Penguin
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Real Identity: Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot
Appearances (BTAC Comics): The Darker Knight, Red Son Rising Part 2, Red Son Rising Part 3, Secret Santa, Mayor Mayhem Part Three, Muscle Out, and The Offer Part Three
Skills: Business, Underworld Activity and Umbrella Weaponry
Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot is a dwarfed gangster in Gotham City. Because of his short stature and bizarre appearance (matched with formal clothing), he soon took on the name of the Penguin. The Penguin often commited crimes based on the motif of birds and hired henchmen whose names are associated with that of birds. When Jason Todd went solo as Robin, he once kicked Penguin out of a moving helicopter. After emergency surgery on his face, Penguin recovered at his tropical retreat, Key Nest.
Mr. Freeze hired Penguin to procure the Shawl of Magdalene for him. Some time later, Batman and Azrael went to the Iceberg Lounge to question the Penguin about the Shawl. Penguin lauded them for being civilized and not delivering so much as a concussion to his staff. He offered them a little Arsenic. Batman cut to the point and demanded the Shawl. Penguin revealed he was just the middleman in the transaction and passed it on to the new and anonymous owner. Azrael knocked Penguin's drink and hat off and demanded a name. Penguin called out to Mr. Wing. A giant white humanoid bird entered the office and grabbed Batman. Penguin introduced him as his new wingman and the last name either of them would hear. Mr. Wing couldn't believe he got to ice Batman and some other loser on his first week of work. He told Penguin he had a bonus coming. Penguin ordered him to just finish them off. Batman gave the code "Sword of Salvation" and in unison, he and Azrael kicked Mr. Wing in the gut. He dropped them. Batman teased Azrael he had to skip evening prayers now and then to learn that move.
Azrael chased after Penguin to the balcony then beat the name of the client out of him. He told Azrael it was Mr. Freeze and he was hiding out at Iceland. Batman ran to the balcony and saw Azrael already beat Penguin to a pulp. He deemed Penguin would be Catwoman's substitute and take on her suffering. Penguin was tossed off. Batman snagged one his legs with a rope and pulled him up. Azrael left in the meantime. Penguin recovered in intensive care. The Joker met with Penguin in his office at the Iceberg Lounge. Joker wanted to borrow a couple hundred thousand dollars to go out on the circuit with his goon Straightman. Penguin was suspicious and asked where Harley Quinn was. Joker revealed they were seeing other people but mused she could have said so without a mallet to his forehead. He recalled she was with Poison Ivy last he heard. Penguin wasn't buying his act and knew someone was after him. He preferred to see how it played out. Joker summoned Straightman to explain the situation better. Mr. Wing burst into the office and fought Straightman.
The fight spilled outside and Wing was knocked out. Joker declared he and Straightman were a classic comedy duo. Red Hood retorted except as always, he was the only one laughing then darted Joker and Straightman repeatedly. He declared he was breaking up the act. With a running start, Red Hood delivered a jump kick that propelled Straightman onto the top of the iceberg in the center of the lounge. He then threw a grenade that dislodged the big chandelier. It crashed on top of Straightman. Red Hood collected Joker and told Penguin to tell Batman he came. Some time later, police arrived. Penguin remarked Batman had an uncanny knack for showing up when he either was not wanted or no longer needed. Batman inquired about Straightman while Batgirl looked around with her flashlight. Penguin was irate about his three million dollar chandelier and vowed to hang Red Hood in its place. Batman noted Red Hood didn't say where he was taking the Joker. Penguin was annoyed and answered he wasn't looking to prolong the visit. Batgirl noticed wet streaks and alerted Batman. She recalled the last time it rained in the city was last week. Penguin recalled he got a clammy smell off Red Hood but dismissed it as bad hygiene. Batman realized Red Hood was using the sewer system to hide the whole time and took over Killer Croc's old lair.
The Penguin took a flight out to his tropical retreat Key Nest for the Christmas holiday and hired the Carpenter to repair the Iceberg Lounge in the meantime. He brought Mr. Wing along with him. Wing found it very swank. Penguin recalled he used it after an encounter with the second Robin. Wing looked on the bright side and pointed out the "upgrades" were awesome. Penguin mused he was right then decided to call up the Carpenter and check on her progress with renovations at Iceberg Lounge. He began to suspect there was a party going on. Carpenter lied she had the jukebox playing and hammered a wreath to a pillar. Penguin realized he the Lounge didn't have one. She wished him Merry Christmas and hung up. Later in the party, Batman, disguised as inept henchman Knute Brody, mentioned he saw the police pulling up about ten minutes ago. Carpenter happened to be on the phone with the Penguin again. She told him it wasn't a raid, just Batman singing Christmas carols with the police.
On Election Day, Batman and Robin briefly interrogated Penguin. Batman hung him upside down and Robin tickled him with one of Mr. Wing's feathers. He eventually stated he loaned Wing to Emerson Mayfield for additional security as a political favor. Penguin was one of several in the Gotham underworld who pooled his money to hire assassin after assassin to take out the Muscle before he could rat them out. On the evening of March 27, Black Mask, Penguin, and Rupert Thorne gathered at Esther Valestra's home to discuss the Muscle. Valestra presented pasta with her late father's secret sauce. Penguin complimented her and she revealed she made calamari fritti just for him. Mask had enough of the pleasantries and blamed her for making their collective problem even worse. Penguin shared a rumor he heard that the Muscle was being moved to a safe house soon. Valestra revealed it would be the next night at 8:15 then boasted she knew everything going on at Stonegate Penitentiary. She promised she had the perfect guy in mind. Lock-Up failed to assassinate the Muscle. Penguin later went into hiding.
In reality, Penguin was one of the criminals kidnapped by Ra's al Ghul's Talons and kept in a prison under the city for months. Esther Valestra became irate at the sight of Batman. Penguin tried to calm her down and pointed out Catwoman was with him and they may have misconstrued the situation. Black Mask demanded their release. Batman realized Ra's al Ghul had most of the major criminals of Gotham taken prisoner in order to later convince him crime-fighting was no longer needed in the city. Catwoman later found the control to release everyone. Penguin torched one. Valestra ripped the head off one. They admired each other's handiwork. On the surface, Penguin milked the sympathy routine with reporters while Valestra conmforted March Hare as the police took them into custody.