Everyone knowsBatmanand his alterego Bruce Wayne. Everyone knows that it was the murder of Bruce’s parents, which occurred right in front of him, that led to the creation of Batman. This particular traumatic moment has been recreated dozens of times through comics, film, television, audio tapes, video games, and probably any other type of media you’re able to think of.
Although we rarely see them in movies, Thomas and Martha play a pivotal role in the Batman universe. But aside from tragic victims, who are they really? What’s their backstory? Are there any story arcs that delve more into their characters? Let’s take a look at 10 things that you may not know about Batman’s parents.
10Martha’s Maiden Name Was Kane
Before marrying Thomas and becoming a Wayne, Bruce’s mother was known as Martha Kane, named afterBatman co-creator Bob Kane. Like the Waynes, the Kanes were one of Gotham City’s wealthiest families. They amassed their fortune though the city’s chemical plant, Kane Chemicals. As an heiress to the Kane fortune, Martha never needed Thomas Wayne’s money.
It was love that brought these two together. Their marriage united two of Gotham’s most powerful families, which made their eventual murders that much more shocking when they happened.
9Martha Was a Party Girl
Martha had quite the reputation in her youth. As a rich young woman from a powerful family, she was known as a socialite and debutante. In other words, Martha Kane loved to party. She hung out at the most prestigious country clubs, night clubs, and soirees in Gotham City. She also had a thing for bad boys and dated a gangster named Denholm prior to meeting Thomas.
She eventually cleaned up her act though and got involved in philanthropy. She became a powerful, influential voice for charitable causes, especially when it came to underprivileged groups.
8Thomas Puked on Martha’s Shoes During Their First Meeting
We all know that Thomas and Martha were married. But how did these two love birds actually meet and fall in love? One Batman comic book series,Streets of Gotham,provides a backdrop for their romance. In this particular story, Martha meets Thomas, a notorious playboy and party animal, at one of her fundraising events for a free, walk-in clinic. It isn’t a great first impression, especially when a drunken Thomas vomits on Martha’s shoes.
Humiliated, Thomas later has Alfred Pennyworth, his butler and Batman’s future confidant, drive him to Martha’s clinic to apologize. Thomas ends up volunteering at the clinic and ultimately wins Martha’s affections. And from there, the rest is history.
7Martha’s Pearls Might Have Been Fakes the Night She Was Murdered
Oh, the pearls. Martha’s pearls are an iconic image in the Wayne murders. An anniversary gift from Thomas, the pearls are, in most cases, what attracts the Waynes' killer to them in the first place. And it’s usually Bruce who urges his mother to wear them on that fateful night at the theater. However, the comic book miniseries,Batman: Death and the Maidens,puts an interesting spin on Martha’s pearls.
After ingesting an elixir given to him by Ra’s al Ghul, Batman hallucinates (or does he?) a conversation with his dead parents. During their talk, Martha tells Batman that the pearls were fake and that she never would’ve worn real pearls just to visit the theater. This is never actually confirmed to be true. But the possibility of Martha’s pearls being fake adds yet another tragic layer to Batman’s origin.
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6Martha Wayne Became the Joker in the Flashpoint Story Arc
Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox
Flashpointwas a comic book crossover story arc that was adapted into the animated film,Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox. It imagines a DC universe where the Flash inadvertently creates an alternate timeline by using his speed to travel back in time and prevent his mother’s murder,much like we saw in 2023’sThe Flash.Only Barry Allen, the Flash’s secret identity, has any memory of the original timeline.
In this alternate DC universe, Cyborg is the world’s greatest hero, Superman is a prisoner and lab-rat of the U.S. government, and Aquaman and Wonder Woman are engaged in a war that’s killed millions of people.
The most interesting changes, though, can be found in the world of Batman. In the Flashpoint universe, it was Bruce Wayne that was murdered in Crime Alley, not his parents. Like with the original Batman, this tragedy has a profound, and also devastating, impact on Martha Wayne. Consumed by grief, Martha loses her mind, cuts a Cheshire smile into her own face – and becomes the Joker of this universe.
She commits crimes and atrocities, like murdering Alfred for not being able to find her pearl necklace and paralyzing Catwoman, a callback to when the Joker paralyzed Batgirl inThe Killing Joke.As the Joker says in this iconic graphic novel, “All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy.” These words ring sadly true for Matha. But she wasn’t the only one affected by this tragedy.
5Thomas Wayne Became Batman in the Flashpoint Story Arc
After his son’s murder in the Flashpoint universe, Thomas Wayne goes a different path from Martha. He dons the cape and cowl and becomes the Batman of the Flashpoint universe. A very different kind of Batman.
Unlike his son, Thomas doesn’t adhere to any rules. Sporting black and blood red colors, he’s a violent and ruthless Batman, who takes no issue with killing criminals. It’s a cool DC Comics storyline but also a tragic one. Their son’s untimely death tore Thomas and Martha Wayne a part. And much like the original Batman and Joker, these two lovers are now mortal enemies, locked in a never-ending battle.
4Martha Was Pregnant With a Second Child
People usually think of Bruce as an only child. DC Comics changed this when they rebooted the DC Comics universe in 2011 withThe New 52.In this rebooted timeline, Martha was actually pregnant with a second child named Thomas Wayne Jr. when Bruce was three years-old.Because of the Court of Owls, the child was born prematurely and sent to Willowwood Asylum.
Records indicate that the child died 12 hours after his birth. But following the Wayne murders, the Court of Owls supposedly recruit Thomas Jr. and basically raise him as a villain. Thomas Jr., now known as Lincoln March, blames Bruce for their parents' death and vows revenge. Is he really Bruce’s brother?The New 52never confirmed it.
Thomas Jr. also appears in the comic book story arcThe New 52: Earth 3.Here, he’s the eldest child of the Wayne family, and Thomas and Martha Wayne are abusive parents. Along with Alfred, Thomas Jr. orchestrates the murders of his entire family: Thomas, Martha, and Bruce. He grows to become the supervillain Owlman, a dark and inverted reflection of Batman. In fact, Owlman is baffled that Batman would mourn their awful parents.
3Thomas Dressed Pup as Batman and Fought Criminals at a Masquerade
Thomas Wayne is portrayed as Batman in more than one story. In fact, in the original DC storyline, he’s technically the very first Batman. While attending a masquerade ball in “The First Batman,” a tale fromDetective Comics#235, Thomas dresses up as a Batman-like character, which comes with a domino mask and cape-like wings. He even fights criminals who crash the ball. This plot inspires Bruce’s costume after his parents' murder.
It was later retconned during theCrisis on Infinite Earth, where Thomas was dressed up as Zorro (the biggest influence on Bruce) instead. “Gee Daddy, I wish I could wear a suit like that!” a young Bruce tells his father in the original comic. The phrase “Be careful what you wish for” has never rung truer.
2Their Murders May Have Been Arranged by an Enemy of Thomas Wayne
Joe Chill is the infamous character who murdered Bruce Wayne’s parents, inadvertently creating Batman. But why did he do it? Was it a random mugging, or was their murder orchestrated by someone else? It’s one of the biggest mysteries in the Batman universe, and depending on which Batman story you read, you’ll get a different answer. One of the explanations we get ties into the aforementioned “The First Batman” storyline.
Thomas Wayne’s heroics at the masquerade ball, while dressed up like Batman, resulted in the incarceration of Gotham City crime boss Lew Moxon. Seeking revenge, Moxon hires Joe Chill to gun down Thomas Wayne.
1Thomas Met Superman’s Father, Jor-El
This is one of the weirdest and coolest storylines to come out of DC Comics. InSuperman/Batman#50, Thomas Wayne sees a peculiar object fall to Earth while driving with a pregnant Martha. After investigating it, his consciousness is transported to Krypton and presented as a holograph. And who should he meet there but Jor-El, the famous father of Superman. In a very cool moment, Jor-El and Thomas Wayne have a conversation, discussing Earth as a potential candidate for his future son, the unborn Superman.
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This interaction has a tremendous impact upon the DC universe. Jor-El, convinced by Thomas' analysis, decides to send his son to Earth, while Thomas uses Kryptonian technology to save his family’s failing company. Years later, Batman would use this technology in his war on crime. And he would also come to find the recorded conversation in his father’s diary and learn of this legendary meeting.
