Alfred Pennyworth

**Alfred Thaddeus Crane Pennyworth** is a character from the *DC* comics.

Alfred Pennyworth is Bruce Wayne's loyal father figure and butler. Alfred raised Bruce (and later Dick Grayson) after the death of the Waynes. A former British secret agent, Alfred is a skilled surgeon who often fixes members of the Bat-Family.

In the AWA fics, Alfred is set to appear in a future AWA storyline.

## **Appearance**

Alfred is an old man with a blue balding hair, he has blue eyes and a mustache. He often wears a black jacket over a gray vest, a white buttoned-collared shirt with a bowtie, black slacks and black leather shoes.

## **Personality**

Alfred can be described as Batman's confidant and moral compass. He often patches Bruce when he is severely injured. Alfred is most famous for his dry wit and often advising Batman on his personal matters. Alfred's advice has helped Batman out more than once, in an issue of Detective Comics, Alfred figured out a way to defeat a more powerful Doctor Phosphorus: baking soda, which Batman used to defeat Phosphorus. Alfred has also helped other members of the Batman Family during their times of Crisis. He is also the only member of the Batman Family that is allowed to own firearms. And he knows how to use them.

## **Abilities**

You don't get to be Batman's butler/getaway driver/waiter/counselor without expecting him coming home with injuries. Alfred was a former military surgeon and knows his stuff. Through the years Alfred has repaired Bruce's most serious injuries from broken bones to fractured limbs. However, after Batman's back was broken by Bane, Alfred stabilized Bruce's condition due to the severity of Batman's injuries. Alfred's skills have also extended to helping other members of the Batman Family.

Alfred is a skilled fighter and still retains those abilities. In The New Adventures of Batman comic book, it is said that Alfred has been kidnapped 27 times and in that issue Alfred was kidnapped, but escaped and defeated his kidnappers without getting dirt or anything else on his suit. Considering his age and lack of superpowers, and also in comparison to the advanced combat training Bruce associates received, Alfred is the only member of the Batman Family who possess the permission of Bruce Wayne to use firearms when facing danger, and in this case, giving preference to his shotgun.

## **Trivia**

* The character first appeared in *Batman* #16 (April 1943), by writer Don Cameron and artist Bob Kane. Evidence suggests that Alfred was created by the writers of the 1943 Batman serial—Victor McLeod, Leslie Swabacker, and Harry Fraser—and that DC Comics asked Don Cameron to write the first Alfred story, which was published prior to the serial's release.
* 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. DC editors wanted the comic Alfred to resemble his cinematic counterpart, so in *Detective Comics* #83 (January 1944), Alfred vacationed at a health resort, where he slimmed down and grew a mustache. This look has remained with the character ever since, even surviving his apparent "death" and resurrection.
* Alfred was originally conceived as a comedic foil for Batman and Robin. In most early tales, he made bungling attempts to be a detective on a par with the young masters. He was given a four-page feature of his own, and the feature lasted thirteen issues, skipping *Batman* #35, with the last story in *Batman* #36. The stories followed a simple formula, with Alfred solving a crime and catching the culprits entirely by accident. In later years, the comedic aspects of the character were downplayed.