"Where the hell is Alfred?!" was one of my first thoughts after reading through The Batman Chronicles along with, "Where is my dark and broody Batman?!"
Batman is what Superman couldn't be - the dark, detective vigilante. But since the purpose of his creation was to be what Superman was not, Batman still ended up with some of the original Superman qualities. Maybe it was due to the time period, maybe it was because it was still the beginnings of superhero comics, but Batman had cheesy, campy lines like Superman did.
This contradicts with what most of us know and love of Batman. In Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, he is serious, broody, a man of few words (although he does a lot of "talking" through his thought balloons of analyzing and reflecting). I have to appreciate the original comics because that's where he started and evolved to what he is now.
In order for Batman to be his true angsty self, he needs his Robin and his Alfred. They help lighten the mood and provide a positive outlook where Batman can't. Robin, as we discussed in class, is supposed to be Robin-Hood-esque, and if we keep going with this idea, Robin is the squire to Batman the "Dark Knight". We see several Robins come and go, and they all are young and passionate to give us that optimism. Alfred Pennyworth evolves from a bumbling detective/comedic foil to Bruce Wayne's family butler. He comes with a bunch of skills as an actor, medic, spy, and guardian. Bruce would pretty much be dead without him. Basically, Alfred becomes Bruce's father figure when his parents are murdered, and later Robin fills the role of a son. This mismatched family not only provides some comic relief with Alfred's sarcasm and Robin's childish defiance but is a necessary one. Batman goes around with a "I don't need anyone" attitude," but in reality, everyone needs a support system. He wouldn't be the same. We can't have our Batman without our Alfred and our Robin.
I, too, was surprised by Batman's quippy dialogue. This seems to have been a staple of these early comics. Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman are all characters that I associate with stoicism and silence, but each deliver similarly corny retorts toward their foes. Even after Bruce Wayne's tragic origins are revealed, he still says things like, "You played your last hand Joker" (152) while delivering beatdowns. This, as you mention, is a far different Batman than the growling and broody one embodied by Christian Bale. I will say, however, that I enjoy these quips more than those offered up by Miller's Batman. He also seems to have a lot of fun kicking ass. His one-liners ("You've got rights, lots of rights" (45)) are more sadistic than corny. Whereas Kane and Finger's loquacious Dark Knight seems to enjoy saving the day, Miller's finds much more to enjoy in the sight of blood and broken bones.
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