Tom King’s new series The Penguin released its first issue this past week, a book that takes a deep, hard look at one of Batman’s longest adversaries and showcases why he’s not only a formidable foe to the Bat but also just downright terrifying and the actual plague of Gotham. Coming off the heels of his recent One Bad Day: Riddler, which earned the writer an Eisner award for best single issue, King is no stranger to dissecting a classic villain and showing what makes them interesting and scary. Now King is giving Penguin the same treatment in a book he calls “A Martin Scorsese, Godfather take that’s very grounded and crime-oriented. It’s about how a very, very, nasty man comes back to Gotham.”
Back To Gotham
This first issue follows The Penguin as he lives his new life in Metropolis. He’s a seemingly reformed man who goes for walks in the park, runs a flower shop, and even has a wife. However, all is not as it seems, as we find out that Cobblepot is still as mean and nasty as ever when the Government recruits him to return to Gotham and take back his criminal empire from his children.
One thing I loved about this first issue is that it acknowledges the goofy parts of Penguin’s character but, on almost every page, reminds you that this is a terrifying and brutally violent criminal who has rotted Gotham at its very core for decades. King doesn’t shy away from the character’s history and gimmicks but uses it as a way to show how Penguin has used these things to his advantage in becoming one of the most successful and fearful criminals in Gotham.
Everyone in this book is absolutely terrified of Cobblepot, whose presence looms large on every page. King uses dramatic tension in this book beautifully to have you on the edge of your seat in every interaction Penguin has, never knowing if he is about to snap. This tension builds and builds throughout the issue, only letting go in the book’s final pages. This was a great way to open up this series and set the tone for what this book will be.
He’s Just The Penguin
The art in this book by Rafael De Latorre is excellent and fits King’s dirty, crime-driven drama concept that he is going for perfectly. Even for his short stature, Penguin looms over every page he’s in and feels like a powerful presence. Latorre is able to visually convey the tension from King’s words beautifully, cementing you into this world and enthralling you in the various interactions Penguin has throughout the issue.
Latorre does a fantastic job using his color palette and shading to emphasise the emotion of the scene with colder gray tones to induce the feeling of unease and bleakness in some pages, while also using bright and loud reds and oranges to portray the violence and brutality in others. I love the concept and direction that King is going with this story, but it’s Latorre’s art that really sells it and makes the vision of this book fully realized.
‘The Penguin’ #1 – Final Thoughts
The Penguin #1 was a fantastic read that takes a new twist on a long-time villain and proves why The Penguin is one of Batman’s greatest foes. King’s use of drama and tension will pull readers in from its first few pages, with Latorre’s art bringing the story to life and cementing you firmly in for the ride. I love this take on the Penguin, putting some respect on the character and questioning why and how this man has been able to control Gotham’s underbelly underneath the nose of Batman for all these years. Hearing King talk about this series at SDCC, I was already excited about this series and the direction he wanted to take this story; now, after reading issue #1, I am fully on board, and I can’t wait to see where this series goes.
Be sure to check out The Penguin #1, wherever comic books are sold.
