Alfred is an essential part of Batman’s mythos. He’s the faithful butler who always stands behind the Dark Knight, supporting him and making sure that he’s well taken care of so that he can take care of Gotham City, in turn. Over the years, he’s become integral to how the Caped Crusader functions. Alfred isn’t just the hired help. He’s Batman’s number one confidant, being the only person who can connect with Batman even in his darkest hour and point him back on the right path with nothing more than some caring words, a great sandwich, and a little bit of sass. He’s been in more adaptations than Robin, for Pete’s sake. Everybody knows Alfred, and everyone loves Alfred. That made it all the more shocking when DC killed him and even more surprising that they haven’t brought him back.
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Death has always been a revolving door in comics, so with a character as iconic as Alfred, everyone assumed that it was only a matter of time before he found his way back. Yet, even seven years after his murder, comics’ best butler has remained beyond the grave. Not only that, but DC has finally gotten Batman a new butler to replace the void left by the original. Batman (2025) #11 introduced fans to an all-new character in Verity Pennyworth. She’s Alfred’s great-niece, and she’s here to do everything that Batman’s first butler can’t do anymore.
The Ally Batman Needed When He Needed Her Most
Alfred died during the “City of Bane” storyline, sacrificing himself to ensure that Bane didn’t have any blackmail hanging over Batman’s head and giving the hero the freedom he needed to save Gotham. That was all the way back in 2019, which means that it’s been seven long years since Batman has had a butler at his side. Alfred wasn’t just Batman’s assistant. He was the anchor to Batman’s character, being the backbone to so many Bruce Wayne oriented storylines. Batman is a complicated man, almost always hiding his true self under at least one mask. Truthfully, the time when Bruce is most himself is when he’s wearing the costume but not the cowl. That is the Batman that Alfred saw the most, and brought out of Bruce.
Without a butler like Alfred to be with Batman when he’s in the Batcave or mulling over a complicated case, Bruce often goes through these scenes alone. That fundamentally removes a human element from his stories. Some of Bruce’s most poignant character moments are when he’s speaking to Alfred about a case, or facing some revelation because of what Alfred said. Without him, Bruce flies through those scenes with nothing more than internal narration, and that’s lessened them. Batman needs someone on the outside to bounce off of and challenge him or support him, and Alfred perfectly rode the line for both.
A non-superhero working alongside Batman provided a necessary outsider perspective that also allowed writers to spend time with Bruce in his truest state. Without Alfred, those moments have become a lot less frequent, and thus, most of the story is only on Bruce fully in costume, which loses a major side to his character. Verity is here to bring that aspect back to Batman comics. Not only can she provide the space to give Bruce that character to bounce off and a new dynamic for him to explore, but she can support Bruce Wayne-centric stories, which have also been painfully absent for years.
Lasting Impact Breeds Incredible Growth
Nobody expected Alfred to stay dead for long, and we definitely never thought that he’d actually stay out of Batman’s main comics for seven years. With Verity’s introduction, it’s clear that DC not only isn’t going to be bringing Alfred back any time soon, but that they might even plan to keep him dead permanently. Death hasn’t had stakes in DC since Superman’s death and return, and even then, it was more of an inconvenience than a real hurdle, most of the time. Everyone dies and comes back all the time, but in keeping Alfred dead for the foreseeable future, DC has brought back stakes and character development that were once thought lost forever.
Batman has been forced to change without Alfred, becoming more self-reliant, but also falling into bad habits that the butler once kept him out of. By keeping Alfred dead, the entire Bat-Family has grown, each coming to terms with it and becoming truly better heroes. Damian Wayne’s entire arc from the last several years was in direct response to learning to grieve for Alfred, and it’s some of the best work he’s ever been a part of. Often, however, bringing back a dead character makes the growth gained by their death feel unearned or complicates things to the point where the status quo returns and upsets everything they built. Verity’s introduction is a sign that DC isn’t looking behind but charging ahead, making an all-new status quo.
Batman #11 is on sale now!
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