Warning! Contains Spoilers for Batman Urban Legends #22!Bruce Wayne was motivated to become Batman by the incredible tragedy of losing his parents, and despite the fact that he has saved the entire DC Universe countless times, Thomas and Martha Wayne would not approve of their son's choices.
In part three of the story "The Murder Club" by Joey Esposito and Vasco Georgiev from Batman: Urban Legends #22, readers finally get to see exactly what both Thomas and Martha Wayne would think of how their son spends their fortune. Through a villain's manipulation of time, adult Bruce is reunited with his parents. Unfortunately, their response to Bruce spending millions on high-tech cars and batsuits to fight crime isn't the most supportive. Martha is a bit more understanding, while still not approving of what Bruce is doing. But Thomas completely admonishes Bruce, talking about how Bruce was meant to be in the light, to enjoy life, not drag others down into his darkness. This opinion seems to be a constant for Thomas, since even versions of Thomas Wayne who became Batman, also never wanted Bruce to be Batman. "You were our legacy, Bruce. Not this city or our company or anything else," Thomas tells his son. "Living your life above ground. In the open. Without a mask. Without a violence. That's what we wanted for you. Not...not whatever this is. This is not worthy of the Wayne name."
The Waynes Wanted A Better Life For Bruce
Thomas and Martha Wayne were both incredibly rich and came from old money. They used this privilege and wealth to try their best to improve Gotham City as best they could, Thomas was a doctor who saved lives and Martha ran multiple charities and orphanages. But despite all of this they were still shot down in Park Row, which would later become known as Crime Alley. The Waynes' death was the darkest the city ever saw, and it motivated Bruce to fight crime, to make sure nothing like that ever happened to any other family ever again.
Despite how much good came out of the Waynes' murder, Thomas' dislike of the idea of Batman has been an almost universal constant. When Batman met the Flashpoint version of Thomas Wayne, who also became Batman, Thomas wanted nothing more than his son to give up the cowl. Multiple other versions of Thomas Wayne have been Batman, and even the versions that haven't all share the same opinion of Batman. That they wouldn't want their son to have to wage a war on crime. And while some versions of Batman's parents knew they'd be killed it's unlikely they knew how Bruce would react to it and how it would redefine his entire life.
Batman was able to use his trauma and the memory of his parents to save the world and save countless other families, but despite all of that, one consistent factor of his parents' characterization is the fact neither Thomas Wayne nor Martha Wayne would approve of Batman.
Batman Urban Legends #22 is on sale from DC Comics!