Irv Novick for the Johnstone and Cushing advertising agency in the 1960s, but was unhappy in advertising and was lured back to DC by Kanigher with a freelance contract, a guarantee of steady work and certain perks which was at the time unprecedented. After editorial and management changes in 1968, Novick began drawing superhero titles such as "Batman", "Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane", and "The Flash". Novick and writer Frank Robbins crafted the story which revealed the last name of Batman's butler Alfred Pennyworth in "Batman" #216 (Nov. 1969). The Robbins and Novick team was instrumental in returning Batman to the character's
Alfred Pennyworth Brown to die from neglect. He also developed feelings for Tim Drake's stepmother, but again, nothing came of it. During the events of "", Alfred accompanies Wayne to England and becomes enraged when Wayne insists on endangering his own health while paraplegic. This was the culmination of several weeks of Wayne's self-destructive behavior, and when Wayne returns to Gotham City, Alfred remains in England, tendering his resignation. He spends some time vacationing in Antarctica and The Bahamas before returning to England. Dick Grayson tracks him down several months later and convinces him to return to Wayne Manor. In that story,