Trinity issue #2 Discussion (spoilers)

[adkal]

Artwork is gorgeous.

The story makes sense with what's revealed at the end, spoilers:

but some of you are going to kick yourselves

end of spoilers

I almost never check the solicits but, based on what some posters have said, I figure the solicits reveal some sort of team-up (as does the last page of the issue). Looking forward to seeing where this goes next.

[REAL]

Good issue and the art is really great.

[Superlad93]

The plot begins to thicken. We're left with some Rebirth related questions. Is Clark simply just nostalgic to see his Smallville or is it not the same place? What's up with his rocket ship? We're also left with questions of what sort of world they are in. Young Clark isn't harmed by the K in the water but older Clark is.

Funny enough, none of that really matters for this story. Manapul does an amazing job of doing a singular Superman vignette placed in a Trinity movie. As Wonder Woman puts it "this is about a father and his son." After I was done, I read it again to get the full intention. When Clark is performing CPR on his dad he says "you're the strongest man I know." I can't help but think of the parallels between Clark and Jon as sons. It's driven home when Pa talks about the walls he's built up to keep his family safe, and we understand where Clark gets it from. It's such a humanizing issue for Superman without taking away anything from him, and that's always a hard trick to pull off.

I loved how Bruce and Diana acted as Clark's head and heart. Bruce quick to point out the cracks and inconsistencies. Diana appreciating the emotional effects of the situation. This was honestly fantastic, and it really elevated the issue.

I love that next issue is going to be us jumping to Gotham and dealing with Bruce's stuff. I wanna keep this vignette structure going because it REALLY works for this story.

PS. Damn, two secret identities blown lol

[Rakzo]

Nice improvement over the last issue. More natural beginning of conversations and interactions as whole that manage to explore their characters pretty well. At one point you might think this is just a Superman story but then Poison Ivy appears at the end to remind you this is a book about the Trinity.

And what else can be said about Manapul's art? Best looking book of the week and considering this week had Mikel Janin on it, that's saying something.

[Kuwagaton]

Eh, I think Manapul is a much better storyteller, and this issue was just a bit sharper than last. Faces weren't wonky. The writing is still rough but the heart is there and with with his phenomenal work ethic he'll get there by working and working at it, I think.

I can't believe I saw the solicits and still somehow missed what he was doing back in the preview thread.

[adkal]

The plot begins to thicken. We're left with some Rebirth related questions. Is Clark simply just nostalgic to see his Smallville or is it not the same place? What's up with his rocket ship? We're also left with questions of what sort of world they are in. Young Clark isn't harmed by the K in the water but older Clark is.

Doesn't the last page and the reveal render those questions moot, though?

[Kuwagaton]

Well it's kind of weird that they would send him to a world where there's a clue to show it's fake. Granted he would have a harder time realizing it without his friends there.

It's funny that Bruce just looks and sees kryptonite in the water.

[adkal]

Well it's kind of weird that they would send him to a world where there's a clue to show it's fake. Granted he would have a harder time realizing it without his friends there.

It's also weird that they're in costume.

It's funny that Bruce just looks and sees kryptonite in the water.

It's that fancy-shmancy 'always prepared' thingie that lets him 'transfer' his SeeAll Lenses from the real world over to the Mercy-world.

[Frontier]

So I wonder if the strain of Black Mercy that Ivy is using on the Trinity, per Mongul's order I assume, is taking the Trinity back to their childhood so that they can resolve their unresolved family issues? Like with Clark and Jonathan here?

Given the next issue takes place in Gotham, and involving "murder," I'm guessing we'll be seeing Bruce meet up with Thomas and Martha, maybe even get a chance to prevent their murder?

I wonder if Wonder Woman's issue will take the Trinity back to Themyscira, and if we'll see the Rebirth version?

Manapul's Poison Ivy is just lovely, though the idea of Ivy parading around with a plant beard is kinda funny .

[Sacred Knight]

He's always drawn a beautiful Smallville. Hasn't lost his touch from when he was drawing the town in Adventure Comics.

In any case what I'm wondering is if the Mercies are giving each character hope of resolving or preventing a tragic moment but will end up making them relive it in a worse way. Like, if Clark is going to have to watch his younger self lose Jonathan, and if Batman gets to spend time with Thomas and Martha only to have to watch them die on his young self a different way. Although this doesn't really afford Wonder Woman as her origin doesn't really have any big tragic moments in her past to my recollection...but on the other hand I'm wondering if she'll even get a trip into her past, if Manapul will play up on her confusion and the mysteries of her past via her own book by not even taking her to her past. Though that could be construed as Diana getting the short end of the stick again. Of course on the other hand this set up would only work for Superman too if I'm right in my belief that the narration has hinted that they're going back to the pre-Crisis status quo where Jonathan died in Clark's youth. If I'm wrong there then the whole idea falls apart.

[TheNewFiftyForum]

Well it's kind of weird that they would send him to a world where there's a clue to show it's fake. Granted he would have a harder time realizing it without his friends there.

It's funny that Bruce just looks and sees kryptonite in the water.

If this was Superman's Black Mercy-induced dream, Bruce wasn't really there but represented Superman himself noticing something was strange with the water.

[Leonardo]

I enjoyed #2 a lot. Not only was this a personal story for Clark and Jonathan, but for Manapul himself. He posted this on his Instagram yesterday:

This is gonna be a long post, so hang in there... I know it's 5am back home and being in transit I haven't been able to talk about Trinity #2. This issue is the most personal and honest story I've ever written, so it gives me great joy that you guys enjoyed it. At the time I began plotting this story my dad went into the ICU. He was there during the duration of this story until he passed away. Comics is about wish fulfillment so this was mine. This story is the conversation I wished I had with my dad but never had. It was the relationship i wished I had with him. It was a story I had hoped to share with him. Now that I'm a father, as cliched as it is to say I understand him more than ever. My mom too. Any parent really. You just don't know until you are one. I have many regrets and life tends to lack closure. In Trinity I found an outlet, not to preach but rather as a way for me to find some sort of resolution and understanding of my own feelings. I'll be honest... I'm not writing for you, my editors or my publishers. I'm writing for my dad. For my mom. For Rachel. For my daughter. For me. This was my favourite page from the issue which brought me to tears as I wrote it. When I look at it I still get emotional. Thank you for indulging me and listening to my stories.

I really feel bad for him and his family. And at the same time, it's amazing how he was able to channel all that pain and heartbreak into the relationship between Clark and his dad. Here's a link to that post:https://www.instagram.com/p/BLx73W8gfSI/

[Tony]

Wow, it's hard to imagine having the strength to push through and make such a beautiful tribute to his father. I don't do anything past forums, but If he's reading this I'd like to say thank you for sharing such a personal story. I love your work and I'm sure he was very proud of you.

[BeefBourguignon]

Thank you for posting it here, Leonardo. The story had wonderful emotional honesty that make sense knowing why now.

[Kuwagaton]

Yeah, the stuff was Pa Kent was perfectly solid and now we know a part of why. Dude works tremendously hard despite some of the most serious stuff he can go through, it's beautiful that he had an outlet and I wish only the best for the Manapul family.