Memory Lane
Written by: Francis ManapulArt by: Francis Manapul and Steve Wands
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: October 19, 2016
After the first issue of this book, I decide that Trinity would be my Justice League book. It had an intriguing story and looked great...and it was all because of Francis Manapul. If you didn't read it, it may have had one of the coolest dinner parties ever, but the big part that most people seemed to have missed was Jon buying seeds form a stranger. The way it ended, it appeared that these seeds had given way to some sort of Mercy plant...Black or otherwise. So, did the awesomeness continue here and do we find out exactly what type of Mercy we are dealing with? Let's find out...
The issue opens with the scene we left with...Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman in the barn with little Clark and Pa Kent. We get a Clark Kent narration that is really good and if you are paying attention, it's really odd that the Trinity suddenly have their costumes on.
After the unthinkable happens, little Clark flies off and then the unbelievable happens. I hate to be this vague, but it's such a great moment and I don't want to spoil it. It's enough to know that it is both one of Clark's biggest dreams and greatest nightmares all rolled into one.
The scene ends with a really nice proclamation of what makes the man behind the cape and symbol of hope and moves to Lois and little Jon. It seems that Clark wasn't around to wake them up, but at this time, it seems like it's all in a days work for Superman and his family.
We then peek in with little Clark and he may have run, but his fears have followed him. Actually, it something or someone that is talking to Clark and it wants his help. Doing what? We aren't sure at this time, but I can bet you a dollar to a donut that it ain't good!
Back on the farm, Jonathan Kent shows the Trinity the rocket that Kal-El arrived on Earth in and it suddenly dawned on me that Francis Manapul is giving us a bit of a back door Superman Year One story out of nowhere. Clark is a bit wary of changing time, but it's still not clear if time travel is involved at all.
Batman is wondering what all of this means and while him and Wonder Woman differ in their opinions on how Clark is handling all of this, it is nice to see him able to interact with his father once again. Plus, his father seems to want to do everything he can to help little Clark.
Things suddenly take a turn for the weird and it's more obvious that the Trinity isn't really in Kansas anymore. This continues until the cliffhanger page where it is all revealed for what it is and while I loved it, the character who is involved is even better. I know of a certain League that will be really happy on this New Comic Book Day!
I'm having a whole lot of fun with this story. Francis Manipul's story is intriguing as hell and his art totally kicks ass! This book is just a pleasure to look at and while the story isn't what it seems, I was really enjoying Superman getting to talk to his Dad, one last time.
Bits and Pieces:
Francis Manapul has a winner with Trinity. The story is full of smiles and mysteries and the pacing is just about perfect. That combined with his incredible art makes me wish this was a bi-monthly book because I can't wait a whole month for the next issue.
9.0/10
I had some issues with this one while i enjoyed the story art and dialog it was little things that didnt sit right with me, like batman telling wonder woman he thinks they are somewhere else because superman face, even if it was time travel different universe so this wouldnt be his Smallville, them not turning back when he feel in the lake, and ivy as the villain didn't excite me. Overall id give it a 7.5
ReplyDeleteThem not turning around I thought was really weird. I can almost excuse it though because WW has the line of Batman now being the one going by emotion. I also wonder if Jon is now someone else and not the real Jon(Why he's not effected by the water) and he had some way of swaying their judgment at that moment.
DeleteYou're 100% right Jim. This book is AMAZING! The tone, the pacing, and the art are second to none. We get a story that's progressing and building. This should make all of the other creative teams at DC feel like crap (ESPECIALLY HITCH) because he can do this all by himself and it's fantastic.
ReplyDeleteJim the way you feel about find Clayface was somebody all along is kind of the same way I feel when a story turns out to be a Poison Ivy fantasy....But I would give this one a break just for the fantasy itself, the use of krypton and the art, especially when they were in that truck. I should of know something was up when they fit all of the big ass costumes and Jonathan in that small ass truck
ReplyDeleteI think this was the first comic issue to legit surprise me. I was completely caught off by both the villain and the end reveal of the barn. I don't know why but I didn't see it coming and yet it made complete sense. I guess I was just dumb but I accept for how surprised I was.
ReplyDeleteGreat issue. Can one of these dudes who writes team books well like Manapul, Williams, or Johns just sit Hitch down and spank him then teach him how to do things correctly?
ReplyDelete