Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Momo and Okarun share a close moment in Dandadan

    Momo And Okarun: The Gold Standard For Shonen Romance

    07/03/2025
    Ironheart Episodes 4 6 But Why Tho 1

    ‘Ironheart’ Explained: Explore MCU’s Bold New Chapter

    07/01/2025
    Buck in 9-1-1

    ‘9-1-1’ Has To Let Buck Say Bisexual

    06/29/2025
    Nintendo Welcome Tour promotional image of the maraca mini-game

    The One “Game” That Justifies The Nintendo Switch 2 Purchase

    06/25/2025
    Destiel Confession in Supernatural - Castiel (Misha Collins) and Dean (Jensen Ackles)

    The Destiel Confession: The Lasting Importance Of Supernatural’s Greatest Ship

    06/22/2025
  • Squid Game
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Switch 2 Games
  • Summer Game Fest
But Why Tho?
Home » DC Comics » REVIEW: ‘Batman: Killing Time,’ Issue #5

REVIEW: ‘Batman: Killing Time,’ Issue #5

William TuckerBy William Tucker07/05/20224 Mins Read
Batman Killing Time #5 - But Why Tho
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Batman Killing Time #5 - But Why Tho

Batman: Killing Time #5 is published by DC Comics, written by Tom King, art by David Marquez, colours by Alejandro Sánchez, and letters by Clayton Cowles. War comes to Gotham in this issue as the deal between Riddler, Catwoman and their buyer is interrupted by the Penguin and an army of goons, with Batman and The Help thrown in the mix.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

The issue’s plot may have reached the darkest low in an already bloody series. It begins with an incredibly frank and bloody opening that is truly shocking in its execution, depicting a huge amount of death and carnage right from the start. It’s quite grim on a new level, escalating the entire situation quickly. The series then jumps backward, slowly introducing all of the elements that then lead to the meeting at the beginning. Any comments made about an inability to focus during the first four issues are erased by Batman: Killing Time #5, as the ferocity of the first pages snaps you to attention. The tension of this confrontation in the park is altered by the foreshadowing. We know that something chaotic is going to happen, but it is the precise entails that remained a secret.

The battles reignite by the end of the comic with a revitalised intensity. Whilst many questions are answered, King leaves us with countless left. The beginning of the issue does also do something different that previous chapters have not done. The opening plays out at a different pace to the constant changing of setting on every page. This does not shift for long, however, moving through periods of time with hundreds of years of difference. But as the battle builds, the scenes move between different sides of the same place.

For five issues of this miniseries, Batman has been almost wholly irrelevant to the story. He very minimally affects the timeline, appearing much more like a bit-part of the whole event. It is the fascinating politics and power struggle between the villains that makes the comic so gripping. Catwoman and Riddler’s betrayal of Penguin finally comes back to bite them. Riddler’s faith in his plan and Selina’s completely fractured nerves increases the tension of every scene they’re in. The narration in the opening in particular is what makes that part of the comic so evocative. It describes the death of each person in gruesome, intricate detail, mentioning their injuries and the family they leave behind. It gives the entire piece a haunting, upsetting quality.

The art continues to be phenomenal. The incredibly violent first scene is a mixture of depicting an event just before the grizzly conclusion, such as a person pointing a gun, to showcasing the horrific injury in full. What it depicts is a battle bereft of morality or sense, merging Tarantino with Batman. The costumes of each character cause confusion until it is explained later in the comic. After this period, Marquez makes the art clearer, calming the situation down for a while. The art style again brings a gorgeous realism to faces and body language, which manipulates the sadness I felt seeing the brutality on display. When there are only glimpses of the action, it creates a feeling of speed, like they are flashes of movement.

The colours are simply stunning. It is distinctly beautiful during the timezone when the sun begins to set. There is a blend of purple and orange that illuminates the area from street lights. It accentuates the shadows whilst also being achingly pretty. But it heralds a looming disaster. The lettering is easy to read and I am now used to looking for the caption boxes.

Batman: Killing Time #5 is a beautifully brutal comic. It is this intensely explosive release from all of the tension that had been brewing since the start of the comic. The diatribes about Ancient Greece and the tiger brawling were all leading to this confrontation. King’s scripting is excellent but the art may just be some of the best in any book DC has to offer right now. The first several pages are highly detailed about extremely graphic things, which was definitely unexpected and may take many by surprise. 

Batman: Killing Time #5 is available where comics are sold.

Batman: Killing Time #5
4.5

TL;DR

Batman: Killing Time #5 is a beautifully brutal comic. It is this intensely explosive release from all of the tension that had been brewing since the start of the comic. The diatribes about Ancient Greece and the tiger brawling were all leading to this confrontation. King’s scripting is excellent but the art may just be some of the best in any book DC has to offer right now. The first several pages are highly detailed about extremely graphic things, which was definitely unexpected and may take many by surprise. 

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘Dark Crisis,’ Issue #2
Next Article REVIEW: ‘Batman,’ Issue #125
William Tucker

William is a screenwriter with a love of comics and movies. Once referred to Wuthering Heights as "the one with the Rabbits."

Related Posts

Absolute Green Lantern Issue 4

REVIEW: ‘Absolute Green Lantern’ Issue 4

07/02/2025
Gotham City Sirens Unfit for Orbit Issue 1

REVIEW: ‘Gotham City Sirens: Unfit for Orbit’ Issue 1

07/02/2025
Absolute Martian Manhunter Issue 4

REVIEW: ‘Absolute Martian Manhunter’ Issue 4

06/25/2025
Justice League Unlimited Issue 8

REVIEW: ‘Justice League Unlimited’ Issue 8

06/25/2025
Absolute Wonder Woman Issue 9

REVIEW: ‘Absolute Wonder Woman’ Issue 9

06/25/2025
Absolute Flash Issue 4

REVIEW: ‘Absolute Flash’ Issue 4

06/18/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Taecyeon and Seohyun in The First Night With The Duke Episodes 7-8
7.5
TV

REVIEW: ‘The First Night With The Duke’ Episodes 7-8

By Sarah Musnicky07/03/2025

The First Night With The Duke Episodes 7-8 spends welcome time in pre-domestic bliss before new developments stir up trouble.

The Terminal List: Dark Wolf trailer First Look Image From Prime Video News

Prime Video Unleashes Teaser for Prequel Series The Terminal List: Dark Wolf

By Kate Sánchez07/04/2025

The first Terminal List: Dark Wolf trailer was released today by Prime Video. The series…

Together (2025) still from Sundance
8.0
Film

REVIEW: Have A Grossly Good Time ‘Together’

By Kate Sánchez01/27/2025Updated:07/04/2025

Dave Franco and Alison Brie’s Together (2025) is disgustingly funny, genuinely ugly, and just a good time at the movies.

Black Women Anime — But Why Tho (9) BWT Recommends

10 Black Women in Anime That Made Me Feel Seen

By LaNeysha Campbell11/11/2023Updated:12/03/2024

Black women are some of anime’s most iconic characters, and that has a big impact on Black anime fans. Here are some of our favorites.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here