Warning! This post contains spoilers for The Penguin Episode 1The penguin’s Now premiering on Max, with a collection of exciting Easter eggs, references and new versions of classic DC Comics characters from the Batman mythos. With Colin Farrell returning to the role of Oswald “Oz” Cobb, The penguin is set in the immediate aftermath of Matt Reeves’ The Batman. As such, the premiere firmly establishes that Oz has big ambitions for the future of Gotham’s underworld ahead of The Batman Part II.
in The penguin Episode 1, Oz Cobb finds himself caught between the surviving members of the Falcone crime family and the Maronis. Professing loyalty to all but really only working towards his own rise to power, the new DC series has a very exciting start, while also establishing some incredibly high stakes as Penguin plans his next moves. To that end, here are 14 of the biggest Easter eggs and DC references to be found in The penguin Episode 1.
14
Bella Real on the news
Gotham’s new mayor-elect
Opening with news coverage of The Batman end, The penguin Episode 1 immediately establishes the tragic and chaotic state of Gotham City after the Riddler’s flood and his attack on Gotham Square Garden. New footage also reveals mayor-elect Bella Reál giving a press conferencePromised the Gotham citizens that one day they will be able to believe in their city again. She is also seen with her arm in a sling, seen being shot by one of the Riddler’s followers as seen in The Batman.
13
Oz Cobb uses an umbrella
A classic piece of penguin iconography
Walking through the heavy rain, Oz is featured with an umbrella as he heads to what remains of the Iceberg Lounge and his secret underground club, 44 Below. Although it is not unusual for people to use umbrellas in the rain, An umbrella is a signature piece of the Penguin’s icon from the original DC Comics. That said, it’s highly unlikely that Cobb’s umbrella can shoot bullets or ignite toxic gas such as with the arsenal of umbrellas often used by the comics’ Oswald Cobblepot.
12
Alberto Falcone
Carmine’s Son (The Holiday Killer)
in the Iceberg Lounge, Oz is surprised by Alberto FalconeThe new head of the Falcone Crime Family after the death of Carmine Falcone at the hands of the Riddler in The Batman. Played by Michael Zegen, Alberto is Carmine’s son, although he seems unsure if he can command the same levels of respect his father once commanded. However, his biggest mistake was insulting Oz after the penguin told him about his own aspirations.
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In the original comics, Alberto becomes the “Holiday Killer” in the iconic Batman story The Long Halloween. Being the self-confessed outcast, Alberto begins killing members of both his own family and the Maronis. As such, his murders are a very big reason why Gotham starts drifting away from organized crime as it slowly turns to the “freaks” and more individual members of Batman’s rogues gallery. However, this is not the case for Gotham’s version of Alberto, as Penguin shocks and kills Alberto in the first minutes of The penguin’s Premiere.
11
Salvatore Maroni’s ring
Once worn by Carmine Falcone
Alberto was wearing his father’s ring, and he revealed to Penguin that the ring itself was originally Salvatore Maroni’s ring.. Carmine took the ring after Maroney was arrested for the massive drug bust, which led to Carmine’s vast control over Gotham through the city’s “revenue fund” (actually a major source of money for Lander, bribes, and more). The ring can be seen on Carmine’s hand throughout The Batman. Penguin also takes the ring away from Alberto’s body.
10
Rex Calabrese
Also known as the Lion
Before killing him, Oz told Alberto about Rex Calabrese, a gangster who operated in Gotham when Cobb was a child, who did quite a bit to help his neighbors and those living in Gotham’s less-developed neighborhoods. Rex was a man Oswald idolized as a child and sought to emulate. Also known as The Lion, Calabrese is also a classic villain from the original DC Comics who operated in Gotham before the Falcones and Maronis (Calabrese is also Selina Kyle’s father in the DC Comics canon).
9
Penguin’s purple Maserati
A primary color from DC Comics
Oz is seen driving a purple Maserati The penguin’s Premiere. This is the same type of car that he drove The Batman When the Dark Knight was pursuing him in his muscle car version of ​​the Batmobile, which finally flipped over. However, it seems that Cobb was able to buy a new model in the aftermath. The lavish car also helps prove that Alberto’s claims are correct: Penguin has been skimming money off the top of Carmine’s operations for years, though not enough for Falcone to no longer appreciate Oz’s loyalty. Purple is also one of the signature colors of penguins in the original comics.
8
Burgess Jewelry
Named after the first live action penguin
The penguin Episode 1 reveals that Oz lives above a couple of jewelry stores and pawn shops, one of which is named Burgess Jewelry. This is undoubtedly a reference to Burgess Meredith who played the Penguin in the 1966s. Batman TV series starring Adam West as the Caped Crusader. Meredith was also the first actor to play Penguin in live-action, so the homage here in the new DC series is very nice to see.
7
Johnny Witty
The first holiday victim
Meeting with the Falcone crime family who want to relocate Oz’s drug operations, Cobb talks with Milos Grapa, one of Carmine’s capos who served as Carmine’s bodyguard in the original comics. Oz also talks to Johnny Viti, another underboss of the Falcone Crime Family. Witty was notably one of the first members of the family to be killed by Holiday Inn the long halloween, A fate he seems to have avoided in this universe thanks to Alberto’s death.
6
Sofia Falcone
Carmine’s Daughter (The Tallien)
Oz also reunites with Sofia Falcone, Carmine’s daughter and Alberto’s sister. Played by Cristin Milioti, Sofia Falcone is worried about her brother who has gone missing. In the original comics, Sofia Falcone is known as the Talien In Dark victoryA follow up to The Long Halloween where she targeted and killed various members of the GCPD.
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However, it seems that this version of Sofia is already known as the Hangman and was recently exonerated from her time at Arkham State Hospital. It is reported that Sophia killed and hanged seven different women before her arrest and her father who sent her to Arkham. in The penguin’s In the premiere, Sofia is highly suspicious of Oz about Alberto’s disappearance, at least until he pins the murder on the Maronis by the end of the episode.
5
Crown Point
One of Gotham’s worst neighborhoods
Having recruited young Victor Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz) to be his right-hand man after catching him trying to quiet the wheels of his car, Oz learns that both he and Victor grew up in Crown Point. Crown Point is a neighborhood in East Gotham and the Bowery that was hardest hit by the Riddler’s Flood. It also existed in the original DC comics and is not too far from the crime alley where Bruce Wayne lost his parents.
4
Riddler still has followers
“The True Face of Gotham”
While Paul Dano’s Edward Nashton may be in Arkham (and neighbors with Barry Keoghan’s Joker), The Riddler’s followers are apparently still active in Gotham a week after his attack on the city. This is shown with two men wearing masks handing out flyers with QR codes on the train, telling people to scan so they can see “Gotham’s True Face”. Viewers can also scan the code, which brings up rataalada.comThe same website that is used during promotions for The Batman. A dialogue between a handful of Riddler followers can be read after scanning the code and accessing the site.
3
Put the blame on mom
Guild (1946)
While Oz and Victor visit Cobb’s mother, 1946s Guild Starring Rita Hayworth is playing on her TV. This includes the performance in the movie “Blame it on Mom”. Likewise, the song is what seemingly gives Oz the idea of ​​being innocent of Alberto’s murder, especially in the eyes of Sofia who gradually becomes more suspicious the more she learns about her brother and Oz’s activities.
2
Salvatore Maroni
Head of the Maroni crime family
Intending to use the information Alberto gave him about a new drug operation he would bring to Gotham, Penguin attempts to broker an “alliance” with Salvatore Maroni. Salvatore Maroni was Carmine Falcone’s biggest rival in Gotham, and the same is true in the comics (he’s also famous for disfiguring Harvey Dent aka Two-Phase). However, Salvatore’s version is currently in Blackgate Prison after the giant drug bust that occurred thanks to Falcone ratting out his operation to gain sole control of Gotham. That said, Maroni’s family is still operating on the outside.
Oz also returns Salvatore his ring during his visit. However, this was simply a means of pinning Alberto’s murder on the Maronis after Oz had Victor send a car with Alberto’s body to the Falcones. As such, Maroni has no choice but to take credit for the murder to save face, thereby putting Oz in the clear (especially considering Sophia is willing to torture and kill him to learn what happened to her brother).
1
9 to 5
Dolly Parton
Having briefly played on the radio in Oz’s car before quickly turning it off, Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” closes out The penguin’s Premiere as Cobb and Victor enjoy their victory slushies at Crown Point. Oddly, the song works for the show’s first episode, considering it’s all about hard work and ambition, especially considering Oz Cobb spends the entire episode working hard and constantly hustling in his bid to eventually gain more power in Gotham’s criminal underworld.
New episodes of The penguin will be streaming Sundays on Max.
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