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Batman Allies Collections
Batman Allies: Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth has been at the side of Bruce Wayne for his entire life. In these Batman Allies collections, DC has curated the best stories of Batman's best friends.
Batman's oldest ally, his father figure, his base camp operator and his butler. Alfred Pennyworth has been integral in so many of the Caped Crusader's tales and now it's time for a spotlight on him. With stories from the Golden Age of comics all the way to Rebirth, this collection has something for every fan of our favorite butler. See his first appearance, get his origin story, meet his daughter and even Undead Alfred!
Batman's oldest ally, his father figure, his base camp operator and his butler. Alfred Pennyworth has been integral in so many of the Caped Crusader's tales and now it's time for a spotlight on him. With stories from the Golden Age of comics all the way to Rebirth, this collection has something for every fan of our favorite butler. See his first appearance, get his origin story, meet his daughter and even Undead Alfred!
248 pages, Paperback
First published March 24, 2020
About the author
Alan Grant
1,762 books145 followersAlan Grant was a Scottish comic book writer known for writing Judge Dredd in 2000 AD as well as various Batman titles during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is also the creator of the character Anarky.
Alan Grant first entered the comics industry in 1967 when he became an editor for D.C. Thomson before moving to London from Dundee in 1970 to work for IPC on various romance magazines. After going back to college and having a series of jobs, Grant found himself back in Dundee and living on Social Security. He then met John Wagner, another former D.C. Thompson editor, who was helping put together a new science fiction comic for IPC, 2000 A.D., and was unable to complete his other work. Wagner asked Grant if he could help him write the Tarzan comic he was working on; so began the Wagner/Grant writing partnership.
The pair eventually co-wrote Judge Dredd. They would work on other popular strips for the comic, including Robo-Hunter and Strontium Dog using the pseudonym T.B. Grover. Grant also worked on other people's stories, changing and adding dialogue, most notably Harry Twenty on the High Rock, written by Gerry Finley-Day. Judge Dredd would be Grant's main concern for much of the 1980s. Grant and Wagner had developed the strip into the most popular in 2000AD as well as creating lengthy epic storylines such as The Apocalypse War. Grant also wrote for other IPC comics such as the revamped Eagle.
By the late 1980s, Grant and Wagner were about to move into the American comic market. Their first title was a 12-issue miniseries called Outcasts for DC Comics. Although it wasn't a success, it paved the way for the pair to write Batman stories in Detective Comics from issue 583, largely with Norm Breyfogle on art duties across the various Batman titles Grant moved to. After a dozen issues, Wagner left Grant as sole writer. Grant was one of the main Batman writers until the late 1990s. The pair also created a four issue series for Epic Comics called The Last American. This series, as well as the Chopper storyline in Judge Dredd, is blamed for the breakup of the Wagner/Grant partnership. The pair split strips, with Wagner keeping Judge Dredd and Grant keeping Strontium Dog and Judge Anderson. Grant and Wagner continue to work together on special projects such as the Batman/Judge Dredd crossover Judgement on Gotham. During the late 1980s, Grant experienced a philosophical transformation and declared himself an anarchist. The creation of the supervillain Anarky was initially intended as a vehicle for exploring his political opinions through the comic medium. In the following years, he would continue to utilize the character in a similar fashion as his philosophy evolved.
Grant's projects at the start of the 90s included writing Detective Comics and Strontium Dog, but two projects in particular are especially notable. The first is The Bogie Man, a series co-written by Wagner which was the pair's first venture into independent publishing. The second is Lobo, a character created by Keith Giffen as a supporting character in The Omega Men. Lobo gained his own four issue mini series in 1990 which was drawn by Simon Bisley. This was a parody of the 'dark, gritty' comics of the time and proved hugely popular. After several other miniseries (all written by Grant, sometimes with Giffen as co-writer), Lobo received his own ongoing series. Grant was also writing L.E.G.I.O.N. (a Legion of Super-Heroes spin-off) and The Demon (a revival of Jack Kirby's charac
Alan Grant first entered the comics industry in 1967 when he became an editor for D.C. Thomson before moving to London from Dundee in 1970 to work for IPC on various romance magazines. After going back to college and having a series of jobs, Grant found himself back in Dundee and living on Social Security. He then met John Wagner, another former D.C. Thompson editor, who was helping put together a new science fiction comic for IPC, 2000 A.D., and was unable to complete his other work. Wagner asked Grant if he could help him write the Tarzan comic he was working on; so began the Wagner/Grant writing partnership.
The pair eventually co-wrote Judge Dredd. They would work on other popular strips for the comic, including Robo-Hunter and Strontium Dog using the pseudonym T.B. Grover. Grant also worked on other people's stories, changing and adding dialogue, most notably Harry Twenty on the High Rock, written by Gerry Finley-Day. Judge Dredd would be Grant's main concern for much of the 1980s. Grant and Wagner had developed the strip into the most popular in 2000AD as well as creating lengthy epic storylines such as The Apocalypse War. Grant also wrote for other IPC comics such as the revamped Eagle.
By the late 1980s, Grant and Wagner were about to move into the American comic market. Their first title was a 12-issue miniseries called Outcasts for DC Comics. Although it wasn't a success, it paved the way for the pair to write Batman stories in Detective Comics from issue 583, largely with Norm Breyfogle on art duties across the various Batman titles Grant moved to. After a dozen issues, Wagner left Grant as sole writer. Grant was one of the main Batman writers until the late 1990s. The pair also created a four issue series for Epic Comics called The Last American. This series, as well as the Chopper storyline in Judge Dredd, is blamed for the breakup of the Wagner/Grant partnership. The pair split strips, with Wagner keeping Judge Dredd and Grant keeping Strontium Dog and Judge Anderson. Grant and Wagner continue to work together on special projects such as the Batman/Judge Dredd crossover Judgement on Gotham. During the late 1980s, Grant experienced a philosophical transformation and declared himself an anarchist. The creation of the supervillain Anarky was initially intended as a vehicle for exploring his political opinions through the comic medium. In the following years, he would continue to utilize the character in a similar fashion as his philosophy evolved.
Grant's projects at the start of the 90s included writing Detective Comics and Strontium Dog, but two projects in particular are especially notable. The first is The Bogie Man, a series co-written by Wagner which was the pair's first venture into independent publishing. The second is Lobo, a character created by Keith Giffen as a supporting character in The Omega Men. Lobo gained his own four issue mini series in 1990 which was drawn by Simon Bisley. This was a parody of the 'dark, gritty' comics of the time and proved hugely popular. After several other miniseries (all written by Grant, sometimes with Giffen as co-writer), Lobo received his own ongoing series. Grant was also writing L.E.G.I.O.N. (a Legion of Super-Heroes spin-off) and The Demon (a revival of Jack Kirby's charac
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 9, 2022
Alfred deserved better.
Only 4 out of the 15 issues in this collection were actually good and captured Alfred's alfred-ness. These four were Detective Comics #501, #502 (entitled "The Man Who Killed Mme. Marie" and "Who Shot Mme. Marie?"), Batman Annual #1 ("Good Boy") and Batman Annual #3 ("Father's Day").
The former was a two-part series which revealed Alfred's past in the war and the tragic romance he had during it. Alfred and Lucius Fox soon get embroiled in a hunt for the murderer of a former colleague of their's, Bruce follows the pair to France as poor Alfred is accused of murder! It was a solid storyline that showed a different side to the Wayne butler while also showcasing his compassion and good-nature.
"Good Boy" was the re-vamped story of how Ace the dog became a member of Bat family and while it is one of my favorite Batman one-shots, I have read it multiple times already from different collections (it's set in Christmas so it's also in A Very DC Rebirth Holiday). And "Father's Day" was my favorite issue of the entire collection as it showcased how important Alfred's many roles are to the running of not just the manor but also to the Batman mission, and by extension, the stability of Gotham.
While it was interesting to see the evolution of Alfred from bumbling, incompetent comic relief to the highly skilled, witty character he has become, I can't really consider this an enjoyable read. Or one I would recommend. Overall, the selections within this collection were mediocre at best, save the four I mentioned above.
Only 4 out of the 15 issues in this collection were actually good and captured Alfred's alfred-ness. These four were Detective Comics #501, #502 (entitled "The Man Who Killed Mme. Marie" and "Who Shot Mme. Marie?"), Batman Annual #1 ("Good Boy") and Batman Annual #3 ("Father's Day").
The former was a two-part series which revealed Alfred's past in the war and the tragic romance he had during it. Alfred and Lucius Fox soon get embroiled in a hunt for the murderer of a former colleague of their's, Bruce follows the pair to France as poor Alfred is accused of murder! It was a solid storyline that showed a different side to the Wayne butler while also showcasing his compassion and good-nature.
"Good Boy" was the re-vamped story of how Ace the dog became a member of Bat family and while it is one of my favorite Batman one-shots, I have read it multiple times already from different collections (it's set in Christmas so it's also in A Very DC Rebirth Holiday). And "Father's Day" was my favorite issue of the entire collection as it showcased how important Alfred's many roles are to the running of not just the manor but also to the Batman mission, and by extension, the stability of Gotham.
While it was interesting to see the evolution of Alfred from bumbling, incompetent comic relief to the highly skilled, witty character he has become, I can't really consider this an enjoyable read. Or one I would recommend. Overall, the selections within this collection were mediocre at best, save the four I mentioned above.
September 17, 2025
$9.99 was less than it’s cover price of $19.99 so I owe no one an apology for buying the hard copy of this book! Seriously! Alex Ross cover!
"BUTLER. ACTOR. SOLDIER. SPY."
Batman #16 3 stars
Detective Comics #83 3 stars
Batman #31 5 stars
Detective #356 1 stars
The Untold Legend of the Batman #2" 5 stars
Batman #501 5 stars
Batman Annual #13 5 stars
Shadow of the. Bat #31 1 star
Gotham Adventures #16 4 stars
Yikes! I just read this story this morning. I gave it four stars and it certainly deserved it. It makes perfect sense that it would be in this ‘ultimate’ Alfred collection as well.
Detective Comics #806 2 stars
Detective Comics #807 1 star
Batman Eternals #31 1 star
Batman Annual #1 1 star
Detective Comics #807 1 star
Batman Annual #3 5 stars
Sadly this book comes out to a weak 3 stars. There are some gems (5 of them) and then there are some dogs (6 of them!).
What does that say? That Alfred is hard to define. People want to make him competent and long-suffering but they also don’t want him to be a doormat.
I always like Alfred as the ultimate confidant. Who will tell you when you’re out of line. Stand with you against Bruce when he’s wrong. Be a pal when Bruce won’t be.
This is still a keeper, it’s just a highly variable one.
"BUTLER. ACTOR. SOLDIER. SPY."
Batman #16 3 stars
Detective Comics #83 3 stars
Batman #31 5 stars
Detective #356 1 stars
The Untold Legend of the Batman #2" 5 stars
Batman #501 5 stars
Batman Annual #13 5 stars
Shadow of the. Bat #31 1 star
Gotham Adventures #16 4 stars
Yikes! I just read this story this morning. I gave it four stars and it certainly deserved it. It makes perfect sense that it would be in this ‘ultimate’ Alfred collection as well.
Detective Comics #806 2 stars
Detective Comics #807 1 star
Batman Eternals #31 1 star
Batman Annual #1 1 star
Detective Comics #807 1 star
Batman Annual #3 5 stars
Sadly this book comes out to a weak 3 stars. There are some gems (5 of them) and then there are some dogs (6 of them!).
What does that say? That Alfred is hard to define. People want to make him competent and long-suffering but they also don’t want him to be a doormat.
I always like Alfred as the ultimate confidant. Who will tell you when you’re out of line. Stand with you against Bruce when he’s wrong. Be a pal when Bruce won’t be.
This is still a keeper, it’s just a highly variable one.
October 16, 2020
Descobri coisas que desconhecia. Alfred, o eterno mordomo de Batman (pelo menos até Tom King o ter morto, mas nos comics as mortes raramente são finais), começou por ser um comic-relief na época mais clássica, como um gorducho e desastrado inglês com a mania que é detetive. Mas foi sendo melhorado, ganhando novas dimensões, de tutor do jovem Bruce Wayne a um passado nos serviços secretos e forças especiais. Agora percebo a versão Alfred de Warren Ellis em The Batman's Grave, ao mesmo tempo um mordomo especialista em operações secretas com extremo prejuízo e um sentido de humor corrosivo, vénia às raízes do personagem.
A evolução é registada em várias histórias, dos clássicos Bob Kane e Bill Finger aos argumentistas como Gerry Conway que realmente deram a Batman o seu peso icónico. Contém uma das mais deliciosas histórias de Batman de sempre, escrita por Tom King, um conto de natal de humor fino onde Alfred salva um cão traumatizado pelo Joker, animal violento que ninguém acredita ser domesticável, ensinando-o pacientemente a conviver com os humanos, até se tornar um fiel amigo do Cavaleiro Negro. A história termina na noite de natal, com Batman a trocar prendas com Alfred, perguntando-lhe porque é que o mordomo não lhe ofereceu uma prenda, enquanto afaga o cão tranquilo. "World greatest detective indeed", resmunga Alfred, perante a incapacidade de Batman em perceber a prenda que verdadeiramente recebeu. Há mais boas histórias a descobrir neste volume dedicado a uma das mais icónicas personagens secundárias dos comics.
A evolução é registada em várias histórias, dos clássicos Bob Kane e Bill Finger aos argumentistas como Gerry Conway que realmente deram a Batman o seu peso icónico. Contém uma das mais deliciosas histórias de Batman de sempre, escrita por Tom King, um conto de natal de humor fino onde Alfred salva um cão traumatizado pelo Joker, animal violento que ninguém acredita ser domesticável, ensinando-o pacientemente a conviver com os humanos, até se tornar um fiel amigo do Cavaleiro Negro. A história termina na noite de natal, com Batman a trocar prendas com Alfred, perguntando-lhe porque é que o mordomo não lhe ofereceu uma prenda, enquanto afaga o cão tranquilo. "World greatest detective indeed", resmunga Alfred, perante a incapacidade de Batman em perceber a prenda que verdadeiramente recebeu. Há mais boas histórias a descobrir neste volume dedicado a uma das mais icónicas personagens secundárias dos comics.
October 6, 2020
Alfred might very well be my favorite character of the Bat Family. Because, let's face it.. if it wasn't for him, they all would have been dead or insane a long time ago. It was fascinating to see how the character changed over the years--from bumbling but loveable, to "I'll-kick-your-behind-but-I'll-also-be-polite-while-I-do-it." A versatile character that is the absolute glue that holds the Bat Family together--I loved these stories that looked at the various aspects of his character: From being a soldier and a spy, to being a fatherly figure and a friend. The last two issues were my favorites! They were sweet and perfectly captured Bruce and Alfred's relationship. (And I am totally going to buy them! They must be a part of my collection!)
February 28, 2023
A good collection of comic book stories about Alfred, Batman's Butler.
We have the very first appearance of Alfred back in 1943.(And this origin is a tad different than the one we are now familiar with, as is the appearance of Alfred-not the one we think of him now)
We have the Return of Alfred, after being killed off in the mid 60s...his return was due to the Adam West TV show, which had Alfred in it, and brought about his return to the comics.
We have more than a few more versions of his origin here as well. Some will be more familiar than others.
A fascinating look at the growth and development of the Alfred character.
We have the very first appearance of Alfred back in 1943.(And this origin is a tad different than the one we are now familiar with, as is the appearance of Alfred-not the one we think of him now)
We have the Return of Alfred, after being killed off in the mid 60s...his return was due to the Adam West TV show, which had Alfred in it, and brought about his return to the comics.
We have more than a few more versions of his origin here as well. Some will be more familiar than others.
A fascinating look at the growth and development of the Alfred character.
November 12, 2025
I wish Alfred Pennyworth were real so I could give him a giant hug. He's my emotional support fictional character.
Truth be told, I skimmed the first two issues in this collection and didn't read them in their entirety. I am not a fan of early Batman stories, Bob Kane's artwork just isn't very good, and the version of Alfred introduced in those stories is nothing like today's Alfred anyway. Luckily all the other stories in this collection were much more enjoyable. A few even had me tearing up. I think the Father's Day story is my favorite. That one is a 5/5.
Truth be told, I skimmed the first two issues in this collection and didn't read them in their entirety. I am not a fan of early Batman stories, Bob Kane's artwork just isn't very good, and the version of Alfred introduced in those stories is nothing like today's Alfred anyway. Luckily all the other stories in this collection were much more enjoyable. A few even had me tearing up. I think the Father's Day story is my favorite. That one is a 5/5.
September 18, 2020
The last few stories on Alfred, the modern ones, are okay. They provide the necessary psychological input. There's one, uncharacteristic story, in a weird graphic style that's nice too, but the bulk of it, the old stories, they're just too bad to read.
I still feel I don't really know much about Alfred. I suppose I never will?
I still feel I don't really know much about Alfred. I suppose I never will?
March 25, 2020
A cool series to accompany the Batman Arkham villain books. I couldn’t relate much to the earlier appearances they included but all the later stuff was fantastic, Alfred is of course one the most deserving support characters for the spotlight in all comic-dom.
October 23, 2020
A nice collection of Alfred stories, some comic, others more dramatic or heartwarming. Best of the bunch? The two-part story that introduced Alfred's daughter, Julia, and the Tom King/David Finch award-winning "Good Boy."
August 4, 2025
Love Alfred, amazing art but I did end up skipping the story where they made him clumsy and fat like that’s definitely not Alfred. The last issue, won’t say the name as it’s a spoiler, is really touching.
June 13, 2026
Some snoozers and some bangers. Love love loveeee Good Boy and Father's Day 🖤🖤🖤 liked Buried Deep well enough; Captive Audience was pretty good too :-) Alfred you are perfect to me and what prompted the release of this collection is just awful. No thank you!
July 4, 2020
*3 and a half stars*
October 13, 2020
Read it with my kiddo. He was so curious about Alfred.
January 10, 2021
Nothing like Alfred to make you happy.... And emotional
January 16, 2021
A collection of Alfred centric stories from the 1940's to modern day. It's interesting to see how the character has changed over the years, Yet remains the same.
March 1, 2021
I didn't grow up reading comics and have read very few still, so getting to see this collection of works from many different eras was enjoyable and a great way to experience the genre.
June 18, 2022
Wholesome dad, sassy bitch, fun little spy. Alfred is many things and I love him always <3
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews