Which Penguin Do You Prefer?

[D-Mono]

The Batman Returns/TAS version, or the TNBA, more traditional version?
Personally, I adore the deliciously dark Returns/TAS version, with Oswald being a deformed mutant of sorts, as opposed to a short guy with a bit of a waddle.
You? :)
D-Mono.

[Maxie Zeus]

Originally posted by D-Mono
The Batman Returns/TAS version, or the TNBA, more traditional version?
Personally, I adore the deliciously dark Returns/TAS version, with Oswald being a deformed mutant of sorts, as opposed to a short guy with a bit of a waddle.
You? :)
D-Mono.

The BTAS version was fine in theory; I don't mind seeing the Penguin portrayed as a Burton-esque monster-child. The problem was that Timm's team preferred the urbane, man-about-town penguin (which is why they switched when they did TNBA), and tried to impose that character on the Burton design. I didn't think the two aspects of the charactermeshed at all well.

So, based solely upon what was evident on screen, I think the TNBA was a better character than the BTAS. (And with Thorne and the other gangsters absent, it was good to have at least one semi-legit bad guy running around.)

[JLU Dude]

I like the TNBSA design for Penguin. If only they could bring back TNBSA and Rupert Thorne.

[Mr. Mayhem]

As a character, I really liked Burton's take on Penguin in Batman Returns. He was a sick, grotesque, pervertive, scary monster. Very dark and kooky. I thought that was a great way to rewrite the character. It made him interesting. Batman Returns still stands my favorite of the four live action Batman films.

While the BTAS Penguin aquired the Batman Returns look (cleaned up) somewhat, it's still quite different. I always thought the BTAS Penguin was just too boring. He tried to play the gentlemen crook. He liked musicals, drama, and poetry. I was like what happenend to the Meredith/DeVito kookster. Penguin was now just a big sissy boy who gave up the fight the very instant he hit the ground. BTAS is the best version of Batman, and has about the best take on all his villains. Though I must say they screwed Penguin up something horrible.

TNBA Penguin was better. If they wanted him to play the gentlemen crook at least he was more mobbish here. It still was no Batman Returns Penguin, but at least he gave up the art and poetry thing. My point is, he wasn't a sissy boy anymore.

[Joker85]

Well, my favorite Penguin would have to be the TNBA one. He just seemed more traditional and classic looking then Tim Burton's Penguin. Of course if you want to get technical, my FAVORITE Pengun will always be Burgess Meredith!!:D

[DR. BELCH]

Could that man act! Ever notice he seldom moved his upper lip when he spoke? That takes some control. He was also great in the several Twilight Zone episodes he did, as well as both Grumpy Old Men movies.
Though I admit I liked the obese, deformed, long-haired Penguin better. The new look was wrong--and inexplicable. Surely no plastic surgery or diet can be that effective!

[Maxie Zeus]

Well, if we are going to include Meredith (and DeVito?), then I would chuck all the animated Penguins for Meredith's. I know when I think back fondly to the Adam West series, it's largely because of Meredith's Penguin.


Originally posted by DR. BELCH
The new look was wrong--and inexplicable. Surely no plasic surgery or diet can be that effective!

Eh. Continuity of designs never bothers me. As far as I'm concerned, Hitchcock's slogan -- "It's only a moooovie!" -- applies with even greater force here.

[Knight]

I prefer the TNBA Penguin because of his angle of "i'm a reformed villian" but "i still like to fence stolen goods" approach. And I love how Batman will still come to him and pound out some criminal underworld info because he knows he's still well connected.

[D-Mono]

For the record, DeVito and Meredith are not included.
I actually thought the TAS version worked brilliantly - a deformed freak trying to aspire to the class he was born into, but unable to shift his gnarled roots. His character is much more sympathetic like this, as opposed to a fairly well-off nightclub owner.
Still, each to his own... :)
D-Mono.

[kid_flash]

TNBA, easily. I always liked the Penguin as a business man, but with ties to the underworld. Sort of a Lex Luthor without the millions.

[Govan]

I didn't watch any TNBA episodes with the Penguin in them, so I decline to comment :D But I did like TAS version.

Speaking of gangsters, I wonder what potential arcs TAS could have taken if they had involved them in episodes more often... I hear Fox told them to not write them in much because they weren't popular. Still, wouldn't it have been nice to have seen some epic stories involving their war? (But the ones we got were superb, IMO). The way I'm picturing it, it would be like an animated Godfather or Goodfellas.

[Nightwing]

This sounds weird coming from a guy who loves TNBA, yet perfers BTAS, but I think I liked the TNBA Penguin better, for the reasons mentioned above. Just another one of those things that made the show brilliant: A supervillain threat, while not a supervillain threat.

[The Mad Hatter]

I liked the design on "mutant" Penguin, and I absolutely loved Penguin's attempts to fit into urbane society in "Birds of a Feather." But yes, it seemed that the producers would have preferred to do a wholly urbane Penguin, as "Birds of a Feather" was pretty much the only time his actions truly fit his appearence.

I really enjoyed the TNBA Penguin... what else can I say that everyone else hasn't said? Re-imagining him as a semi-corrupt trendy club owner was brilliant.

[Manhunter]

I never really cared for Burton's version. It just wasn't the Penguin to me.

[Robin2099]

I liked Burton's version of the Penguin because it was diffrent than how the character is normally portrayed. But TNBA one just seems more traditional, so that one barelly edges out Burtons.

[Joe Tully]

I actually preferred BTAS. I liked the character design more and had no problem with the appearance fitting in with his character. I had a greater problem with the design of the TNBA version, which looked a bit too much like Mr. Peanut. I did like the idea of Penguin turning semi-legal, but they didn't focus on that very much during the series. I would've liked to see a story on the Penguin's wheelings and dealings, but other than a couple of mentions, I don't think that it was brought up much.

For me, the greatest idea would be take the original design and show his work behind the scenes more frequently.