The Penguin

DC's origin had him at first running a pet store,specializing in BIRDS, to support his ailing mother. She made him carry an umbrella with him at all times, in case it suddenly rained. Others made fun of him for his looks, his walk, his name and his carrying that umbrella around all the time.

He might have remained a little-known,but moderately successful pet store operator, had his mother not sickened and died. His creditors seized the pet store to pay the hospital and funeral bills, and embittered Oswald sought revenge. Rebuffed by a gang leader, he fashioned a gun out of his umbrella, killed the gang leader with it and took over the gang, only to abandon them to the cops, at their first heist. he did make off with the loot,tho.

He had since honed his skills - and schticks. Creating deadly umbrellas, training birds to steal,etc. He even had a umbrellacopter !

DC probably repeatedly revised -and messed up Penguin's origin and so forth, even making him a freak.