The Penguin Introduces a Classic Batman: The Animated Series Character to The Batman Universe

We’re almost halfway through the first season of The Penguin, HBO’s buzzy new series inspired by the lore of the DC Universe. The live-action series continues the story of Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell), who made his debut as a standout villain during 2022’s The Batman. The series’ role as a bridge between The Batman and 2026’s The Batman Part II has allowed for some fascinating franchise connections, ranging from massive plot points to smaller ties. The latest episode of the season was no exception, delivering plenty of surprises — including the live-action introduction of a character best known for playing a prominent role in the beloved Batman: The Animated Series. Spoilers for Episode 4 of The Penguin, “Cent’anni”, lurk below! Only look if you want to know!

The majority of “Cent’anni” consists of a flashback sequence to the origin story of Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti), explaining the tragic and unexpected circumstances that led to her being institutionalized in Arkham Asylum. More specifically, Sofia was framed for the string of murders committed by a serial killer known as “The Hangman”, who strangled a seemingly-random array of single women across Gotham City. Prior to Sofia being framed and incarcerated, she was actually approached by a Gotham Gazette journalist with evidence that the murders were being carried out by her father, Carmine Falcone (Mark Strong). The journalist in question was named Summer Gleeson (Nadine Malouf) — who very quickly becomes the next victim of “The Hangman.” While Summer’s role in the episode is relatively brief, it does continue a unique history for the DC character.

Who Is DC’s Summer Gleeson?

Created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm, Summer Gleeson first made her debut in the 1992 Batman: The Animated Series episode “Heart of Ice.” Voiced by Mari Devon, Summer is initially introduced as a high-profile journalist who is set to give a humanitarian award to businessman Ferris Boyle. After a fight between Batman and Mister Freeze interrupted the event, Batman presented Summer with evidence of Boyle’s corruption. Summer then played a significant role in a number of Batman: The Animated Series episodes, regularly being targeted and kidnapped by members of Batman’s rogues gallery.

Summer subsequently carried over into the pages of DC’s comics, making her debut in 2002’s Batman: The Animated Series tie-in series Batman: Gotham Knights #33. While she has yet to make her debut in the main DC continuity, she most recently had minor roles in the Black Label series Harleen, and in Batman ’89, which spins off the lore of Tim Burton’s Batman moves.

What Is The Penguin About?

The Penguin is the next chapter in The Batman saga from Matt Reeves.The series stars Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb, Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone, Rhenzy Feliz as Victor Aguilar, Michael Kelly as Johnny Viti, Shohreh Aghdashloo as Nadia Maroni, Deirdre O’Connell as Francis Cobb, Clancy Brown as Salvatore Maroni, James Madio as Milos Grapa, Scott Cohen as Luca Falcone, Michael Zegen as Alberto Falcone, Carmen Ejogo as Eve Karlo, and Theo Rossi as Dr. Julian Rush.

New episodes of The Penguin premiere on both HBO and Max every Sunday night.