Batman: Killing Time (2022-) #1

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It wasn’t their plan; they were the hired help, with their contact being another newbie, The Penguin. The art manages to balance the inherent silliness of a Batman comic without losing any of its edges, which is crucial for any Batman story and this one in particular. He also introduces villains like The Help, who I don’t think served a narrative purpose other than being another person for Batman to fight. A bank heist, a chase, lots of fighting - it’s well done, but it’s all stuff we’ve seen Batman do before numerous times.

And if you are looking for a longer version of what happens in Batman: Killing Time, read on for a much more detailed version of the events as we travel through time. The narrative is non-linear, but fluid in how each action clearly demonstrates a cause and effect that propels the plot forward. Riddler catches a fish, enraging Catwoman, but they get a notification that their secret employer will pay. Killing Time is also a Tom King special in that the narrative timeline is goofy as hell (though easier to follow than Batman/Catwoman) and the "final villain" is purposefully lame (I think).

And as they move about the city they're hunted by an inexperienced Batman who knows two things: One, he'll need to be better than he's ever been to catch these two psychopaths; two, Penguin survived and if he gets to them first, it'll be a bloodbath like Gotham's never seen. That seems rather hollow, but it's more than a little telling that Clock King is the character the series ultimate revolves around. comic) Batman and Robin (comic) Batman and Robin Eternal (comic) Batman/Superman (comic) Batman v Superman (General Mills) Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (comic) Batman: Arkham Unhinged Batwing (comic) Catwoman (comic) Detective Comics (comic) Earth 2 (comic) Earth 2: Society (comic) Gotham Academy (comic) Gotham Academy: Second Semester (comic) Gotham by Midnight (comic) Grayson (comic) Harley Quinn (comic) Injustice: Gods Among Us (comic) Injustice: Gods Among Us: Ground Zero (comic) Justice League (comic) Justice League/Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (comic) Justice League of America (Rebirth) Mother Panic (comic) New Suicide Squad (comic) Nightwing (comic) Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death (comic) Red Hood/Arsenal (comic) Red Hood and the Outlaws (comic) Robin: Son of Batman (comic) Teen Titans Go! There are myriad storylines intersecting throughout and jumping back and forth in time, a bit like Pulp Fiction, but the overall narration has this pattern of noting very specific times, which feels tedious to read after a spell, not least because who’s really taking in specific dates in relation to the story?

These moments fit the tone of the narrative so far, and wrap up each character in a way that feels accurate to their goals in the story and their own personalities. The blockbuster team of Tom King and David Marquez brings an epic, white-knuckled, action-packed tale of a young Batman desperate to recover his most prized possession from a host of violent rogues before the clock strikes the Killing Time. That’s not a problem, because by this point we know their motivations well enough to accept each character’s actions for what they are. They help add some authenticity to this strange treasure everyone’s trying so hard to get, and tell us more about the eye itself. The reveals might not be as earth-shattering as you think, but they serve the story and are satisfyingly unsatisfying in a way that feels appropriate.

Riddler, Catwoman, and Killer Croc heist something valuable from a safety deposit box belonging to Bruce Wayne, kicking off an intense chase involving backstabbing, the US government, large sums of cash, and many, many deaths.