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Mild Mannered Reviews - Specials

Trinity #15

Trinity #15

Scheduled to arrive in stores: September 10, 2008

Cover date: September 10, 2008

Main Story: "And I Finally See It"

Main Story Writer: Kurt Busiek
Main Story Penciller: Mark Bagley
Main Story Inker: Art Thibert

Back-Up Story: "A Bit of Overkill"

Back-Up Writers: Kurt Busiek and Fabian Nicieza
Back-Up Pencillers: Scott McDaniel
Back-Up Inker: Andy Owens

Reviewed by: Neal Bailey with Jeffrey Bridges and Barry Freiman

Click to enlarge



The evil trinity talk about how they will use items to control the good Trinity.

The good trinity appear as they are speaking.

They explain that they studied the tarots and the clues. Superman suspects Krona as the league reacts to their shared condition.

Batman draws a connection between three of the items, and suggests they go check Merlyn's castle.

Despero mocks them for delivering themselves. Batman sets off explosives they've set, and the two trinities fight.

The good trinity reveal that they have a whole swath of heroes outside to aid them.

To be continued...



Back-Up Story: "A Bit of Overkill"

Madame Zodiac has bad dreams about the castle.

The DCU heroes fight the evil trinity's minions.

Gangbuster laments that he only got into this to help a friend. Tarot dreams of the past and her premonition of danger.

Gangbuster makes a break for the castle door, and makes it in with Hawkman's aid, only to find a large dragon.

To be continued...



Neal's Review:

2Main Story - 2: I'll grant a point for the surprise in the plot. That was genuinely unexpected, and a good twist. But beyond that, this issues is more of the same stuff we've been dealing with all along. Talk of trinities. Explanations of tarot cards that have already been explained. Miraculous deductions. Stock fighting. BAM! Multiple heroes appearing.

I am also completely perplexed as to why Superman suddenly concluded Krona. My guess is because Krona is the villain and this is the most plotbat style of foreshadow the world has ever seen.

Nothing enthralling here for me, at all.

4Main Art - 4: There are a few rough hewn faces, but the background, the action, and all of the characters still pop with a resonance. The reveal of the big three and the explosives were insanely well done.

1Back-Up Story - 1: "Now this is kickin' it old school!" Name the character, imagining you haven't read this story. On my list, number 435 is Green Arrow. Yes, I get that it's a joke. It fails.

Green Arrow uses multiple "real names" where villains can hear them.

Beyond that, this is simply a fight scene with a few redundant plot elements thrown in, with a minor culmination. Tarot re-establishes things we already know. A fight scene is a fight scene without some purpose to it.

Gangbuster fighting to the door is supposed to be heroic. This is undermined by a guy who fights GANGS using a fully automatic weapon to dispatch his enemies. I don't know about you, but I live in a neighborhood where you can hear automatic weapon fire at night. The first thing you think is not "Gangbuster! Whee!" It's gangs.

Beyond that, I read somewhere online that Hawkman is stealing the show... that this is great characterization for Hawkman. He GETS MAD and pulls out a PLOT DEVICE. That's five issues. I sigh in response to that, point you to JSA, and shake my head, walking away.

5Back-Up Art - 5: The art, however, is still pretty great. The fight scenes are strong, all of the characters are very clear, and despite the fact that the script calls for a dragon, which is about as typical as one can get, this one at very least delivers.

2Cover Art - 2: Okay, first off, this image is not what the issue is about. Red overshadows Ultraman. There's a giant leg without rationale (yes, I know it's a triple image, but it's distracting on this cover). The only thing this one got right was Wonder Woman under a Wonder Woman logo. That, to me, should be par.

The cities falling in the background are semi-neat.

Jeffrey's Review:

1Main Story - 1: Trinity this and trinity that, don't you see? A trinity is three, so let's talk about what trinities are some more, for the tenth issue in a row, because the audience sure won't be sick of THAT yet.

And the villains still know the heroes' secret identities via no reason whatsoever.

Now let's all sit around and explain ourselves to our enemies! Who brought tea?

Remember that cool hero splash page we had a couple issues back? That was cool. Let's do it again!

Blind them with nonsense!

...why is there NOTHING in this book? Seriously?

3Main Art - 3: Why does Wonder Woman still look so wrong in the face? Fifteen issues and she still looks ridiculous, and everything else is still just middle-of-the-road forgettable.

1Back-Up Story - 1: More trinity this and trinity that! More multi-hero splash pages! Nth metal can still do anything anyone wants it to! It's like... Lana on Smallville!

Hey man, Hawkman's sword has TWO blades for twice the awesomeness!

Blind them with nonsense!

I think that's become the running theme for this book... no real substance, so blind them with nonsense and hope they don't notice.

Psst, Kurt...

I noticed.

3Back-Up Art - 3: Sure, there's the cool factor of yet ANOTHER big hero splash, but... still feels really generic and without personality.

4Cover Art - 4: Something about the colors seems off to me, but maybe that's just my copy.

For once I think Supes actually got the best cover of the three.

Barry's Review:

2Main Story - 2: What should have been a climactic and exciting confrontation between the Trinity and the evil three feels rote and forced. Starting the book with the confrontation and then flashing back to how the Trinity got there throws off the narrative for me. I'm not usually one for trying to make a story longer but this issue might have worked better for me if the cliffhanger had been the Trinity facing the evil three; then the next issue's cliffhanger could have been the superhero cavalry backup.

2Main Art - 2: What's with Batman's ears?

2Back-Up Story - 2: Busiek clearly has some special place in his heart for Hawkman. He's trying to the point of overkill to feature him so prominently and saddle him and the readers with whatever it is that's making Hawkman feel guilty and angry. I still don't see his personal stake in any of this to account for his feelings. And the one who does have personal feelings in this - Gangbuster who's trying to find his friend - plays the witty banter 'oh, look at me, I'm in over my head' thing and it's inappropriate and out of place given his missing friend. As far as knights in shining armor go, Jose leaves a bit to be desired.

4Back-Up Art - 4: The backup artwork is a book highlight - well at least it rises above the lows of the rest of the book. The two page superhero free for all spread is pure chaotic fun. It's a much more fluid and chaotic depiction than the last page of the lead story (which is repetitive of the backup story cliffhanger of a few issues back anyway).

5Cover Art - 5: Now that's a cover. It can be rough to stand out when you're supposed to be Superman's opposite number given all the competition: Bizarro, Cyborg Superman, and Ultra Man all are the big guy's yang in one way or another. Here, Ultra Man looks like more than just Superman with a "U" on his chest, he looks like what he's supposed to be: a vile and felonious version of the Man of Steel. The shading on his costume is perfect. Oh ya, Wonder Woman's on the cover too and - for once - the logo matches up to the featured hero. But let's face it - this is Ultra Man's showcase. Nice. For a bad guy.


Mild Mannered Reviews

2008

Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.

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