Top Ten Comic Book Doctors #3 - Leslie Thompkins

July 25th, 2005

Filed under: Comics, Medicine

The first (and sadly, only) second female physician on the list of Comic Book Doctors Who Actually Practice Medicine:

#3 - Dr. Leslie Thompkins

Originally appearing in Detective Comics #457, Dr. Leslie Thompkins runs a clinic in the poorer section of Gotham City. She went to medical school with Thomas Wayne, Bruce Wayne’s father (and according to Batman: The Animated Series, the Crime Doctor was also there at the same time). She gave up working a high paying hospital job to help Gotham’s less fortunate.

She was once of the first to comfort the young Bruce Wayne when his parent’s were murdered and she knows of his dual life of Batman, though she does not approve of it. She works with several other of the Gotham City vigilantes as well.

She has been seen recently Batman: Gotham Knights #793 and then in Batman: Wargames.

Dr. Leslie Thompkins

11 Responses to “ Top Ten Comic Book Doctors #3 - Leslie Thompkins ”

  1. Katie
    July 26th, 2005 at 12:20 am

    She’s the only female on the list?

    So, there’s something about Cecelia Reyes that you’re just not telling us…

  2. Tim O'Neil
    July 26th, 2005 at 12:41 am

    Two to go and still no Dr. Zoidberg… I’ll be very unhappy if this list finishes without an appearance by everyone’s favorite red crustacean.

  3. Scott
    July 26th, 2005 at 7:40 am
    Official Comment

    Oops, forgot Celicia…make that one of two women on the list…

  4. Your Obedient Serpent
    July 26th, 2005 at 4:04 pm

    You know, in that first appearance, she wasn’t “Doctor” Thompkins, and she didn’t know the Waynes from Adam. She was just a nice old lady who comforted a small boy who had just experienced unspeakable tragedy.

    I’m not sure, but I don’t think she got boosted up to “Doctor” until after the Crisis — Batman: Year Two, IIRC.

  5. Scott
    July 26th, 2005 at 10:19 pm
    Official Comment

    YOS,

    You’re right, she didn’t a doctor until after the Crisis, and even then she wasn’t a family friend. As the story has been retold, it has been elaborated upon more and more and Thompkins has become more and more involved in Bruce’s life. If the trend continues, soon we’ll hear she was there at his baptism, and then his birth, and then his conception…

  6. Nuadha
    July 27th, 2005 at 9:53 am

    Personally, Leslie takes number one on my list because of what she does as a doctor: running a free clinic in one of the worst neigborhoods in Gotham. #1 and #2 are a hero and a villain with no small amount of skill, but Dr. Thompkins is a hero as a doctor. Pretty damn cool. Thanks for the list!

  7. Your Obedient Serpent
    August 31st, 2005 at 5:33 pm

    Does she get extra points for trimming extraneous Robins now?

  8. Chris Arndt
    September 1st, 2005 at 1:13 am

    because I am obsessive….

    Batman’s parents’ murderer was Joe Chill.

    Why Joe Chill murdered the Waynes depends on the story and the era and the canon of the time.

    The first one to substantially comfort Bruce Wayne after their deaths was Leslie Thompkins. Batman owes her but she knows not why…. She does this sort of thing. She helped the bride of the Wrath.

    Alice Chilton was Bruce Wayne’s mother figure. Only Alfred knew at first the reason she did it: she was Joe Chill’s mother.

    Leslie Thompkins was played by Gary Oldman in Batman Begins.

  9. Beomagi
    November 8th, 2006 at 12:09 am

    Didn’t she kill spoiler at the end of wargames and have her story changed at the end of infinite crisis?

  10. Scott
    November 8th, 2006 at 6:52 am
    Official Comment

    She chose not to treat Stephanie and let her die during Wargames — whether Infinite Crisis had any effect on this little sad part of Bat history is yet to be determined.

  11. Aaron Carine
    January 8th, 2008 at 11:46 am

    If she was only guilty of denying treatment to Spoiler, I don’t think she

    could be charged with murder or manslaughter. She would certainly lose her medical

    license in an instant and if Spoiler has any kin, they would sue her to death.

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