Batman: Killing Time #1

8.8

Critic Rating

17 Reviews
7.6

User Rating

43 Reviews
Writer Tom King
Artist David Marquez
Cover Price $4.99

"Three villains, one Dark Knight, and a deadly heist gone wrong.    
Catwoman, the Riddler, and the Penguin join forces to pull off the greatest robbery in the history of Gotham City. And their prize? A mysterious and priceless artifact in the secret possession of Bruce Wayne! But, as the events unfold, what fun is a heist without a bloody double cross or two?  
The blockbuster team of Tom King and David Marquez bring 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... "

Reviews (18) User Reviews (43) Rate / Write A Review

CRITIC REVIEWS Back to Top

  • 10

    But Why Tho? - William Tucker

    Mar 01, 2022

    Batman: Killing Time #1 is a new story set in an old world. 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. But it is also a fantastic heist comic as King utilises clever writing to present the threat that Batman is up against. The art team is one of the best around and makes it a visually stunning issue. Read Full Review

  • 10

    DC Comics News - Carl Bryan

    Mar 03, 2022

    Tom King's work on any Batman book is epic but this one resonates as it is grittier in terms of the villainy. You literally hear the hum of a foreboding soundtrack while reading it. Enjoy this first issue as Selina and company are bad"really bad. Read Full Review

  • 10

    Comic Crusaders - Johnny "The Machine" Hughes

    Mar 07, 2022

    For. writer that can be divisive, King has taken a step back from huge epics, to smaller, almost inmate stories in comparison. It's change that I think will garner a lot of new fans, how had previously felt waylaid by his Batman run and the aforementioned Heroes and Bat Cat books. Let see what the next five books in this new limited series fare. As it is, King and co are off to a great start! Read Full Review

  • 9.6

    The Super Powered Fancast - Deron Generally

    Mar 01, 2022

    David Marquez delivers some beautifully detailed art on every page of this issue. I was immersed in both the visual style of the issue and its detailed characters and action. Read Full Review

  • 9.5

    AIPT - David Brooke

    Mar 01, 2022

    Batman: Killing Time #1 is clever, suspenseful, and chock-full of moments that'll linger with you. King, Marquez, and Sanchez have crafted something that feels avant-garde as it lures readers in and never slows. Read Full Review

  • 9.1

    Comic Watch - Bethany W Pope

    Mar 03, 2022

    This is a comic that's as well plotted as a horologist's masterpiece. Let's just hope that the writer doesn't strip the gears. Read Full Review

  • 9.0

    Lyles Movie Files - Jeffrey Lyles

    Mar 01, 2022

    Maybe the most promising aspect of Killing Time is its only six issues. That feels like a sweet spot for King to effectively tell his story without stretching it out andwasting time. Read Full Review

  • 9.0

    Comics Bookcase - Steve Baxi

    Mar 01, 2022

    The opening act of Batman: Killing Time is stacked with great moments, potential and a creative combo that brings out the best of everyone involved. Read Full Review

  • 9.0

    Weird Science - Gabe Hernandez

    Mar 01, 2022

    Batman: Killing Time #1 kicks off an exceptionally strong start for a traditional Batman detective story. The heist is well-planned and executed, all the advertised Rogues are present and acting as their traditional selves, and the mystery of what was stolen elicits enough curiosity to want to know more. Beyond the story, the art is simply phenomenal. Read Full Review

  • 9.0

    Dark Knight News - Eric Lee

    Mar 05, 2022

    King and Marquez have set up an intriguing first issue, as it embraces non-linear storytelling and takes advantage of it in the mystery genre. Despite the abrupt ending, Batman: Killing Time #1 is a fun detective story that engages the readers with its non-traditional writing style and wonderful art. Read Full Review

  • 8.8

    Monkeys Fighting Robots - Justin Munday

    Mar 01, 2022

    With infectiously fun writing and stunning visuals, Batman: Killing Time sees King channeling Soderbergh into the Dark Knight with a superbly fun and intriguing first chapter. Read Full Review

  • 8.5

    Geek Dad - Ray Goldfield

    Mar 01, 2022

    It's hard to square this version with the one King has spent so much time developing. It's an intriguing start, but I'm not sure it's King's best work with these characters. Read Full Review

  • 8.5

    The Comicbook Dispatch - Dispatchdcu

    Mar 01, 2022

    Together, BATMAN: KILLING TIME #1 appears to be loads of fun. However, the hiccups mentioned earlier about where and how this fits within what King already wrote, as well as some character details had me pumping the breaks a bit. Plus, past practice from King also shows that his story beats oftentimes get lost in the shuffle as his vision unfolds. So, I leave BATMAN: KILLING TIME #1 hesitatingly optimistic and excited for issue two with hopes that more clarity will transpire for the questions I had above and a score that simply can't get enough of this art team. Read Full Review

  • 8.1

    Graphic Policy - Brett

    Mar 02, 2022

    Batman: Killing Time #1 is a good start. It's very much a setup of what's to come taking us through the crime. But, it also delivers solid action and some good twists. There's a bit of detail the comic delivers, like making it clear this is early in Batman's career, that make the comic stand out. It doesn't beat you over the head instead laying almost all of the cards out on the table. It's a debut that has me coming back to see what's next. Read Full Review

  • 8.0

    GWW - Brian Villar

    Feb 28, 2022

    Overall, Batman Killing Time is an excellent start to the mini-series. With a unique McGuffin being introduced, King can focus on Batman's detective skills and solve the case. With the art balanced by Marquez's fantastic work, we can only expect more of Batman's Rogue Gallery to make an appearance. Read Full Review

  • 8.0

    ComicBook.com - Evan Valentine

    Mar 02, 2022

    Killing Time is an action-packed series with plenty of action and mystery that is able to focus on the best of Gotham City that arrived just in time as a solid companion piece to the new movie. Read Full Review

  • 5.5

    Batman-News - Matina Newsom

    Mar 01, 2022

    I'm interested in the story, but I have a feeling even that might be tempered if the structure stays the same going forward. Read Full Review

  • N/A

    The Fandom Post - Chris Beveridge

    Apr 13, 2022

    There's plenty to like here and it's all laid out well in an engaging way. I tend to like early-career Batman stories more than later when he's the ultimate badass that he's become as the mistakes are more interesting and there are different avenues to explore in relation to the villains, especially if it's more of an actual detective story. Tom King sets things well here but it feels pretty familiar and standard overall so far. David Marquez delivers some great artwork throughout which helps it to feel more engaging and dynamic, especially the action sequences. I like his take on Catwoman and am curious to see how far things will go with the violence and Riddler in this. With it being six issues it's an easy enough thing to get into without feeling like you're committing to something much bigger like a lot of King's standalone works are. Read Full Review

USER REVIEWS Back to Top

  • 9.0

    Great Start.

  • 9.0

    Toonstrack

    Apr 20, 2022

    With the ridiculous oversaturation of Bat books on the shelves right now I skipped out on this initially. Batman fighting riddler and penguin and croc. Again. And catwoman there. Again. Seemed pointless. The artwork one me over eventually. Marquez is a master of the pen. Thank goodness I did. This was a fantastic Batman issue. Idk, it really worked for me. I liked the writing. I'm fascinated to see where it goes.

  • 8.5

    Afre

    Mar 01, 2022

    David Marquez drawing Batman? Man, was it a pleasant surprise. As for King's script, it was good. As usual, they are always a coinflip for me. They are either great, or boring and tedious to read. Thankfully, this was the former.

  • 8.0

    BDG Comics

    Mar 07, 2022

    I really liked this, but there were many times where the script seems to have been added to the panels as narration and that bugged the hell out of me. The first MAJOR offender "SHE IS NOW WEARING HER CATWOMAN OUTFIT." Yeah, no shit Tom. If you want to add narration like that, at least have it in braile so it's actually useful to someone.

  • 8.0

    Federico Liguori

    Sep 03, 2023

    Tom King writing a good Batman story? Finally.

  • 8.0

    Ryan

    Dec 31, 2025

    Cool issue but awful narration. What could have possibly gone through King's head to have him thinking that narration was a good idea

  • 7.5

    Maybe there's some hope left for King after all. This was his best book since all that wedding crap began. I really didn't think he had it in him anymore. I only hope this one stays on schedule better than his last one did. Otherwise at 6 issues it may be June of 2024 by the time it finishes. Try to stay on schedule this time fellas.

  • 7.0

    daspidaboy

    Mar 01, 2022

    this was fine to be honest. It didnt really engage with me at all. But thats the majority of Tom King's works.

  • 6.5

    Mout

    Mar 01, 2022

    Not a fan of the narration

    + Like Comment
  • 6.0

    Psycamorean

    Mar 01, 2022

    Yeah, I thought this was a slog. Everything is overwritten for no good reason. I was bored most of the time reading this. 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. I hope next issue delivers on this supposedly being an "epic, white-knucled, action-packed tale" because that's not what I'd call this issue. David Marquez's art is... good. 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. He died of cancer a few years back, and none of these artists' art looks quite as good as it once did. You can't change that, obviously, more

    + Like Comments (3)
  • 5.0

    redhood

    Mar 01, 2022

    Sorry, in my perception art is the only good thing here. Messy narrative, if it weren't for the art there are many pages that invite you to fall asleep.

  • 5.0

    pizzamain

    Mar 03, 2022

    oooo everything is jumbled and non-sequential! it must be smart then!

    + Like Comment
  • 3.0

    RKS

    Mar 06, 2022

    Meh. Just write the pages in the right order already. What he is doing has been done to death.

    + Like Comment
  • 1.0

    myconius

    Mar 24, 2022

    absolute pretentious dog§#!" !!! can't say i was surprised.

  • 10

    RJ

    Mar 01, 2022

  • 9.5

    retcon_D

    Mar 06, 2022

  • 9.0

    tonpas1989

    Mar 01, 2022

  • 9.0

    ds

    Mar 02, 2022

  • 9.0

    BitchWitcher

    Mar 04, 2022

  • 9.0

    MarVVel

    Sep 14, 2023

  • 8.5

    The Chosen One

    Mar 01, 2022

  • 8.5

    Stormwrath

    Mar 01, 2022

  • 8.5

    The Brave and the Bald

    Mar 04, 2022

  • 8.5

    Radar

    Mar 06, 2022

  • 8.5

    Joresti

    Mar 06, 2022

  • 8.5

    jvmf98

    Mar 26, 2022

  • 8.5

    Avanvolk

    Sep 03, 2023

  • 8.5

    matmene

    Sep 17, 2023

  • 8.5

    Alias12

    Oct 15, 2023

  • 8.0

    RedRonin

    Mar 01, 2022

  • 8.0

    ed1138

    Mar 02, 2022

  • 8.0

    UxasIs

    Mar 05, 2022

  • 8.0

    Skywolf

    Mar 07, 2022

  • 8.0

    drwasheewashee

    Mar 14, 2022

  • 8.0

    Jason The Dude

    Apr 06, 2022

  • 7.5

    ComicWorm

    Mar 01, 2022

  • 7.5

    E-Motion

    Mar 01, 2022

  • 7.0

    SamComics

    Mar 01, 2022

  • 7.0

    Danilo Silva

    Mar 01, 2022

  • 7.0

    Watchtower022

    Mar 05, 2022

  • 6.5

    Silver Rocket

    Mar 08, 2022

  • 6.0

    Oggdo Bogdo

    Aug 25, 2022

  • 4.5

    Robin

    Mar 01, 2022

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