Park Row, later called Crime Alley, was a historical landmark in Gotham City and was rather infamous for being the location where Thomas and Martha Wayne were murdered.
History
Past
Originally a ghetto street in downtown Gotham, Park Row gained its glory after thirty years. The glamour of its heyday was changed to poverty, and the street was commonly referred to as Crime Alley. One of the first residents was Leslie Thompkins, who lived there from the start.
The Park Row Tragedy
The Park Row Tragedy, as the newspapers called it, was a pivotal point in the life of Bruce Wayne. A robber named Joe Chill murdered Thomas and Martha Wayne in front of their eight year old son, Bruce after they had left the Monarch Theatre. Chill was first arrested the very same night after he murdered Thomas and Martha after he fled the scene. While the GCPD investigated, Dr. Leslie Thompkins looked after young Bruce, and the two remained friends after.
Preservation
Bruce Wayne used his influence to keep the street preserved during the rebuilding of Gotham, and made it the only part of the present-day Gotham City that remained. Bruce visited Crime Alley and placed flowers on the ground where his parents were shot. Roland Daggett, director of the Daggett Development Corporation, considered Crime Alley a breeding ground for crime, and tried endlessly to get it demolished and replaced with a mini-mall. As the legal roads proved unsuccessful, Daggett sent his henchmen to evict the residents, and hired Nitro to place explosives on an old gas pipe. The plan was, however, thwarted by Batman. Only several already condemned planned demolition buildings were destroyed, while the SRO Hotel, where there were still people, remained undamaged.
Background Information
Crime Alley was the location where Batman first met Jason Todd, when he attempted to steal the tires from the Batmobile. That was also where Dr. Leslie Thompkins maintained her clinic, and where Batman battled Superman in Frank Miller's graphic novel, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. Park Row was also part of Arkham City, and the memory flashdrive that Catwoman stole before she was captured by Two-Face contained information on Crime Alley, or rather, Park Row.
Appearances and References
Film
Batman
Television
Batman: The Animated Series
- "Appointment in Crime Alley"
- "Dreams in Darkness" (dream sequence)
Justice League Unlimited
- "For the Man Who Has Everything" (dream sequence)
Batman Beyond
Gotham
- "Pilot"
- "Heroes Rise: These Delicate and Dark Obsessions" (flashback)
- "Legend of the Dark Knight: Ace Chemicals"
Video Games
Batman: Arkham Series
Crime Alley features in all of the mainline Batman: Arkham video games. Besides Crime Alley, the Park Row area serves as a major district in Arkham City and Arkham Origins. In addition to the Monarch Theater and Crime Alley, the district features other landmarks and buildings, such as the Ace Chemicals offices, the Solomon Wayne Courthouse, Catwoman's Apartment and Old Gotham Church.
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Crime Alley does not physically appear in Batman: Arkham Asylum due in part to the game's setting. However, it appearances during Batman's second Fear Gas hallucination, where he relives the murder of his parents. Outside of the main story, the Alley also appears in the "Crime Alley Challenge Map", available as DLC.
Batman: Arkham City
Batman in Crime Alley in Arkham City.
Crime Alley is featured as part of Arkham City in the game. During it, Batman can visit the Alley to find chalked outlines of his parents' bodies and can pay respects to them (doing so unlocking an achievement/trophy). Gunshots will also be heard while visiting Crime Alley. An interview tape left by Hugo Strange can also be left there. On the alley's right entrance, a sign can be found marked "Crime Alley" on it. Scanning this in Detective Mode will solve one of Riddler's Riddles.
Batman: Arkham Origins
Crime Alley also appears in Batman: Arkham Origins, where it can once again be visited by Batman. During the night, two of Bruce Wayne's friends, Horace Riley and Clarissa Rodriguez, are murdered there by Ian Chase. The murder serves as the final Crime Scene that Batman investigates that night.
Batman: Arkham Knight
Crime Alley briefly appears in Batman: Arkham Knight as part of another hallucination created by Scarecrow's Fear Toxin. After handing himself over to the criminal for Robin and Gordon's safety, the Dark Knight's transport apparently crashes into Crime Alley, where he fights and "kill" halunatory versions of Joker. The Arkham Asylum "Crime Alley" Challenge Map also appears as part of the "Community Challenge" DLC pack for the game.