Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Penguin
The character of the Penguin has been around in the Batman universe since 1941, but now that he’s got his own gritty mobster drama on HBO, The Penguin, comic fans are wondering if certain characters have been adapted, changed, or introduced. Victor Aguilar, who made his debut in the show’s first episode, is a clearly going to have a big part in Oz’s story.
Played by Rhenzy Feliz, Victor makes his on-screen debut with friends who are trying to steal Oz’s plum Maserati. Oz shoots at them and manages to chase down Victor. He threatens him with a gun, but Oz sympathizes with him because of his stutter. Rather than killing him, Oz decides he can use Victor to help him hide Alberto Falcone‘s body—and in the closing moments of episode 1, the scene is set for a partnership.
Is Victor Aguilar in the Batman comics?
Verbatim, no, Victor is a character that was created for the purpose of HBO’s show. However, there are a few nods to the comics, one of which references the second Robin, Jason Todd. Todd debuted in Batman #357 (1983) as a circus acrobat, similar to Dick Grayson’s original origin. However, after Crisis on Infinite Earths, his backstory was rewritten to make him a troubled street kid who Batman meets while he’s stealing the tires from the Batmobile. Sound familiar?
Todd’s most famous storyline comes in Batman: A Death in the Family (1988), in which the Joker brutally beats him with a crowbar and leaves him to die in an explosion. What made this story even more notable is that Jason’s fate was decided by a fan vote. DC Comics allowed readers to call in and vote on whether Jason should live or die—and by a narrow margin, the fans chose death. Here’s hoping Victor doesn’t suffer the same fate.
There’s another character in the Batman comics that Victor could be a nod to. Lark is a female bodyguard and enforcer who appeared in several of the Batman: The Animated Series episodes and comic adaptations. She acts as Penguin’s muscle, helping him with more physically demanding criminal activities. While not a major character in the larger Batman universe, Lark was a notable sidekick for the Penguin during the Animated Series run.