The Death of Alfred

I just barely read the death of Alfred. No, don’t worry. It wasn’t in any recently released comics. It was in my Showcase Presents Batman trade paperback that I’m currently reading. I had never realized that way way way back in the 60s they bumped off Alfred. The story goes that while on a mission, he believes he needs to save Batman and Robin from danger and he rides in on a motorcycle and pushes Batman and Robin out of the way of a falling boulder. In the process of saving them he then is crushed to death by said boulder! How could they? How could they kill off Alfred? I don’t know about you, but he was always one of my favorite characters. To matters worse, they introduce the character of Aunt Harriet to replace him. yes, that Aunt Harriet: the annoying aunt from the tv series.

However, I do have two amusing things to gleen from this tragedy. After Alfred’s death Bruce Wayne sets up a charitable foundation. Was this foundation called “The Pennyworth Foundation?” No, it’s the “Alfred Foundation.” You know, like if my friend Matt died, I’d set up the “Matt Foundation” so everyone would know it’s named after him (/sarcasm).

Also, looking at the wikipedia entry on Alfred I found this:

“The Pre-Crisis comics (i.e., comics published by DC Comics between 1938 and 1986) established Alfred as a retired actor and intelligence agent who followed the deathbed wish of his dying father, Jarvis, to carry on the tradition of serving the Wayne family.”

That’s right! Jarvis! I knew all butlers were connected. Jarvis, the Avengers butler is Alfred’s dad…somehow. Apparently this is true in post-crisis continuity too. But if Jarvis is dead how can he be alive to serve the Avengers? I don’t know. Maybe they can resolve this in Final Crisis.