Leslie Thompkins is put to death in Detective Comics #995

Well, it looks like Heroes in Crisis isn't the only DC product insulting the intellect lately. Now, Peter Tomasi, currently in charge of writing Detective Comics, has had the Joker kill doctor Leslie Thompkins in issue 995:

...In Detective Comics #995, Batman must face what is now known to be the inevitable. After helping Dr. Thompkins escape death with the creature she was attacked, she was somehow infected with The Joker’s infamous laughing gas. Due to this altercation, Batman uses all his efforts to transport Dr. Thompkins to his Batcave so that she can receive an antitoxin to counter the laughing gas.

[...] Bruce stands near as his longtime friend shares a few thoughts with Alfred. As the toxin is taking a toll on her with tears in her eyes, Dr. Thompkins tells him to look after Bruce and that she is very proud of him. Bruce refuses to believe that this is the end and attempts to resuscitate her, but he can’t bring her back. Bruce realizes what has happened and lays a last kiss on Dr. Thompkins’ forehead. The Dark Knight then asks to be left alone to mourn the loss of his friend.

As if it weren't bad enough when Bill Willingham, after penning that irritating storyline in 2004's War Games event where Spoiler was tortured by Black Mask with a drill, seemingly died, and then several issues later, Thompkins was depicted out of character claiming she allowed Stephanie Brown to die, supposedly to teach Batman a lesson I can't even begin to comprehend. They may have abandoned that storyline since. But it's still no excuse for the cheap tactics they're going by, resorting once more to killing off another Batman cast member just to give Bruce Wayne "motivation". Did I ever mention Marvel did something awful too when they had Moira MacTaggart killed off in X-Men around the turn of the century?

This makes a perfect reason to cease reading Batbooks, if you haven't done so yet. The abuse of Thompkins since the mid-2000s is just one of many grave mistakes they're making, and this doesn't improve anything. There's no need to waste money on the 1000th issue either.