Well, no, not anyone because I started reading in 2015, and started with the 90s Robin series, and it's not unthinkable to me.For anyone who became a fan in the Post-COIE era and beyond, the thought of Alfred not being Bruce's closest confidant and father-figure who's known him since he was a child is almost unthinkable. Its kinda hard to believe that for the vast majority of Batman's history so far, that wasn't the case.
I like that one, too.I also like the idea, which is supported in canon, that Batman, when he starts out, is fairly optimistic and nowhere near the dark and depressed person he becomes later in life.