This issue of Trinity brings an end to the third of DC's recent weekly series.I have to admit that I only read a few issues of 52, which the critics seemed to enjoy. I did follow Countdown, which was quite a letdown. The only reason I picked up Trinity was because of the creative team - I've been a fan of Kurt Busiek's writing and Mark Bagley's art for a long time. But could they handle a weekly comic? Thankfully, the answer ends up being: yes.
Still, this series has been a bit up-and-down. It featured a big, sprawling story, but at times it seemed to spin out of control, as there were just too many characters (heroes and villains) crowding into the scene. It also suffered from "Alternate Reality-itis," a story device that has been worn out lately.
But the biggest sin was that, for too many issues, it didn't feature the title characters. They spent most of the run either absent or transformed into godlike versions of themselves. It comes down to expectations - I was looking forward to stories with the real McCoys.
On the upside, the story was clear and made sense (almost) every step of the way (which is more than you can say about Countdown). It also provided an interesting examination of DC's "Big Three" and what makes them special.But the biggest plus for the series is Mark Bagley's art. Not only did he turn in 12 pages of excellent art for each issue, he also managed to do it once a week for a year! Not many artists could match that feat, and most would shoot themselves before trying. Kudos to Bagley and the other artists who filled out each issue on time.
This issue wraps things up rather neatly - in fact, the issue is almost too calm. But Lois' final words are almost funny, considering what's going on with Superman now. Not to mention Batman, who's dead, and Wonder Woman, who's also going through something serious (sorry, I haven't been reading that one).
So, a decent series, a serious achievement - and now we can look forward to the tantalizing Wednesday's Comics, which promises to be a lot of fun.
Grade: B+
2 comments:
I did NOT read this series because of cost and a lack of trust in DC Comics after Countdown (and in general [there were a lot more faults than Countdown]). I liked 52 a lot but was ready for some big improvements in the series to follow.
What I mean was . . . 52 could have been a LOT better. It could have used some more action and some less water treading (even though if you take each storyline individually, they really didn't waste a whole lot of time [???]). But I LIKED 52. The next series just needed to learn lessons from it and be better. Yet, Countdown was obviously worse from the start and I didn't read past issue #1. And boy! did the reviews legitimize my decision!
So when Trinity came along, and was apparently going to be better, I still had the mistrust from the start. Add that to the cost of comnics and the cost of driving to a comics store . . . Trinity is interesting because both the WRITER and ARTIST for this series are dependable and consistent. I know what I'm getting when I spend $_ for one of their comics. They are both known quantities ON WHICH I WILL SPEND MONEY. Great! Dependable! Guys! Applause to Busiek and Bagley and to my understanding McDaniel (guy #3 who rocks!)!
But . . .
I have to say I don't care a lot about Superman and Wonderwoman. I'll read them on their own if there are good stories. I checked All Star Superman and am ready to check Wonder Woman if Gail Simone and DC put out a single solid collected comic worth reading. I'm the guy who reads the paperback collections of No Man's Land and thinks, "This rocks! But . . . why does Superman have to be in this?" I didn't used to think that way. I think that now about Batman: A Death in the Family and The Dark Knight Returns, but I didn't used to. These days I see the value in the purity of a Batman: The Dark Knight story. Like in the new movie. Even like in Knightfall. Batman works best not in the DC Universe, but in the Batman Universe. So I like Busiek, Bagley and McDaniel but I dislike him mixing with the DC Universe (and DC Editorial, for God's sake.).
Chuck! I must say . . . I've read EVERY SINGLE REVIEW YOU'VE DONE FOR THIS SITE. Even though I've only commented a few times, I. Am. Reading. How much more do you have left?
Krod, thanks for the comments - you make excellent points here. I think weekly comics don't work for several reasons, but I think the main reasons are: the difficulty of coming up with a story that makes it worth buying, and a creative team that's able to keep up such a murderous pace, and the sheer expense involved for the reader. A weekly is by nature a rushed production - who needs it? Quality over quality, I says!
I'll be curious to see how the Wednesday Comics weekly works. By following the Sunday Comics format, and using top talent, it might just work. Or not.
Thanks for reading the reviews! How much more do I have left? Well, so far, so good. I've really been enjoying this. I had been thinking about writing a blog like this for a long time, but kept talking myself out of it - between work and other activities, my plate was already full. But I finally decided, what the heck! The response has been great, and your encouragement is much appreciated. I don't see any signs of weakening yet, though I dread the day when a technical problem makes me miss my self-imposed deadline. Time will tell!
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