After Bruce Wayne’s parents were killed, Alfred Pennyworth wasn’t the only person who helped raise the hero who would become Batman.
WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for the Red Hood & Batman story “Cheer” by Chip Zdarsky, Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferriera, Jesus Merino, Marcus To, Adriano Lucas and Becca Carey featured in Batman Urban Legends #3, available now
Bruce Wayne’s decision to become Batman can be traced back to the night that the criminal Joe Chill murdered his parents in Crime Alley. This event shattered Bruce, traumatizing him and completely altering the course of his life. However, unlike most orphans, he was never actually alone. His most obvious surrogate parent was his butler Alfred, but there is another person who helped raise him and fill in for his parents: Leslie Thompkins.
She looked after Bruce when he was younger and continued to take an interest in him after he became Batman, even though she did not approve of many of his methods. Not long ago, she appeared to have been killed in an attack by the Joker. However, her most recent appearance confirms she is still around and continuing to care for lost children, including those Batman has taken under his wing.
Leslie Thompkins was created by Denny O’Neil and Dick Giordano in Detective Comics #457 in a story taking place on the anniversary of Thomas and Martha Wayne’s murder. It is revealed that Batman always pays his respects to his parents on this night, and is always accompanied by Leslie. In the aftermath of the murder, she saw how the cops and reporters ignored the orphaned Bruce Wayne, so she comforted him on the worst night of his life. In the years since, she dedicated her life to helping people in Crime Alley, opening a medical clinic for those in need while taking a particular interest in the well-being of children.
She helped Alfred raise Bruce into the young man he became and had a long-lasting romantic relationship with the English butler. Batman would always be fiercely protective of her, menacing anyone in Crime Alley who dared to threaten his surrogate mother. Leslie remained a constant ally to him, though there were several points of contention between them. She often voiced concerns over some of his actions, notably his excessive use of violence and the way he led children into battle as his sidekicks. She cared for Jason Todd after he was nearly killed by the Joker. When Stephanie Brown was brutally tortured by Black Mask in the War Games story, Leslie helped Stephanie fake her own death and start a new life overseas. On top of this, she made it look like she had intentionally let Stephanie die to punish Batman for dragging children into his crusade.
The era of DC: Rebirth saw Leslie go through further difficulties. Her relationship with Batman grew more strained and she admonished him for forming a team with multiple teenage heroes on it. One of the most memorable stories of this period saw hew brutally die of Joker Toxin as Batman held her in his arms, trying to rush her to safety. Her last words were how proud she was of him. Bruce was devastated. However, this heartbreaking moment was later revealed to be a virtual hallucination, meaning it never actually happened.
Leslie most recent appearance was in the Red Hood & Batman story in Batman Urban Legends #3 by Chip Zdarsky, Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferriera, Jesus Merino and Marcus To. The story deals with the aftermath of Jason Todd killing a drug dealer whose romantic partner was in a coma after overdosing. The two had a young child named Tyler, who was at risk of becoming an orphan. Jason had been through Gotham’s broken foster care system and wanted to spare Tyler that pain.
Batman offered to help and brought the boy to Leslie Thompkins to look after. He explained the situation and said that whatever happened, he would find a more permanent solution. Leslie agreed to watch the child, but had one stipulation: the boy could not grow up to be another Robin. Naturally, Batman agreed to her demand. Neither of them wanted another child to go through that kind of pain.
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