends and loved ones, and it drove him to take his own life in less than 2 months. F***ing. BRUTAL. lol
I'd really like to read more of his actual comics to compare, I've really only found snippets, though I generally like the ones I've seen. The closest thing I can think of to that is Audio Adventures which I also really enjoy, they took his insecurity to absolute sadism. It's great.
I guess you can say because they were the main villains of Batman and Batman Returns, but Joker and Penguin are the only villains on the show that were already pre-established villains when the series started. Everybody else either becomes a villain on the show or we see the first time Batman runs into them.
THANK YOU for making this! As someone whose favorite Batman villain is the Penguin, I find it fascinating how his adaptations oscilate between being more a specific supervillain and a more distinct gangster, and I think this video really explores that. As fun as Batman Returns is, I always thought its portrayal of Penguin was rather mixed (Even with my love for Devito). Batman: TAS was inadvertantly took that idea and actually gave us one of the most compelling versions of him as a combination of Devito's monster and the standard tuxedoed villain, and one who seems to have a bit more motive beyond the more standard villainy. It was such a shame that it never really took with them or anyone. Here's hoping that the upcoming Penguin miniseries may bring back its own sort of depth to the character.
Look at the "Mad hatter' (Jarvis Teche) and try comparing the other villains from BTAS or "Batman Beyond" to characters created by Lewis Carroll; I challenge you to not link the BTAS Penguin to the Walrus character (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking Glass). Now, try the other villains...
Ivy is 100% the Red Queen
mmmmmmmmmmmmmm
its so rare i find a video this wel produced and enjoyable from a channel this small, you deserve way more subs, i really loved this
How on Earth can your friend's favorite Batman villain be The Creeper!? Creeper isn't a baddie, he's a super hero for crying out loud, and apart from opperating out of Gotham City, he's not connected to Batman. I mean, they've teamed up, but he's no more a Batman character then The Flash is a Superman character.
because he started out fighting Batman maybe? at least in BTAS
to be fair, and to my knowledge, I don't think he was used much outside a few show
I mean, he’s well known to be associated with batman as that’s where he got his powers from, in gotham, he has been on the justice league though so it is a little confusing
The Creeper was actually planned to be a member of the batfamily in TNBA if it wasn't canceled for Batman Beyond
I’m a queer Batman fan and I’ve always liked the penguin. I think Colin Ferrel might be my favorite interpretation, but TAS Penguin was the one I grew up watching. I think the feeling of being an outsider or the drama of his story, something made me sympathize with him. Also he’s a snappy dresser, can’t be denied.
It's very easy to misinterpret Batman Returns as saying Oswald was just born Evil, but the truth isn't so simple. Yes he does something "evil" as a Baby, but even that was already after his parents were keeping him a Cage like an Animal, so he acted like an Anime, I'm willing to bet they weren't feeding him properly either.
Most people feel in order to send a Nature over Nature message the person even at the end of all that bad nuturing still has to have some recognizable redeeming quality, but that's the easy way out. It's far more challenging to say that even the most vile unlikeable despicable person you can imagine was still a product of their circumstances.
There's a reason you used Music form Batman Returns in this essay, you know aspect of the filmmaking are sending that message, but you feel the writing doesn't line up because of your unnuanced understanding of nuance.
All I knew about the Penguin as a kid is that he was the boss I kept getting stuck on in a Batman Flash game (I did not get very far), so to me he was one of the strongest, most menacing villains on the show
Let's be thankful they didn't redo the Riddler to look like Jim Carrey.
They kinda did if we're being honest. Look at his TNBA redesign.
Only 13 comments and 113 likes? This video deserves more! It’s incredible. Let me tell a sad story short. Penguin was always one of my favorite characters but sometimes during high school my bullies would start calling me penguin and make that one sound (you probably know what penguin like sound he would make) just because I’m short, chubby, and have a mullet. Because I was being called that to be made fun of it really hurt especially when they specifically said that I look like “the one from the old Batman movie” they were talking about Batman returns. I’ve been bullied my entire childhood up until I finally graduated and got into college away from those horrific tormentors. Watching your video and the way you explain the character really does make me feel for him although fictional and really shows how messed up you can turn up from being looked down upon and seen as an outcast.
This was a great design for Penguin. I wish he had better episodes or appearances in the show. I think Birds of a Feather had the right idea but wasn't perfect. Penguin is looking for love and acceptance and thinks being part of high class society is the answer. His character is interesting because he represents physically and morally what high society, what capitalism actually is underneath.
Dang, this was such an insightful vid on Penguin! I never thought abt his character this way, esp in a meta sense. It's nice to know he's getting a little love now, even if it's just you.
This penguin has so much potential like I have a lot ideas for him that he would be the new leader of the Injustice league that it takes place after Lex’s pardon and Grodd defeat in Secret Society episode and before Starcrossed that he was met by these individuals who want and his teammates to fight the Justice league as they would be their surrogates of sort so they can study the league and I also thought of them having them do mind swapping so imagine Penguin in Batman’s body and Metallo in Superman’s body as this Injustice league is more dangerous than ever as they know who they are and also attack them on a personal level and in Batman Beyond he is dying that he puts his mind in Terry’s body as he does switch the Red in the Bat suit with white as it would make it look more like a penguin and I would call the 2 part episode the Wrong Terry as it’s a parody of Wallace and Grommet the Wrong Trousers.
I like this version of Penguin in terms of design as he seems more like a supervillain than redesign and I guess you know of the 2004 Batman cartoon Penguin because I really don’t like that version much.
I would have gone with the Telltale Penguin backstory for the DCAU Penguin origin as he knew Bruce before Batman and I always felt like that Batman and Penguin should be like Eliot Ness and Al Capone from the Untouchables but not only that but Daredevil and Kingpin and Scrooge McDuck and Flimheart Glomgold from Ducktales as that is what the dynamic should have been.
I like the penguin because he one of my favorites in 2nd it’s mad hatter
... Creeper isn't a villain. He's literally a member of the Justice League during Unlimited. He was even a pitch for him to get his own show at one point, said pitch was then reworked into being Freakazoid.
Okay okay okay hold up
I'm also ride or die for the Creeper
But he's by no means a villain. Anti-hero or full on hero in my books
Wow. I had liked The Penguin before, but watching your video shed a new light on not just who this character is in the show, but who he is outside of it too. Of course, I knew of the design being forced to change and whatnot, but it felt really poetic to me and kind of heartbreaking that even the people who made him (this version at least) basically wanted nothing to do with him. You did a really good job on this video, and here's hoping it gets picked up by the algorithm.
I had forgotten the original design included the cigarette holder, I'm amazed that that ever made it past standards and practices.
Someone pointed out it's not lit and that makes me more mad
I ❤ this so much!
Honestly I e always appreciated the comic book version of the Penguin in which Cobblepot is a mildly malformed mafia don who’s successful simply because he can adapt to the fact that he lives in a comic book world.
Penguin would get on good with Flash rouges, Captain cold I wanted to rub a bank with a gun the flash stoped me now I have a gun that shots ice, Do I want to kill the flash no I want to rob that bank again. Cold would just be a guy with a normal gun if the flash didn't exist and be the same place he is now.
The avatar the last airbender has their bible posted online too
The Animated Series did the Penguin far greater justice than Tim Burton did.
I never noticed up until now but thr "it just isn't done" is an Egghead line too. Vincent Price's character says that when he stopped by a farm to steal eggs, and they ask him why he isn't paying. He says it just isn't done among the finer criminals
Excellently made video! I was a fan of the Penguin and his poetic voice way back in the 20th century, but I was a fan of everything they did with this show. I think it did for superhero animation what Watchmen did for superhero comics.
EDIT: No top level comment from @huggbees? I'm disappointed!
Frankly, I really disliked Devito's depiction of the Penguin--it was just so...ugly. Which I guess might be a good thing for a villain. But in TAS, while they copied the general design and physique of Devito's Penguin, it isn't ugly. Instead it's like a cross between Burgess Meredith and Danny Devito.
And as good as TAS is, I think they could have given Batman a bit more heart and compassion, especially where the Penguin is concerned. Batman had no more interest or empathy for the Penguin than anyone else did. In TAS, at least.
But I remember one comic story back in the 80s where Penguin genuinely tried to reform, but Batman was suspicious. And the Batman ruined it by digging into it. When he found out that Penguin violated his parole by hiring ex-convicts for his legitimate business, Batman had a change of heart, but couldn't persuade the parole board to forgive the violation.
A show that did a similar job with The Penguin is The Batman. At least, The Penguin has a similar design. Although that version is voiced by the same voice actor as SpongeBob, so the soft voice does not apply.
This Penguin kind of reminds me of The Phantom (not from the musical, the original book Phantom). They both are overcompensating for their appearance and upbringing by putting on airs of sophistication and trying to be something that they are not. They try to be normal, but they still do strange things like be an avian themed supervillain or sleeping in a coffin, something completely at odds with their what they try to display outwardly. The only difference is that Erik was at the point in his story where he was tired of trying to be amongst normal people and separated himself off. I wouldn't be necessarily surprised if Oswald, perhaps with different writers, would've done the same thing.
I do definitely agree that the Penguin is one of the best Batman villains, And since the 90s all the way to more recent years I think some of his best stories have come about in the comics, but unfortunately I have never been of the opinion that the BTAS Penguin was the best interpretation of the character and if no honesty, clearly neither did the writers as evident by the fact that majority of the Penguin centric episodes in BTAS are pretty bad. I have also never really liked that Tim Burton inspired designs for for Penguin. I especially never liked the flipper hands. Most penguin episodes in BTAS felt like the writers had the penguin as the villain because they didn't know who to include so they just inserted him without thought. If anything I'd say that the best modern adaptation of the character is the one from the Arkham video games.
Sidenote: I wrote the part about the Penguin from the Arkham games before I saw you mention it in your video. Funny coincidence.
I don't really like Penguin from the 90s, he was more of a clown than a villain. Some people feel sorry for him, but Penguin is just a victim of his gigantic ego, he himself is to blame for his problems. And he's definitely not a good person, he acts badly even with his allies, we see this in the episode about the Batmobile. In addition, he is ridiculous and stupid, he considers himself an elite but does not know how to behave in society, which is why the rich people of Gotham make fun of him in one of the episodes. Yes, he was going to start a new life, but because he thought that he would live luxuriously for Veronica’s money, and everyone would forgive him for his impudent antics.
Therefore, there is no need to feel sorry for him.
I like his modern versions much better, where he looks like a real gangster.
I am also a queer person with a whole essay’s worth of talking points about my favorite btas villain/ batman villain in general! Woah! (That villain is Clayface)
From one queer nerd (to another?): This was a very well made essay. Hope to see more. Subbed!
I love the penguin cant wait to watch this. But the animated series penguin really only had one phenomenal episode in the original animated series.
10:20 Notice how he said Two-Face first.
You very well expressed softness of the BTAS Penguin 🌟
The Penguin is to BTAS that the Ferengi were to Star Trek: The Next Generation. "We need a villain, but not one that's too much of a threat. Who should we use?"
Ok I have no idea why it made me so happy but seeing the Kansas City planet con logo, I mean it’s the largest in six states but as a KC native I always get excited when it’s mentioned. I clicked this video right away, this is my favorite penguin, I only recently saw Batman returns and while I loved Danny Devito, how deeply rage filled, awkward and violent shocked me, I’ll take eloquent Penguin any day and I don’t like his “new adventures” redesign, but love his club
From your description it seems to fit Batman Returns with a villain that is evil yet you pity him. Sometimes that's The most realistic character. It mirrors real life. It depends on how a person handles the tragedies in their life That defines a person.
Killer Croc gang rise up
Every villain is a wannabe hero who doesn't feel the genuine compassion and humility of one.
You aren't entirely alone. I can't say any version of the Penguin is my favorite Batman villain, but the one in BtAS is almost certainly probably my favorite version of the Penguin. Even if it's just an accident of resentful writers being forced to alter their original plans by studio mandates, he just presents such an intriguing dichotomy.
Really nice video. Always great to see another BTAS Penguin fan
I feel called out by the "ask a queer batman fan who they're favorite villain is" line ESPECIALLY since the very first example was Scarecrow, though mine is actually two; the funny fear farm guy previously mentioned... and fucking Killer Moth of all villains (i love Killer Moth), close seconds being Killer Croc and funnily enough Man-Bat!
He's all over the place. When I was younger, I didn't particularly like his episodes but I wanted more, if that makes sense...I see he became an ally/snitch of sorts in Gotham knights, and now he's about to have his own series. They need to stick to his well known gangster gimmick
Absolutely top class, I never comment on anything, but for a channel this size, your video excels in terms of editing, vocal performance, excellent musical choices, and features an interesting compelling subject to boot. I was honestly shocked when I went to subscribe only to notice the view count wasn’t even over a thousand.The only downside was that it ended so soon, hope to see more in the future!
I've always loved this version of the Penguin and considered this version to be the best version, I even loves his TNBA version too since in-universe, they're the same version
RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA THIS IS SO GOOD
Penguin is my Fav Bat Villian but yes. He hasn't been treated right or well in a very, VERY Long Time! Last Good Time was the Penguin Triumphant COmic
What was the storyline that explained his going from the one animation style to the other?
This was a great video thank you.
I wish I had touched on it more in the video, there's a companion comic that explains it. During some unspecified crime gone wrong, Robin knocked him out of a helicopter where it's implied he got horribly mangled and basically had to be reconstructed by doctors, and that's why he looks completely different. I think it also makes sense from a plot standpoint, if it's the closest he's come to death, it might be the final straw for him to change something about his life. I tried to find panels of it to showcase at least, but for some reason I couldn't.
@@xentenial Oh gotcha. Thank you for explaining! I know it wasn't the biggest point of the video, but I was curious.
What I find interesting about the Penguin is he is effectively an anti-batman. A presumably rich man who's main skill is using elaborate gadgets, but focused on self-aggrandizing and loudly stating his presence. Where Bruce is muscular, traditionally attractive and charismatic without trying, Penguin is fat, viewed as ugly, and desperately tries and fails to be charming. Bruce acts as a more modern wealthy philanthropist while Penguin resembles the classic caricature of a wallstreet fatcat. Where bats are the only mammal that flies Penguins are one of the most famous flightless birds. Maybe this is obvious but it feels like it's never stated.
Penguin is an evil version of Bruce Wayne’s and Batman’s wealth. Cobblepot and Bruce use their wealth status to mask their childhood pain.
BtAS fanfic tends to be kinder to Pengie, with his Iceberg Lounge a business success and at least some degree of respect from the other Gotham Rogues. He's pretty much as close as any Bat-villain gets to going legit and getting off the crime-batman-arkham-revenge-crime-batman treadmill, for Gothamite values of "legitimate businessman" at least.
In truth I don't hate this version of Penguin ,if anything I've always felt sorry for the guy and I think the sympathetic penguin is the best kind. He's someone who deserves better.
Unless it's the one from the BAT MAN. nOW THAT Guy clearly deserves to be hated yet we love him for being a hateable jerk who think's he entitled to what he wants. but the Animates series gave us pengius who, seriasly needs a hug.
I don't know. I can see the line and the overlap between the Burgess Meredith and Danny DiVito Penguins. Heck, they both even retold a classic Penguin comic book story in their respective milieus--the Penguin runs for mayor. A lot of Penguin stories are like this and revolve around the Penguin, an outsider, trying to fit in (even if it is just a ruse).
I think his best stories are those where he is cast in the mold of a an embittered, but intelligent outsider, trying to get back at the world that mocks him for his looks and affectations. Even Burgess's Penguin was an odd duck in the world of Adam West's Batman. Because of that the Batman TAS was one of my favorite versions of him, but I had been a fan of his before. I was a little disappointed in New Adventures version, and a lot more disappointed in the Arkham series version.
The way Cobblepot chooses to get back at the world is by doubling down and trying to force the world to recognize his greatness, his wealth, his power. In that way he's a bit like a lot of other, more insane, Batman villains who seek recognition (some of them from Batman himself). To such a person, most people would seem like a means to an end. He certainly wouldn't trust most of them having been tormented by "normal people" since he was a child.
This shows most often when the Penguin is "betrayed" (as he would see it anyhow) by others, like in Birds of a Feather when he opens up to the idea of having an actual relationship, but also when DeVito's Penguin is once more chased into the sewers after Batman shares the recording of him bragging about how he is 'playing' the people of Gotham. Back in sewers he swears off people again declaring himself 'an animal' even though shortly before that he was contemplating his life as the city's mayor. Every now and then, the shields come down we get to see the human beneath the plumage.
All that said, he's still comes off as genuinely dangerous regardless if he is being played by Meredith, DiVito or Williams.
One thing Batman Returns did for Penguin was to establish him as an outsider. Before that he was just a rich guy in a tux that did crimes for fun. I think Gotham actually did a great job of blending these two sides of the character.
I was at Planet Comicon too! You probably saw me if you went by the Midland Empire Ghostbusters booth.
You say you have no life, yet you make videos that get 28,000 views in two weeks.
Very nice homage to the Penguin, by the way.
I completely agree with Alan Burnett. They should have made Penguin a ruthless, highly dangerous gangster, but instead they made him a comical character too often. That was a mistake.
Too true about the favorite villains.
Hell, my second place after Hamill's Joker is TAS' Clayface! 🤣
The best Penguin is always going to be Meredith. He is the template. A bigger than life perfectionist villain playing a game of wits with Batman. A Napoleon of Crime.
When I was watching the show as a kid, I never realized that Paul Williams did the voice for the penguin. I thought it was someone doing a Hal Robbins impression, ha ha.
Really pokes a hole in the "BTAS Batman cares about his rogues" that he sees Penquin get abandoned by everyone and he doesn't capitalize on trying to be that one human connection even if its just under a mask. Maybe even Batman doesn't really like how much of a poser he is.
He does repeat henchmen. The ones from Basement make a cameo at the beginning of Birds of a Feather. The ones from The Mechanic and Blind are the same. And then the ones from TNBA are permanent.
There's also lair consistency, the Returns Duck appears in both the Mechanic and Birds of a Feather.
What changes is his personality. In most episodes he is a Hans Gruber type of poser posh terrorist going for the money, but in Birds he is Danny all the way.
It's the only version of the Penguin that I find a compelling character, tbh, outside of some of the cheesiness of the old school comics. When he's just an asshole and a brute he's kinda boring (like most Batman villains tbh). The whole "i'm ugly and society mocks me for my looks" might be a little cliche, but i think it can work since everyone can relate to having low self-esteem due to being judged for their looks, than the other villains whose origins might be a little more specific or fantastical. And how you said, that the accidental "monster" look plus the elegant voice adds a new layer of characterization that I don't feel was the intention of the writers when creating this version of Penguin.
The Penguin never fit in anywhere, even among the writers who created him. That's the tragedy of the character, and why it makes him the most complicated and sympathetic one.
But he is still an evil man who kills people without a second thought, but still expects empathy from others.
That's what makes the Rogues Gallery of Batman the best one; the villains are all extremely fucked up people who can't face their mental illness.
I always thought it was cool that every iteration of the Penguin has been unique and memorable. Is he my favorite? No, but I've always had a soft spot for the character. He doesn't get the love he deserves as one of Gotham's hardest working criminals.
okay your thumbnail made me want to hug the psycho penguin
wow
same
Excellent video and a Hearty Congrats on 500 Subscribers :)
I love the TAS Penguin! A giant nerd who affects "sophistication" like brawny guys put on bravado? He's every internet fedora guy before it was cool.
Good video, but PLEASE invest in a pop filter, there are so many popping noises in this video!