(Batman II #23.3) - Through Iceberg Casino security cameras Penguin spotted the Illusionists, a failed magic act, cheating his casino. He had Lark, Otto Kruft and the rest of his security hustle the men off the floor for a little talk. The Illusionist were full of Bravado, refusing to hand over their winnings and believing Penguin wouldn’t do anything to them because he was no longer the hardened crimelord he used to be. Penguin walked with them outside and then murdered them using an umbrella that shot shotgun rounds and had a knife in the handle. Lark was impressed, and Penguin said he hadn’t killed anyone in years, but she assured him he hadn’t gotten rusty. As a show of force Penguin had the bodies dumped outside of GCPD headquarters. Mayor Carter Winston gave an interview, complaining that Gotham had grown more lawless since Batman’s disappearance, and threatening to shut down the Iceberg Casino. Penguin watched the news interview and assured Lark that Winston was bluffing and only playing his role as mayor, telling her that they’d been friends since childhood. Penguin had Winston over for dinner, and Winston told him he wasn’t putting on an act about cleaning up Gotham. He said Penguin was unrecognizable from the child he once knew, and had grown into a monster. He planned to have the casino and the slums surrounding it torn down and turned into family friendly strip of businesses. Penguin drugged Winston’s champagne, brought him to a hotel room with his assistant Miss Collins and dosed him with Venom. The Venom turned Carter berserk and he murdered Miss Collins before passing out. When he woke he was horrified seeing Collins’ body and Penguin presented him with a recording he made of the murder, warning him to back off his crusade or be exposed. Carter held a press conference where he committed suicide by shooting himself with a gun. Penguin told Lark to arrange the biggest flower arrangement possible sent to his funeral.