In the first season, like most interpretations, Alfred is Bruce's close friend and guardian. For the TV series, see, Fictional character throughout the DC Universe, Jerry Robinson (a). Alfred raises Bruce after the Waynes are murdered. Initially, Alfred discovered their identities by accident; while fighting a burglar in Batman #16 (Alfred's first appearance), he accidentally hit a switch and opened a sliding panel leading to the Batcave. Alfred appears in Tiny Titans, and often has to make Robin stand in the corner because he has misbehaved. Alfred later saved Bruce's life by shooting Mayor Oswald Cobblepot. 36). Alfred Pennyworth is featured in the Smallville Season 11 digital comic based on the TV series. In Batman #677, agents of Batman's mysterious enemy the Black Glove attack and beat Alfred in front of Bruce and Jezebel Jet, severely injuring him. After Bruce is discovered to be alive but with no memory of who he is or of his life as Batman, Alfred tells Bruce everything that had happened in his life up to the point of the creation of Batman, but accepts Bruce's request not to learn any more. He is also highly respected by those heroes who are aware of his existence, including Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and the original Teen Titans. He also had close friendships with other members of the Batman family, including Barbara Gordon and Cassandra Cain. When visiting a local pub, Dave Boy and Alfred get the first sightings of a new potential job. Alfred teaches Bruce to handle the bully strategically, rather than using brute force. In Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, an elderly Alfred still acts as Bruce's butler, mourning Bruce's diminished social contacts while continuing to loyally serve his master even after Bruce becomes Batman once again after a ten-year retirement. 30 essential albums from the last 30 years. However, after Alfred is attacked by Hush and infected with a fear toxin,[15] she discovers the Batcave and takes on her father's role to coordinate the Bat-Family's efforts against their foes. In one story in which he is kidnapped, he readily escapes and overcomes his captors without disturbing the cut of his suit. The daughter of Batman and Catwoman picks up the Bat-mantle in Batsy’s absence with the assistance of an Alfred played by Ian Abercrombie. After several months, Alfred voices the desire to quit and return home to continue his life as an actor. “So, I said I was Batman’s butler.”. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. The Pennyworth family’s presence on Batwoman is increasing beyond “Alfred” simply being Wayne Industries’ WiFi password. 3. [6], In Alfred's first appearance, he was overweight and clean-shaven; however, when the 1943 Batman serial was released, William Austin, the actor who played Alfred, was trim and sported a thin moustache. See, Proficiency in first aid medical techniques and computer systems, Jarvis Pennyworth: Alfred's father in both Pre-. Julia confirms to Bruce later in the issue that Alfred survived the encounter and is in a stable condition. What better time than a pandemic to reappraise a 2000s micro-genre marked by tank tops, inexplicably attractive casts, and copious amounts of gore. All rights reserved. To Alfred's shock, he discovered that Thomas and Martha had named him Bruce's legal guardian some time ago. © 2020 Vox Media, LLC. The character first appeared in Batman #16 (April 1943), by writer Don Cameron and artist Bob Kane. 6. In the comic book tie-in series to the video game, Alfred remained loyal to Bruce even when Bruce began the Insurgency and opposed Superman and had his secret identity exposed. The Pre-Crisis comics (the comics that were published by DC Comics between 1938 and 1984) established Alfred as a retired actor and intelligence agent who followed the deathbed wish of his dying father (who he identified only as "Jarvis") to carry on the tradition of serving the Wayne family. Following Batman's assault on the corrupt Gotham City police, Alfred and Vicki Vale are caught in the devastating car wreckage Batman creates (not aware of their presence) and Vale is badly hurt. Alfred has also been romantically linked to Dr. Leslie Thompkins, though his relationship with her never came to anything, particularly after she apparently allowed Stephanie Brown to die from neglect. In animation, he has been voiced by 15 actors, including Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and Jeff Bennett. (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises). Behind every hero lies his main man, one who is his best friend, confidant, support system and, often, a surrogate father figure. Due to Alfred being dead for a long time, he is brought back in a zombie-like state and requires constant medical attention from Damian. She’s not the type to sing songs oh so typical. [1], Pennyworth is depicted as Bruce Wayne's loyal and tireless butler, housekeeper, legal guardian, best friend, aide-de-camp, and surrogate father figure following the murders of Thomas and Martha Wayne. 9. Alfred, refusing to stay idly by like he did when everyone else lost their powers, attempted to strike one of the police members and was killed in response. He knows that Bruce is secretly Batman and aids him. It was later mentioned that he had been kidnapped unsuccessfully 27 times (these events take place in the Gotham Adventures comics, based on the animated adventures of Batman, and not within the standard DCU continuity). GET BREAKING NEWS IN YOUR BROWSER. 10. She joined the Batman Family as a mission control with the code name Penny-Two. Alfred is left emotionally shattered, commenting more than once that, even if his biological fatherhood is a fabrication, in a deeper sense he actually was Bruce Wayne's father, having watched over him for years and feeling he failed him in the last moments. When Superman invades the Batcave and breaks Batman's back, Alfred ingests the 5-U-93-R pill (which gives a person superhuman strength and durability) and subdues Superman, breaking his nose and beating him down. He has a daughter living in Seoul, South Korea with her mother, where Alfred had previously worked at a security firm, implying Julia Remarque's existence in this continuity. Trippy. This time, Alfred has a biracial daughter, Julia Pennyworth, who turns out to be a great addition to Batman’s team. In his debut, Alfred is a portly music-hall actor and aspiring detective who arrives in Gotham City intending to investigate the Batman phenomenon. Resume: Over the years and in various stories, Alfred is said to have had many other jobs prior to becoming Batman’s butler, including actor, intelligence agent, medic in the Royal Air Force and member of the Royal Marines, British Secret Service and the British Army’s Special Air Service. His father, Jarvis, had been the Wayne-family butler. [2][3][4] He serves as Bruce's moral anchor while providing comic relief with his sarcastic and cynical attitude which often adds humor to dialogue with Batman. He spends some time vacationing in Antarctica and the Bahamas before returning to England. Described as a “crafty and quick-witted British secret service agent,” Julia “shares a complicated past with Kate Kane, which impedes her mission as the two set sights on the same target,” according to the official character description. In the following years, Alfred remained the caretaker of Wayne Manor despite Bruce's absence, and still maintained a close relationship with Damian Wayne despite Damian's decision to join Superman. In Frank Miller and Jim Lee's All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder, Alfred is a tougher individual with a different backstory. For Batman this “wingman” is Alfred, who tirelessly serves as his butler and assistant. Ironically, Alfred's loyalty would lead him to become a member of Batman's rogue's gallery. Meredith has affiliate partnerships. [Comics 7] Alfred has also used the alias "Thaddeus Crane", which is derived from his middle names. During the "rematch" with the Batman Who Laughs - a Batman who was contaminated by the same chemicals that drove the Joker insane - the Batman Who Laughs claims that Alfred is the only member of his old family he left alive back in his world, the Batman Who Laughs claiming that he kept taunting his Alfred with hints that his original self was still 'alive' within him until the villain had corrupted Alfred to remain loyal despite acknowledging that Batman was now a monster, although Alfred denies that he would ever do such a thing. Current issues of the various Batman comics seem to indicate that Alfred is a pioneer in and has also mastered several fields of rose breeding (even creating his own, the "Pennyworth Blue"), computer programming, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, nanotechnology, and biotechnology as he singlehandedly builds, programs, and maintains much of Batman's next-generational technology such as the Batcomputer.