Based on the cover of the comic, you would expect a standard Batman story. There’s a threat to Gotham, and Batman saves the city once again from the danger. However, this was not the case, and it was a wonderful change of pace.
Throughout the issue, we don’t follow the Dark Knight, but rather his faithful butler: Alfred Pennyworth. I have long regarded Alfred as one of, if not the absolute best characters in the entire Bat family. This issue only serves to back up that belief. Over the course of this story, we see exactly what keeps Alfred going and why he’s still around to this day.
(Spoilers incoming)
It all starts on THAT night. Alfred gets a call in the middle of the night that the unthinkable has happened, and young Master Bruce needs him. Alfred reveals that he had been planning on leaving the employ of the Wayne family, but then everything changed. Cut to 3 a.m. a few decades later, and Alfred is still there, still just trying to sleep. But when you work for Batman, as Alfred said himself, “It’s three a.m., Master Bruce. Why would I be asleep?” He continues his typical banter with Bruce about not getting enough sleep and taking a break to let himself heal, while also maintaining his inner monologue. As Alfred explains, he’s been around for this long for a reason. He states that Bruce needs him around, because in the grand scheme of things, Batman has more important things to worry about than all the trivial things that make up a normal person’s day. We even see Alfred performing a few of these “trivial” things. Things such as cooking, checking the Batmobile’s tire pressure and reloading the spare utility belts.
All of this takes place with the backdrop of one of Batman’s investigations into stolen military drones being used to attack parts of Gotham. However, that story gets thrust to center stage quickly as Batman sustains a serious injury that threatens to literally bleed him out. At that point, we see what truly makes Alfred Pennyworth special. Without question or hesitation, Alfred springs to action, dawns one of the cowls and speeds off to save Batman. At that point, we see one of my favorite Alfred moments that’s ever been done. Two thugs circle Batman to take advantage of his injuries, when a Bat cowl-wearing Alfred appears and engages the thugs. Despite taking a few hits, Alfred beats them back and chases them off. He is then able to save Batman, and the two are treated for their injuries. When Alfred wakes up next, he finds himself in his bedroom in Wayne Manor. As Alfred processes what happened, Bruce tells him that he won’t be going on patrol that night to make sure Alfred can rest for a change. When Alfred asks what makes this such a special occasion that Batman would take a night off, it is revealed that the day is Father’s Day.
This is hands down one of my favorite Batman issues ever. I absolutely loved seeing Alfred in action like that. Let this issue be a reminder, despite all the times Batman has claimed to be a loner and that he doesn’t need anyone to help him, he always has one person behind him. He always has his father with him: Alfred.