The Dark Knight Rises Bane's place in the rogues gallery post-Rises

[jmc]

Penguin's on a higher level than Bane? I would never know.

Penguin has been in the public conscious since the 60's TV show. In fact the reason Batman has so many well known villains is mostly down to that show. Hell its influence is still being felt today with Anne's Catwoman outfit.

 

[The Joker]

In fact Burgess Meredith's Penguin was the show's most popular villain. So popular that they always had a script prepared for Meredith any time he might become available to do a show.

 

[Anno_Domini]

I just have never thought of Penguin to be a consistent known enemy of Batman besides from fanboys. If you ask a regular schmoe, Joker and Catwoman would be thought up, but that could probably be it.

That's the case with most of my friends as it's difficult to talk about anything comic booky except for one guy that I know.

 

[The Batman]

Penguin was the number 2 Bat rogue for a good 50 years.

 

[Victarion]

It just so happened that my co-worker at the uni is a big fan of Bane. Lucky me.

My favorite Penguin would be a freakish mutant like Burton's; rather than a deranged child-killer, he would be a mobster.

 

[Clerk]

Penguin was the number 2 Bat rogue for a good 50 years.

Yeah, if you watch the Batman Returns special features, I believe even Tim Burton says that WB wanted him to use Penguin because the character was the "number two guy."

 

[Anno_Domini]

It just so happened that my co-worker at the uni is a big fan of Bane. Lucky me.

My favorite Penguin would be a freakish mutant like Burton's; rather than a deranged child-killer, he would be a mobster.

Besides the ****ed up eye, Arkham City's version of Penguin is my favorite.

 

[jmc]

Yeah, if you watch the Batman Returns special features, I believe even Tim Burton says that WB wanted him to use Penguin because the character was the "number two guy."

Yep, it was always Joker first, Penguin second up until 1992. Two-Face wasn't nearly as well known outside the comic community until the early 90's even though he's been considered the number two foe in comic circles for decades. It would have been a different story had he been in the 60's TV show, but he was deemed to grusome a character for the tone of the series. The animated series is really where he was brought back to life and like it or not Batman Forever was what finally lifted him to A-list status for the general public. Dent is now a solid number 2 in the rogues gallery and will be for the foreseeable future thanks to Nolan.

 

[Snow Queen]

^^Wasn't he going to be a TV host who had a TV camera blow up in his face played by Clint Eastwood at one point?

 

[jmc]

I'm pretty sure Clint was lined up for the role, I'm not sure about his back story though.

 

[Victarion]

I've heard that backstory as well for 60's Two-Face.

 

[Snow Queen]

Here's what Wikipedia says:

Although Clint Eastwood was discussed for the role of Two-Face in the 1960s Batman television series, reimagined as a news anchor who was disfigured when a television set exploded in his face,[33] he did not appear as the character was labeled "too gruesome and too violent" for the "kid-friendly" attitude that surrounded the show (comics and cartoon strips were subject to strict censorship at this time).

 

[JackWhite]

lol, a Clint Eastwood "60's style" Two-Face? I wouldn't have minded seeing that.

 

[DACrowe]

In fact Burgess Meredith's Penguin was the show's most popular villain. So popular that they always had a script prepared for Meredith any time he might become available to do a show.

Indeed. The studio pretty much demanded that Penguin and Catwoman be the villains in Batman Returns because they just assumed they were his #2s and #3s, likely because of that show (it sure ain't the comics in Penguin's case). I bet giving Burton a character like Oswald to Burton-ize caused some headaches in retrospect. They just better be glad he never got to do Two-Face.

I think Penguin's stature has gone down. In terms of comics I would not even consider him in the top 10. He still has general awareness, but it seems writers have kind of abandoned the character over the last few decades.

 

[jmc]

On top of that most people aren't aware that Penguin's character has been altered significantly since '92. I don't think there's any doubt his stature has been diminished though, even Bane would probably rank higher in terms of public awareness now, or at least be on equal footing. 'Mob Boss' Penguin could easily have made his way into the Nolan series I believe but I'm doubtful his role would have been of any great significance. Something tells me a big rewrite of the character is going to be needed in order for him to see the cinematic light of day again. I like some of the ideas that Batman Arkham City brought to the character.

 

[OutRiddled]

Penguin is more distinctive visually than Bane, which is why I doubt Bane will be remembered more than Penguin in the years to come. Bane looked like some mexican wrestler, then they almost completely changed his look for TDKR. Penguin has always been fairly consistent visually - a short, fat guy with suit, top hat, long nose, umbrella, etc..

 

[Tequilla]

I love how some of you are so affirmative about the majority of public awareness of street walkers (of the entire world !!) . t:

I have no idea who's more popular today , regarding those two.

The only thing i know about villains is that Joker leads the pack. By a huge distance.

 

[RAINMAKER]

It came as a surprise to most of us, but the logic behind it made sense in that it gave Batman the physical threat he lacked in the series.

I don't understand why people keep saying this. Ras Al Ghul was a physical threat. He handled Batman on the train until he was distracted by the crashing train.

While Joker isn't a physical threat, he sure handled Batman at the Pruitt building. Like the final fight in TDKR, this fight was awful.

 

[BatLobster]

I don't understand why people keep saying this. Ras Al Ghul was a physical threat. He handled Batman on the train until he was distracted by the crashing train.

While Joker isn't a physical threat, he sure handled Batman at the Pruitt building. Like the final fight in TDKR, this fight was awful.

Eh, there was never really the fear there with Ra's that "this guy could actually beat the crap out of Batman". As the guy who trained Bruce, he was naturally a worthy opponent for him, but you never had that visceral sense of brutality, nor was it called for in the story. With Bane, you get that pure physical intimidation factor.

That's what's meant by "physical threat".

 

[The Joker]

Eh, there was never really the fear there with Ra's that "this guy could actually beat the crap out of Batman". As the guy who trained Bruce, he was naturally a worthy opponent for him, but you never had that visceral sense of brutality, nor was it called for in the story. With Bane, you get that pure physical intimidation factor.

That's what's meant by "physical threat".

Exactly. Ra's also used swords as well. Weapons. As for Joker, he was a dirty fighter. Using dogs, and nets, and metal bars to pummel Batman while he was down.

 

[Anno_Domini]

And the physical threat is used because Bane is someone that ended up breaking Batman, period. While Ra's al Ghul and Joker used weapons in fighting Batman, they still had never been able to 'Break the Bat' as Bane did.

 

[OutOfBoose]

I think, he was portrayed more or less correctly and became an A-list villain. Along with The Joker, Two-Face, Catwoman, Scarecrow and Ra's.

 

[jmc]

I don't understand why people keep saying this. Ras Al Ghul was a physical threat. He handled Batman on the train until he was distracted by the crashing train.

While Joker isn't a physical threat, he sure handled Batman at the Pruitt building. Like the final fight in TDKR, this fight was awful.

We say it because it's true.

 

[batfreakforever]

Well we all know The Joker is on top but to me the other rogues are subjective depending on who you ask.

 

[DACrowe]

In general I think The Joker and Catwoman are the two everyone knows. After that it is very subjective between Two-Face, Penguin, maybe now Bane and even Mister Freeze (though not for the right reasons). But I think if comic writers do not continue to waste him, Bane could become a permanent top tier villain. Time will tell.