Batman: Killing Time (2022-) #1

Product Information

However, it does have some really entertaining scenes, an interesting non-linear form of storytelling and a great ending, that I found quite meaningful.

Killing Time serves as a tie-in to the newly released, The Batman (2022) which uses the same villains and basic context. The real hook for the story comes at the very end of this first issue, and it's not even that clear if it's worth the trouble. Time will tell what the story ultimately says about Batman, but even in this first issue which focuses mostly on the villains, there are seeds of rich thematic potential. This was good fun, though if you're not a fan of jumping around from one timeframe to another you may find it heavy sledding. Whilst the younger Batman isn't quite so easy to pick up on as a character yet, due to not speaking much, it is through the villains in which the passage of time has rewound.That feels like a sweet spot for King to effectively tell his story without stretching it out andwasting time. This review focuses on the story as a whole rather than the individual issues that made up the limited series. It makes sense though when the narrator is revealed at the end - in typical Tom King fashion, he’s resurrected a relatively unknown character from the DC back catalogue.

Probably commissioned as part of the promotion of The Batman film released in March 2022, King focuses heavily on Batman as a solo crimefighter, Catwoman and Riddler as the main visible antagonists with a strong Penguin presence, all elements directly mirroring the film. The narration gets tied down in tedious detail that makes sense in the story but gets to be a little much to read. We get to see his own early planning with Riddler and Catwoman, and some of his own portions interconnecting with the story in the past, but the majority of the tale is on the aftermath of the battle from the previous issue, resolving loose ends, and on Clock King’s own actions months after. Barrington (the bank president’s wife) tennis, has tea with her, then changes into Catwoman and holds her hostage, taking down the guards brutally.David Marquez's artwork is fantastic and King's storytelling chops are sufficient to keep you engaged, even as you begin to realize that none of Killing Time will really matter in the long run. Whoever it may be, consider joining the TBU Family and contribute awesome content with other dedicated Bat-Fans. April 17: Batman fights Ra’s, seeking the Help, who vanished, and explains why he kept the Eye Ra’s gave him, tormented by it.

But in reality, it held the power to unleash the bloodiest, most depraved frenzy on those around it. And the way he highlights Batman moving on the battlefield, saving the few he can, shows that King’s Batman is, above all, someone who became a hero to save people. I really think Marquez suffers from the same sort of problem that artists like Sara Pichelli do, which is that they used to be colored by *the* best colorist in the business, Justin Ponsor.King, Marquez, and Sanchez have crafted something that feels avant-garde as it lures readers in and never slows. If you're a fan of the excruciatingly detailed time narration from the previous issue, you get more of it here and then some. In Batman's second year of his crusade against crime, while he is still changing and perfecting his craft and the art of the vigilante, the cowardly lot of criminals in the city are changing as well-giving rise to darker, specialized rogues. There are some jaw-dropping images on these pages, and every issue has at least 2-3 pages or panels that I had to stop and bask in. Gradually the structure of the series, plus the overall plot, won me over and I can honestly say I’ll sit down and read this one again.