(Image Source: DC / Andy Kubert)
Years in Gotham City have given the Dark Knight a lot of friends and a lot of favors. Even so, when faced with a dying Joker, there are few he can turn to for help. This leads him to approach his oldest ally, in the opening scene of Batman #159, the second part of Hush 2.

Written by Jeph Loeb, with art by Jim Lee, Batman #159 finds the Dark Knight in a sticky situation. The Clown Prince of Crime at Death’s Door thanks to Hush and some unorthodox surgery. This leaves Bruce Wayne turning to the first person to ever offer him help after the death of his parents; Dr. Leslie Thompkins.

The main cover and first five pages of Batman #159 may be viewed below.

Batman Ally Dr. Leslie Thompkins explained

Leslie Thompkins is a comparatively recent addition to the mythology of Batman. She first appeared in 1976’s Detective Comics #457 and was created by Dennis O’Neil and Dick Giordano. “No Hope in Crime Alley” established her as the first person to find Bruce Wayne after his parents were murdered. She continued to meet Batman every year afterward, standing vigil with him on the anniversary of his parents’ deaths.

(Image Source: DC / Dick Giordano)

Later stories established her as a medical doctor and a friend of Batman’s father, Dr. Thomas Wayne. She was said to run a free clinic on Park Row (or Crime Alley as it was popularly known) in Gotham City. Although she disapproved of Bruce Wayne’s vigilantism, she still offered him her medical expertise when it was needed. In light of that, and her commitment to saving lives, he turns to her when he needs to discretely save Joker.

Batman #159 arrives in comic shops everywhere on April 23, 2025.