Ricky Church reviews Trinity Annual #1…
You don’t betray Ra’s al Ghul and legendary sorceress Circe and just walk away. That’s what Lex Luthor is about to learn the hard way. Now, he has to unite with his former Justice League teammates if he wants to stay alive. Meanwhile, the Trinity fear this ordeal will push Lex back to the dark side.
SEE ALSO: Check out a preview of Trinity Annual #1
Trinity Annual #1 sees the big DC three having to stop a magical attack from spreading across the world, continuing the plot thread left in Trinity #7. It was an enjoyable issue that put Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman outside their comfort zones while utilizing the demon Etrigan well and displaying some fairly good art.
What worked best in the annual was how well the chemistry between the three heroes was presented, both in and out of costume. It was very nice to see the group hanging out once again as civilians, trying to get to know each other on a more personal level before a crisis intervened. Writer Rob Williams got a good handle on each of their voices, managing to make them sound distinct from the other. The only real criticism is how misleading the synopsis above is to what’s actually in the issue.
Williams also impressed with his handling of Etrigan. The demon seems to be something of a difficult character to write given his constant rhyming, but his depiction was one of the best aspects. Etrigan got particularly great when he was separated from his host Jason Blood, something a little ironic since he was out to destroy mankind with his demon army. Williams also did well presented a very relieved Blood, at last free from his burden of hosting the demon in his body and spirit.
Guillem March’s art is the selling point of the issue, though. There is a great deal of chaos going on in the issue as the trio fight hordes of demons, but March manages to present it very well. The action with Wonder Woman, specifically, is a highlight of the issue while Superman looks great flying around and battling Etrigan. Tomeu Morey’s colours elevate the issue, making the artwork stand out and pop off the page. From start to finish, the issue is visually appealing.
Trinity Annual #1 should please readers with its focus on how well the trinity work together. The ending is also intriguing, though it will be another couple months before this particularly story is picked up again as the next issues of Trinity move away from Ra’s al Ghul and Circe’s plot. The annual, though, should leave readers with a good feeling of what’s to come in this story.
Rating: 8/10
Ricky Church
Originally published June 1, 2017. Updated November 21, 2019.
