Final answer:
In the Batman comics, Bruce Wayne's parents were murdered by Joe Chill, a small-time crook, which led Bruce to become Batman.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the Batman comic books, Thomas and Martha Wayne, the parents of Bruce Wayne (who becomes Batman), were murdered by Joe Chill. This event is a pivotal moment in the Batman series, and it leads Bruce Wayne to become the crime-fighting superhero known as Batman. Joe Chill is a small-time crook in the comics, not one of the more famed archvillains like The Joker or Two-Face, although he is crucial to Batman's origin story.