DC Comics reviews 3/1/22 – Dark Knights of Steel #5, Batman #121
Batman Killing Time #1
Typically, the best parts of writer Tom King series are the opening chapters. King is still setting up the mystery and establishing all the players in his story. The hitches come later leading to payoffs that lately have been underwhelming.
At least for the first issue, King is right on pattern. Killing Time is billed as a heist story featuring a relatively young Batman in action as Penguin, Catwoman, Riddler and Killer Croc have aligned to pull off a massive score.
King writes the story in a non-linear format jumping back days or hours from a robbery at a Gotham bank. The approach is only mildly distracting and King doesn’t make it too disorienting.
King’s take on the Rogues feels more like his early Batman run when he confidently nailed their voices and distinct criminal agendas. King also uses some creative approaches for Batman’s fitting style.
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Unlike King’s Batman/Catwoman, Selina Kyle doesn’t dominate the story, which feels more balanced with the characters.
David Marquez’s artwork remains breathtaking with impressively crisp line work and a strong feel for character emotion and action sequences. King can always be counted on to partner with top tier artists and Marquez is definitely among the best. Alejandro Sanchez’s colors are surprisingly light and cheery for a Gotham story. This helps work against expectations on the tone of the story. Letterer Clayton Cowles has fun with Croc’s dialogue to help distinguish him from the other characters.
Maybe the most promising aspect of Killing Time is it’s only six issues. That feels like a sweet spot for King to effectively tell his story without stretching it out and…wasting time.
Rating: 9 out of 10