Justice League Dark #23

      This series continues to careen toward the conclusion of the Trinity War (which apparently leads into the next big event), and perhaps the biggest surprise so far is that of the "Trinity" (Phantom Stranger, The Question and Pandora), only the last of the number has played any kind of significant part so far.

   But that's understandable, because hoo boy, is this event crowded. It teams up the Justice League, the Justice League of America and Justice League Dark.

   This issue finally gives us some hints about the true nature of the threat - a mystery that promises to rock the DC Universe.

   If only this issue had been a better lead-in to the final issue. It's mostly devoted to an all-out battle that's the equivalent of a nasty game of Hot Potato.

   It also requires almost all the heroes to act like dopes, with only a couple of the magic-based heroes able to make a difference.

   But there are some enticing moments - especially the splash page that shows some surprising characters being affected by a mystic force - and that keeps us in the game to see how the creative team wraps this up and launches the next event series.

 Grade: B+

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