{"id":342841,"date":"2026-03-22T23:02:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-22T23:02:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/342841\/"},"modified":"2026-03-22T23:02:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T23:02:10","slug":"dc-officially-releases-penguin-redesign-ahead-of-new-batman-appearance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/342841\/","title":{"rendered":"DC Officially Releases Penguin Redesign Ahead of New Batman Appearance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Debuting in 1941, the Penguin<\/a> remains one of Batman<\/a>\u2019s most iconic villains, and over the past five years, the character has experienced a major resurgence. Between The Batman, HBO\u2019s The Penguin, and the complete reimagining of Oswald Cobblepot in Absolute Batman, the villain has been reinvented in bold new ways. Now, one of these universes has unveiled the Penguin\u2019s latest redesign ahead of his next appearance.<\/p>\n

…the stilts of Oswald\u2019s crutches are actually machine guns…<\/p>\n

DC\u2019s solicitations for June have officially dropped, and with them has come a preview of Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta\u2019s Absolute Batman<\/a> #21, which is set to release June 10. A variant cover for the issue by Dragotta gives us our first look at Oswald Cobblepot\u2019s redesign for the series.<\/p>\n

Those who have been following the title know that Oswald has already appeared throughout the series; however, this is the first time we are seeing him as The Penguin rather than just Oswald Cobblepot. The difference is extreme and continues Dragotta and Snyder\u2019s theme of body horror that has been applied to other previously debuted villains.<\/p>\n

DC Reveals First Look of Absolute Penguin Redesign <\/p>\n

Cover C Nick Dragotta Variant for Absolute Batman #21 (2026)<\/p>\n

\"Absolute<\/p>\n

Oswald initially debuted in the Absolute Batman title as a lithe and pretty average-looking man. However, those keeping up with the series will remember that when Bane launched his attack against Batman<\/a>, the villain targeted Bruce\u2019s friends and caused extreme physical and mental damage to them. In Oswald\u2019s case, Bane pulverized his bones.<\/p>\n

This resulted in Oswald essentially becoming a lump of bulbous flesh. The variant cover for Absolute Batman #21 shows that the hospital did manage to successfully reconstruct Oswald\u2019s bones, but he still remains exceptionally deformed, now standing at a height of four feet and requiring crutches and a back brace to walk.<\/p>\n

\"DC<\/p>\n

Related<\/p>\n

\t\t
\n\t\t\tDC Reboots Iconic Villain With Disgusting New Redesign
\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

Readers are advised to proceed with caution, as both the visuals and the story behind this transformation may be unsettling and even disturbing.<\/p>\n

This version of Oswald is hunched over and extremely scarred, and it is this appearance that makes it clear where he is eventually going to get his Penguin moniker from<\/a>. He now has a short and squat stature that undoubtedly comes with a waddling limp that will resemble a penguin. This is by far Penguin\u2019s most horrifying design.<\/p>\n

\"Absolute<\/p>\n

Examining Dragotta\u2019s cover, we also notice an extremely awesome detail: the stilts of Oswald\u2019s crutches are actually machine guns. The character design sketches show these machine gun crutches in action, and the result is nothing short of epic. In the main universe, Penguin is known for his machine gun use, so this is an epic way to give this traditional character element an Absolute Universe twist.<\/p>\n

It is also highly likely that Bruce himself developed the back brace that is helping Penguin walk, as it looks strikingly similar to Bruce\u2019s own Batman gear. It\u2019s details such as these that make this one of Penguin\u2019s best redesigns of all time, beating out even Colin Farrell\u2019s jaw-dropping transformation, as the Absolute Batman narrative elevates the rogue to a whole new level.<\/p>\n

\n CBR Exclusive \u00b7 Quiz
\n WHICH DC HERO ARE YOU?
\n The Justice League Is Waiting for Your Answer
\n Gotham\u2019s Dark Knight. Metropolis\u2019s Man of Steel. Themyscira\u2019s warrior princess. The Fastest Man Alive. The universe\u2019s emerald guardian. Twenty questions stand between you and the truth. Answer honestly. Your destiny awaits.\n <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd25Batman<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udf1fSuperman<\/p>\n

\u2694\ufe0fWonder Woman<\/p>\n

\u26a1The Flash<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udfe2Green Lantern<\/p>\n

\n FIND OUT WHICH HERO YOU ARE \u2192\n <\/p>\n

01<\/p>\n

You\u2019re outnumbered and outgunned. What do you do?
\n A hero\u2019s instinct is defined in their darkest moment.<\/p>\n

\n AMelt into the shadows and pick them off one by one.
\n BStep forward. My presence alone changes the equation.
\n CCharge in \u2014 no weapon forged can stop my will.
\n DTake them all out before they can even react. Speed wins.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

02<\/p>\n

Your team disagrees with your plan. How do you handle it?
\n Every Justice League member has their own idea of teamwork.<\/p>\n

\n AMy analysis is correct. I\u2019ll execute it alone if I have to.
\n BListen to everyone. Hope is built on unity, not orders.
\n CTruth wins the debate. I state my case and hold the line.
\n DMake a joke, defuse the tension \u2014 then find the fastest path forward.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

03<\/p>\n

What does your hero identity mean to you?
\n The mask \u2014 or the lack of one \u2014 says everything.<\/p>\n

\n AIt\u2019s a weapon \u2014 the fear I create is the real power.
\n BIt\u2019s a symbol of hope. The world needs something to believe in.
\n CIt\u2019s who I am \u2014 no secret identity, no division, just truth.
\n DIt keeps my friends safe \u2014 and honestly, the costume is pretty cool.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

04<\/p>\n

How do you typically make big decisions?
\n A hero\u2019s process shapes their outcome.<\/p>\n

\n AI\u2019ve already modeled 37 contingencies. I pick the optimal one.
\n BAsk what\u2019s right for the greatest number of people.
\n CConsult the wisdom of the ages \u2014 and my own warrior\u2019s instinct.
\n DMove fast, trust my gut, course-correct in real time.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

05<\/p>\n

Someone takes credit for your work in front of everyone. You:
\n Pride is the armor and the weakness of every hero.<\/p>\n

\n ANote it. Every debt gets settled eventually.
\n BLet it go. The outcome \u2014 people being safe \u2014 is what matters.
\n CCall it out directly. Deception poisons everything it touches.
\n DCrack a joke about it and move on. Life\u2019s too short \u2014 and I run fast.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

06<\/p>\n

A government agency wants to oversee your activities. Your response?
\n Accountability is the line every hero must face.<\/p>\n

\n AI already monitor them. Oversight runs both ways.
\n BI want to earn the world\u2019s trust, not demand it. I\u2019ll cooperate.
\n CI answer to a higher law \u2014 the laws of truth and justice.
\n DSure, happy to help. Just don\u2019t expect me to slow down.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

07<\/p>\n

When facing a villain, your strategy is:
\n Every fighter has a philosophy.<\/p>\n

\n AI prepared for this exact scenario. Months ago.
\n BAbsorb whatever they throw. I won\u2019t stop until it\u2019s over.
\n CDisarm, redirect, end the conflict with minimum bloodshed.
\n DThirty takedowns before they know I\u2019ve arrived.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

08<\/p>\n

Your biggest personal flaw is:
\n Every hero has a crack in the armor.<\/p>\n

\n AI don\u2019t trust anyone completely \u2014 not even my closest allies.
\n BThe weight of what I could do paralyzes me sometimes.
\n CMy convictions make me inflexible. I struggle to compromise.
\n DI act before I think. Fast reflexes, slower wisdom.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

09<\/p>\n

A rookie hero is overwhelmed on their first mission. You:
\n How a hero mentors others reveals their character.<\/p>\n

\n ANeutralize the threat, then debrief them with hard truths.
\n BInspire them \u2014 remind them why they put the suit on.
\n CWalk them through it. Warriors are forged in battle, not classrooms.
\n DHandle it in seconds, then pretend they did it \u2014 boost their confidence.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

10<\/p>\n

What drives you more than anything else?
\n The \u201cwhy\u201d behind the hero is everything.<\/p>\n

\n AVengeance transformed into purpose \u2014 I channel grief into justice.
\n BHope \u2014 the world becomes what it believes in.
\n CTruth and justice \u2014 not as ideals but as living practice.
\n DProtecting the people I love. Family, then the rest of the world.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

11<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve just suffered a crushing defeat. What\u2019s next?
\n A hero is measured by how they get back up.<\/p>\n

\n ARetreat to the cave. Analyze every mistake. Come back prepared.
\n BGet back up. Hope is not a feeling \u2014 it\u2019s a decision.
\n CA warrior does not grieve long. I return stronger.
\n DShake it off. Literally \u2014 I\u2019ve lapped the city before I process it.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

12<\/p>\n

You could end a threat permanently \u2014 but it crosses an ethical line. You:
\n The hardest choices define a hero from a weapon.<\/p>\n

\n AFind the third option. There\u2019s always a third option.
\n BRefuse. The moment I cross that line, I become the threat.
\n CI will not kill. No exceptions. My lasso was not made for that.
\n DFind the fastest non-lethal solution. Ingenuity over brutality.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

13<\/p>\n

What do you actually fear most?
\n Even the mightiest hero has something to lose.<\/p>\n

\n AFailing the city I gave everything to protect.
\n BBecoming what I fight against \u2014 a god who rules, not serves.
\n CA world without justice \u2014 where the innocent suffer in silence.
\n DLosing someone while I was fast enough to save them.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

14<\/p>\n

People who just met you would describe you as:
\n First impressions carry a grain of truth.<\/p>\n

\n AIntense, intimidating \u2014 like they\u2019re being evaluated.
\n BWarm, steadying \u2014 someone who makes you feel safe.
\n CRegal and direct \u2014 a leader even when not trying to be.
\n DDisarmingly funny \u2014 and then suddenly impressive.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

15<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your ideal base of operations?
\n Where a hero operates reveals how they think.<\/p>\n

\n AA fortified cave beneath a city I know better than its criminals.
\n BA watchtower above the Earth \u2014 so I can see everywhere I\u2019m needed.
\n CAn island paradise forged for warriors \u2014 or the front lines.
\n DAnywhere with wifi. I\u2019m rarely standing still long enough to need one.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

16<\/p>\n

What does \u201cbeing a hero\u201d actually mean to you?
\n The philosophy behind the power is the real definition.<\/p>\n

\n AWaging a war that never ends so others never have to.
\n BBeing the proof that the best of humanity is worth saving.
\n CChampioning those who have no champion. Especially the truth.
\n DShowing up in the worst moment with a grin and a plan.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

17<\/p>\n

What do you want to leave behind?
\n The mark a hero leaves is their truest measure.<\/p>\n

\n AA city so safe it no longer needs me.
\n BThe knowledge that one person\u2019s choices can change everything.
\n CA world where truth and justice are not aspirations but reality.
\n DProof that an ordinary person can run alongside gods.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

18<\/p>\n

Someone you love is in danger. Your first move is:
\n Crisis strips away everything but the truth.<\/p>\n

\n AI already have a contingency in place. It\u2019s being executed now.
\n BGet between them and the threat. That is not negotiable.
\n CRemove the threat. Permanently if necessary. The innocent come first.
\n DThey\u2019re safe before they even know there was danger.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

19<\/p>\n

Your power \u2014 where does it come from?
\n Origin shapes destiny in the DC Universe.<\/p>\n

\n APain, discipline, and an unbreakable will. I have no other source.
\n BA yellow sun \u2014 but the choices I make are entirely my own.
\n CAncient gods and the sacred purpose they gave me.
\n DThe Speed Force \u2014 a living energy that chose me.\n <\/p>\n

TRANSMIT ANSWER \u2192<\/p>\n

20<\/p>\n

The final battle. Everything is on the line. You:
\n This is the moment that defines everything.<\/p>\n

\n AExecute the plan I built for exactly this moment.
\n BStand up. No matter how many times I get knocked down.
\n CFight without mercy or retreat. For those who cannot fight themselves.
\n DMove so fast the battle ends before anyone else blinks.\n <\/p>\n

REVEAL MY HERO \u2192<\/p>\n

THE DC UNIVERSE HAS SPOKEN
\n YOUR HERO IDENTITY<\/p>\n

Your scores are shown below. The character with the highest number is your match. Read their description to discover which hero the universe chose for you.<\/p>\n

\n \ud83d\udd25
\n Batman<\/p>\n

\n \ud83c\udf1f
\n Superman<\/p>\n

\n \u2694\ufe0f
\n Wonder Woman<\/p>\n

\n \u26a1
\n The Flash<\/p>\n

\n \ud83d\udfe2
\n Green Lantern<\/p>\n

Disciplined, relentless, and driven by a grief that never fully heals. You\u2019ve built yourself into something formidable not through luck or cosmic accident, but through sheer, grinding will. You plan further ahead than anyone else in the room and trust fewer of them. The darkness you carry isn\u2019t weakness \u2014 it\u2019s your greatest weapon, and your most dangerous blind spot. But beneath the armor, you still believe in justice. That belief is what separates you from the monsters you fight.<\/p>\n

Powerful beyond measure, yet defined by your humility. You were raised to believe that the measure of a person is what they do with what they\u2019re given \u2014 and you\u2019ve taken that lesson to heart. The world looks to you as a symbol, and the weight of that is something you carry quietly. You could impose your will on everything, and you choose not to. That choice, made every day, is the most heroic thing about you.<\/p>\n

A warrior forged in honor, guided by truth. You came to this world not born into its compromises, and that perspective gives you a clarity that cuts through politics, spin, and fear. You fight hard, hold the line without flinching, and refuse to let injustice be normalized around you. People are sometimes surprised by your compassion \u2014 they expect the sword and forget the heart it serves. You are both, in perfect, formidable balance.<\/p>\n

Quick, warm, and far more capable than your jokes let on. You use humor as a shield and velocity as a solution, but your greatest gift isn\u2019t speed \u2014 it\u2019s heart. You feel everything deeply and act faster than most people think. The people around you don\u2019t always realize how much you carry, how much you process in the quiet between seconds. You make the impossible look easy, and you do it without making anyone feel small for being slower than you.<\/p>\n

Chosen because your will is extraordinary. The ring didn\u2019t create you \u2014 it recognized you. Your power is literally your imagination and your resolve, which means your ceiling is whatever you believe it to be. You can be reckless, and you can be arrogant, but your capacity for growth is equally limitless. You operate on a cosmic scale but never forget the small things worth protecting. In the universe\u2019s darkest sectors, you are the light.<\/p>\n

\n \u21bb RETAKE THE QUIZ\n <\/p>\n

Absolute Batman #21 from DC Comics will be available June 10, 2026!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Debuting in 1941, the Penguin remains one of Batman\u2019s most iconic villains, and over the past five years,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":342842,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[156,409,111,139,69],"class_list":["post-342841","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-movies","tag-entertainment","tag-movies","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/342841","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=342841"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/342841\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/342842"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=342841"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=342841"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=342841"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}