10 Greatest Comic Book Villains With ZERO Superpowers

7. Penguin

Mysterio Spider-Man
DC Comics

The Penguin is as popular as supervillains get and yet, he's often dismissed. Considering Batman regularly fights an alligator man and an immortal alchemist, battling a chubby mafioso seems like a piece of cake.

But Oswald Cobblepot shouldn't be underestimated. The bird-loving criminal has accumulated a dozen legitimate businesses across Gotham, most of which act as a front to illegal activities. The city's police know Penguin is dirty but have nothing on paper to prove it. Even though Batman could wipe the floor with the aviary-themed crime boss, he prefers to have him as an ally. Since Cobblepot's casinos attract supervillains and mobsters, he has more intel on the city's crime than the police. As a result, he's more than happy to give Batman the inside scoop on upcoming crime sprees if he and the 'Bat-brats' leave him alone.

Even though Penguin likes to hide behind a horde of goons, he can take care of himself. Not only is he armed with a slew of weaponised umbrellas, he's an expert in judo and bare-knuckle boxing. He's also survived a hanging and being shot in the face, proving he's far more resilient than one would imagine.

Contributor

James Egan has been with Whatculture for five years and prominently works on Horror, Film, and Video Games. He's written over 80 books including 1000 Facts about Horror Movies Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts About James Bond 1000 Facts About TV Shows