Batman writer Tom King returns for "badass heist action epic" in Killing Time with David Marquez

Batman: Killing Time #1 variant cover (Image credit: Ivan Tao (DC))

In March 2022, writer Tom King's creative relationship with Batman continues to grow with a new title that pits the Dark Knight against a collective of some of his most famous and fearsome villains, including Catwoman, Riddler, and Penguin.

Batman: Killing Time #1 cover (Image credit: DC)

The six-issue series is titled Batman: Killing Time, and will feature art from David Marquez and Alejandro Sánchez.

King is hardly a stranger to Batman, or to Catwoman. Following an 80-issue run on the core Batman title in which Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle's on-again-off-again relationship became the core story of the book, with the pair even becoming engaged. However, Selina left Bruce at the altar, leading to King's current Batman/Catwoman 12-issue series which focuses on an alternate view of their relationship.

"I wrote Batman for 5 years exploring the emotional depth of this most interesting man. Killing Time has nothing to do with any of that," King tweets. "This is a badass, heist, action epic. Mean folk on the run, Batman close behind."

In Batman: Killing Time (which apparently takes place sometime earlier in Batman's career), Selina is still at her semi-villainous ways, planning a heist alongside Riddler and Penguin to steal a "priceless artifact" in the possession of none other than Bruce Wayne. But it looks like Catwoman may have a little hero in her after all, as the solicitation text for Batman: Killing Time #1 teases "a bloody double-cross or two".

Here's a gallery of interior pages, unlettered for the time being:

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Batman: Killing Time #1 — (Image credit: DC)

Judging by the main cover and the preview pages, Batman's monstrous villain Killer Croc will be a factor in the story, while other classic Bat-villains may appear as well, with the solicitation text mentioning a "host of violent rogues" all vying for possession of what is stolen from Bruce Wayne.

The first issue will include a variety of variant covers from Kael Ngu, Alex Garner, Peach Momoko, Carlos D'Anda, and Ivan Tao (two covers). Check them out here:

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Batman: Killing Time #1 goes on sale on March 1.

Batman: Killing Time features some of Batman's most popular enemies - including several who are among the best Batman villains ever.

I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011, and now I'm the Entertainment Writer at GamesRadar+. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)