What to Remember from THE BATMAN’s Crime Families Before THE PENGUIN

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As a lifelong fan of Batman comics, I must say that the rich tapestry of characters from both the Falcone and Maroni families is simply mind-boggling! From their roots in the iconic “Batman: Year One” and “The Long Halloween” to their ongoing presence in Gotham City’s underbelly, these crime families have captivated readers for decades.

In simpler terms, the title “The Batman Epic Crime Universe” for Matt Reeves’ Gotham City is quite fitting. The film features both a superhero and a chilling serial killer, but the main story revolves around organized crime, police, and government corruption. It’s intriguing to see how deeply Gotham’s corruption runs, which was emphasized in “The Batman.” Interestingly, the TV series “The Penguin” also explores this aspect of Gotham, even though it centers around a well-known comic villain named The Penguin. Most of “The Penguin” focuses on the power struggles and feuds between two crime families mentioned in “The Batman.

Before delving into “The Penguin“, it’s essential to recall some key points about the Falcone and Maroni crime families and organizations.

Boss Carmine Falcone Is Dead

In “The Batman” movie adaptation, John Turturro’s character, Carmine Falcone, serves as a central figure, orchestrating most of the storylines. On the show, this role is filled by Mark Strong. Falcone is the superior of Oz Cobblepot (Colin Farrell), and he owns the Iceberg Lounge where Oswald Cobblepot operates. Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) learns that Falcone was acquainted with his father, Thomas Wayne. Thomas had treated Falcone’s criminal injuries in the past, and later, when a journalist threatened to reveal Martha Wayne’s mental health issues, Thomas requested Falcone to intimidate the reporter. Falcone also had an extramarital relationship with Maria Kyle, a dancer at the Iceberg, making him Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz)’s father.

The pivotal scene in the movie comes when Batman discovers that Falcone has been betraying information to the police for their protection, allowing him to commit murder without consequence – he killed a reporter, Selina’s mother, and later her friend Annika upon learning the truth about his crimes. As part of his treachery, Falcone also sold out Salvatore Maroni, a rival criminal kingpin controlling the city’s illegal drug trade, and took over the operation. He appoints Oz to manage it.

By solving the riddles set by the Riddler (played by Paul Dano), Batman exposes the corruption within the GCPD and the honest officers take action to apprehend Falcone. Meanwhile, the Riddler fatally shoots Falcone with a rifle hidden in a neighboring building.

The Penguin Sees a Vacuum in the Criminal Underworld

In the final scenes of “The Batman”, I found myself gazing over Gotham City, as Oswald Cobblepot (the Penguin), who had fiercely opposed Falcone’s alliance with the law enforcement, seemed to be pondering his ascension to power. However, the series hinted that it wouldn’t be a straightforward climb. The loyalists within the Falcone organization aren’t likely to submit to someone like Cobb so easily. Moreover, he must navigate through the ambitions of Carmine’s legitimate offspring – Alberto (played by Michael Zegen) and Sofia (portrayed by Cristin Milioti). Both are eager to seize control of the organization, with Sofia having just been released from Arkham Asylum following allegations of multiple murders committed under the guise of the Hangman.

Salvatore Maroni Also Has a Score to Settle with the Falcone Crime Family

In the upcoming series “The Penguin”, Salvatore Maroni, previously mentioned, will be portrayed by Clancy Brown. Before the entry of Falcone, Maroni was the dominant force in the drops industry, but now that Carmine is gone and a major secret has been revealed, he sees this as a chance to reclaim what was once his. Unfortunately for him, he remains imprisoned. However, his wife Nadia (Shohreh Aghdashloo) is more than capable and merciless enough to stand up against the Penguin and Falcone’s children.

The Falcones, the Maronis, and Their Crime Families in the Batman Comics

In the dark world of Gotham City portrayed in “The Batman” and “The Penguin”, these characters are not entirely fresh faces to the Batman universe. In fact, numerous figures belonging to both the Falcone and Maroni clans have made significant appearances in Batman comics for decades.

Carmine Falcone

In the groundbreaking four-issue comic series “Batman: Year One,” published by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli in 1987, we were introduced to the character of Carmine Falcone for the first time. Later on, he became a prominent adversary in Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s influential series, “Batman: The Long Halloween,” which was published between 1996 and 1997. This series has significantly influenced both “The Batman” and “The Penguin.” A scene from this book depicts Thomas Wayne treating Carmine’s injuries while a young Bruce looked on. Ultimately, in “The Long Halloween,” Carmine meets his end at the hands of Two-Face.

Sofia and Alberto Falcone

In “The Long Halloween” and “Dark Victory,” both Falcone siblings make their debut, with additional comic book characters expanding the family. Sofia works alongside her father in “The Long Halloween” to unmask the Holiday Killer, a mysterious murderer who claims victims on specific holidays. Surprisingly, it’s revealed that Alberto Falcone is actually the Holiday Killer.

In the year 2000, during the occurrence known as “Dark Victory”, character Sofia Falcone disguised herself as the notorious serial killer, the Hangman. This enigmatic figure targeted and eliminated members of the Gotham City Police Department.

Salvatore Maroni

Salvatore Maroni is an incredibly old character, having made his debut in Batman issue #66 from 1942. He’s the brainchild of Bill Finger and Bob Kane! As one of Gotham City’s notorious crime bosses, he pops up now and then throughout the years. What sets him apart is that it was he who threw acid in Harvey Dent’s face, an event that ultimately transformed him into Two-Face. This occurs in “The Long Halloween” as well.

Kyle Anderson serves as the Senior Editor at TopMob, where he presents the weekly podcast, Laser Focus, delving into the world of pop culture. His film and television critiques can be found here. Connect with him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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2024-09-20 05:32