The Batman: 10 Things Only Comic Fans Know About The Iceberg Lounge

The Iceberg Lounge hasn’t always been a major location in past Gotham-related live-action, projects but it features heavily in The Batman. The nightclub owned by the Penguin also happens to be Selina Kyle’s first workplace. During her time there as a waitress, she helps Batman acquire intel on some of Gotham’s key baddies.

Several other details about the Iceberg Lounge are revealed in the movie, giving fans a firm understanding of the establishment. However, there are a couple of details about Penguin’s base of operations that only comic fans know. These details range from its features to some of its former owners.

Bruce Often Sneaks In Using A Secret Identity

In order to gather information about the Penguin and the numerous criminals that frequent the establishment, Bruce often stops by under the guise of Matches Malone. He starts doing so in Batman # 247.

The Caped Crusader appears to have no time for undercover work in The Batman. He simply shows up at the nightclub in full costume and starts beating up people, forcing Penguin to try and reason with him. While it’s an effective approach, operating as Matches Malone in the comics enables Bruce to learn much more than he ever has. After all, no ordinary citizens are allowed inside the nightclub. For example, in one of the Joker’s most brutal moments, he kills a tourist for entering and sitting on his favorite seat, only for it to be later revealed that he didn’t actually have a favorite seat.

When It Was Founded

According to Batman: Gates of Gotham #3, the Iceberg Lounge was founded by former Gotham mayor and Penguin’s great grandfather, Theodore Cobblepot, in the late 19th century. Theodore is said to have made most of his money from the steel industry.

Batman and Penguin are defined by their enmity, but Theodore is said to have been great friends with Bruce’s great-grandfather Alan Wayne. Together with Edward Elliott, the 3 are described as the founding fathers of Gotham.

The Managers

Since he is often away engaging in mischief, Penguin has three women running the nightclub for him, namely Raven, Jay, and Lark. The trio—named after birds—also act as occasional henchwomen for the villain.

Raven, Jay, and Lark have rarely featured in DC animated and live-action projects, which is understandable since they have very few arcs in the comics. These three are presumably the inspiration for Zoë Kravitz’s version of Selina Kyle in the movie, since Selina never actually works for Penguin in the comics.

Another Villain Briefly Acquires It

In Detective Comics #800, Roman Sionis AKA Black Mask becomes too powerful, driving other villains out of Gotham, including Penguin. He then takes over the Iceberg Lounge and converts it into his base of operations.

Readers are often left baffled by how easily Black Mask defeats other villains, since he is a disappointment for most of his life. For the most part, he is seen as the opposite of Bruce Wayne. He causes the death of his own parents after burning the house down. And while Bruce Wayne runs Wayne Enterprises successfully, Sionis runs Janus Cosmetics into the ground. Failure soon finds him again, because Penguin makes a comeback and reclaims his nightclub.

Penguin Allows His Associates To Carry Out Hits In It

Since the Intergang frequents the lounge, Penguin allows Mr. Freeze and Killer Croc to whack members of the faction while they are partying in Batman and the Outsiders (Volume 2) #13. As a result, one of the biggest threats to Gotham’s core group of baddies ceases to exist.

Traditionally, the Intergang members are based in Metropolis, first appearing in one of the best ’70s Superman comics, Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #133. But given DC’s tendency to shuffle antagonists from time to time, it isn’t such a shocker when they find themselves in Gotham. Luckily, Batman doesn’t have to deal with them. It’s the key group of Gotham villains that plots to take them out since their presence destabilizes the status quo.

The Jason Todd Takeover

Jason Todd takes over the lounge and keeps Penguin as a prisoner inside the basement in Red Hood: Outlaw #32. Later on, Bunker, one of Todd’s enforcers, decamps and frees Penguin, allowing him to regain control of his business.

Penguin doesn’t often find himself in helpless situations, but he does this time because Todd becomes unstoppable when he morphs into the Red Hood. Unfortunately for Todd, he has a person with a conscience in his payroll. Miguel Barragan, AKA Bunker, sees Penguin’s enslavement as morally wrong hence he frees him. Sadly, by doing so, he lets loose an even bigger monster.

A Brief Period Of Rebranding

In Batman and the Outsiders (Vol. 2) #13, Penguin rebrands the Iceberg Lounge to the Iceberg Casino. He also redesigns it to look like an actual iceberg and makes it float. However, he shuts it down upon hearing that one of the best DC martial artists, Lady Shiva, is coming to Gotham to hunt down mobsters.

It’s a shame that the Iceberg Casino doesn’t last that long, as it’s an architectural masterpiece. Though Gotham’s ordinary citizens aren’t allowed inside, it becomes an unofficial tourist site, with people often passing by to view it from the outside. But as profitable as the casino was, even Penguin can’t stick around to see what the woman that’s described as “the world’s greatest assassin” will do.

Its Features

As per Detective Comics #801, the lounge covers an area of 12,800-square-feet. Additionally, it has a large pool containing penguins and seals. On the first floor is Penguin’s dining area as well as an office from which he can oversee all the activities.

From an animal rights perspective, the Penguin on the pages treats his pets way better compared to Danny DeVito’s Penguin in Batman Returns, who keeps his penguins in the sewers. Interestingly, Colin Farrell’s Penguin doesn’t appear to have any pet penguins or seals, but this could possibly change in the spinoff series.

It Gets Destroyed A Couple Of Times

When Penguin gets outed as the person kidnapping pregnant women in Detective Comics #803, a mysterious attacker bombs the nightclub. The villain Architect also bombs it in Batman: Gates of Gotham #2 as payback for the crimes that Penguin’s ancestors committed.

In most cases, anything that gets destroyed in Gotham always gets rebuilt quickly. In the two instances when the nightclub gets destroyed, Penguin also uses his legally acquired cash to rebuild the lounge once again.

Black Canary Applies For A Job

As part of Black Canary’s rebooted origin tale in Birds of Prey (Vol. 4) #0, Dinah applies for a job at the Iceberg Lounge, hoping the gig will help her destroy the Basilisk organization. Penguin declines her application but she impresses him by beating up his henchmen.

Since Iceberg employees mostly consist of Penguin’s inner circle, the villain is very careful about who he hires. This helps him keep undercover agents at bay. But thanks to her relentlessness, Black Canary is still able to get onto the payroll. And she sure does prove to be a useful addition before the two fall out.

About The Author

Philip Etemesi
(1218 Articles Published)

Philip Etemesi is an author, journalist, screenwriter and film critic based in Nairobi. Kenya. As a child, he preferred watching movies like The Goodfellas instead of Home Alone. His girlfriend constantly has to pull him from the front of the TV but he just keeps returning. Stubborn dude! An animal lover, Philip also has a pet giraffe called Refu.

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