Review of Batman: Killing Time #1
Tom King – Writer
David Marquez – Artist
Alejandro Sánchez – Colors
Clayton Cowles – Letterer
Ben Abernathy – Editor
At 11:30 P.M. on February 28, Dan McMahon lays in his bed to finally read Batman: Killing Time #1 after pushing it off till the last minute. In his mind, he worries that maybe the start of Tom King’s new Batman mini series won’t meet his expectations. What if it lets him down after how excited he has been for a Batman rogue heist story.
The first issue follows The Riddler, Catwoman, and Killer Croc who are working in tandem to pull off a major heist in Gotham City. It’s set during Batman’s earlier days as Gotham’s masked vigilante looming over the city. It’s a city full of people looking for opportunities… good and bad.
At 7:00 A.M., the alarm buzzes on Dan’s phone for him to get up. The alarm lets the dog know it’s also time for her daily hop on pop to ensure she gets her morning pets. The character work of Batman: Killing Time is still lingering in his head. There is a certain way Tom King writes Batman villains with so much charisma that keeps Dan coming back to these stories. Their motivations are buried underneath their gimmicks but thats what makes a King Batman story special.
The entire goal of King’s approach to Batman is to sweep off those bells and whistles to show us why these people can act with such cruelty and disregard for the world around them. Without going into spoilers, there is a thread with Killer Croc that is going to linger in Dan’s mind for the remainder of the week. A character who has the exterior of what most would call a monster is given time to show that isn’t who he is nor what he wants to be. At the end of the day, many of King’s works focus on the basic human need to be loved. It’s what Dan believes motivates so many of these costumed vigilantes.
At 8:10 A.M., the comic is opened on Dan’s computer as he slowly scrolls through David Marquez’s art for the book. One scene in particular sticks out with the Riddler and Catwoman who have been working in cahoots. Each of them is a beautiful representation of the character with defined features and devilish flair. It’s hard for him to miss Alejandro Sánchez’s incredible coloring of the work to bring texture and shadows to a universe that thrives on them. Catwoman’s suit is a solid black but with the use of shadow and color, it’s one that thrives in a near-full page reveal.
At 9:45 AM, this article will be released to the public. A review of Batman: Killing Time #1 for you to read. It’s a well-executed heist plot that sets up a mystery that will be explored through the remainder of the series. With The Batman hitting theatres this week, this is something new fans can pick up before or after the movie as their gateway deeper into the world of Batman. It’s a read that doesn’t need the context of every other Batman story, all the reader needs to know is that Gotham is a city of opportunists, looking to take what they need to survive.