The Penguin episode 1 includes a fascinating Batman Easter egg that'll fill The Dark Knight fans with glee or dread

It's a family affair

20 Sep 2024, 02:05 · TechRadar

News By Tom Power published 20 September 2024

The Penguin is already dropping some big Batman references in its first episode (Image credit: Macall Polay/HBO)

Full spoilers follow for The Penguin's opening episode and The Batman.

The Penguin has premiered on streaming services worldwide – and its first episode has already filled Batman fans with glee or dread after the inclusion of a specific reference to the Dark Knight's 80-plus year history.

Episode 1, titled 'After Hours' reintroduces audiences to Colin Farrell's Oz Cobb, i.e. the titular character, as he begins to make a play to become Gotham's new crime kingpin following Carmine Falcone's death in The Batman. In a wild 15-minute opening before the devious mobster can even put his plan into motion, though, he a) steals some expensive jewels from Carmine's secret vault, b) impulsively guns down Carmine's son Alberto after he insults Cobb, c) almost has his car's hubcaps stolen by a bunch of teen criminals, and d) uses one of them – Victor, played by Rhenzy Feliz – to help him dispose of Alberto's body. Talk about a busy night, eh, Oz?

It's on route to getting rid of Alberto's corpse that the Max crime drama series' most intriguing Batman Easter Egg is revealed. Indeed, as Cobb inspects Alberto's phone, he opens up its calendar, which includes a meeting with a group called... Gotham Knights.

Now, fans of the Caped Crusader don't need me to discuss the significance of this DC Comics reference. But, for anyone who's not as fanatical about the Bat and the decades-long mythos surrounding one of the most iconic superheroes ever created, here's what you need to know about the Gotham Knights.

Who are the Gotham Knights? And why are they mentioned in The Penguin?

The Gotham Knights are a crime-fighting family that were first introduced in the year 2000 (Image credit: DC Comics)

Essentially, the Gotham Knights are a superteam of Batman sidekicks and allies who fight crime alongside, and in the absence of, the Dark Knight himself. The group's first outing came in March 2000 in 'Batman: Gotham Knights' #1, with the intent of this multi-year comic book run being used to feature the exploits of the Dark Knight and the extended Bat-Family – that being his closed confidant Alfred Pennyworth, as well as crime fighters Batman trained (Robin, Nightwing, and Batgirl) and other characters allied to the legendary vigilante, including Oracle and Catwoman. Devin Grayson, the first ongoing female writer to helm a Batman comic series, was the brains behind the operation.

'Batman: Gotham Knights' ended in April 2006, but a new team – simply titled 'Gotham Knights', which was created by James Tynion IV and Eddy Barrows – made their literary debut in 'Detective Comics' #934 in June 2016. This supergroup was formed by Batman and Batwoman, with the latter eventually leading her fellow vigilantes (minus Batman) on numerous missions to clean up the streets of Gotham. The team's original line-up consisted of crime fighters like Robin, Spoiler, Orphan, Azrael, Batwing, and Clayface.

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