Batman: One Bad Day - Penguin

Batman: One Bad Day

by John Ridley, Giuseppe Camuncoli (Illustrator), Cam Smith (Illustrator)

When the Penguin’s criminal empire is stolen by a former associate, Batman faces both Cobblepot and THE UMBRELLA MAN on the burning streets of Gotham! John Ridley and Giuseppe Camuncoli are ready to bring us ONE BAD DAY!

2023 Eisner Nominee - Best Limited Series

The Penguin's criminal enterprise and the Iceberg Lounge have been stolen from underneath him by his former associate the Umbrella Man. The Umbrella Man has removed all of the rules for crime in Gotham City that the Penguin put in place, and the city is in chaos. The Penguin is a broken man, and he'll have to travel through the burning streets of Gotham with a gun and a single bullet putting together a new crew to take back what he's built. Will Batman help the devil he knows or face the devil he doesn't in the form of the Umbrella Man? A crime epic from the team behind the critically acclaimed Other History of the DC Universe, John Ridley and Giuseppe Camuncoli--don't miss it!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Batman, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Fiction, Comic Book

88 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2023

About the author

John Ridley IV (born October 1965)[2] is an American screenwriter, television director, novelist, and showrunner, known for 12 Years a Slave, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He is also the creator and showrunner of the critically acclaimed anthology series American Crime. His most recent work is the documentary film Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982–1992.


Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really loved this one.
Penguin has to win back Gotham from Umbrella Man. <--don't worry, he's explained.
He'd forgotten what it takes to make it to the top and what it takes to keep yourself on the top.
People.



Best part was that this was probably the most honest look at a criminal enterprise. In that it wasn't Batman keeping the streets safe, it was Cobblepot's organized version of crime. He was as much responsible for the safety of the citizens as the police and Batman combined.



This was one of my favorite One Bad Day stories because it went in a direction that I just wasn't expecting for a Penguin comic. He always seemed silly or gross to me, and this one made him seem very human, very flawed (in an interesting way), and very redeemable.
It might not hit the right chord for everyone, but I liked it.

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The One Bad Day Batman series focused on an individual Batman villain and was based on Alan Moore’s Killing Joke proposal that we are all just one bad day from going full villain.

This one by writer John Ridley follows our man Oswald Cobblepott as he comes back from being deposed as a crime boss to take the city back.

I visited the Colombian port city of Cartagena in the 90s and was struck by how safe it appeared on the streets. New Orleans can be seen the same way, stay in the French Quarter and you should be OK. Turns out the word on the street for both places is not how good the law enforcement is but rather the organized crime makes sure that villainy doesn’t interfere with the tourist money.

Seems while Penguin was on top there was a Guild of Thieves kind of arrangement where some crime was allowed, but it’s dangerous elements were minimized and everyone made money and was happy.

Sort of.

What Ridley describes is the Penguin getting the band back together after learning that his heart had grown three sizes and was bursting out of the Grinch’s X-Ray.

BTW: Danny Devito OWNED this role in the 1992 film.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic Penguin (P) relaunch! The 'page' interaction between P and Batman (B) is revelatory: P tells B that HE has been the one who has kept crime in Gotham under control; that HE is the one who has (secretly) kept other members of the B rouges' gallery from going to extremes that even B could not handle! And B (on some level) seems to agree with him: he gives P 'one night' to put things in order! A fascinating new take on P!

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I must've jinxed myself by writing that I hadn't encountered a dud amongst the One Bad Day titles yet because, although this one wasn't bad per se, it wasn't terribly good either, particularly as I found the Big Bad "Umbrella Man" to be one note and a let down, particularly when people had been telling Oswald all along that everyone was happy to sell him out to UM because he treated people better, and he is then shown treating his underlings and associates in the worst manner possible? If the intent here was a "power corrupts/it's lonely at the top" moral of the story it wasn't handled well, he just came off as first a cypher and then an asshole.

A few more to go, expectations now tempered.

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's eye-wateringly alright.

[Ehsan'Shokraie' · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather nice Penguin story,crime such as everythin else promots a balance,and Penguin was the one observing the balance..a most vital role..

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

I haven't been keeping close track of the Penguin in recent years, but it seems he's been up and down a lot, in and out of control of his Iceberg Lounge in Gotham. This iteration has him ousted and on the skids but determined to claw his empire back out of the clutches of a former henchman called Umbrella Man. Along the way he pulls together some allies who the writer wants to be quirky oddballs, but they just don't have much dimension.

But then the whole story lacks dimension, and if I had to guess it serves only as a prologue to any Penguin series DC will be launching to ride any waves (ripples?) created by the upcoming streaming show on Max.

It's all fairly generic, except for a half-hearted attempt to make Penguin slightly less sexist and self-centered.

[It's just Deano · Rating 3 out of 5]

One Bad Day as a series is a great concept, but Penguin is the second issue so far that just didn't quite hit the mark for me.

Sure, all the familiar elements of the series are here - Batman is once again forced into a morally grey situation with very little resolve - but this issue seemed by far the most lackluster for me.

The characterisation of Penguin feels off here. He doesn't appear to be too unhinged or pose much of a threat and it seems like his character is wrapped around the plot itself, which feels like it's the wrong way around for a series with a premise like One Bad Day. Sadly, it just didn't have the edge deserving of his history here.

The art is great though. Typically every issue of the series so far has been visually brilliant, although this does adopt a more common and less gritty tone than we've seen so far.

Overall, I was disappointed by this. It wasn't terrible, but it didn't feel like it did Penguin justice either. It felt to me like this story could be about any mob goon down on his luck and that sadly feels like it sells the character short.
___________________

My Score: 6/10
My Goodreads: ⭐⭐⭐
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[leynes · Rating 2 out of 5]

This instalment in the One Bad Day series focuses on Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot, better known as The Penguin, one of the most iconic villains of Batman's rogues gallery. In this comic by John Ridley, the Penguin tries to build his empire back as the Penguin's criminal enterprise and the Iceberg Lounge have been stolen out from under him by his former associate the Umbrella Man. The Umbrella Man has removed all the rules for crime in Gotham City that the Penguin put in place, and the city is in chaos. The Penguin is a broken man, and he’ll have to travel through the burning streets of Gotham with a gun and a single bullet putting together a new crew to take back what he's built.

A king can't ave illusions. That was the thing, Oswald. Nothing you had was real. That's why you couldn't hold on to it.

Personally, I didn't vibe with the storytelling nor the art style. The storytelling was pretty straight-forward but I didn't feel that Ridley added much depth to Penguin's character, his origin, his motivation, or ambition.

The central question Ridley poses is whether organised crime (the devil we know, in the form of the Penguin) is better than chaos (which Umbrella Man represents). At the end of the story, the Penguin faces Batman and sets the record straight: "Let me tell you something, Batman. It was never about you. You always thought you were the one keeping the balance between control and chaos in Gotham but I ran the crime in this city. What every good businessman understands is that one's business can never become obsolete. So, I supplied the tools of the trade to Joker, and Riddler, and Scarecrow... but I never supplied them so much, or so well, that in the end you couldn't prevail. I would make my bank, and trade would continue at a... well, at a rate "acceptable" to the police and the populace. Statistically... our crime rate was lower than Metropolis's. I did that!"

I mean, I get that sentiment but I feel like it has been explored many times before, and all Batman readers know that the fun is exactly in that balance. That's why none of the heroes or villains ever truly die. It's an endless cycle that keeps drawing us in. We as readers don't want to see Bruce/Batman succeed. We don't want a Gotham that's free from crime. Where's the fun in that? And we also don't want a Gotham without a Batman in it. All of this has been pretty much said (or sometimes just implied) before. I didn't get why Ridley felt the need to be so on the nose with it tbh.

[Khurram · Rating 5 out of 5]

The climb

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. Good artwork and a great story.

The Penguin left Gotham thought beaten and thought dead. Now he has returned. He intends to rebuild his Empire one bullet at a time. What does Batman think about his return? Can Penguin reclaim his Empire from the Umbrella Man (who looks very much like a famous UFC fighter/Champion), or is this a suicide mission for anyone who follows him?

I loved this story and got a newfound respect for the Penguin. I would have liked to see Batman in more action, but this was not his story. The book finishes with a varient cover gallery and a sketchbook.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Week villain, but worth of read.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll give Penguin's One Bad Day entry this: it's unique. We find Penguin destitute after his umbrella guy took over the criminal empire. This book tracks Penguin's slow rebuild, offering a surprisingly compelling look at the cantankerous character. Honestly, this could be One Good Day, since all the cards fall Penguin's way on his climb back to the top.

My main issue is that it's really quite dense for a short story. John Ridley packs an entire mini-series worth of action and dialogue into 65 pages. This could have been much better with more breathing room (and less words). Guiseppe Camuncoli's artwork is excellent, very clean and detailed. Probably more of a 3.5 than a 3, this One Bad Day entry is very middle-of-the-pack.

[Alexander Lisovsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

После полного треша с Двуликим я уже ничего больше не ждал от сер��и, но ваншот о Пингвине меня вновь приятно удивил. Сюжет местами (особенно, в сценах с Бэтменом) не слишком реалистичный, но в остальном это практически "Крёстный отец" и "Однажды в Америке" — история о том, что такое на самом деле управлять криминальной империей и как этого делать точно не следует. "В чём сила, брат", как говорил Брат. Местами есть и довольно трогательные сцены. Арт тоже выглядит очень даже здорово. Прикладываю превью.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book in the "One Bad Day" series shows off the true grit and determination that is The Penguin. Ousted from his criminal empire by Umbrella Man, Oswald works his way back to the top over the course of one night. Really great Penguin focused story. Makes me want to watch Batman Returns again LOL
Recommend. This series has been really good so far.

[Carly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. Not as hardy at the Riddler one.

[cloverina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm really not a fan of The Penguin. He's okay, I enjoyed him in Batman Returns, but I never quite liked him in any of the shows and I haven't read an excellent Penguin comic yet. He was cool in Earth One, but he wasn't himself. I was hoping this story would turn that around. One issue to convince me The Penguin is cool. I was told it focuses on the organized crime aspect of The Penguin's villainy a lot, so I was extra interested. Otherwise, I would've probably just picked up a different story instead.

Did it do that for me? Eh. Not really. But I do think I know what I want from Penguin stories now.

To start with the good, I did find the organized crime stuff very interesting. The idea that Peguin controls the streets of Gotham more than Batman is certainly original and memorable, and it's probably the best thing to come out of the penguin issue of One Bad Day. The other best thing is the part where Penguin goes berserk (not meant to be an Evangelion reference, but it does work). AWESOME panel and actually makes Penguin feel filthy and gruesome in addition to his more human side and his mobster side. When all three mix, he is a force to be reckoned with and a darn good rogue.

The art is also solid. Not anything special, but it's nice to look at.

There's only one big gripe I have with the comic, and that's that so much of it revolves around Penguin being bullied as a kid. It feels like kind of a preachy kids show message and it makes the whole thing harder to take seriously. Bullying is an important issue and can be traumatic, especially when it becomes violent, but it doesn't make for an interesting Batman comic. There's too much emphasis on Penguin, Lilli, and Elliot being a bunch of sad misfits. It's just not entertaining at all and I would even say it feels a bit preachy at times.

I'm sure that will make it just the right thing for somebody out there, but that aspect isn't for me.

I also couldn't find Penguin's voice. He certainly didn't seem like he was squawky, but he didn't seem too posh, either. Possibly a personal issue? Is there such a thing as "reader error"?

Overall, it's worth a read if you're into Penguin, but I don't think it's anything too groundbreaking for the character. Still enjoyable!

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vou contar para meus caros leitores que me surpreendi positivamente com a edição do Pinguim de Batman: Um Dia Ruim. São poucos os quadrinistas que sabem trabalhar bem a personalidade do Pinguim para além daquilo que temos em Superamigos ou em Batman, o Retorno. E neste quadrinhos vemos um chefão do crime caído em desgraça que está tentando, a passos lentos, recuperar seu império fora-da-lei depois que seu braço-direito, o Homem do Guarda-Chuva o depôs. O trabalho de John Ridley não costuma me agradar, principalmente em Eu Sou Batman, mas neste eu preciso tirar o chapéu (ou a cartola?) para ele. Consegue mostrar como Oswald Cobblepot retoma seu poder de capanga em capanga. Os desenhos do italiano Giuseppe Camuncoli também não deixam a desejar mostrando o desenhista prolífico em uma das suas melhores fases. Não li a edição anterior de Batman: Um Dia Ruim, mas se todas forem nessa média, está valendo muito a pena.

[Shane Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent story. While I have not read a lot of stories with Penguin, this feels like the exact sort of thing I’d expect: Oswald fights to get his criminal empire back one piece at a time. Except for the climax, I feel like this story didn’t really live up to the premise set by this line of books. That’s probably because Batman plays such a minor role. John Ridley writes a decent story and I’d definitely read more Batman from him. Camuncoli also does a good job on art. I just feel like this never moves beyond just okay, unfortunately.

[Danny · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was terrible. Too much suspension of disbelief. Too many lapses in judgement. Awful panel progression particularly in the climax. It wasn't sure what it wanted to be about. Far too unfocused. There were good moments that felt like they were taken from better stories and placed here in an incoherent mess. I cannot believe the writer of this has an Oscar for screen writing. This is my biggest disappointment of the year.

[Riccardo Caputi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think that in the first part he gets way too lucky, but the second part wasn't bad.

[Stacy (Gotham City Librarian) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was alright, but nothing special. I’m fine with the Penguin being essentially a crime boss, but you’ve got to give him lots of personality in addition to that. This version of Oswald was, dare I say it, a little bit too nice for me? And the story was sort of repetitive. Not bad, just not great.

[Jiro Dreams of Suchy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Penguin is usurped by his umbrella man… and wins with the power of collaboration!

[Nicolas Hofman · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's fine is a simple story but not much else

[William Bainbridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5
A surprisingly rather heart warming story, as we see Oswald take back his gotham from umbrella man. The penguin is painted as the pin that was keeping gotham city together, showing him in the same way he is often portrayed, as a necessary 'evil' in gotham, someone who keeps the balance between the crime and batman, an evil, but one far better than most. And we see that when we see the terrible gotham that umbrella man has created, with a nice little cameo from detective montoya. Seeing penguins backstory and also the way he shows genuine emotion in the present was really refreshing and made it hard to not root for him. Lili was also a very likable character and it was pretty cool the way Oswald made friends of people before ultimately reclaiming what was his. Batman plays a very miniscule role.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised that I enjoyed this one as I’m not really a fan of the Penguin, who I think is a quite boring and dated Batman villain. But this installment of One Bad Day, which now focuses on Oswald Cobblepott himself, was definitely entertaining. It opens with Cobblepot trying to make his way back into Gotham to retake his criminal empire from an underling that stole it all from him. It shows him starting with a gun and one bullet and shows his resourcefulness with getting back on top. The simple story moves like a bullet train, with a quick pace and a structure that is perfect for this format.

[Will Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not something I'm ever going to read again, but Ridley does a good job showcasing Penguin's role in Gotham as it's criminal kingpin, and how such organizations thrive by exploiting lower class workers by promising them something better and then abandoning them when they're no longer useful. I think anyone familiar with organized crime stories as seen this play out before, but I think this a decent short story for those who are looking to understand what makes Cobblepot different from the rest of Batman's villains.

[Urbon Adamsson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joker is by far the best villain in the Batman mythos. I don't think that is remotely up for debate.

That said, I have to say that Pinguin is probably my favourite. I love the 90s movie with Danny DeVito.

Cobblepot is not really a bad man. He is a society rejected that learned to survive by being a criminal mastermind. He is a gangster with rules and principles and that is well shown in this story.

Enjoyable read.

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Batman - One Bad Day: Penguin

A badly beaten Oswald Cobblepot gathers his forces to take back control of his criminal empire from his traitorous former associate, the Umbrella Man. Batman is a mere inconvenience on the journey.

A well executed short book, with great art, making Lili and the Penguin look both grotesque and sympathetic at the same time.

[kesseljunkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Enjoyable Penguin Story

This carries a similar vibe to the HBO series. Penguin has these odd sentimental moments and then his actions remind you that he's a functional sociopath. The ending is a little flat, but the journey is fun.

[Annalise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this rendition of Penguin was kind of interesting actually🤔 I really enjoyed the crew building and side characters (especially Freida and her girls bc they were so badass🙂‍↕️) And this kind of reminded me of the Penguin from Gotham the tv series in a way with this specific story line🧐