| Iceberg Lounge | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Detective Comics #683 (March 1995) |
| Created by | Chuck Dixon |
| In-story information | |
| Type of business | Nightclub |
| Base(s) | Gotham City |
| Owner(s) | Penguin |
| Employee(s) | Jay, Raven, and Lark |
The Iceberg Lounge is a fictional nightclub appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The Iceberg Lounge is owned and run by the Penguin, an adversary of the superhero Batman, as a legitimate business front for his criminal operations. Batman sometimes uses the nightclub as a source of criminal underworld information.
History[]
Seemingly tiring of the criminal lifestyle, Penguin (Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot) went "legit" and opened an upscale nightclub, "The Iceberg Lounge". He has three new women running his club for him in his absence: Jay, Raven, and Lark. The Iceberg Lounge is the hottest new place in town according to Gotham's jaded in crowd. The preening Penguin enjoys the good life, but he has not entirely abandoned his criminal ways. Using the club as a front, the Penguin secretly continues to control Gotham City's underworld by bartering in illegal information and stolen goods, often with the help of his loyal waitresses (the Iceberg Ladies) who are armed with martial arts and military training.
The two-story, 12,800-square-foot restaurant and lounge included a large pool for pet seals and penguins in the central dining area, an iceberg-like sculpture in the pool, a ship-themed dance floor and polar décor. A tuxedoed jazz band on the sculpture is often seen playing tunes. The Penguin has his own private dining area, upstairs near the bar where he can oversee everything. Some of the nightclub's more secret areas include the Penguin's office and armory, and some of the Iceberg Lounge's hidden back rooms, which serve various criminal purposes. Batman often infiltrates the Iceberg Lounge to keep an eye on The Penguin's after-hours activities, usually under the guise of Matches Malone. The Iceberg Lounge has been frequented by many major and minor rogues alike, from the Joker to Amygdala.
No Man's Land[]
The building sustained serious damage when an earthquake struck Gotham City, but the Penguin continued to operate, moving the lounge to the Davenport Towers. Then, when the federal government withdrew support, the city became a No Man's Land, and still the Penguin operated, profiting more than ever. He bartered goods and services to all comers, siphoning off enough to sustain himself. He also knew of an access tunnel that enabled material and supplies to flow into the city. After the city was reintegrated into the United States, the Penguin had the lounge rebuilt, only to discover that the building was now owned by Bruce Wayne, who kept a close eye on the business. Soon after, the Penguin was chased out of Gotham City by Black Mask, but he returned and continued to operate the lounge.
The New 52[]
Penguin reopened the Iceberg Lounge under a new name; the Iceberg Casino. It is now a floating casino and hotel just outside Gotham, designed like a sparkling iceberg. A secret backroom was the meeting place for some of Gotham's newest villains, such as Hypnotic, Mister Combustible and Mister Toxic. Not long after its grand opening, the villain Snakeskin attempted to assassinate the Penguin, but was caught and killed by the Iceberg Casino's staff before he could succeed.
Rumors began spreading that Lady Shiva was coming to Gotham to kill organized crime. Heeding the warning, Penguin closes down the casino temporarily and leaves the country until the threat passes.
In other media[]
Television[]
- As in the comic books, the Iceberg Lounge depicted in Batman: The Animated Series had an Arctic theme with an artificial lake in the middle of the main room, with an iceberg and real seals in it. Many of Gotham's criminals could be seen drinking here, including the Joker and Rupert Thorne. Penguin also had a back entrance which he used for his illegal meetings.
- While Penguin does not appear in Justice League Unlimited, the Iceberg Lounge made a cameo appearance at the beginning of the episode "This Little Piggy". While Batman and Wonder Woman are observing the people coming out of the nightclub, one of Bruce's previous girlfriends (who threw her drink over him in Batman: Mask of the Phantasm at Wayne's party) can be seen getting into a taxi.
- The Iceberg Lounge featured in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "The Mask of Matches Malone!". When Batman loses his memory and thinks he is Matches Malone he goes on an unstoppable crime spree and sent villains fleeing, he briefly occupied the Iceberg Lounge. Black Canary, Huntress, and Catwoman entered the back door and found themselves forced to improvise a musical number for the audience. They were captured and hoisted above the shark. Eager to destroy Batman, Malone spread word of the capture. Two-Face arrived as Batman and confronted the gangster. The battle spilled over to the rooftop where the Lounge's sign collapsed atop both villains.
- In Gotham, The Sirens, known as The NEW Sirens Club, and formerly known as "The Iceberg Lounge", is a simulational nightclub/base that is located in Gotham City. It was run by Oswald Cobblepot who renamed the club as The Iceberg Lounge. Prior to Oswald's takeover, Barbara Kean owned the original club and had the current title "The Sirens", she now maintains the nightclub as a base of operations with the help of Tabitha Galavan and Selina Kyle. During the season three finale, the Penguin makes plans to open a new nightclub called "The Iceberg Lounge", in which a frozen Edward Nygma will become the main attraction. The Iceberg Lounge is featured in the season four.
Film[]
- The Iceberg Lounge featured in the Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman, which is in the same continuity as Batman: The Animated Series. Bruce Wayne goes on a date to the club with Kathy Duquesne to learn if she is Batwoman. During the date at the club the Penguin is attacked by Batwoman. The Penguin meets with Bane at the club hiring him as his new enforcer, he even comments that he uses the back entrances of his club so much he's considering having a revolving door installed.
- The Iceberg Lounge is featured in the animated movie Batman: Assault on Arkham, in which the Suicide Squad, commanded by Amanda Waller, has to break into Arkham Asylum, to retrieve the Riddler. When they arrive in Gotham, they have to go to the Iceberg Lounge, run by the Penguin, who was hired by Waller to equip the Suicide Squad with the needed weapons before they could head into Arkham.
- The Iceberg Lounge can be seen in the background in some scenes of The Lego Batman Movie, including a scene when Gotham City is being attacked (it is on fire).
Video games[]
- The Iceberg Lounge is referenced in Batman: Arkham Asylum, in William North's Office within Intensive Treatment in Arkham Asylum; there is a poster advertising the Iceberg Lounge.
- The Iceberg Lounge is featured in Batman: Arkham City. It is the Penguin's base within Cyrus Pinkney's Institute for Natural History. Solomon Grundy is kept underneath it. The Iceberg Lounge VIP Room Challenge room which was available in the collectors edition package of the game will be available separately via a DLC pack December 20, 2013.
- The Iceberg Lounge is referenced in Batman: Arkham Origins. Blue prints for the club can be seen on the wall in the Penguin's office.
- The Iceberg Lounge is featured in DC Universe Online, it is located in the Diamond district of Gotham City.