This is an in-universe article with out-of-universe material.
Lew Moxon was a mobster in Gotham City. Joe Chill, the man who murdered Thomas and Martha Wayne, was a member of his organization.
History
Golden Age
Some time after the birth of their son Bruce, Dr. Thomas Wayne and his wife Martha attended a costume party, the theme of which was "Flying Creatures" — to which Dr. Wayne wore a bat-like costume, which won him first prize. Suddenly, gangsters raided the party and took Dr. Wayne, by gun-point, to meet racketeer and bank robber Lew Moxon, who ordered the physician to remove a bullet from his shoulder. Dr. Wayne carried out the operation before successfully overpowering Moxon and his men.
Moxon was arrested and sentenced to ten years for armed robbery. As he was taken away, he swore revenge on Dr. Wayne. Ten years later, a free Moxon informed Dr. Wayne that he would get someone else to extract that revenge — that someone being Joe Chill. It is suggested that Chill was told to leave young Bruce alive so as to provide an alibi for Moxon.
Years later, Batman learned of Moxon's involvement in the murder of his parents, by which time Moxon was operating a billboard blimp business. Batman's first attempt to convict Moxon for the murder of his parents failed, as Moxon was now suffering from amnesia (due to a head injury he sustained in an auto accident shortly after the murder) and — unable to remember Thomas Wayne — was able to pass a lie detector test. Batman determined that Moxon's blimp business must be a cover for illegal activities and continued to trail the gangster. Eventually, after uncovering Moxon's illegal activities, Batman confronted the criminal while wearing Dr. Wayne's costume, which he had brought along in the Batplane to give the feeling that his father was with him on the case (Batman's own costume had been torn to shreds during an earlier fight with Moxon's thugs, and he had forgotten to pack a spare). On seeing Dr. Wayne's costume, Moxon suddenly regained his memory and the knowledge of what he had done. Thinking Batman was actually Thomas Wayne's ghost, Moxon panicked and ran out into the street, where he was hit by a truck and killed instantly.[1]
Post-Zero Hour
Although he was reintroduced during the events of the Untold Legend of the Batman (which retold the original story), Moxon was not involved in publication again for a long time. After the reality-altering events of Zero Hour though, Lew Moxon invites Bruce Wayne to a party. Wayne recognizes the name and investigates. Moxon, it transpires, is an aging mob boss with failed political aspirations, returning to Gotham City after several years in exile. Wayne attends the party, at which he is introduced to Moxon's daughter, Mallory Moxon. In actual fact Bruce and Mallory had been childhood sweethearts. The Moxons and the Waynes had met at a holiday resort when Bruce was seven or eight. At the party Wayne realizes that Lew Moxon is the target of an assassination by Deadshot and also that Moxon has employed Philo Zeiss as his bodyguard. Earlier, Zeiss had killed Bruce Wayne's friend Jeremy Samuels. Later, Zeiss informs Batman that he carried out this murder in order to hurt Wayne, because of something that Thomas Wayne had done to Moxon.
Moxon survives Deadshot's assassination attempts (though he now requires the use of a wheelchair), and Batman discovers Mallory is now actively in the family business. Ultimately Batman discovers that Thomas and Martha Wayne, and (a very young) Bruce Wayne had attended a costume party (to which Doctor Wayne wore a Zorro costume) which was also attended by Moxon. At the party, "Angelo Berretti", an "employee" of Moxon's, told Doctor Wayne that a man's life was in danger. Doctor Wayne made Berretti promise his safe return before departing. Doctor Wayne was informed that Moxon's nephew required a bullet to be removed from his shoulder (following a failed armed robbery). Doctor Wayne performed the operation, but refused to take any money, and ended up starting a fight with Moxon. Following this, Moxon had ordered the murder of Thomas Wayne. However, this was not carried out because of Berretti's promise.
Years later, Batman questions Angelo Berretti as to whether Moxon had been involved in the killing of the Waynes (which occurred a few months after the costume party). According to Berretti, Moxon was not involved. After Batman accepts Berretti's word and departs, Berretti holds his hand to his face and utters an ambiguous "Oh, thank God". Moxon's involvement in the killing of the Waynes is left unclear.
Moxon is ultimately killed by Zeiss at the meeting of Gotham's gang bosses arranged by Spoiler in an attempt to get them to reach a compromise instead of fighting over Gotham. This fails and results in a full scale war.[2]
Responsibility
After the events of Infinite Crisis, Joe Chill is again known to be responsible for the murder of the Waynes, and he was shown to have been arrested for the crime on that same night. No mention has so far been made of Lew Moxon after the crisis, suggesting again that he was not involved. This is further backed up in Batman #673, in which Batman confronts Chill and discovers the crook acted alone.
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Notes
- Although this character was originally introduced during DC's Earth-One era of publication, their existence following the events of the 1985–86 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths remains intact. However, some elements of the character's Pre-Crisis history may have been altered or removed for Post-Crisis New Earth continuity, and should be considered apocryphal.
Related
- 14 Appearances of Lewis Moxon (New Earth)
- 2 Images featuring Lewis Moxon (New Earth)
- Quotations by or about Lewis Moxon (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Lewis Moxon (New Earth)
Footnotes
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