Thomas Wayne
Encyclopedia
Thomas Wayne is a fictional character
in the Batman
series of comic books. Dr. Thomas Wayne was the father of Bruce Wayne
, and husband of Martha Wayne
, as well as a gifted surgeon and philanthropist. He was also the inheritor of the Wayne family fortune, which was built through industry and real estate by previous generations.
He is first introduced in Detective Comics
#33 (November 1939) in the first exposition of Batman's origin story
. In the story, he and his wife are murdered by a mugger
as young Bruce looks on helplessly. This trauma
influences Bruce to become Batman when he grows up. Decades after the character's death, he would play a major role in Geoff Johns
' Flashpoint
crossover series.
's memories of him, and often through Bruce's dreams and nightmares. He is frequently depicted as looking very much like Bruce Wayne, but sporting a thick mustache.
A notable occurrence in Thomas Wayne's biography was when Bruce fell through a fissure on the Wayne property, into what would one day become the Batcave
(sometimes the fissure is replaced with an abandoned well). Thomas Wayne eventually rescued his terrified son from the cave.
Thomas Wayne's role in his son's future vigilante career is expanded upon in The First Batman, a Silver Age tale which reveals that Dr. Wayne attacked and defeated hoodlums while dressed like a "Bat-Man" for a masquerade ball. According to the story, Thomas Wayne's actions resulted in crime boss Lew Moxon
being imprisoned; ten years later, Moxon orders Joe Chill
to murder Dr. Wayne. When Batman realizes Moxon ordered his parents killed, he confronts Moxon, who now suffers from amnesia
and thus has no memory of Thomas Wayne. When Batman's costume is torn, he wears his father's in order to frighten Moxon. Sure enough, the costume restores Moxon's memory; the former crime boss panics, believing that he is being attacked by Thomas Wayne's ghost, and flees into the streets where he is struck and killed by a truck. These events were retold in the 1980 miniseries The Untold Legend of the Batman
. Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths
, Dr. Wayne as the "First Batman" was retcon
ned - he instead attended the masquerade ball as Zorro
. This was furtherly retconned in the pages of Superman/Batman
, where Superman
, hoping to reverse some universe-altering change in the time streams, lands in a version of Gotham City in which Thomas never died, finding him giving out Halloween
candy in the original Batman costume.
In many of the modern interpretations of the character, such as those by Frank Miller
and Jeph Loeb
, Thomas is portrayed as having been a distant, stern father, bestowing kindness and generosity on his patients rather than his son.
Thomas Wayne was once suspected to be the father of Bane
, a man who, in the Knightfall story arc, breaks his son's back; however, DNA
testing proved this to be false, and Bane's real father was recently revealed to be King Snake
.
It is revealed in Batman: The Long Halloween
that, shortly before his murder, Thomas Wayne saved the life of gangster Carmine Falcone
. Falcone's father, Vincent, came to Wayne Manor and begged Thomas to save his dying son, who had been shot in a gangfight by rival gangster Luigi Maroni. Thomas wanted to take the younger Falcone to the hospital, but Vincent insisted that nobody know about the shooting; the surgery was thus performed in the dining room with Alfred assisting. After saving Carmine Falcone's life, he was offered a reward or favor, but he flatly refused, saying that "to a doctor, a patient is a patient." Young Bruce Wayne watched this all in silence from afar. Years later, Bruce contemplates whether Gotham would have been better off had his father let Falcone die.
In Superman/Batman #50, it is revealed that, while on a drive with a pregnant Martha, Thomas witnessed a strange object fall to Earth
. As he inspects it, Thomas' consciousness is transported to Krypton
, and presented in a holographic form. There, he encounters Jor-El
, who wishes to know what kind of a world Earth is, as it is one of many possible candidates for him to send his son, Kal-El, to. Thomas tells Jor-El that the people of Earth aren't perfect, but are essentially a good and kind race, who would raise the child right, convincing Jor-El to send Kal-El there. Upon returning to his body, Thomas uses the technology in the Kryptonian probe to revitalise a failing Wayne Enterprises. Years later, the alien technology would be the basis of much of Batman's crimefighting technology. Thomas recorded his encounter in a diary, which was discovered by Bruce in the present day.
Due to the many writers who have worked on Batman stories, and constant references due to the central importance of the murder to the Batman mythos, many of the factors concerning the event have varied.
Interestingly, Batman #430, which portrays the aftermath of Jason Todd
's death, includes a scene in which Thomas Wayne was having trouble with some investments, and was going to sell short. Bruce thought that he needed some exercise to take his mind off of it and so offered to play catch with him, but Thomas angrily said no, striking him across the face. A hurt and resentful Bruce declares to his mother that he wished Thomas were dead. In an ironic twist of fate, Bruce's parents would be murdered that night.
Batman: Dark Victory
asserts that the Wayne murders were the main cause of much of the corruption and crime in Gotham City; once it became clear that even wealthy, important people could be murdered so easily, citizens began to lose faith in the police, and the police themselves started to lose faith in their importance, leading to corruption within the force.
Consistent elements have included Thomas Wayne being murdered by a pistol, and Martha Wayne's pearl necklace being torn, with the pearls falling into the gutter. In comic continuity, the murder took place at 10:47 p.m. (the Batcave is accessed by Batman through his manor by turning the hands of a grandfather clock
to this time), on the 26th of June.
Thomas and Martha Wayne are notable as two comic book characters who have remained dead
. Since his death, Thomas Wayne has only appeared in the Batman series in flashback
and in the occasional out-of-body experience or hallucination
. His most significant appearance in this latter category is in the miniseries Batman: Death and the Maidens by Greg Rucka
. In this story, Batman ingests an elixir given to him by his enemy, Ra's al Ghul
, and believes he is having a conversation with his dead parents. Interestingly, both Thomas and Martha disapprove of their son's costumed crusade, but Thomas admits that he merely disapproves of what being Batman has cost his son rather than actually disliking the concept itself. As she and Thomas depart, however, they assure Bruce that just because the passing of time has lessened his grief does not mean that he no longer cares for them, and, as a result, Bruce is able to accept that he is Batman because he chooses to be, not because he has to be.
In the alternative timeline of Flashpoint
, where Bruce died instead of Thomas and Martha, causing Thomas Wayne to become Batman and Martha the Joker, the alternative versions of the characters share the same point of view of their post-mortem counterparts in Death and the Maidens: while Thomas Wayne, despite knowing the burden Batman put on himself, shows to be proud of the sacrifices his son did in the correct timeline (having Flash bring a letter to his alternate-timeline son), Martha is further driven mad with grief and sadness, killing herself because she's unable to accept the suffering Bruce would be fated to bear.
, it is alleged that Thomas and Martha Wayne were leading a double life, secretly partaking in criminal endeavors, drug abuse
and orgies
while presenting a façade of respectability to the outside world. The alleged evidence is revealed to be doctored in the aftermath of the storyline, however.
Doctor Simon Hurt
, head of The Black Glove and the mastermind behind Batman R.I.P.
, actually claims to be Thomas Wayne to both Bruce and Alfred Pennyworth
. Although both of them rebuke him without hesitation, Hurt never explicitly drops the claim.
In the ongoing follow-up series, Batman & Robin
, it is suggested that some, if not all, of these allegations have begun to circulate around Gotham; Dick Grayson
and Damian Wayne
attend a high society function where a few party guests vaguely mention the existence of rumors surrounding the family, and Dick tries to tie Bruce's absence from the public eye with being occupied with clearing his family's reputation. Matters come to a head when Hurt returns to the city, claiming to be Thomas Wayne in order to take control of Wayne Manor and establish himself as the new Batman, but Grayson and Damian outsmart him.
It is hinted at during the course of the Batman and Robin series that Simon Hurt's actual identity is Thomas Wayne, albeit one from the 17th century who was a 'black sheep' of the Wayne family and prolongs his life through occult rituals. The Return of Bruce Wayne miniseries and its fallout Bruce Wayne: The Road Home cements Hurt's status as the elder Thomas Wayne from the Puritan Ages, driven insane by his meeting with Barbatos, the Hyper-Adapter sent through time along with Bruce Wayne to ensure the effectiveness of Darkseid's "Omega Sanction".
by Grant Morrison
and Frank Quitely
, the Thomas Wayne of the antimatter
universe is the father of the supervillain Owlman
. Like his original counterpart, he married Martha Kane and fathered Bruce Wayne. However, this version also had a second child, Thomas Wayne Jr. After Martha and Bruce are gunned down by a crooked policeman when Thomas Sr. refused to accompany him for questioning (when Thomas Wayne performed an "illegal medical operation."), Thomas Jr. becomes Owlman to get revenge on the justice system. It is later revealed that Thomas Wayne Sr. is currently acting as commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department
, seeking to bring his son to justice with the help of a cadre of idealistic officers. Owlman finds it his goal to "punish" his father for letting his mother and brother die.
's Superman: Red Son
, the parents of Batman (never named) are anti-communist protesters in the Soviet Union
. They are executed in their home by NKVD
Commissar Pyotr Roslov
for printing and distributing anti-communist pamphlets. Their son witnesses the murders and attempts to overthrow the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
when he is an adult.
, Thomas and Martha are saved from death when 'Valentin Sinclair'- really Vandal Savage
, who in this reality has a long-standing interest and admiration for the Wayne family despite the fact that they often end up opposing him when they learn about his plans- scared off Joe Chill, Sinclair becoming a partner in Wayne Enterprises, only for Sinclair to have them killed when they threaten to expose his plan to divert a meteor that gave him his powers back to Earth so that he can study it. Their deaths- triggered by Sinclair's fear-inducing henchman Scarecrone causing them to remember the mugging, driving them to flee Chill by running off their balcony- prompt Bruce to become Batman to investigate, Gordon having written their deaths off as an accident and Bruce unwilling to investigate himself because of the risk to his new wife, Julie Madison
.
event, an alternate timeline is created where among other massive changes, Thomas Wayne rather than Bruce appears as Batman. Details after the events of his son's death remains ambiguous, but Thomas is shown to have Joe Chill's gun in the Batcave's trophy display, suggesting Thomas got his revenge. This Batman is shown to be far more violent than Bruce, and throws a young supervillainess named Yo-Yo off of a building after she refuses to cooperate with him about the Joker
. After Cyborg
saves the villain, Batman jokingly tells him that Yo-Yo "slipped". Cyborg says he often chases villains to this rooftop and a lot of them slip. When Barry enters the cave, Thomas attacks him, but is surprised to hear him call him Bruce. However, when Barry Allen who is one of the few people to retain any memory of the real timeline is able to make contact with Thomas and provide proof that history has been changed, Thomas ceases his earlier attack on Barry and asks him what Bruce was like as Batman. Willing to change history if it means restoring his son to life, Thomas helps Barry build a device to try and recreate the accident that gave him his speed, however the first attempt met with failure, leaving Barry severely burned.
The character is the subject of the mini-series, Flashpoint: Batman - Knight of Vengeance, which was written by Brian Azzarello
and drawn by Eduardo Risso
, in a story set in after Thomas's first attempt of restoring Barry Allen's powers. Azzarello has stated that Thomas Wayne does not care about any sort of crime outside of Gotham (explaining his refusal to aide Cyborg's team of heroes), and that he funds his war on crime through a series of successful casinos. He is also shown to be working with James Gordon
, the chief of police who appears to be aware of his identity as Batman, with Oswald Cobbelpot
as his security chief and Harvey Dent
as a judge. Batman is called by Chief James Gordon, who tries to convince him that he does not have to fight villains by himself, however Batman refused. Later, Batman is shocked that the Joker had footage of his friend James Gordon being killed. Batman located the Joker in old Wayne Manor and rushes in, yelling out for Joker revealing that it is Martha Wayne
. It is revealed that after Bruce's death, Martha disfigured her face after been driven mad by the loss of her child, leaving her a Glasgow smile
, and leading her and Thomas to becomes the enemies they are now. After Batman successfully saves one of Dent's children, who had been shot by Gordon after she was disguised as the Joker, he resumes pursuing his wife. In the final battle, Batman reveals of what he learned from the Flash to the Joker, that they were supposed to die that night at Crime Alley and how they are alive now. Thomas promises her that he would do anything it takes to undo what Professor Zoom
apparently has done in order to bring their son back to life, despite the awareness of at the cost of their own lives. The revealations restores Martha's mental state that moment and reconciles with Thomas. When Martha asks her husband of what Bruce was like after they died, Thomas reluctantly reveals that their son would becomes of what he is now if he lives. Knowing her son would become Batman after their deaths' puts Martha back to madness as well as in fear of the Bat-persona, and then she fell to her demise in the Batcave
despite her husband's attempt to save her.
After the second attempt successfully restores the Flash's powers and he assembles a new costume, Batman works with the Flash to rally a new team of heroes to try and oppose Thawne's changes to history. The Dark Knight contacts Cyborg for his help in tracking down "Project: Superman", the government branch responsible for 'raising' Superman after his rocket destroyed Metropolis upon its arrival, only to be disappointed at Kal-El's frail appearance in this timeline. Kal-El's powers manifest as he is exposed to sunlight and he flies away.
After escaping the guards with the help of Element Woman
, Flash's memories begin to change much more drastically, forcing Batman to seek measures to prevent the speedster's memories from altering, first injecting the Flash with a drug that slows down electrical activity in the brain, and ultimately seeking aids from the Marvel Family. With words spreading that Hal Jordan
is among the casualties of stopping the war between Wonder Woman and Aquaman, Flash elects to try to save this altered world from the war, since there is no guarantee that they would win against Professor Zoom. Despite Batman's initial arguments, he joins Flash as the group heads off to New Themyscira in Batman's plane and are joined by Enchantress. Wonder Woman and Aquaman are fighting one on one until Flash and his team arrive. Captain Thunder attacks Wonder Woman and appears to be winning until Enchantress reveals herself as the Amazon spy and uses her magic to separate the Marvel Family and restores them to their mortal forms. Penthesileia kills Billy Batson just as Professor Zoom reveals himself. Batman quickly stabs Professor Zoom in the back using an Amazon's discarded sword and learns the altered timeline was actually created by the Flash himself as part of an attempt to save his mother, but Batman is fatally wounded by the Enchantress. Before the Flash can run to the past in an attempt to stop his younger self from altering the timeline, Batman, realizing what Barry is planning to do after despite learning his inadvertent role, thanks him for all he's done (including the sacrifice of his happiness with his mother) and gives the Flash a letter addressed to his son, and accepts his fate as he is eager to reunite with his wife in death. After the Flash apparently restores the timeline, he visits Bruce Wayne and gives him a letter from his father, telling him that he couldn't have restored the timeline without Thomas Wayne's help. Bruce is deeply touched of his father's sacrifice to ensure he would live, and is grateful to the Flash of informing him of the events of the Flashpoint.
The letter also encourages Bruce to stop being so fixated on his family's tragedy and instead look at the positive by trying to recall his parents' anniversary, birthdays, and other important events of their lives, as well as encouraging him to pursue a closer relationship with his son Damian Wayne
.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Batman
Batman (comic book)
Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...
series of comic books. Dr. Thomas Wayne was the father of Bruce Wayne
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, and husband of Martha Wayne
Martha Wayne
Martha Wayne is a fictional character of the Batman series of comic books, published by DC Comics. She is Dr. Thomas Wayne's wife and mother of Bruce Wayne. When she and her husband are murdered during a holdup, young Bruce swears to avenge their deaths by fighting crime...
, as well as a gifted surgeon and philanthropist. He was also the inheritor of the Wayne family fortune, which was built through industry and real estate by previous generations.
He is first introduced in Detective Comics
Detective Comics
Detective Comics is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 . It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and...
#33 (November 1939) in the first exposition of Batman's origin story
Origin story
In comic book terminology, an origin story is an account or back-story revealing how a character or team gained their superpowers and/or the circumstances under which they became superheroes or supervillains....
. In the story, he and his wife are murdered by a mugger
Joe Chill
Joe Chill is a fictional character in the DC Comics Batman series. He is best known for murdering young Bruce Wayne's parents , thus making him indirectly responsible for Batman's existence....
as young Bruce looks on helplessly. This trauma
Psychological trauma
Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a traumatic event...
influences Bruce to become Batman when he grows up. Decades after the character's death, he would play a major role in Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
' Flashpoint
Flashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
crossover series.
Fictional character background
Thomas Wayne is seldom shown outside of Bruce Wayne's and Alfred PennyworthAlfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth is a fictional character that appears throughout the DC Comics franchise. The character first appears in Batman #16 , and was created by writer Bob Kane and artist Jerry Robinson. Alfred serves as Batman’s tireless butler, assistant, confidant, and surrogate father figure...
's memories of him, and often through Bruce's dreams and nightmares. He is frequently depicted as looking very much like Bruce Wayne, but sporting a thick mustache.
A notable occurrence in Thomas Wayne's biography was when Bruce fell through a fissure on the Wayne property, into what would one day become the Batcave
Batcave
The Batcave is the secret headquarters of fictional DC Comics superhero Batman, the alternate identity of playboy Bruce Wayne, consisting of a series of subterranean caves beneath his residence, Wayne Manor.-Publication history:...
(sometimes the fissure is replaced with an abandoned well). Thomas Wayne eventually rescued his terrified son from the cave.
Thomas Wayne's role in his son's future vigilante career is expanded upon in The First Batman, a Silver Age tale which reveals that Dr. Wayne attacked and defeated hoodlums while dressed like a "Bat-Man" for a masquerade ball. According to the story, Thomas Wayne's actions resulted in crime boss Lew Moxon
Lew Moxon
Lew Moxon is a fictional character in the DC Comics Batman series. He is most famous for hiring Joe Chill to murder young Bruce Wayne's parents in early versions of Batman's origin story, thus making him indirectly responsible for Batman's existence....
being imprisoned; ten years later, Moxon orders Joe Chill
Joe Chill
Joe Chill is a fictional character in the DC Comics Batman series. He is best known for murdering young Bruce Wayne's parents , thus making him indirectly responsible for Batman's existence....
to murder Dr. Wayne. When Batman realizes Moxon ordered his parents killed, he confronts Moxon, who now suffers from amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
and thus has no memory of Thomas Wayne. When Batman's costume is torn, he wears his father's in order to frighten Moxon. Sure enough, the costume restores Moxon's memory; the former crime boss panics, believing that he is being attacked by Thomas Wayne's ghost, and flees into the streets where he is struck and killed by a truck. These events were retold in the 1980 miniseries The Untold Legend of the Batman
The Untold Legend of the Batman
The Untold Legend of the Batman is a three-issue Batman comic book miniseries published by DC Comics in 1980. It was written by Len Wein, and drawn by Jim Aparo and on the first issue, also John Byrne. The primary plot elements of the story are retellings of the origins of several Batman characters...
. Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
, Dr. Wayne as the "First Batman" was retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
ned - he instead attended the masquerade ball as Zorro
Zorro
Zorro is a fictional character created in 1919 by New York-based pulp writer Johnston McCulley. The character has been featured in numerous books, films, television series, and other media....
. This was furtherly retconned in the pages of Superman/Batman
Superman/Batman
Superman/Batman was a monthly comic book series published by DC Comics that features the publisher's two most popular characters: Batman and Superman...
, where Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, hoping to reverse some universe-altering change in the time streams, lands in a version of Gotham City in which Thomas never died, finding him giving out Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
candy in the original Batman costume.
In many of the modern interpretations of the character, such as those by Frank Miller
Frank Miller (comics)
Frank Miller is an American comic book artist, writer and film director best known for his dark, film noir-style comic book stories and graphic novels Ronin, Daredevil: Born Again, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City and 300...
and Jeph Loeb
Jeph Loeb
Joseph "Jeph" Loeb III is an American film and television writer, producer and award-winning comic book writer. Loeb was a producer/writer on the TV series Smallville and Lost, writer for the films Commando and Teen Wolf and was a writer and Co-Executive Producer on the NBC TV show Heroes from its...
, Thomas is portrayed as having been a distant, stern father, bestowing kindness and generosity on his patients rather than his son.
Thomas Wayne was once suspected to be the father of Bane
Bane (comics)
Bane is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 , and was created by Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, and Graham Nolan. Bane has been one of Batman's more physically and intellectually powerful foes...
, a man who, in the Knightfall story arc, breaks his son's back; however, DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
testing proved this to be false, and Bane's real father was recently revealed to be King Snake
King Snake
King Snake is a fictional character who appears in books published by DC Comics universe, usually as an adversary of Tim Drake and Batman. Created by writer Chuck Dixon and artist Tom Lyle, King Snake first appeared in Robin #2...
.
It is revealed in Batman: The Long Halloween
Batman: The Long Halloween
Batman: The Long Halloween is a 13-issue comic book limited series written by Jeph Loeb with art by Tim Sale. It was originally published by DC Comics in 1996 and 1997. It was inspired by the three Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Specials by the same creative team...
that, shortly before his murder, Thomas Wayne saved the life of gangster Carmine Falcone
Carmine Falcone
Carmine "The Roman" Falcone is a fictional character in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe, who made his debut in the four part story Batman: Year One written by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli in 1987.- Publication history :...
. Falcone's father, Vincent, came to Wayne Manor and begged Thomas to save his dying son, who had been shot in a gangfight by rival gangster Luigi Maroni. Thomas wanted to take the younger Falcone to the hospital, but Vincent insisted that nobody know about the shooting; the surgery was thus performed in the dining room with Alfred assisting. After saving Carmine Falcone's life, he was offered a reward or favor, but he flatly refused, saying that "to a doctor, a patient is a patient." Young Bruce Wayne watched this all in silence from afar. Years later, Bruce contemplates whether Gotham would have been better off had his father let Falcone die.
In Superman/Batman #50, it is revealed that, while on a drive with a pregnant Martha, Thomas witnessed a strange object fall to Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. As he inspects it, Thomas' consciousness is transported to Krypton
Krypton (comics)
Krypton is a fictional planet in the DC Comics universe, and the native world of the super-heroes Superman and, in some tellings, Supergirl and Krypto the Superdog. Krypton has been portrayed consistently as having been destroyed just after Superman's flight from the planet, with exact details of...
, and presented in a holographic form. There, he encounters Jor-El
Jor-El
Jor-El is a fictional character, an extraterrestrial in the . He was created by the writer Jerry Siegel and the artist Joe Shuster, and he first appeared in a newspaper comic strip in 1939 as Superman's biological father....
, who wishes to know what kind of a world Earth is, as it is one of many possible candidates for him to send his son, Kal-El, to. Thomas tells Jor-El that the people of Earth aren't perfect, but are essentially a good and kind race, who would raise the child right, convincing Jor-El to send Kal-El there. Upon returning to his body, Thomas uses the technology in the Kryptonian probe to revitalise a failing Wayne Enterprises. Years later, the alien technology would be the basis of much of Batman's crimefighting technology. Thomas recorded his encounter in a diary, which was discovered by Bruce in the present day.
Murder
When exiting a theatre, Thomas and Martha Wayne are murdered by a mugger right in front of their son, Bruce. This tragedy shocks Gotham, leads to Park Row (the street where it occurred) being labeled Crime Alley, and most importantly, serves as the motivation for Bruce one day becoming Batman.Due to the many writers who have worked on Batman stories, and constant references due to the central importance of the murder to the Batman mythos, many of the factors concerning the event have varied.
- Bruce's age has varied, usually between six and ten years old.
- The murderer is consistently identified as Joe ChillJoe ChillJoe Chill is a fictional character in the DC Comics Batman series. He is best known for murdering young Bruce Wayne's parents , thus making him indirectly responsible for Batman's existence....
, though the mythos alternates between versions where Batman learns the killer's identity, and ones in which he never finds out. Chill has also alternated between being a mere mugger who randomly selected the wealthy Waynes, and a hitman who murdered them intentionally (the former is the most common interpretation). Tim BurtonTim BurtonTimothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
's BatmanBatman (1989 film)Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance...
departs from the most common interpretation by portraying a young Jack Napier, the future Joker, as the murderer. - The reason given for Chill leaving Bruce alive has varied. Sometimes it was because Chill couldn't bring himself to kill a child, and sometimes because Chill heard a policeman's whistle, police siren, or a rapidly approaching policeman. Often, it is because of the cold, frightening look the young Wayne boy gave Chill as he kneeled beside his dead parents; Chill hesitated and ran away. In the version presented in The Untold Legend of the BatmanThe Untold Legend of the BatmanThe Untold Legend of the Batman is a three-issue Batman comic book miniseries published by DC Comics in 1980. It was written by Len Wein, and drawn by Jim Aparo and on the first issue, also John Byrne. The primary plot elements of the story are retellings of the origins of several Batman characters...
, Batman theorizes that Chill, a hitman hired by gangster Lew Moxon, deliberately left Bruce alive to report that his parents were killed by a robber. In Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
episode "Chill of the Night!Chill of the Night!-Background:The episode is a re-telling of Batman's origin story. Paul Dini, who wrote the script for Batman: The Animated Series, wrote the script for this episode. Michael Chang directed the episode. The episode first aired on April 9, 2010. People who voiced characters in Batman: The Animated...
", a dying Moxon says that he only intended for Thomas to die, and even expressed regret over the death of Martha, especially as it left Bruce an orphan. - Exactly whether or not Chill was hired to murder the Waynes or if he acted alone is still unknown. An original script draft of the 1989 BatmanBatman (1989 film)Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance...
film had Rupert ThorneRupert ThorneRupert Thorne is a fictional character, a crime boss and enemy of Batman in the DC Comics universe. Created by Steve Englehart and Walter Simonson, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #469.-Fictional character biography:...
hire Chill to assassinate them, because he was running for mayor against Thomas Wayne. In most other variations, Chill is 'just some punk with a gun'. - The movie that the Waynes went to see has fluctuated between the 1920 versionThe Mark of Zorro (1920 film)The Mark of Zorro is a 1920 silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks and Noah Beery. This genre-defining swashbuckler adventure was the first movie version of The Mark of Zorro...
of The Mark of Zorro starring Douglas FairbanksDouglas FairbanksDouglas Fairbanks, Sr. was an American actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films such as The Thief of Bagdad, Robin Hood, and The Mark of Zorro....
and the 1940 versionThe Mark of Zorro (1940 film)The Mark of Zorro is a 1940 American adventure film directed by Rouben Mamoulian and produced by Darryl F. Zanuck for 20th Century Fox. The action movie stars Tyrone Power as Don Diego Vega , Linda Darnell as his love interest, and Basil Rathbone as the villain...
starring Tyrone PowerTyrone PowerTyrone Edmund Power, Jr. , usually credited as Tyrone Power and known sometimes as Ty Power, was an American film and stage actor who appeared in dozens of films from the 1930s to the 1950s, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads such as in The Mark of Zorro, Blood and Sand, The Black Swan,...
and Basil RathboneBasil RathboneSir Basil Rathbone, KBE, MC, Kt was an English actor. He rose to prominence in England as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in over 70 films, primarily costume dramas, swashbucklers, and, occasionally, horror films...
. A fictional third version has starred "Tyrone Fairbanks." Tim BurtonTim BurtonTimothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
's BatmanBatman (1989 film)Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance...
has the Waynes leaving The Monarch Theatre having seen Footlight Frenzy. Batman BeginsBatman BeginsBatman Begins is a 2005 American superhero action film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman, directed by Christopher Nolan. It stars Christian Bale as Batman, along with Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman, Ken Watanabe, Tom Wilkinson,...
has the Waynes leaving an opera house showing MefistofeleMefistofeleMefistofele is an opera in a prologue, four acts and an epilogue, the only completed opera by the Italian composer-librettist Arrigo Boito.-Composition history:...
at the time of the murder, which they leave early due to Bruce being frightened by the bat-like costumes, giving Bruce the additional guilt of leading his parents to Chill. In The Dark KnightThe Dark Knight (film)The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed, produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is part of Nolan's Batman film series and a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins...' s Visual Guide says that Bruce would rather have seen The Mark of Zorro at a movie house.
Interestingly, Batman #430, which portrays the aftermath of Jason Todd
Jason Todd
Jason Peter Todd is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Jason first appeared in Batman #357 and became the second Robin, sidekick to the superhero Batman, when the previous Robin went on to star in The New Teen Titans under the moniker of Nightwing.Though...
's death, includes a scene in which Thomas Wayne was having trouble with some investments, and was going to sell short. Bruce thought that he needed some exercise to take his mind off of it and so offered to play catch with him, but Thomas angrily said no, striking him across the face. A hurt and resentful Bruce declares to his mother that he wished Thomas were dead. In an ironic twist of fate, Bruce's parents would be murdered that night.
Batman: Dark Victory
Batman: Dark Victory
Batman: Dark Victory is a 14-part comic book limited series written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Tim Sale. The series is a sequel to Batman: The Long Halloween and was originally published from 1999 to 2000 by DC Comics. The series takes place primarily during the third/fourth year of Batman's career...
asserts that the Wayne murders were the main cause of much of the corruption and crime in Gotham City; once it became clear that even wealthy, important people could be murdered so easily, citizens began to lose faith in the police, and the police themselves started to lose faith in their importance, leading to corruption within the force.
Consistent elements have included Thomas Wayne being murdered by a pistol, and Martha Wayne's pearl necklace being torn, with the pearls falling into the gutter. In comic continuity, the murder took place at 10:47 p.m. (the Batcave is accessed by Batman through his manor by turning the hands of a grandfather clock
Longcase clock
A longcase clock, also tall-case clock, floor clock, or grandfather clock, is a tall, freestanding, weight-driven pendulum clock with the pendulum held inside the tower, or waist of the case. Clocks of this style are commonly 1.8–2.4 metres tall...
to this time), on the 26th of June.
Thomas and Martha Wayne are notable as two comic book characters who have remained dead
Comic book death
In the comic book fan community, the apparent death and subsequent return of a long-running character is often called a comic book death. While death is a serious subject, a comic book death is generally not taken seriously and is rarely permanent or meaningful...
. Since his death, Thomas Wayne has only appeared in the Batman series in flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
and in the occasional out-of-body experience or hallucination
Hallucination
A hallucination, in the broadest sense of the word, is a perception in the absence of a stimulus. In a stricter sense, hallucinations are defined as perceptions in a conscious and awake state in the absence of external stimuli which have qualities of real perception, in that they are vivid,...
. His most significant appearance in this latter category is in the miniseries Batman: Death and the Maidens by Greg Rucka
Greg Rucka
Gregory "Greg" Rucka is an American comic book writer and novelist, known for his work on such comics as Action Comics, Batwoman: Detective Comics, and the miniseries Superman: World of New Krypton for DC Comics, and for novels such as his Queen & Country series.-Career:Rucka's writing career...
. In this story, Batman ingests an elixir given to him by his enemy, Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Batman's greatest enemies. His name in Arabic has been translated in the comics as "The Demon's Head" and references the name of the star Algol. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's...
, and believes he is having a conversation with his dead parents. Interestingly, both Thomas and Martha disapprove of their son's costumed crusade, but Thomas admits that he merely disapproves of what being Batman has cost his son rather than actually disliking the concept itself. As she and Thomas depart, however, they assure Bruce that just because the passing of time has lessened his grief does not mean that he no longer cares for them, and, as a result, Bruce is able to accept that he is Batman because he chooses to be, not because he has to be.
In the alternative timeline of Flashpoint
Flashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
, where Bruce died instead of Thomas and Martha, causing Thomas Wayne to become Batman and Martha the Joker, the alternative versions of the characters share the same point of view of their post-mortem counterparts in Death and the Maidens: while Thomas Wayne, despite knowing the burden Batman put on himself, shows to be proud of the sacrifices his son did in the correct timeline (having Flash bring a letter to his alternate-timeline son), Martha is further driven mad with grief and sadness, killing herself because she's unable to accept the suffering Bruce would be fated to bear.
Alleged double life
During Batman R.I.P.Batman R.I.P.
Batman R.I.P. is a comic book story arc published in Batman #676-681 by DC Comics. Written by Grant Morrison, penciled by Tony Daniel, and with covers by Alex Ross, the story pits the superhero Batman against the Black Glove organization as they attempt to destroy everything for which he stands...
, it is alleged that Thomas and Martha Wayne were leading a double life, secretly partaking in criminal endeavors, drug abuse
Drug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
and orgies
Orgy
In modern usage, an orgy is a sex party where guests engage in promiscuous or multifarious sexual activity or group sex. An orgy is similar to debauchery, which refers to excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures....
while presenting a façade of respectability to the outside world. The alleged evidence is revealed to be doctored in the aftermath of the storyline, however.
Doctor Simon Hurt
Simon Hurt
Dr. Simon Hurt, commonly known simply as Doctor Hurt, is a fictional character from the DC Comics universe. Hurt was created by writer Grant Morrison and first appeared in Batman #673 ....
, head of The Black Glove and the mastermind behind Batman R.I.P.
Batman R.I.P.
Batman R.I.P. is a comic book story arc published in Batman #676-681 by DC Comics. Written by Grant Morrison, penciled by Tony Daniel, and with covers by Alex Ross, the story pits the superhero Batman against the Black Glove organization as they attempt to destroy everything for which he stands...
, actually claims to be Thomas Wayne to both Bruce and Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth is a fictional character that appears throughout the DC Comics franchise. The character first appears in Batman #16 , and was created by writer Bob Kane and artist Jerry Robinson. Alfred serves as Batman’s tireless butler, assistant, confidant, and surrogate father figure...
. Although both of them rebuke him without hesitation, Hurt never explicitly drops the claim.
In the ongoing follow-up series, Batman & Robin
Batman and Robin (comic book)
Batman and Robin is an American comic book ongoing series, created by Grant Morrison and featuring Batman and Robin. The debut of the series followed the events of "Batman R.I.P.", Final Crisis, and "Battle for the Cowl" in which the original Batman, Bruce Wayne, apparently died at the hands of DC...
, it is suggested that some, if not all, of these allegations have begun to circulate around Gotham; Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
and Damian Wayne
Damian Wayne
Damian Wayne is a fictional character in the . Damian is the child of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, and thus the grandson of Batman villain Ra's al Ghul....
attend a high society function where a few party guests vaguely mention the existence of rumors surrounding the family, and Dick tries to tie Bruce's absence from the public eye with being occupied with clearing his family's reputation. Matters come to a head when Hurt returns to the city, claiming to be Thomas Wayne in order to take control of Wayne Manor and establish himself as the new Batman, but Grayson and Damian outsmart him.
It is hinted at during the course of the Batman and Robin series that Simon Hurt's actual identity is Thomas Wayne, albeit one from the 17th century who was a 'black sheep' of the Wayne family and prolongs his life through occult rituals. The Return of Bruce Wayne miniseries and its fallout Bruce Wayne: The Road Home cements Hurt's status as the elder Thomas Wayne from the Puritan Ages, driven insane by his meeting with Barbatos, the Hyper-Adapter sent through time along with Bruce Wayne to ensure the effectiveness of Darkseid's "Omega Sanction".
JLA: Earth 2
In JLA: Earth 2JLA: Earth 2
JLA: Earth 2 is a 2000 DC Comics graphic novel written by Grant Morrison with art by Frank Quitely.It follows the first post-Crisis encounter between the Justice League of America and their evil counterparts from an antimatter universe, the Crime Syndicate of Amerika.At the time of its release, the...
by Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
and Frank Quitely
Frank Quitely
Vincent Deighan, better known by the pen name Frank Quitely, is a Scottish comic book artist. He is best known for his frequent collaborations with Grant Morrison on titles such as New X-Men, We3, All-Star Superman, and Batman and Robin, as well as his work with Mark Millar on The...
, the Thomas Wayne of the antimatter
Antimatter
In particle physics, antimatter is the extension of the concept of the antiparticle to matter, where antimatter is composed of antiparticles in the same way that normal matter is composed of particles...
universe is the father of the supervillain Owlman
Owlman (comics)
Owlman is the name of several fictional supervillains that appear in comic books published by DC Comics who are the intended reverse counterparts of Batman. Owlman first appeared in Justice League of America #29 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky...
. Like his original counterpart, he married Martha Kane and fathered Bruce Wayne. However, this version also had a second child, Thomas Wayne Jr. After Martha and Bruce are gunned down by a crooked policeman when Thomas Sr. refused to accompany him for questioning (when Thomas Wayne performed an "illegal medical operation."), Thomas Jr. becomes Owlman to get revenge on the justice system. It is later revealed that Thomas Wayne Sr. is currently acting as commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department
Gotham City Police Department
The Gotham City Police Department is a fictional police department servicing Gotham City, as depicted in comic books published by DC Comics, in particular those tied into the Batman books.-History of GCPD:...
, seeking to bring his son to justice with the help of a cadre of idealistic officers. Owlman finds it his goal to "punish" his father for letting his mother and brother die.
Superman: Red Son
In Mark MillarMark Millar
Mark Millar is a Scottish comic book writer, known for his work on books such as The Authority, The Ultimates, Marvel Knights Spider-Man, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Civil War, Wanted, and Kick-Ass, the latter two of which have been adapted into feature films...
's Superman: Red Son
Superman: Red Son
Superman: Red Son is a three-issue prestige format comic book mini-series published by DC Comics that was released under their Elseworlds imprint in April 2003...
, the parents of Batman (never named) are anti-communist protesters in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. They are executed in their home by NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
Commissar Pyotr Roslov
Pete Ross
Peter Joseph "Pete" Ross is a fictional character who appears in the Superman comic books published by DC Comics. He was introduced in Superboy #86 .-Pre-Crisis:...
for printing and distributing anti-communist pamphlets. Their son witnesses the murders and attempts to overthrow the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
when he is an adult.
Batman: Dark Knight Dynasty
In Batman: Dark Knight DynastyBatman: Dark Knight Dynasty
Batman: Dark Knight Dynasty is a graphic novel published by DC Comics under the Elseworlds banner in 1999. It is written by Mike W. Barr and illustrated by Scott Hampton, Gary Frank, and Cam Smith....
, Thomas and Martha are saved from death when 'Valentin Sinclair'- really Vandal Savage
Vandal Savage
Vandal Savage is a fictional character, a supervillain published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern vol. 1 #10 , and was created by Alfred Bester and Martin Nodell....
, who in this reality has a long-standing interest and admiration for the Wayne family despite the fact that they often end up opposing him when they learn about his plans- scared off Joe Chill, Sinclair becoming a partner in Wayne Enterprises, only for Sinclair to have them killed when they threaten to expose his plan to divert a meteor that gave him his powers back to Earth so that he can study it. Their deaths- triggered by Sinclair's fear-inducing henchman Scarecrone causing them to remember the mugging, driving them to flee Chill by running off their balcony- prompt Bruce to become Batman to investigate, Gordon having written their deaths off as an accident and Bruce unwilling to investigate himself because of the risk to his new wife, Julie Madison
Julie Madison
Julie Madison is a fictional character in the DC Universe, best known as Batman's first significant love interest.-Original version:Julie Madison first appeared in Detective Comics #31 only four issues after Batman's own debut...
.
Flashpoint
In the FlashpointFlashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
event, an alternate timeline is created where among other massive changes, Thomas Wayne rather than Bruce appears as Batman. Details after the events of his son's death remains ambiguous, but Thomas is shown to have Joe Chill's gun in the Batcave's trophy display, suggesting Thomas got his revenge. This Batman is shown to be far more violent than Bruce, and throws a young supervillainess named Yo-Yo off of a building after she refuses to cooperate with him about the Joker
Martha Wayne
Martha Wayne is a fictional character of the Batman series of comic books, published by DC Comics. She is Dr. Thomas Wayne's wife and mother of Bruce Wayne. When she and her husband are murdered during a holdup, young Bruce swears to avenge their deaths by fighting crime...
. After Cyborg
Cyborg (comics)
Cyborg is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, and first appears in a special insert in DC Comics Presents #26...
saves the villain, Batman jokingly tells him that Yo-Yo "slipped". Cyborg says he often chases villains to this rooftop and a lot of them slip. When Barry enters the cave, Thomas attacks him, but is surprised to hear him call him Bruce. However, when Barry Allen who is one of the few people to retain any memory of the real timeline is able to make contact with Thomas and provide proof that history has been changed, Thomas ceases his earlier attack on Barry and asks him what Bruce was like as Batman. Willing to change history if it means restoring his son to life, Thomas helps Barry build a device to try and recreate the accident that gave him his speed, however the first attempt met with failure, leaving Barry severely burned.
The character is the subject of the mini-series, Flashpoint: Batman - Knight of Vengeance, which was written by Brian Azzarello
Brian Azzarello
Brian Azzarello is an American comic book writer. He came to prominence with the hardboiled crime series 100 Bullets, published by DC Comics' mature-audience imprint Vertigo.-Career:...
and drawn by Eduardo Risso
Eduardo Risso
Eduardo Risso is an Argentine comic book artist. In the United States he is probably best known for his work with writer Brian Azzarello on the Vertigo title 100 Bullets, while in Argentina and Europe he is noted for his collaborations with Ricardo Barreiro and Carlos Trillo...
, in a story set in after Thomas's first attempt of restoring Barry Allen's powers. Azzarello has stated that Thomas Wayne does not care about any sort of crime outside of Gotham (explaining his refusal to aide Cyborg's team of heroes), and that he funds his war on crime through a series of successful casinos. He is also shown to be working with James Gordon
James Gordon (comics)
James Worthington Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character, an ally of Batman that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
, the chief of police who appears to be aware of his identity as Batman, with Oswald Cobbelpot
Penguin (comics)
Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot III is a DC Comics supervillain and one of Batman's oldest, most persistent enemies. The Penguin was introduced by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, making his debut in Detective Comics #58 .The Penguin is a short, rotund man known for his love of birds and his...
as his security chief and Harvey Dent
Two-Face
Two-Face is a fictional comic book supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. and is an enemy of Batman. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #66 , and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger....
as a judge. Batman is called by Chief James Gordon, who tries to convince him that he does not have to fight villains by himself, however Batman refused. Later, Batman is shocked that the Joker had footage of his friend James Gordon being killed. Batman located the Joker in old Wayne Manor and rushes in, yelling out for Joker revealing that it is Martha Wayne
Martha Wayne
Martha Wayne is a fictional character of the Batman series of comic books, published by DC Comics. She is Dr. Thomas Wayne's wife and mother of Bruce Wayne. When she and her husband are murdered during a holdup, young Bruce swears to avenge their deaths by fighting crime...
. It is revealed that after Bruce's death, Martha disfigured her face after been driven mad by the loss of her child, leaving her a Glasgow smile
Glasgow smile
A Glasgow smile refers to the wound that results from slashing a person's face from the edges of the mouth to the ears. The cut, which is usually made with a utility knife or a piece of broken glass, leaves a scar that makes the victim appear to be smiling broadly...
, and leading her and Thomas to becomes the enemies they are now. After Batman successfully saves one of Dent's children, who had been shot by Gordon after she was disguised as the Joker, he resumes pursuing his wife. In the final battle, Batman reveals of what he learned from the Flash to the Joker, that they were supposed to die that night at Crime Alley and how they are alive now. Thomas promises her that he would do anything it takes to undo what Professor Zoom
Professor Zoom
Eobard Thawne, who has gone by the codenames "Professor Zoom" and "Reverse-Flash", is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain in the DC Universe. Thawne is the Arch enemy of the superhero Barry Allen, the second hero to be called the Flash...
apparently has done in order to bring their son back to life, despite the awareness of at the cost of their own lives. The revealations restores Martha's mental state that moment and reconciles with Thomas. When Martha asks her husband of what Bruce was like after they died, Thomas reluctantly reveals that their son would becomes of what he is now if he lives. Knowing her son would become Batman after their deaths' puts Martha back to madness as well as in fear of the Bat-persona, and then she fell to her demise in the Batcave
Batcave
The Batcave is the secret headquarters of fictional DC Comics superhero Batman, the alternate identity of playboy Bruce Wayne, consisting of a series of subterranean caves beneath his residence, Wayne Manor.-Publication history:...
despite her husband's attempt to save her.
After the second attempt successfully restores the Flash's powers and he assembles a new costume, Batman works with the Flash to rally a new team of heroes to try and oppose Thawne's changes to history. The Dark Knight contacts Cyborg for his help in tracking down "Project: Superman", the government branch responsible for 'raising' Superman after his rocket destroyed Metropolis upon its arrival, only to be disappointed at Kal-El's frail appearance in this timeline. Kal-El's powers manifest as he is exposed to sunlight and he flies away.
After escaping the guards with the help of Element Woman
Element Girl
Element Girl is a fictional DC Comics superhero who first appeared in Metamorpho #10 . The character's death was featured in Neil Gaiman's Sandman series in issue #20, "Façade."-Fictional character biography:...
, Flash's memories begin to change much more drastically, forcing Batman to seek measures to prevent the speedster's memories from altering, first injecting the Flash with a drug that slows down electrical activity in the brain, and ultimately seeking aids from the Marvel Family. With words spreading that Hal Jordan
Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker...
is among the casualties of stopping the war between Wonder Woman and Aquaman, Flash elects to try to save this altered world from the war, since there is no guarantee that they would win against Professor Zoom. Despite Batman's initial arguments, he joins Flash as the group heads off to New Themyscira in Batman's plane and are joined by Enchantress. Wonder Woman and Aquaman are fighting one on one until Flash and his team arrive. Captain Thunder attacks Wonder Woman and appears to be winning until Enchantress reveals herself as the Amazon spy and uses her magic to separate the Marvel Family and restores them to their mortal forms. Penthesileia kills Billy Batson just as Professor Zoom reveals himself. Batman quickly stabs Professor Zoom in the back using an Amazon's discarded sword and learns the altered timeline was actually created by the Flash himself as part of an attempt to save his mother, but Batman is fatally wounded by the Enchantress. Before the Flash can run to the past in an attempt to stop his younger self from altering the timeline, Batman, realizing what Barry is planning to do after despite learning his inadvertent role, thanks him for all he's done (including the sacrifice of his happiness with his mother) and gives the Flash a letter addressed to his son, and accepts his fate as he is eager to reunite with his wife in death. After the Flash apparently restores the timeline, he visits Bruce Wayne and gives him a letter from his father, telling him that he couldn't have restored the timeline without Thomas Wayne's help. Bruce is deeply touched of his father's sacrifice to ensure he would live, and is grateful to the Flash of informing him of the events of the Flashpoint.
The letter also encourages Bruce to stop being so fixated on his family's tragedy and instead look at the positive by trying to recall his parents' anniversary, birthdays, and other important events of their lives, as well as encouraging him to pursue a closer relationship with his son Damian Wayne
Damian Wayne
Damian Wayne is a fictional character in the . Damian is the child of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, and thus the grandson of Batman villain Ra's al Ghul....
.
Television
- Thomas Wayne appears with his wifeMartha WayneMartha Wayne is a fictional character of the Batman series of comic books, published by DC Comics. She is Dr. Thomas Wayne's wife and mother of Bruce Wayne. When she and her husband are murdered during a holdup, young Bruce swears to avenge their deaths by fighting crime...
in the Super PowersThe Super Powers Team: Galactic GuardiansThe Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 1985 to 1986. It was produced by Hanna-Barbera and is based on the Justice League and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics.-Summary:In the fall of 1985,...
episode "The Fear." In a flashback, it shows them being confronted by an unidentified muggerJoe ChillJoe Chill is a fictional character in the DC Comics Batman series. He is best known for murdering young Bruce Wayne's parents , thus making him indirectly responsible for Batman's existence....
, just after watching a Robin HoodRobin HoodRobin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
movie with their small son Bruce. When Thomas ends up trying to fight the mugger, Bruce quotes "No Dad, he's got a..." and lightning is shown in the sky as his parents are shot. This was the first time Batman's origin was shown outside of the comics.
- Thomas Wayne made appearances in Batman: The Animated SeriesBatman: The Animated SeriesBatman: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the DC Comics character Batman. The series featured an ensemble cast of many voice-actors including Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Arleen Sorkin, and Loren Lester. The series won four Emmy Awards and was nominated...
voiced by Kevin ConroyKevin ConroyKevin Conroy is an American stage, screen, and voice actor, best known for his acclaimed voice role as Batman in numerous animated television series, feature films, and video games that make up the DC Animated Universe.-Early life:...
. Bruce Wayne's parents are, as in other versions, murdered in Crime Alley. In this version, the murderer is never identified. In fact, the anonymous killer is never visually shown at all; similarly, the murder is never even mentioned, only alluded to and is instead shown by metaphors, albeit occasionally graphic ones. For example, one nightmare had Batman seeing his parents walking towards a tunnel; he then runs towards them telling them to stop. They enter the tunnel, which is revealed to be the barrel of a giant gun, dripping blood. Batman screams as the world is bleached white and a loud shot is heard. In one episode, in a dream sequence, after failing to save Two-FaceTwo-FaceTwo-Face is a fictional comic book supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. and is an enemy of Batman. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #66 , and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger....
, Batman looks in horror as he saw his parents grieving, with Thomas asking, Why couldn't you save us, son?. Later, the series mentions the murder explicitly and even shows the murder itself. The series also makes use of the rose motif that the films BatmanBatman (1989 film)Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance...
and Batman ForeverBatman ForeverBatman Forever is a 1995 American superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is a sequel to Batman Returns , with Val Kilmer replacing Michael Keaton as Batman...
associate with the murder. Bruce Wayne leaves roses at the site of his parents' death on the anniversary of the event (as he does in the comic, except that he leaves the roses on their graves). The incident is implied to be a random mugging, although the only reliable source is Batman himself, who refers to his parents' murderer as "some punk with a gun." Dr. Thomas Wayne was also close friends with some of his classmates, including Dr. Leslie ThompkinsLeslie ThompkinsDr. Leslie Thompkins is a fictional character from the Batman mythos. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Dick Giordano, she first appeared in Detective Comics #457...
, who became one of the legal guardians of his son after his murder, Dr. Matthew Thorne, brother of notorious mob boss Rupert ThorneRupert ThorneRupert Thorne is a fictional character, a crime boss and enemy of Batman in the DC Comics universe. Created by Steve Englehart and Walter Simonson, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #469.-Fictional character biography:...
, and Dr. Long, faculty of Gotham University.
- In the Justice League UnlimitedJustice League UnlimitedJustice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
episode "For the Man Who Has Everything", Batman is temporarily trapped by a hallucinogenic plant called Black Mercy, which creates the perfect dream world in which to hold the victim. In the dream world, Batman relives his parents' death but there, his father puts up a good defense against the killer disarming him and almost wins. However Batman's mind knows that this isn't real and the Black Mercy plant is removed, ending the hallucination with a gunshot heard as Batman comes to. Kevin Conroy again voiced Thomas Wayne for this scene as well as Joe Chill.
- In many of the episodes in the first season of The BatmanThe Batman (TV series)The Batman is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. It ran from 2004 to 2008, on the Saturday morning television block Kids' WB...
, Bruce goes over his parents' murder in his head. In the fourth season premiere, Bruce tells Alfred, "The man who murdered my parents was never brought to justice." After taking Bruce to watch a movie The Cloaked Rider, Dr. Thomas and Martha Wayne was murdered by an unidentified mugger. Before his death, Dr. Wayne was a dearest friend of Marion Grange (who was mayor of Gotham City for the first four seasons), Lucius FoxLucius FoxLucius Fox is a fictional character appearing in Batman comic books by DC Comics. He was created by Len Wein and John Calnan, and first appeared in Batman #307 . As a supporting character, he acts as Bruce Wayne's business manager who supposedly unknowingly runs the business interests that supply...
(who's running Wayne Enterprises for the Wayne family), and Alfred Pennyworth (loyal family butler who took the custody of raising Bruce after he became an orphan).
- Thomas Wayne was featured in a flashback in the Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
episode "Invasion of the Secret Santas" voiced by Corey BurtonCorey BurtonCorey Burton is an American voice actor, perhaps best known as Count Dooku, Ziro the Hutt and Cad Bane in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Brainiac in the DC animated universe and Spike Witwicky and Shockwave in the Transformers universe...
, but was uncredited. He also appears as a ghost in "Dawn of the Deadman", voiced by Greg EllisGreg Ellis (actor)Greg Ellis is an English actor known for his TV, movie, and video game voice over work. He has appeared in films such as the Pirates of the Caribbean series, the 2009 Star Trek film , Titanic, Beowulf, To End All Wars, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith...
but was also uncredited. He appears in "Chill of the Night", this time voiced by Adam WestAdam WestWilliam West Anderson , better known by the stage name Adam West, is an American actor best known for his lead role in the Batman TV series and the film of the same name...
. The Phantom Stranger takes Batman back in time to a costume party he and Martha attended. Batman notes the similarity of the costume he wore at the time to his present day costume. The two team up to take down some robbers, and Batman gets a lead in his case.
Film
- In Tim BurtonTim BurtonTimothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
's 1989 blockbuster BatmanBatman (1989 film)Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance...
, David Baxt portrayed Thomas Wayne in a flashback to the Waynes' murder. The Waynes are murdered by Jack Napier, the future JokerJoker (comics)The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
, and his partner; this is a departure from the comics, in which the Waynes are murdered by Joe Chill. Batman will later do battle with Napier and learns the real killer's identity years later when the Joker says to Bruce Wayne, "Tell me my friend, you ever dance with the devil by the pale moonlight?" when he is about to shoot him in Vicki ValeVicki ValeVictoria Vale is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Batman #49 , and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger.-1940s-1960s:...
's apartment.
- Rather than use footage from the first movie, Batman ForeverBatman ForeverBatman Forever is a 1995 American superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is a sequel to Batman Returns , with Val Kilmer replacing Michael Keaton as Batman...
, the third film in the series, features a new flashback to the murder of the Waynes. Ramsey Ellis plays the young Wayne, Michael Scranton plays Thomas Wayne, Eileen Seeley plays Martha Wayne, and David U. Hodges plays Jack Napier.
- In the 20052005 in film- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...
Christopher NolanChristopher NolanChristopher Jonathan James Nolan is a British-American film director, screenwriter and producer.He received serious notice after his second feature Memento , which he wrote and directed based on a story idea by his brother, Jonathan Nolan. Jonathan went to co-write later scripts with him,...
film Batman BeginsBatman BeginsBatman Begins is a 2005 American superhero action film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman, directed by Christopher Nolan. It stars Christian Bale as Batman, along with Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman, Ken Watanabe, Tom Wilkinson,...
, Dr. Wayne is played by Linus RoacheLinus RoacheLinus William Roache is an English actor.-Early life:Roache was born in Manchester, the son of Coronation Street actor William Roache and actress Anna Cropper. Roache was educated at Bishop Luffa Church of England School in Chichester, West Sussex and at the independent Rydal School in Colwyn Bay,...
and received a far more prominent role than Thomas Wayne had ever been given in any other media incarnation of Batman. Wayne was a surgeon at the Gotham CityGotham CityGotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
hospital, and of the fifth generation of the Wayne family to live in the Wayne ManorWayne ManorIn DC Comics, Wayne Manor is a fictional setting, the personal residence of Bruce Wayne, who is also Batman. The residence is typically depicted as a huge stately mansion on grounds outside Gotham City, maintained by the Wayne family's servant, Alfred Pennyworth...
. He was the chairman of Wayne EnterprisesWayne EnterprisesWayne Enterprises is a company in the DC Universe, owned by Bruce Wayne and run by his business manager, Lucius Fox. It was founded by merchant ancestors of the Wayne family in the 17th century as a merchant house, although the company changed when the heir of Judge Solomon Wayne, Alan, utilized...
until his death, a position that his friend Lucius FoxLucius FoxLucius Fox is a fictional character appearing in Batman comic books by DC Comics. He was created by Len Wein and John Calnan, and first appeared in Batman #307 . As a supporting character, he acts as Bruce Wayne's business manager who supposedly unknowingly runs the business interests that supply...
assumes at the end of the film, after Bruce gained control of the company. Bruce falling into the cave is included in this film. Being one of the most prominent citizens in Gotham, he was trying to change the city into a better place, up until the end of his life. In this version, he and Martha are murdered at gunpoint by Joe ChillJoe ChillJoe Chill is a fictional character in the DC Comics Batman series. He is best known for murdering young Bruce Wayne's parents , thus making him indirectly responsible for Batman's existence....
, a petty criminal, after attending a performance of MefistofeleMefistofeleMefistofele is an opera in a prologue, four acts and an epilogue, the only completed opera by the Italian composer-librettist Arrigo Boito.-Composition history:...
. They leave the opera early when Bruce is scared by performers dressed as bats. Dr. Wayne tries to protect his wife after Chill tries to rip off her necklace; Chill then shoots and kills both of them. It is revealed in the movie that the deaths of two such prominent citizens encourages Gotham City's elite to bring it back from the brink of ruin (in the process temporarily foiling Ra's al GhulRa's al GhulRa's al Ghul is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Batman's greatest enemies. His name in Arabic has been translated in the comics as "The Demon's Head" and references the name of the star Algol. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's...
's plan to destroy the city's economy). Dr. Wayne's last words to his son are "Bruce...don't be afraid."
- Thomas Wayne is referenced several times in the DTV The Batman vs. DraculaThe Batman vs. DraculaThe Batman vs. Dracula is a 2005 direct-to-video animated movie based on The Batman television series. It has a much darker tone than the show, and features Vicki Vale...
.
- Jason MarsdenJason MarsdenJason Christopher Marsden is an American screen and voice actor who has done numerous voice roles in animated films, as well as various television series.-Early life:...
voices Dr. Thomas Wayne on Warner Premiere animated feature Batman: Gotham KnightBatman: Gotham Knightis a 2008 direct-to-DVD animated superhero anthology film of six animated short films set in-between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. It depicts Batman battling against the mob of Gotham City, as well as other villains...
.
Video Games
- Thomas Wayne is featured in Batman: Arkham AsylumBatman: Arkham AsylumBatman: Arkham Asylum is a 2009 action-adventure stealth video game based on DC Comics' Batman developed for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows. It was developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Eidos Interactive in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment...
voiced by Kevin ConroyKevin ConroyKevin Conroy is an American stage, screen, and voice actor, best known for his acclaimed voice role as Batman in numerous animated television series, feature films, and video games that make up the DC Animated Universe.-Early life:...
, who also voices Batman. Batman (who was under the influence of ScarecrowScarecrow (comics)The Scarecrow is a fictional character, a supervillain, that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in World's Finest Comics #3 and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
's fear toxin) experiences flashbacks of his parents' murder. A bench in Arkham AsylumArkham AsylumThe Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to simply as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually appearing in stories featuring Batman...
dedicated to Thomas and Martha Wayne is the answer to one of Riddler's riddles which leads to Thomas and Martha Wayne's unlockable bio.
- In Batman: Arkham City, The Monarch Theatre, the site of the Wayne murders, is featured. Near the gates of Ra's Al Ghul's hideout, Batman collapses from the effects of the poison in his blood and sees a vision of his parents in front of a light, imploring Bruce to come into it and reunite with them. But Batman shrugs it off and continues on.