Leslie Thompkins

Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Dick Giordano, she first appeared in Detective Comics #457 (March 1976).^[2] She was based on the Catholic pacifist Dorothy Day.^[3]

A close friend and medical colleague of Thomas Wayne, Leslie serves as a surrogate parent to his son Bruce after his parents are murdered, and later becomes a confidant in his crusade as Batman. In addition to being one of Batman's allies, Leslie is also a renowned medical professional who has dedicated her considerable skills toward helping Gotham City's less fortunate.^[4]

Leslie Thompkins makes her first appearance in Detective Comics #457, in which she is depicted as comforting the young Bruce Wayne on the night that his parents are murdered. Inspired, she dedicates her life to helping slum kids avoid a life of crime. Every year, on the anniversary of his parents' murder, Batman visits Leslie in Park Row (which is now referred to as Crime Alley). However, Leslie has no idea he is the boy she helped decades before.

In later years, Leslie is portrayed as having been a close friend and colleague of Thomas Wayne, Bruce's father. She takes it upon herself to look after Bruce after the boy's parents are murdered, often acting with the family butler Alfred Pennyworth as a parental figure and guardian. After Wrath dies in combat with Batman, Leslie comforts Wrath's grieving girlfriend much as she had young Bruce. She also eventually learns that Bruce is Batman.

She runs a clinic for criminals and drug addicts in Gotham City. While the majority of her patients are repeat offenders, she continues to do her job with great perseverance and determination. During the No Man's Land storyline, she runs Gotham's only medical clinic, operating under a strict 'No Violence' policy regardless of her patients' actions and intent.^[5]

Stephanie Brown suffers serious injuries at the hands of Black Mask during the storyline War Games and is taken to Leslie's clinic for treatment, where she apparently dies from her injuries.^[6] Batman discovers that Leslie deliberately treated Stephanie improperly, intending to show to Batman that his constant use of children as sidekicks was endangering them. It is later revealed that Leslie faked Stephanie's death using an overdose victim who had a similar appearance.^[7]

After the events of Batman: Battle for the Cowl, Leslie Thompkins has once again set up shop in Gotham, attempting to start over. Cavalier, an enemy of Batman, briefly works as her bodyguard.^[8] Leslie has been welcomed back warmly by Alfred and Dick Grayson. Tim Drake, however, maintains a frosty attitude towards her due to her actions regarding Stephanie.