The Best Penguin Comics to Read Before Watching the HBO TV Series Penguin

The Penguin may not be as maniacal as The Joker or as powerful as Bane, but he’s still one of Batman’s greatest foes thanks to his formidable criminal empire. Fans will soon get to see a lot more of Gotham’s crime kingpin with HBO’s upcoming The Penguin TV series premiering September 19. The show is a spinoff of director Matt Reeves’ 2022 film The Batman and will see Colin Farrell reprise his role as The Penguin.

While the new TV series marks the most screen time The Penguin has seen to date, the character has also starred in his own comic book storylines and one-shots over the years. We’ve compiled a short list of some worth reading, so you can learn more about the tuxedo-and-top-hatted villain’s origins and some of his biggest confrontations with Gotham’s masked crusader.

If you’re looking for more Batman comics recommendations, perhaps because Batman or Bruce Wayne don’t appear at all in the new Penguin series, be sure to check out our comprehensive look at the best Batman graphic novels to read in 2024.

The Penguin Series

One of the best places to start is the character’s newest story arc, aptly titled The Penguin. The 13-issue comic series, which ran from 2022 through earlier this month, centers on the titular villain, who has returned to Gotham after a years-long absence as a secret informant for the U.S. government.

The first paperback in the series, The Penguin Vol. 1: The Prodigal Bird, was released in June and collects issues #1-6. Issues #7-12 will be collected in The Penguin Vol. 2, which is available for pre-order on Amazon on February 25, 2025. You can also get the entire series in digital Kindle format, including the prequel Issue 0, which is not included in either paperback.

Batman: One Bad Day – Penguin

The Penguin appears in many other DC comics and graphic novels, including his own story arc in the Batman: One Bad Day anthology. The series spotlights eight of Batman’s most iconic villains—The Penguin, The Riddler, Two-Face, Mr. Freeze, Catwoman, Bane, Clayface, and Ra’s al Ghul—and the “bad days” that pushed them over the edge into a life of crime and villainy.

The Penguin’s story is available as a standalone graphic novel for $11 (was $18), or you can grab all eight stories, plus a special edition of Batman: The Killing Joke, in the Batman: One Bad Day Hardcover Forest Set for $90 (was $160). The series is also included as part of the Kindle Unlimited library, which members can access as part of their $12/month subscription. New members can sign up at a discount, getting their first three months for $12 through September 15.

Batman Arkham: Penguin

If you want to get your hands on a collection of classic Batman stories featuring The Penguin, the Batman Arkham: Penguin graphic novel is on sale for $16.76 (was $20). This paperback collection includes 10 issues of various Batman comic series, pitting the Dark Knight against The Penguin. The collection is also available in Kindle eBook format for $10, or as part of Kindle Unlimited.

Penguin: Pain and Prejudice

Penguin: Pain and Prejudice offers a different take on the origins of Gotham’s criminal, giving readers a glimpse into Penguin’s youth and eventual rise to Gotham’s gang leader. The entire 5-issue series was collected into a 142-page graphic novel in 2012. Physical copies are hard to find for reasonable prices, but the paperback edition is available from third-party sellers on Amazon. You can also get the graphic novel digitally via Kindle for $10, or read it as part of Kindle Unlimited.

Penguin: Pain and Prejudice Kindle Edition — $10 | Also included in Kindle Unlimited

DC Comics Encyclopedias

The Penguin is also spotlighted alongside over 1,200 other DC characters in the massive DC Comics Encyclopedia – New Edition, on sale now for $22 (was $40). For a more compact option, check out the upcoming revised edition of the DC Ultimate Character Guide, launching November 5 and narrowing the scope to just 230 DC heroes and villains, including The Penguin and other members of Batman’s rogues gallery. You can pre-order the DC Ultimate Character Guide – New Edition for $22 on Amazon.