Batman: Killing Time (2022-) #1

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It was never an eye of Athena, only a decoy taken from a theater mask to be offered up in its place. Through a succession of flashbacks over the centuries, you get the impression the artifact gained power through the "power" of the stories and beliefs surrounding it.

When Tom King pitched this comic as sidestepping the philosophical questions of Batman for something more fun, I wasn’t convinced he had that in him. 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. Even when the plans of others go awry, his preparation lets him be at exactly the right place and right time to take the eye. That said, Catwoman hasn’t looked quite so striking in some time and that’s fully down to Marquez’s skill as an artist. The Help trips Catwoman, and she loses the Eye as they fight, and it rolls down the hill, picked up by Clock King, the Fourth Man in Riddler’s plan, and he holds the world.

Before we close, I do want to critique one aspect of this book, and that’s the fact that Batman feels more like a supporting character than the main hero. His suit, his vehicles, his superhero poses, all serve the narrative but also have the makings of a poster book. One thing that does signal King’s commitment to Batman as a hero is the way he focuses on the lives that the villains destroy – like his casualty lists in The War of Jokes and Riddles; King spends a sentence or two on many of those killed in the final battle, making them more than just fodder for exciting violence.

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. One of my favorites is the shot with the credits where Clock King is sitting with The Acropolis behind him.

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). With the art balanced by Marquez's fantastic work, we can only expect more of Batman's Rogue Gallery to make an appearance. We don’t find out the significance of this until the end not only for its connection to the mystery item but also in understanding the point of the story.

But in reality, it held the power to unleash the bloodiest, most depraved frenzy on those around it. Just as the characters within Killing Time gain and lose nothing from chasing after the eye, its readers gain and lose nothing from consuming it. A Tom King special that, much like Batman/Catwoman, feels like a lost storyline from when King was writing the main Batman series.The slow build up of these characters, events, and the general chronicled history of the eye has started to make these segments feel worthwhile instead of time fillers. There are even times that I forget Batman entirely because I’m so tuned into the other parts of this story. Graphic Novels Batgirl (comic) Batgirl and the Birds of Prey: Rebirth (comic) Batman (comic) Batman ’66 (comic) Batman ’66 Meets the Man From U. It's one of King's more palatable stories, but without much of a deeper meaning that he occasionally adds.

If you're a fan of the excruciatingly detailed time narration from the previous issue, you get more of it here and then some. 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. Still, Catwoman and Riddler's back and forth is fun, the Help -- a new villain with deep retcon roots -- is cool, and the art of David Marquez is magnificent. One very interesting discussion point on the series centers around how King creates two unique villainous/antagonist characters in this miniseries.

What's the point of creating a mystery around a narrator's identity while making the identity patently obvious? Penguin, Riddler, and Catwoman meet in Central Park that night; Riddler beats Penguin savagely with his own umbrella, leaving an address in Morse code in the bruises. As much as I go back and forth on the little things that aren’t perfect about this series, I have to admit that I like it. With art by David Marquez and colours by Alejandro Sánchez you know you're in for a wonderful journey!