THE PENGUIN RARELY gets mentioned alongside the big names in Batman's rogues gallery. He doesn't have the same menace as the Joker or the allure of Catwoman. But there's a reason the Penguin has been a consistent presence in Batman comics since his first appearance in 1941's Detective Comics #58.

Even more so than the aforementioned favorites, the Penguin is a strangely malleable character, one who can be reimagined to fit the times and the story. He can be a dapper crook, whose unusual appearance belies more sophisticated tastes. He can be a grotesque monster, a hideous mirror to Gotham's upper crust. He can be the ultimate gimmicky antagonist, who keeps Batman at bay with an umbrella arsenal.

The latest adaptation of the Penguin imagines Oswald "Oz" Cobb (shortened from 'Cobblepot,' his previous surname) as a mob boss who sees an opportunity. The HBO series The Penguin picks up where The Batman left off, with Gotham's boss Carmine Falcone dead after the Riddler revealed his collusion with the police. Played by Irish actor Colin Farrell, under pounds of make-up and a Chicago accent, Oz will try to make his claim for the city's crime throne, possibly with the help of Carmine's daughter Sofia (Cristin Milioti).

To get the full range of possibilities for the Penguin, you've got to go beyond the TV show and wade into the comics, starting with these classic tales.