This article contains spoilers for The Penguin and The Batman.
Lets consider two different ways of meeting the Batman.
Im Batman, he growls.
In 2022, Batman makes a slower, more drawn-out appearance.
Voiceover from Bruce Wayne assures us that Batman is present and watching, waiting to make his move.
He chooses to intervene when a group of young toughs attack a civilian.
The Batmanmostly works, thanks to the filmmaking talents of Reeves and his collaborators.
In the third episode ofThe Penguin, Oz and Sofia meetMr.
Bloom, the creator of a powerful drug called Bliss.
He speaks with a strange lilt, represented by Steve Wands, even when standing up to the Penguin.
InThe Penguin, Mr. Bloom is a man in a white lab coat.
He has a beard.
Psychedelics exist in this world, but not superpowers.
He could just as easily be called Mr. Smith or Mr. Johnson.
In fact, he deserves such a generic name because hes such a generic character.
After all, superheroes are always power fantasies.
They are fantasies, and should be treated as such.
Batman can do all of that while dropping from the sky and growling at baddies.
He doesnt have to walk into a battle like a regular guy because he isnt a regular guy.
All episodes of The Penguin are now streaming on Max.
