The Penguin

"*Batman is just second best. He will know who I am soon enough. I'm the King of Gotham. I'm The Penguin".*

- The Penguin.

Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot, also known as The Penguin, is a crime lord in Gotham City who is notorious for fighting Batman and having an on-and-off friendship with him. Penguin is known for having a bad limp which makes him look like he waddles. He is a mob boss who runs the casino and nightclub, The Iceberg Lounge. This is his business that he is known for however it is just a front for his dealings in the black market. Penguin is also the most powerful criminal in Gotham City, with most other criminals having to answer to him and him only.

## The Penguin

### Family

Gertrud Kapelput (mother; deceased)Elijah Van Dahl (father; deceased)

Grace Van Dahl (step-mother; deceased)

Sasha Van Dahl (step-sister; deceased)

Charles Van Dahl (step-brother; deceased)

### Status

Alive

However Penguin is also feared due to his brutal nature and emotionally driven behavior. This has often lead Penguin to his downfall since his emotions always get the better of him. But he always comes back with a backup plan. Despite being feared, Penguin has been placed in Arkham Asylum but still manages to escape using his high intelligence. He has also teamed up with much more notorious villains, such as The Joker. However, Penguin also has a friendship with The Riddler and they have often committed crimes together.

## **PHYSICAL APPEARANCE**

The Penguin has spikey black hair with some grey hairs showing on the side. He has a beak-like nose with a monocle on his left eye. The Penguin is known to be overweight also, so his stomach does stick out from his clothes. He wears a black top hat. He also wears a white shirt with a checkerboard tie and a grey waistcoat. The Penguin wears a purple jacket with some black gloves and he often carries an umbrella as a walking stick due to his limp. The Penguin wears striped grey pants and some black shoes.

## **BIOGRAPHY**

### **Early Life**

Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot was born to Gertrud Kapelput and Elijah Van Dahl. Oswald was born with some features that made him look like a bird or a penguin. Chief among these deformities was his beak-like nose. After he was born, his father left due to the dislike his parents had for his relationship with Oswald's mother. As such, Gertrud raised Oswald on her own.

Oswald was heavily bullied in school, due to his beak nose and overall overweight figure, along with being most likely the smallest person in the entire school. When he was 7, Oswald was beaten by one of the older kids in the schoolyard. The beating caused him to have a bad limp for the rest of his life. This pushed young Oswald over the edge, and he murdered the bully that beat him.

Oswald showed his intelligence by covering up the killing and so the teachers and staff at the school never found out about Oswald's violent reaction. A few years later, Oswald was kicked out of school when he killed a teacher who made fun of his weight.

### **Aspiring Crime Lord**

Years later as an adult, Oswald left his mother and sought out work. Due to his intentions to become a mobster, Oswald ran to the most powerful crime boss in Gotham City, Carmine Falcone, for a place in the mob. However, Falcone turned him down.

### **Finding His Family**

While attending a funeral, Oswald was approached by a strange old man with flowers. After a brief discussion, the man revealed that he was Oswald's father. Oswald was delighted to learn his father was alive, and went back with his father to the Van Dahl mansion, where Elijah had spent the last 31 years. Oswald also learned of his step family, and was introduced to his stepmother, Grace Van Dahl, his stepsister, Sasha Van Dahl and his stepbrother, Charles Van Dahl.

Oswald turned down all hopes of being a crime lord as he was happy that he had found his family. However, his stepfamily wasn't very accepting of Oswald, and Grace, Sasha and Charles often picked on Oswald. This brought him back to when he was picked on by the students at his school. Oswald confided in his father, and Elijah told him to stay away from them. Elijah confronted Grace. This made Grace angry and, without Oswald or Elijah's knowledge, poisoned Elijah's drink and this led to Elijah dying.

### **A servant to his stepfamily**

After Elijah's funeral, Grace, Charles and Sasha kept Oswald around, however they again picked on him, and treated him like a servant. Oswald tried to keep a good behavior, and let his stepfamily abuse him. However, that Sunday, Oswald discovered the poison and concluded that Grace had killed his father.

Enraged, Oswald set out for revenge.

### **Murdering his stepfamily**

Oswald murdered Charles and Sasha, cooking them into pork to serve to Grace as her Sunday roast. Grace, unaware that she was eating her children, tasted the roast, saying it was too gamy. Oswald then revealed that he had discovered the poison, and that he had cooked Charles and Sasha. Grace was horrified by this, but didn't get the chance to say anything as Oswald stabbed her to death immediately after.

### **Working for and killing Zucco**

10 years later, Oswald went to Tony Zucco and attempted to join his gang. Zucco said that he must rob the Gotham museum and bring the painting back to Zucco. After doing the deed, Zucco mocked Oswald saying that he wasn't going to let a little penguin join his mob. Enraged, Oswald stabbed Zucco with his umbrella, and took over Zucco's gang. Oswald then officially crowned himself The Penguin.

### **Killing Carmine Falcone**

Penguin donned a new outfit and set out to kill Carmine Falcone to dominate the criminal underworld and become the new king of Gotham. Penguin travelled to an old warehouse where Carmine was in heavy conflict with Batman, and Penguin killed Carmine by shooting him. Penguin then solidified his new status as the king of Gotham City. And thus, The Penguin was born.