|
Thomas Wayne, MD was a medical doctor, philanthropist,[5] the husband of Martha Wayne and the father of Bruce Wayne.
History
Thomas Wayne graduated from Gotham State University with his friend, Dr. Long.[1]
Thomas went to medical school with Leslie Thompkins, Matt Thorne, and Anne Luitina. Thomas, Leslie, and Matt were known as "The Three Musketeers" at school, and were considered inseparable. They spent their graduation week at the Waldorf, and pictures were taken at a big AMA mixer. They signed one another's yearbook, "The Caduceus", and remained in touch for several years.[5][6]
Thomas was a loving husband and father, and would often playfully toss his son in the air.[7] He would always watch the television show "The Gray Ghost" with his son.[8] He referred to Bruce as "stubborn" from the day Bruce was born.[5] He once told his son, "Those who have the most, must give the most".[4]
Thomas Wayne with his wife, Martha Wayne, was killed by a mugger in front of his eight-year-old son in the so-called "Park Row Tragedy".[9]
Legacy
The Waynes' murder would be the single most important event that drove Bruce Wayne to become Batman. Thomas was buried alongside his wife, Martha.[10]
Thomas's son, Bruce, often had nightmares involving his parent's death and this helped continue his crusade as Batman. Bruce would have many photographs and portraits around Wayne Manor and the Batcave of his parents.[2][11]
While in training for his career as Batman, Bruce "spoke" to a portrait of his parents. Bruce was considering abandoning his nascent crimefighting mission, which he saw as interfering in his social life, particularly with women. He asked Martha and Thomas which they would have considered more important, avenging their deaths as Batman versus finding a woman and marrying her, which is what they would have likely wanted for their son to begin with. A main reason Bruce was posthumously asking his father for guidance was his growing relationship with Andrea Beaumont.
Every year on the anniversary of his parents' death, Batman would put two roses in Crime Alley at the site of their death.[9] He would occasionally place two roses at their gravestone as well.[1]
The Thomas Wayne Memorial Free Clinic in Park Row was named for Thomas. After Matthew Thorne surrendered himself to the Gotham Police Department on charges on aiding criminals and practicing medicine without a license, Bruce Wayne met him to offer moral support, and asked Thorne to tell him about his father, wherepon the two men had a friendly conversation over coffee about Thomas' younger years.[5]
Dreams and Memories
When first infected with the Scarecrow's fear toxin, Batman saw visions of his father being mad at Bruce disgracing his father's name. This was likely due to lingering comments earlier from a rude man (a former colleague of his father) who denounced Bruce for being a playboy whilst Thomas was known as a "man's man" who put others above himself.[1]
When Bruce was recovering from memory loss, one of his first memories was of his father.[7]
After Harvey Dent's transformation into Two-Face, Bruce connected Harvey's disfigurement with his parents' deaths in his dreams.[2]
When under control of a mind control apparatus, Batman found himself in a world where he was living with his aged parents, who had never been murdered. In this "Wonderland", Thomas Wayne had retired from Wayne Enterprises, and gave the company to Bruce. Due to his parents being alive and well, Bruce never embarked on his crusade as Batman. Thomas lived with his wife and son at Wayne Manor, and would often spend his days at the golf course. Thomas also seemed pleased that Bruce was dating Selena Kyle, who seemed poised to become his daughter-in-law. However, when Bruce angrily knocked over books in the library of Wayne Manor and snarled "it is all fake", Thomas was worried about his son's odd demeanor. When Bruce went out to track down the "false Batman" of this reality, Thomas and Martha contacted the police to bring him back.[12]
Dr. Hugo Strange saw images of Thomas Wayne within Bruce's mind while using his radiopathic monitoring device.[13]
While under the influence of the Black Mercy, Bruce relived the night his parents were attacked in Crime Alley, this time Thomas fought off their attacker, until Bruce was freed from the Black Mercy and the dream returned to the familiar nightmare.[14]
Appearances and references
Batman: The Animated Series
- "Nothing to Fear" (Hallucination)
- "The Forgotten" (Cameo in dreams)
- "Two-Face, Part II" (in a nightmare)
- "Beware the Gray Ghost" (flashback)
- "Dreams in Darkness" (Hallucination)
- "Perchance to Dream" (Hallucination)
- "Robin's Reckoning, Part I" (Cameo on portrait of Thomas and Martha Wayne)
- "The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne" (Cameo in Bruce Wayne's memories)
- "Paging the Crime Doctor" (Cameo on photo)
- "His Silicon Soul" (Cameo on photo)
Feature film
- Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (Cameo on portrait of Thomas and Martha Wayne)
The New Batman Adventures
- "Sins of the Father" (Cameo on portrait of Thomas and Martha Wayne)
- "Cold Comfort" (Cameo on photo)
- "Over the Edge" (Cameo on portrait of Thomas and Martha Wayne)
- "Chemistry" (Mentioned Only)
Batman Beyond
- "Rebirth, Part II" (Mentioned Only)
- "Shriek" (Mentioned Only)
- "Ace in the Hole" (Mentioned Only)
Gotham Girls
- "Gotham in Blue" (Mentioned Only)
Justice League
- "The Savage Time, Part I" (Mentioned Only)
- "A Better World, Part II" (Mentioned Only)
Justice League Unlimited
- "For the Man Who Has Everything" (Hallucination)
- "Epilogue" (Mentioned Only)
References
|