It’s not an overstatement to callBatmanone of the bravest characters in the DC Universe. Time and time again, Batman has thrown himself against impossible odds and sadistic serial killers, all to save the lives of innocent strangers he’s never met. Despite this being a major character trait, DC has only recently revealed the true source of Bruce Wayne’s bravery.
This reveal takes place inBatman: The Brave and the Bold#18by Christian Ward and Patric Reynolds. In this story, readers are shown a moment in Bruce’s childhood where he’s terrified of speaking in front of a crowd of people. Terrified of messing it up, Bruce truly doesn’t want to go on and is only convinced by the one person in his life he’s always been able to trust.
Scared of getting in front of the crowd, Bruce is soothed by none other than Alfred Pennyworth, who tells him that he is capable of anything. This one moment is one of the first times that Bruce manages to overcome great fear and doubt, andit’s unlikely Alfred ever foresaw the path this would set Bruce on.
Alfred is The Reason Batman Can Overcome His Fear
Batman: The Brave And The Bold#18 by Christian Ward, Patric Reynolds, Luis NCT, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Out ofall of Batman’s trusted family and teammates, Alfred is the one who has been there the longest and knows Batman the best. Undeniably, without Alfred’s influence, Bruce Wayne wouldn’t have grown into the man he is today. Bruce’s entire life has been about overcoming fear, and that was partly helped by the three words that Alfred spoke to him which changed his life,“Yes you can.”
After witnessing the senseless murder of his parents, the very idea of going back out into the world must have been a terrifying thought.
Batman’s life has been defined by fear, but he’s managed to never succumb to it. When Bruce’s parents were killed, he was left with a fortune, and considering the trauma he suffered, it would be easy for him to simply hold up in Wayne Manor and never face the world again.After witnessing the senseless murder of his parents, the very idea of going back out into the world must have been a terrifying thought.Later, when Bruce was putting together his identity for Batman, he once again turned to the power of fearduring the iconic “I will become a bat” scene.
Without Alfred Pennyworth, There Wouldn’t Be A Batman
Alfred Helped Batman Master His Fear
Without Alfred, there would never be a Batman, and it all started from one benign moment where Alfred helped a scared little boy overcome a basic fear. This one moment taught Bruce that no matter how scared he is or how full of doubt he is, hecanovercome it and do anything. This one moment wasn’t just Alfred helping Bruce, it was Alfred teaching him that he can becomeBatmanif he truly believes that Gotham needs it, and no amount of terrifying serial killers or monsters is enough to stop him.
Batman: Brave and the Boldis on sale from DC Comics on October 23rd.
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
