The Penguin Special #1

The year of the flightless bird continues in this review of The Penguin Special #1 which features an original story and reprints with a focus on Oswald’s early years in crime.

The Penguin Special #1
Writer: Jermey Adams and others
Artist: Howard Porter and others
Cover: Mikel Janin
Release Date: October 30, 2024

The Penguin Special #1 opens with a woman in some type of rehab facility with a nurse. The nurse is saying how he fixed her medication and she is becoming more aware. He greets someone at the door and says how he made some adjustments to her medication and the man at the door clearly isn’t happy about that. He reintroduces the woman to ….Mr Cobb (still not used to that).

It is our favorite well dressed villain The Penguin. Oswald clearly is not happy that the nurse is “waking up” this woman who is revealed to be his wife, Madeine. The nurse is confused by Oswald’s remarks that “it’s too bad” he fixed Madeline’s meds. As the nurse asks why, Penguin slices the back of his foot with his trademark knife umbrella.

Oswald comments that Madeline is not the nurse’s but “MINE”. He talks about how she belongs to him and that she once tried to take his children from him. Madeline faintly whispers “kill me” to Oswald but he says no because of their wedding vows. Through sickness and health and all that. He then tells her that their children are dead and if their mother was around, they might still be alive. 

The nurse tries to crawl away but Penguin drags him back in and takes care of him. The story ends with Penguin seeing another nurse saying that Madeline is the same as always. And Oswald comments that that’s how it should be with an evil look in his eyes.

Analysis: So I guess it is officially Cobb in the comics and not Cobblepot. I think that is kind of lame. I understand corporate synergy and all that but it is still so goofy. I don’t think anyone is gonna go from the show to comics and be thrown off by Cobblepot vs Cobb. But I guess it is what it is now.

As far as the story, this is pretty evil and messed up by the Penguin. We have read about the crime and murders for years, that is pretty basic Batman villain stuff but this is something different that we are seeing from the Penguin. At least for me. Drugging his wife and keeping her stored at a medical facility. She even begged to die in this story and Penguin would not grant that wish. He clearly just visits her to taunt her and add to her torture.

The rest of The Penguin Special #1 contains reprints that delve into Oswald Cobb’s (or Cobblepot’s for my purists out there. This issue seems to be a perfect starting point for fans of the HBO show looking for more Penguin in their lives. Sets up Penguin’s place in the current DCU and shows off his past.

BJ Shea

BJ has had two passions in his life: sports and comic books. Specifically Batman and Robin. Not a day has gone by where BJ hasn’t watched or read something Batman-related. Currently, his goal is to collect as many Dick Grayson (his favorite character) issues as he can. Doesn’t matter if he’s Robin or Nightwing or Agent 37, he wants them. Another goal he has is to collect the complete Robin run of Tim Drake’s classic series. Raised on reruns of Adam West and was there for the animated series, BJ is down for any version of Batman. The Dark Knight is his favorite movie ever. On any day, BJ is most likely watching sports, watching anything Batman, or The Office.