With his avian-inspired appearance and underworld influence, Oswald Cobblepot holds a unique place in Batman's rogues gallery, straddling the line between masked menace and more conventional criminal.

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In the more than eight decades of the character's existence, the Penguin has been both background antagonist and frontstage villain, sometimes an existential threat to the Caped Crusader, other times only there for a bit of comic relief before being dispatched by the Bat. While the significance of the threat he poses to Gotham might vary, his interest as a character never does. Don't be fooled by the monocle and top hat: the Gentleman of Crime more than deserves the title "supervillain."

In anticipation of The Batman release, here are the best Penguin DC comics that people should read.

10 Snow & Ice

The Penguin's tombstone from Detective Comics 610: Snow & Ice

A two-part Alan Grant story from Detective Comics #610-611, "Snow & Ice" features the Penguin alongside Batman villains who don't receive much stage-time elsewhere: the Ventriloquist, Scarface, and assassin Mortimer Kadaver. It's a black comedy of sorts, with Penguin working his felonious magic even while presumed dead.

For those that prefer less serious versions of Cobblepot and want a multi-layered tale as well, "Snow & Ice" has a lot to offer. What makes the Penguin special is most obvious when his dastardliness is side-by-side with that of others, as it's given plenty of room to be here.

9 Partners In Plunder

Batman and the Penguin in Partners In Plunder

A Silver Age story by writer Ed Herron, "Partners in Plunder" from Batman #169 is a classic in every sense. While the throwback art style may deter some, its story is absolutely top-tier.

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In it, the Penguin uses a number of his famous trick umbrellas to carry out seemingly random attacks throughout Gotham, leaving Batman scrambling to unravel the motivation behind the chaos. Unbeknownst to Batman, however, the Penguin is using his enemy's strengths against him, letting the World's Greatest Detective concoct the Penguin's plan for him. Comic book crimes are often uninventive, but in "Partners in Plunder" the exact opposite is true.

8 One Of The Most Perfect Frame-Ups!

Batman and Robin fighting goons in Detective Comics 58

Detective Comics #58, "One of the Most Perfect Frame-ups!" from 1941, marks the first appearance of the Penguin. The best first appearances bring with them all the essentials of the character they're introducing, and "One of the Most Perfect Frame-ups!" is one of the best.

It features weaponized umbrellas, the Gotham underworld, and the eccentric plans of a man dressed even more eccentrically. The issue does an exceptional job of capturing the Penguin's multi-faceted nature, making it a must-read. For an added touch of cool, the issue is written and drawn by Batman's creators, Bill Finger and Bob Kane.

7 Penguin Returns

The crazed Penguin wielding his umbrella in Batman 548-549: Penguin Returns

Another two-parter, "Penguin Returns" appeared in Batman #548-549 and is written by Doug Moench, the creator of Moon Knight and Deathlok among other characters. The artwork of penciler Kelley Jones is divisive, with some not caring for his over-the-top style, but here it serves the villain well.

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"Penguin Returns" is aptly named as it shows Cobblepot's return to his old way of doing things, getting hands-on with his criminality as he did in the Golden Age. As fun as it can be to watch the Penguin sit back and pull Gotham's strings from the comfort of the Iceberg Lounge, there's something satisfying about stories where the crime lord decides to just do the heavy lifting himself.

6 Love Bird

Batman, the Penguin, and Mr. Freeze in Batman Annual 11: Love Bird

What does the former boss of Gotham's underworld do when he finally decides to go straight? In "Love Bird," written by Max Allan Collins and featured in Batman Annual #11, readers learn the answer: open an umbrella factory and fall in love.

Unsurprisingly, the Dark Knight doesn't buy Cobblepot's supposed change of heart and investigates. Many Batman comics, especially in recent years, are decidedly heavy, featuring notable violence and troubling themes. "Love Bird" is different. It's essentially Gotham's version of a romantic comedy, and that's a pleasant break from the gloom.

5 Bullies

The Penguin sneering and holding a smoking gun in Batman 23.3

"Bullies," Batman #23.3, is not only an excellent standalone Penguin tale, but it's also one of the best overall introductions to the character. The story explores the connection between Penguin and governor Charles Winston, a character who protected Oswald on the playground when they were children but who is now marshaling his political forces against the crime lord.

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"Bullies" isn't the most original Penguin tale, but few beat it for its demonstration of Penguin's scheming mind and willingness to dirty his own hands with a bit of ruthless violence. There's something unsettling about Penguin's design too: his sneer in this comic somehow captures the nastiness of his personality in a way that other depictions typically don't, and that aspect of the art lends an air of disquiet to every scene.

4 Batman: Earth One #1

Gordon and a young Bruce Wayne against a backdrop of Batman in Batman: Earth One #1

Batman: Earth One #1 is a reimagining of the DC Universe and an attempt to introduce these classic characters to readers that might never have encountered them. As Batman origin stories go, it's a solid one, and it's an engaging spin on the Penguin, too.

Oswald Cobblepot is Gotham's mayor and possibly the man behind the murder of Bruce Wayne's parents. Batman's investigation into the case alongside his sidekicks only leads to even darker dealings, and Cobblepot's role is twisted, to say the least. Batman: Earth One #1 has everything a good Penguin story needs, and it doesn't hurt that it's one of Batman's stronger origin stories.

3 He Who Laughs Last...

Closeup of the Penguin with Batman reflected in his monocle in Joker's Asylum: Penguin #1

Joker's Asylum is a miniseries in which each issue focuses on a different villain from Batman's rogues gallery. More interestingly, each story is narrated by the Joker himself, layering darkness and uncertainty upon every tale.​​​​​​​

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Penguin's entry in the series is titled "He Who Laughs Last...," a reference to the gruesome scrapbook in which the Penguin saves the stories and obituaries of everyone who ever laughed at him. Rather than the crime capers with which the character is primarily associated, this story is outright horror, and it's all the better for its willingness to peek into the darkest corners of the Penguin's mind.

2 Penguin Triumphant

The Penguin, dressed fashionably, in Batman: Penguin Triumphant

1992's Penguin: Triumphant by John Ostrander more-or-less marks the turning point from the classic version of the Penguin to more modern ones. It shows both faces of Cobblepot: the rogue criminal and the detached boss.

The plot can't be discussed in too much detail without spoilers, but what matters is that "Penguin Triumphant" showcases the true level of the Penguin's intellect and the threat that he poses to the Dark Knight and Gotham as a whole. At his best, Cobblepot is a villain who will never be content with a single scheme, layering plot upon plot until there's no escaping his grasp.

1 Penguin: Pain And Prejudice

An ominous grayscale drawing of the Penguin from Penguin: Pain And Prejudice

It's fitting that the best Penguin story is also the longest, giving Oswald Cobblepot the most room to spread his wings. This five-part miniseries by Gregg Hurwitz and Szymon Kudranski is exceptional in every way, but one of the most striking is the latter's artwork.

The Penguin is drawn with weight and force, and rarely if ever has the villain appeared more sinister, an exceptional achievement for one normally so cartoonish. Thanks to its length, the story is given all the time it needs to conduct a sustained character study, exposing everything about the Cobblepot's psychology, for good and ill. Those that read it won't soon forget.

The Batman releases on March 4, 2022 in theaters.

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