Batman: One Bad Day – The Penguin #1 is the third story in a series of one-shots focusing on Batman’s rogues’ gallery. Each issue shines a light on a different Batman villain. Batman: One Bad Day – The Penguin #1 — written by John Ridley, with art by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Cam Smith, colors by Arif Prianto, and letters by Rob Leigh — dives into the childhood trauma that has plagued The Penguin throughout his life. This series is inspired by Alan Moore’s iconic The Killing Joke, where the Joker tells the story of how one bad day changes a person’s life forever. Similarly, this story explores how emotional scars can sometimes be the deepest.
Oswald Cobblepot, aka The Penguin, has ruled the Gotham crime scene numerous times throughout his criminal career. Batman: One Bad Day – The Penguin #1 tells a similar tale but shows the deeper damage that causes men like The Penguin to fight for their spot in Gotham. He’s a man from a wealthy upbringing, and as a young boy was mocked for his looks. Along his journey for power and riches, he made innumerable enemies. Batman: One Bad Day – The Penguin #1 shows what happens to The Penguin when he is overthrown and forces him to confront the trauma and pain he has inflicted upon others.
Much like the other stories in the One Bad Day series, this book is exceptionally well written. Batman: One Bad Day – The Penguin #1 continues to show how each of Batman’s villains is a tragic figure with a unique story. From the beginning, Ridley shines a new light on the iconic villain. The Umbrellaman takes control of his criminal empire, and now Cobblepot is truly down on his luck. Ridley writes The Penguin as a man who wants to take back what he sees as his, and throughout his story comic, he realizes he wasn’t alone in creating his criminal enterprise.
The art in Batman: One Bad Day – The Penguin #1 is just as good as the writing. Giuseppe Camuncoli gives each character, even simple background characters, their own distinct design. By showing the diversity of race, body types, and genders that populate the city of Gotham, Camuncoli helps the city feel like a lived-in environment. Prianto’s colors bring the characters to life and capture the excitement of Gotham’s nightlife. Cam Smith’s inks and Rob Leigh’s letters add the finishing touches to each page and help make this one-shot easy to follow and a delight to read.
Batman: One Bad Day – The Penguin #1 is another emotionally packed issue in this series of one-shots. This issue makes the reader choose between two crimelords. Ridley handles The Penguin uniquely to explore the ways childhood trauma can haunt a person. With powerful writing and artwork, Batman: One Bad Day – The Penguin #1 hooks readers in for a hard-hitting issue from the first page to the last.
