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Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity #1-3
Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity
"Originally published in single magazine form in Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity #1-3"--T.p. verso..
*To be updated*
*To be updated*
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
38 people are currently reading
1862 people want to read
About the author
Matt Wagner
967 books231 followersMatt Wagner is an American comic book writer and artist. In addition to his creator-owned series' Mage and Grendel, he has also worked on comics featuring The Demon and Batman as well as such titles as Sandman Mystery Theatre and Trinity, a DC Comics limited series featuring Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews
May 12, 2021
This book was written 10 years ago and it still holds up today. Taking place early in Batman and Superman's careers, they meet Wonder Woman for the first time. Matt Wagner is a master storyteller. His art is fantastic and reminiscent of the old Fleischer Superman cartoons. I love how he characterizes the big three. My one complaint is how misogynistic he writes Ra's al Ghul. It just doesn't seem to fit with a man who's trying to wipe out humanity.
June 23, 2014
Ra’s Al-Ghul executes his latest dastardly plan of undoing human civilisation and the damage it’s wrought on the planet by wiping it out because Greenpeace aren’t hardcore enough! He defrosts Bizarro, who’s frozen in an iceberg for some reason, and then it’s up to Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman to stop him. This is also the story of Superman and Batman’s first meeting with Wonder Woman.
The book starts well with Clark going about his routine of pretending to be clumsy and ditzy to throw off any suspicions that he’s Superman, and I loved that because Matt Wagner gets Superman’s character perfectly in this book. Throughout the story Superman is noble, kind, tolerant, smart, and NOT the goody boy scout he’s often portrayed as. Unfortunately, Superman’s the only character Wagner gets right.
Batman is written as a belligerent thug with a hair-trigger temper, ready to throw a punch at Wonder Woman as he would any of Ra’s goons – which isn’t Batman’s character. Wagner’s Batman is so angry he’s almost as bad as Frank Miller’s Goddamn Batman, except he doesn’t torture Robin in this book.
Wonder Woman on the other hand is, very broadly, supposed to be the female Superman but here she’s written as frequently hysterical, often self-doubting, quite dim and pretty bad in a fight – also not Wonder Woman’s character. And Ra’s Al-Ghul is so cartoonishly awful here that it’s amazing anyone takes his global threats seriously – he’s about as dangerous as a pie in the face.
Wagner introduces a new character called Artemis, who’s a teen Amazon from a group who’ve chosen not to live in Themyscira and live in Egypt instead. Her character is so baffling, I have no idea what role she was supposed to play – maybe because Wonder Woman was introduced so late and Artemis so early, she was a red herring and we were supposed to think this punky, hot pink pig tails chick was Wagner’s Wonder Woman? Either way, her motivations are completely unknown, surprisingly even to her, which she realises in the final battle! In a book of bad characterisations, hers was easily the worst.
There are a lot of action scenes like Wonder Woman and Batman battling Bizarro and Superman diverting nukes into space and so on, but it’s still a really unexciting read. I never followed Ra’s weird, constantly morphing plan – we’re going to attack the planet! Now we’re going to attack space or something! Now we’re going to attack Themyscira! – or believed that any of the heroes were in any real danger.
Also, because Wagner can’t make each of the characters’ voices distinct, he (or the letterer) really needed to establish who was speaking in the captions either with a symbol or different colour. All of the boxes are more or the less the same colour and it’s hard to tell when Superman’s talking or Batman or Wonder Woman or Ra’s, etc. DC have solved this problem in recent years by placing the character’s symbol in the top left corner of the caption box but that was after this book was published, so it’s difficult to differentiate when reading.
It’d be great to read an awesome Superman/Batman/Wonder Woman story where they save the world but Trinity isn’t that book. They needed a better villain and Wagner’s characterisations were a disservice to these icons.
And what the hell was up with giving Wonder Woman boxer shorts – just give her trousers already!!
The book starts well with Clark going about his routine of pretending to be clumsy and ditzy to throw off any suspicions that he’s Superman, and I loved that because Matt Wagner gets Superman’s character perfectly in this book. Throughout the story Superman is noble, kind, tolerant, smart, and NOT the goody boy scout he’s often portrayed as. Unfortunately, Superman’s the only character Wagner gets right.
Batman is written as a belligerent thug with a hair-trigger temper, ready to throw a punch at Wonder Woman as he would any of Ra’s goons – which isn’t Batman’s character. Wagner’s Batman is so angry he’s almost as bad as Frank Miller’s Goddamn Batman, except he doesn’t torture Robin in this book.
Wonder Woman on the other hand is, very broadly, supposed to be the female Superman but here she’s written as frequently hysterical, often self-doubting, quite dim and pretty bad in a fight – also not Wonder Woman’s character. And Ra’s Al-Ghul is so cartoonishly awful here that it’s amazing anyone takes his global threats seriously – he’s about as dangerous as a pie in the face.
Wagner introduces a new character called Artemis, who’s a teen Amazon from a group who’ve chosen not to live in Themyscira and live in Egypt instead. Her character is so baffling, I have no idea what role she was supposed to play – maybe because Wonder Woman was introduced so late and Artemis so early, she was a red herring and we were supposed to think this punky, hot pink pig tails chick was Wagner’s Wonder Woman? Either way, her motivations are completely unknown, surprisingly even to her, which she realises in the final battle! In a book of bad characterisations, hers was easily the worst.
There are a lot of action scenes like Wonder Woman and Batman battling Bizarro and Superman diverting nukes into space and so on, but it’s still a really unexciting read. I never followed Ra’s weird, constantly morphing plan – we’re going to attack the planet! Now we’re going to attack space or something! Now we’re going to attack Themyscira! – or believed that any of the heroes were in any real danger.
Also, because Wagner can’t make each of the characters’ voices distinct, he (or the letterer) really needed to establish who was speaking in the captions either with a symbol or different colour. All of the boxes are more or the less the same colour and it’s hard to tell when Superman’s talking or Batman or Wonder Woman or Ra’s, etc. DC have solved this problem in recent years by placing the character’s symbol in the top left corner of the caption box but that was after this book was published, so it’s difficult to differentiate when reading.
It’d be great to read an awesome Superman/Batman/Wonder Woman story where they save the world but Trinity isn’t that book. They needed a better villain and Wagner’s characterisations were a disservice to these icons.
And what the hell was up with giving Wonder Woman boxer shorts – just give her trousers already!!
March 2, 2022
Good things really do come in threes. The DC Trinity have been one of my favourite superhero teams for a long time, and this book really manages to capture what makes them so great as a unit. The characterisations of the trio are done justice, each feeling distinct in personality with their inner monologues and interactions, yet equally important. Where this is lacking is the story. It's not bad, but there's nothing overly impressive about it. What you get here is a masterful character led narrative which is enough to carry the weaker plot.
March 23, 2011
Meh. The story wasn't bad, but the artwork was fugly. Also, Wonder Woman's weird shorts looked ridiculous.
May 12, 2021
I'm a fan of a lot of Matt Wagner's comics. I thought his Grendel series to be very cool and interesting. I've also seen Matt Wagner write some mainstream titles and have enjoyed them. When I saw this Wagner title, he is the writer and artist, I snatched it up. I am rather glad I did.
I did not consider it part of any mainstream continuity, but rather as a noir interpretation of the meeting between Batman and Superman with Wonder Woman (there is an Aquaman cameo, strangely enough) for the first time. Echoing the noir style is Wagner's art. It reminds me of the style seen in the 1950's or so. At first, I was unsure, but as the story progressed I appreciated it more.
The story? It's interesting. Ra's Al-Ghul heads up an organization known as the Purge. It's still the League of Assassins, but whatever..Wagner gives his spin on it. Essentially Ra's has created a Bizzaro by cloning Superman. Now Ra's uses Bizzaro to steal several nukes with which he threatens the world. Wonder Woman joins forces with Superman and Batman to fight Bizaaro, Ra's and a renegade Amazonian named Artemis.
Is it the end all and be all of stories? No. But I liked the noir feeling. Wagner's prose when he describes the Batman is exceptional. I think he really gets the Batman persona due to his Grendel works.
I rather liked this unusual noir styled story written and inked by Matt Wagner. It's certainly different than the usual stuff out there.
I did not consider it part of any mainstream continuity, but rather as a noir interpretation of the meeting between Batman and Superman with Wonder Woman (there is an Aquaman cameo, strangely enough) for the first time. Echoing the noir style is Wagner's art. It reminds me of the style seen in the 1950's or so. At first, I was unsure, but as the story progressed I appreciated it more.
The story? It's interesting. Ra's Al-Ghul heads up an organization known as the Purge. It's still the League of Assassins, but whatever..Wagner gives his spin on it. Essentially Ra's has created a Bizzaro by cloning Superman. Now Ra's uses Bizzaro to steal several nukes with which he threatens the world. Wonder Woman joins forces with Superman and Batman to fight Bizaaro, Ra's and a renegade Amazonian named Artemis.
Is it the end all and be all of stories? No. But I liked the noir feeling. Wagner's prose when he describes the Batman is exceptional. I think he really gets the Batman persona due to his Grendel works.
I rather liked this unusual noir styled story written and inked by Matt Wagner. It's certainly different than the usual stuff out there.
November 28, 2016
An introduction to the Big Three in the early years with some nice perspectives you rarely see in the superhero comics.
The artwork is above average to good.
OVERALL GRADE: B.
The artwork is above average to good.
OVERALL GRADE: B.
August 8, 2024
Trinity is the tale of the first team-up between Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman in this version of DC continuity. It says 2003 so this is post-Zero Hour. I can't remember how much of Byrne's Superman continuity survived Zero Hour but that probably doesn't matter.
Anyway, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman take on their evil counterparts in the form of Ra's Al Ghul, Bizarro, and a young Amazon named Artemis. Nuclear bombs, purify the earth, yadda yadda yadda.
Wagner's art is in its Alex Toth phase and is just what I want in a super hero book at the moment. Since Ra's Al Ghul is the villain, the threat is global and only the Trinity can stop him. It's a fun team-up, enjoyable in part because it's free from the ensuing years of character baggage. The characters are distilled into their purest essences.
Four out of five stars.
Anyway, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman take on their evil counterparts in the form of Ra's Al Ghul, Bizarro, and a young Amazon named Artemis. Nuclear bombs, purify the earth, yadda yadda yadda.
Wagner's art is in its Alex Toth phase and is just what I want in a super hero book at the moment. Since Ra's Al Ghul is the villain, the threat is global and only the Trinity can stop him. It's a fun team-up, enjoyable in part because it's free from the ensuing years of character baggage. The characters are distilled into their purest essences.
Four out of five stars.
September 6, 2021
This book serves as the first meeting of The Trinity in the post-crisis DC Universe, as the heroes face off against Ra's Al Ghul, Bizzarro and Artemis. The book has a decent start but soon goes downhill as the story unfolds.
Every character, except Superman, is done some form of injustice. Sometimes, Batman acts way more aggressive than he really should, and Wonder Woman appears way more weaker than she should be, and so on.Matt Wagner art also leaves much to be desired. It feels like he lazily drew most the panels.
This book is not one of those stories that true fans will really enjoy.
Every character, except Superman, is done some form of injustice. Sometimes, Batman acts way more aggressive than he really should, and Wonder Woman appears way more weaker than she should be, and so on.Matt Wagner art also leaves much to be desired. It feels like he lazily drew most the panels.
This book is not one of those stories that true fans will really enjoy.
December 30, 2022
Rating: 3 out of 5 | Grade: C; Holy, Sexual Harassment Batman!
What the Hell did I just read? Matt Wagner's Trinity comic, which appropriately is 3 issues, seems like a story which would be more comfortable in 60s & 70s era of more chauvinistic comics.
The story is campy but enjoyable, surrounding around a plot where Ras al Ghul gets his hands on some ballistic missiles and is going to use them to cripple the global communication network and oil fields. Thus, sowing the seeds to civilizational collapse.
Joining him in this evil endeavor are the ever-gullible Bizarro & Artemis of the Bana-Mighdall amazons. The Holy Trinity of DC, Batman/ Superman/ Wonder woman, still new to this team business, have to stop them. As usual.
The part that really grates me is how OOC the characters are acting. It almost feels like Wagner doesn't understand their nature. Even for an elseworlds type story it's pretty jarring.
I mean, there is one scene where
Then there is the big baddy, Ras al Ghul. He may be many things, a shadow cult leader, ecological terrorist, megalomaniac with delusions of grandeur, but he's not a leering Weinstein like misogynistic molester of women. He's the freaking demon's head, yet half the scenes between him and Diana involve cringe leering dialogue, which makes you get vibes of Leah & Jabba. It's clear that the writer doesn't really get this character.
Other than that, the art is a mixed bag. There are some breakout panels, when it comes to the environment & the full spread superhero poses, but otherwise it comes across stocky and jarring.
Particularly for the environment, the illustrators have made good use of light, shadows, constrast and coloring to set the different locales apart in terms of themes and feel.
Basically, it's read once and then forget. Pick it up at your own behest. Ciao.
What the Hell did I just read? Matt Wagner's Trinity comic, which appropriately is 3 issues, seems like a story which would be more comfortable in 60s & 70s era of more chauvinistic comics.
The story is campy but enjoyable, surrounding around a plot where Ras al Ghul gets his hands on some ballistic missiles and is going to use them to cripple the global communication network and oil fields. Thus, sowing the seeds to civilizational collapse.
Joining him in this evil endeavor are the ever-gullible Bizarro & Artemis of the Bana-Mighdall amazons. The Holy Trinity of DC, Batman/ Superman/ Wonder woman, still new to this team business, have to stop them. As usual.
The part that really grates me is how OOC the characters are acting. It almost feels like Wagner doesn't understand their nature. Even for an elseworlds type story it's pretty jarring.
I mean, there is one scene where
Then there is the big baddy, Ras al Ghul. He may be many things, a shadow cult leader, ecological terrorist, megalomaniac with delusions of grandeur, but he's not a leering Weinstein like misogynistic molester of women. He's the freaking demon's head, yet half the scenes between him and Diana involve cringe leering dialogue, which makes you get vibes of Leah & Jabba. It's clear that the writer doesn't really get this character.
Other than that, the art is a mixed bag. There are some breakout panels, when it comes to the environment & the full spread superhero poses, but otherwise it comes across stocky and jarring.
Particularly for the environment, the illustrators have made good use of light, shadows, constrast and coloring to set the different locales apart in terms of themes and feel.
Basically, it's read once and then forget. Pick it up at your own behest. Ciao.
August 13, 2017
Boring and rough artwork. Big pass.
December 10, 2025
I'm a fan of a lot of Matt Wagner's comics. I thought his Grendel series to be very cool and interesting. I've also seen Matt Wagner write some mainstream titles and have enjoyed them. When I saw this Wagner title, he is the writer and artist, I snatched it up. I am rather glad I did.
I did not consider it part of any mainstream continuity, but rather as a noir interpretation of the meeting between Batman and Superman with Wonder Woman (there is an Aquaman cameo, strangely enough) for the first time. Echoing the noir style is Wagner's art. It reminds me of the style seen in the 1950's or so. At first, I was unsure, but as the story progressed I appreciated it more.
The story? It's interesting. Ra's Al-Ghul heads up an organization known as the Purge. It's still the League of Assassins, but whatever..Wagner gives his spin on it. Essentially Ra's has created a Bizzaro by cloning Superman. Now Ra's uses Bizzaro to steal several nukes with which he threatens the world. Wonder Woman joins forces with Superman and Batman to fight Bizaaro, Ra's and a renegade Amazonian named Artemis.
Is it the end all and be all of stories? No. But I liked the noir feeling. Wagner's prose when he describes the Batman is exceptional. I think he really gets the Batman persona due to his Grendel works.
I rather liked this unusual noir styled story written and inked by Matt Wagner. It's certainly different than the usual stuff out there.
I did not consider it part of any mainstream continuity, but rather as a noir interpretation of the meeting between Batman and Superman with Wonder Woman (there is an Aquaman cameo, strangely enough) for the first time. Echoing the noir style is Wagner's art. It reminds me of the style seen in the 1950's or so. At first, I was unsure, but as the story progressed I appreciated it more.
The story? It's interesting. Ra's Al-Ghul heads up an organization known as the Purge. It's still the League of Assassins, but whatever..Wagner gives his spin on it. Essentially Ra's has created a Bizzaro by cloning Superman. Now Ra's uses Bizzaro to steal several nukes with which he threatens the world. Wonder Woman joins forces with Superman and Batman to fight Bizaaro, Ra's and a renegade Amazonian named Artemis.
Is it the end all and be all of stories? No. But I liked the noir feeling. Wagner's prose when he describes the Batman is exceptional. I think he really gets the Batman persona due to his Grendel works.
I rather liked this unusual noir styled story written and inked by Matt Wagner. It's certainly different than the usual stuff out there.
October 21, 2017
While not necessarily essential reading, the book is another take on the first team-up of DC's storied 'Big Three.' (Superman and Batman are already acquainted, however.) It was lean and fast-moving, though the artwork varies between being reminiscent of the Fleischer cartoons of the 40's to being downright questionable (sorry, WW - you unfortunately bear the brunt of it). Also interesting was that Superman and Wonder Woman get first-person thought 'boxes' while Batman stays in the third. What goes on under the cowl, stays under the cowl?
August 17, 2023
2.5 stars
The first isuse with Clark was fine but rest meh.
The first isuse with Clark was fine but rest meh.
August 25, 2017
Good! So finally got to read this one as part of the DC Comics Graphic Novel collection, which is nice because this one has been on my radar for a while. So the story is Ra's Al Ghul has gotten his hands on some missiles, that he's gonna use to take over the world etc... (standard James Bond plot), he also enlists the help of Artemis(Wonder Woman villain) and Bizzaro Superman, which of course gets Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman's attention. Overall its pretty standard super hero stuff, nothing really new or mind blowing plot wise. I have two major criticisms: 1, Bizzaro and Artemis for the most part don't do anything really, there more background muscle then anything else, Ra's is the main threat really, which was a bit disappointing; I was hoping they would swap those two out for Lex and Cheetah so we could get some equal villainy. The other is mainly with the thought boxes in the panels? In modern comics they usually colour code the boxes so you know who's inner monologue your reading (e.g. Black for batman, blue for superman etc...), aside from colouring the first letter in the paragraph, I could hardly tell who's monologue I was reading at any given time; plus it would switch from character monologues, to old comic book narration, so I would skip those boxes and just read the main dialogue mostly. The art is a bit of a mixed bag for some, I can see why. I feel Matt Wagner's art is a more clean, simplistic version of Frank Miller's art, which I mostly like. Wagner definitely knows how to draw and write Batman, with some epic panels! WW and Supes have a few good panels, but mostly they look pretty muddy and not really that detailed. Overall though, I found this to be an okay read, its nice to have, but its not really essential for hardcore fans or newcomers really.
April 1, 2022
What's interesting about this book is Wagner's examination of environment and how it defines and drives its heroes. Batman breaks a dude's jaw because Gotham is a hard place, and when someone invades his turf, it is his responsibility to make sure the darkness doesn't swallow someone into the shadows before he can question them. Wonder Woman acts swiftly and silently because she lives in Paradise and has no reason to be underestimated or expect pain, though all the men around her do underestimate her (except for a certain Kryptonian). Superman misses a train a couple of times a week, so that his cover as Clark Kent won't be blown in the bright light of Metropolis' burning daytimes.
What unites these three is a strong sense of where they're from. As much praise as I've heard about this book because of its stellar character moments (there are many, my favorite being Batman's first sight of Wonder Woman's invisible jet and thinking, simply, that he wants one), I appreciate more the thematic link between place and the hero's defending their chosen place. It is in such connections, defined early on by Wagner, that we see how place influences decisions, and actually gets the better of characters at times (I leave it to you to discover what Batman does on Paradise Island). Some choices are surprising and delightful. It is these moments that make Trinity worthwhile reading. The plot is fairly standard fare, even as it is a pretty entertaining meeting story. But the thematic connections continually surprise and deepen our understanding of these three icons.
What unites these three is a strong sense of where they're from. As much praise as I've heard about this book because of its stellar character moments (there are many, my favorite being Batman's first sight of Wonder Woman's invisible jet and thinking, simply, that he wants one), I appreciate more the thematic link between place and the hero's defending their chosen place. It is in such connections, defined early on by Wagner, that we see how place influences decisions, and actually gets the better of characters at times (I leave it to you to discover what Batman does on Paradise Island). Some choices are surprising and delightful. It is these moments that make Trinity worthwhile reading. The plot is fairly standard fare, even as it is a pretty entertaining meeting story. But the thematic connections continually surprise and deepen our understanding of these three icons.
May 13, 2024
Puntaje: 3.2 Estrellas.
Trinidad es una historia que está simplemente bien. Cumple con la función de entretenimiento y nos regala una nueva visión al momento en el que la trinidad de DC trabajan juntos por primera vez. Sin embargo, para mí no llega a ser una historia que pueda trascender con el tiempo, o que vaya a recordar por muchos años.
Entre los detalles que disfruté de la historia se encuentran las diferencias notorias de pensamiento entre los personajes. En especial entre Wonder Woman y Batman, quienes tienen métodos muy diferentes de tratar a los criminales. También podemos ver cómo Superman aprendió a ser más flexible con Batman, esto debido a que admira su dedicación y resultados.
La trama detrás de Ra’s Al-Ghul queriendo acabar con el mundo como lo conocemos es un poco repetitivo. Siento que, como tal, la historia central de este cómic no añade mucho valor al lector. Eso sí, admito que me gustó la escena de Wonder Woman luchando con Bizarro, pero todo lo demás estaba ok, sin mucho que resaltar.
En general, Trinidad ha sido un poco decepcionante, pues recuerdo que hace tiempo hablaban muy bien de este cómic, pero terminó siendo una historia muy normal. Creo que es un tomo que puedes dejar pasar si estás buscando lo mejor de esta colección, hay otras historias que merecen mucho más la pena.
Trinidad es una historia que está simplemente bien. Cumple con la función de entretenimiento y nos regala una nueva visión al momento en el que la trinidad de DC trabajan juntos por primera vez. Sin embargo, para mí no llega a ser una historia que pueda trascender con el tiempo, o que vaya a recordar por muchos años.
Entre los detalles que disfruté de la historia se encuentran las diferencias notorias de pensamiento entre los personajes. En especial entre Wonder Woman y Batman, quienes tienen métodos muy diferentes de tratar a los criminales. También podemos ver cómo Superman aprendió a ser más flexible con Batman, esto debido a que admira su dedicación y resultados.
La trama detrás de Ra’s Al-Ghul queriendo acabar con el mundo como lo conocemos es un poco repetitivo. Siento que, como tal, la historia central de este cómic no añade mucho valor al lector. Eso sí, admito que me gustó la escena de Wonder Woman luchando con Bizarro, pero todo lo demás estaba ok, sin mucho que resaltar.
En general, Trinidad ha sido un poco decepcionante, pues recuerdo que hace tiempo hablaban muy bien de este cómic, pero terminó siendo una historia muy normal. Creo que es un tomo que puedes dejar pasar si estás buscando lo mejor de esta colección, hay otras historias que merecen mucho más la pena.
June 11, 2017
As a long time fan of DC and reader of many comics, this is an obvious ret-con of the meeting of the big three. This would be great for a first time reader or a new to the universe reader. Saying it is a ret-con however doesn't mean its a bad thing as this version is done very well. I enjoyed the natural responses from all of them as they meet each other and get to know how the others work. I enjoyed the relationship between Batman and Superman and in this story Superman doesn't come across quite as goody two shoes as usual which was really nice.
I enjoyed the story and it was good to see other people dealing with Ra's Al Ghul instead of just Batman as considering he is the head of the league of assasins he is a pretty big deal. In this though he seems to have been made a little....dumber... for wont of a better word. I'm not sure what it is but he just doesn't seem as badass as usual.
I thought Bizarro was good in this and it was good to see his "vulnerable" side as he just wanted a friend, him calling Ra's Al Ghul, Racer Cool was pretty funny too.
The art, hmmm I really couldn't make my mind up on it, at times I thought it looked good, other times not so much. Also the weird kind of arrow shapes to show Superman flying etc seemed more like they were done as a crude sketch and someone forgot to switch them out with the finished product.
Some ups and some downs but overall I really enjoyed this mini arc.
I enjoyed the story and it was good to see other people dealing with Ra's Al Ghul instead of just Batman as considering he is the head of the league of assasins he is a pretty big deal. In this though he seems to have been made a little....dumber... for wont of a better word. I'm not sure what it is but he just doesn't seem as badass as usual.
I thought Bizarro was good in this and it was good to see his "vulnerable" side as he just wanted a friend, him calling Ra's Al Ghul, Racer Cool was pretty funny too.
The art, hmmm I really couldn't make my mind up on it, at times I thought it looked good, other times not so much. Also the weird kind of arrow shapes to show Superman flying etc seemed more like they were done as a crude sketch and someone forgot to switch them out with the finished product.
Some ups and some downs but overall I really enjoyed this mini arc.
December 6, 2023
It’s nice to see Matt Wagner drawing things - his clear, simple storytelling is like a cool drink of water now and must have been even more so in the fevered atmosphere of the early 00s. Other than that, this Superman-Batman-Wonder Woman 3-hander is a victim of its own self-important framing: twenty more years of DC hammering the idea of its “Big Three” just adds to an unnecessary gravitas, an aura that we are witnessing Something Significant rather than enjoying something fun. And at its best this IS fun - it has Ra’s Al Ghul riding a jet-ski made out of nuclear missiles! - and an enjoyable tribute to the immediate post-Crisis era when Batman was even more of a dick to everyone than he usually is.
March 28, 2016
Trinity by Matt Wagner is one of the Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman team-ups that should have been taken to the big screen. It tells the story of the first collaboration between the trio that make up the core of the Justice League. While Batman and Superman are allies already at this point, it is the first time they meet and work alongside Wonder Woman.
"...I will always remember my first sight of her. Lois, you're the most compelling woman I've met. But this...is the most magnificent..."
Ra's al Ghul is once again waging war on the cities of the world and has created a global terrorist organization he has called the Purge. To help him with his plan to dominate, he has released and befriended the Superman clone; Bizarro. Furthermore, a new young recruit to his organization with exceptional fighting skills, a young girl with a hidden past.
Batman thwarts a robbery in Metropolis and comes upon some intriguing clues.
"...(Bruce): Clark, they were after the kryptonite. I found this on one of their members. Something tells me it's stolen.
(Clark): This is a Lexcorp project's security disc. Which means they're also planning to steal something from Luthor. That could get ugly.
(Bruce): At the very least.
(Clark): As I'm sure you know, Luthor's got his hooks in all manner of advanced military technology. If this Purge gets access to some of that stuff, it could spell bad news indeed. Thanks Bruce. I appreciate all you've done. I'll let you know whatever I discover. But I can take care of myself, you know, even against kryptonite.
(Bruce): Only making sure. And you were out of town, yes?
(Clark): Just a bit of a vacation.
(Clark thinking to himself): I know what he's thinking. Crime never takes a vacation. But there're no beautiful sunsets way down in that cave, Bruce..."
Ra's al Ghul's plan is darker that either hero is aware of as he has Bizarro capture a nuclear submarine and take the sub and its missiles. In the act, one of the missiles falls and explodes near a hidden island known to few as the island of Themyscira, home to the legendary Amazons. they suspect Superman of the act and send Dianna, Wonder Woman to confront him. She learns that it was in fact Bizarro and when they conclude that it was the super clone in the employ of Ra's al Ghul, they go to Gotham to include Batman into what is happening.
Though upon first impression, Wonder Woman is offended by Batman's methods, she agrees to work with him. As Batman and Superman chase down the missiles Wonder Woman infiltrates Ra's lair where she is subdued by Bizarro and given a vicious beating. when she comes to, she is chained and bleeding. Ra's gloats over her and tells her he plans to drop her into the Lazarus Pit to heal her wounds, but also because when she comes out of the Pit, she will be susceptible to suggestions. He plans to rape her and use her to his own desires.
With the help of Batman she escapes but falls into the Pit to heal herself. The Lazarus Pit maddens Wonder Woman but she realizes she must go back to Themyscira to heal. While she is healing, Batman and Superman come to the realization that Ra's has changed his plan and instead plans to invade Themyscira. He plans to use the Amazons as breeding stock to create his new army.
There are several things about this book that makes it one of the better Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman stories to be found. It is prior to the Justice League formation and is the first time that Wonder Woman meets the superheroes. Like the current run of Batman/Superman, the story is told in large part through the thoughts of the trio, their observations of their new friends. Ra's is beyond evil here and there is no nobility to his cause. His attempt to rape Wonder Woman for his own conquest, using the Lazarus Pit essentially as a date rape drug and subsequent plan to enslave the entire population of Amazonians to breed him his army is one of the most despicable moments in comic book history. Matt Wagner handles all of this with style and craft. He never dumbs down his story and in fact elevates it, creating in Ra's a megalomaniac of epic proportions. I also love the use of Bizarro here, a nemisis that has become something of a clown of late in the Superman stories. Here he is a lonely and desperate for affection that he would do anything to please his new friend in Ra's. The beating of Wonder Woman is something out of a Berserker rage by Wolverine.
The uneasy alliance formed by the trio becomes a friendship and trust that in the beginning was hard to see happening. It is this relationship that becomes the core of the Justice League one day. The final battle on the shores and seas of Themyscira where the three face off against Ra's, Bizarro and the Purge is wonderfully written and the entire book, with its throwback artwork, is sure to be one of the most compelling reads for any fan of the DC Universe.
"...I will always remember my first sight of her. Lois, you're the most compelling woman I've met. But this...is the most magnificent..."
Ra's al Ghul is once again waging war on the cities of the world and has created a global terrorist organization he has called the Purge. To help him with his plan to dominate, he has released and befriended the Superman clone; Bizarro. Furthermore, a new young recruit to his organization with exceptional fighting skills, a young girl with a hidden past.
Batman thwarts a robbery in Metropolis and comes upon some intriguing clues.
"...(Bruce): Clark, they were after the kryptonite. I found this on one of their members. Something tells me it's stolen.
(Clark): This is a Lexcorp project's security disc. Which means they're also planning to steal something from Luthor. That could get ugly.
(Bruce): At the very least.
(Clark): As I'm sure you know, Luthor's got his hooks in all manner of advanced military technology. If this Purge gets access to some of that stuff, it could spell bad news indeed. Thanks Bruce. I appreciate all you've done. I'll let you know whatever I discover. But I can take care of myself, you know, even against kryptonite.
(Bruce): Only making sure. And you were out of town, yes?
(Clark): Just a bit of a vacation.
(Clark thinking to himself): I know what he's thinking. Crime never takes a vacation. But there're no beautiful sunsets way down in that cave, Bruce..."
Ra's al Ghul's plan is darker that either hero is aware of as he has Bizarro capture a nuclear submarine and take the sub and its missiles. In the act, one of the missiles falls and explodes near a hidden island known to few as the island of Themyscira, home to the legendary Amazons. they suspect Superman of the act and send Dianna, Wonder Woman to confront him. She learns that it was in fact Bizarro and when they conclude that it was the super clone in the employ of Ra's al Ghul, they go to Gotham to include Batman into what is happening.
Though upon first impression, Wonder Woman is offended by Batman's methods, she agrees to work with him. As Batman and Superman chase down the missiles Wonder Woman infiltrates Ra's lair where she is subdued by Bizarro and given a vicious beating. when she comes to, she is chained and bleeding. Ra's gloats over her and tells her he plans to drop her into the Lazarus Pit to heal her wounds, but also because when she comes out of the Pit, she will be susceptible to suggestions. He plans to rape her and use her to his own desires.
With the help of Batman she escapes but falls into the Pit to heal herself. The Lazarus Pit maddens Wonder Woman but she realizes she must go back to Themyscira to heal. While she is healing, Batman and Superman come to the realization that Ra's has changed his plan and instead plans to invade Themyscira. He plans to use the Amazons as breeding stock to create his new army.
There are several things about this book that makes it one of the better Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman stories to be found. It is prior to the Justice League formation and is the first time that Wonder Woman meets the superheroes. Like the current run of Batman/Superman, the story is told in large part through the thoughts of the trio, their observations of their new friends. Ra's is beyond evil here and there is no nobility to his cause. His attempt to rape Wonder Woman for his own conquest, using the Lazarus Pit essentially as a date rape drug and subsequent plan to enslave the entire population of Amazonians to breed him his army is one of the most despicable moments in comic book history. Matt Wagner handles all of this with style and craft. He never dumbs down his story and in fact elevates it, creating in Ra's a megalomaniac of epic proportions. I also love the use of Bizarro here, a nemisis that has become something of a clown of late in the Superman stories. Here he is a lonely and desperate for affection that he would do anything to please his new friend in Ra's. The beating of Wonder Woman is something out of a Berserker rage by Wolverine.
The uneasy alliance formed by the trio becomes a friendship and trust that in the beginning was hard to see happening. It is this relationship that becomes the core of the Justice League one day. The final battle on the shores and seas of Themyscira where the three face off against Ra's, Bizarro and the Purge is wonderfully written and the entire book, with its throwback artwork, is sure to be one of the most compelling reads for any fan of the DC Universe.
February 4, 2017
It has taken me awhile to read this graphic novel, but I have. It is a decent What if story about DC Comics' big three's first meeting and it is a very interesting tale though, not amazingly so. While the story was impressive the artwork did not really hit with me. I started this book when I first got into comics, but I sort-of forgot about it until a few weeks ago when I finally decided to finish it up. I am not going to read it again, but it is not a bad read.
December 3, 2011
I liked the story, but I really wish that the art work had been better.
April 22, 2018
Finally a decent superman story!
December 7, 2019
Згідно з передмовою Бреда Мельцера - тут закладені філософські ідеї та показання супергероїв у якості могутньої та святої Трійці. Ну, а що в результаті? Лайтова супергероїка із мультяшними малюнками над котрою я позіхав, читаючи другу половину історії. Якби забрати трішки крові, то виходить непогане оповіданнячко для молодшої аудиторії, ну або ж впровадження до світу коміксів (хоча не самий кращий вступ) при умові, що немає з чим порівнювати цю історію.
January 17, 2018
Other Useful Reviews: Chris's review
Book Info: This collection contains Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity issue #1-3.
ABSOLUTE RATING: {3/5 stars}
STANDARDIZED RATING: <3/5 stars>
Through a carefully orchestrated series of crimes, self-proclaimed eco-terrorist Ra's al Ghul has set out to save the planet by eradicating the ecological cancer that is humanity. To accomplish this end, Ra's makes allies of Bizarro and a young Amazonian detractor, who both work together with his army of trained zealots. Shortly after his activities pop up on Batman and Superman's radar, Bizarro's accidental detonation of a Russian warhead near Paradise Island puts Wonder Woman on his tail as well. Despite poor chemistry among the three heroes, a common enemy in Ra's forces them to band together toward the villain's apprehension. But will Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman manage to put aside their differences long enough to find Ra's and put an end to his nefarious plot before it's too late?
In my opinion, the first two-thirds of issue one promised a better story than the one I ultimately got by the end of the book. It starts in Metropolis with Superman fighting to avert the deaths of passengers aboard an out-of-control commuter train. After one of Ra's snipers shoots the train operator from afar, the accelerating vehicle derails from it's elevated railway after reaching a sharp turn, and Superman is just barely able to catch it before its impact with the crowded street below. Besides being a fairly exciting opening sequence, it also manages to establish Ra's as a formidable antagonist whose agents are able to trigger such coordinated acts of chaos before disappearing without a trace. And when Superman catches the train, he actually seems to strain a little! While that might seem like a small detail to many readers, it was very encouraging for me, since it established an uncommonly reasonable cap to Superman's immense abilities, and one which was adhered to for the duration of the book. Similarly, it was nice to see Batman seek out Superman's help in decrypting the codes on a confiscated security disk: it looked like Wagner was trying to show us a different side of Batman – something other than the all-seeing, all-knowing superbrain – and instead wanted to focus on his resourcefulness and detective ability. So as early as the first third of chapter one, I felt as if I knew both characters pretty well, and they'd already developed a somewhat entertaining chemistry together.
[Unlike so many Batman/Superman team-ups I've seen, this one felt very well-done. While I've never thought much of Superman's boundless generosity and optimism, I do like how it plays against Batman's cynicism and pride. But often, when these dudes get together, writers tend to wussify Bats in attempt to get him to meet Superman halfway. DC hasn't seemed to learn that Batman works best with a minimum of emotional vulnerability – at least when presented in a traditional fashion – but Wagner clearly gets that just fine. To him, it's more of a professional friendship between the two, which is exactly how I would have written it to sidestep the usual sappiness.]
But after this, we gradually shift into a kind of Lego-type characterization, where the Superman/Batman dynamic becomes reduced to things like the former pretending not to notice the latter's transparent attempts to avoid being outshined by the magnificent Superman and Wonder Woman. But being the "Lego-type characterization" that it is, it does maintain a level of cuteness and charm, even if it's not all that deep or particularly humorous. And as for Wonder Woman, I'd say she's probably the weakest character of the three. Aside from her combat prowess – which becomes somewhat redundant/ordinary viewed alongside Batman's – or the mildly exotic Greek mystique she carries into her narration, she's basically just a gentle sexist who's there to occasionally pick away at Batman's masculine composure. And Wagner focuses far too closely on her physical attractiveness instead of her mental qualities. Also, the feminist overtones she brings to the book (i.e. disparaging rape culture and benign chauvinism) aren't really enough to compensate for this shallow treatment. So although the characters don't develop as much as Wagner promises in the first issue, they're sporadically amusing together, and they just barely escape coming off as underwritten.
[If you really think about it, Batman's mistrust and envy of his super-powered companions makes perfect sense. There's no reason I can see that he shouldn't have to fight with every fiber of his being not to be outdone, and that's a very refreshing insight Wagner brings to the table. He does also have a reputation to protect, after all. But though this might make Batman the most intriguing of the three, Wagner leaves his promising character framework largely untapped, and these showy stunts end up saying a whole lot more about Batman than they say about either of the other two – making him slightly more of a showstopper than Wagner probably intended, at least relative to Superman and Wonder Woman.]
[Having grown up on an all-female island, it's understandable that Wonder Woman first enters "the world of man" with a very naive grasp on traditional male psychology. In the beginning, she often thinks things like "men are so obvious." Fortunately, it's more adorable than it is tedious, and Diana surprisingly grew on me after a while. And as she gets to know Batman and Superman more as the story goes on, she ends up thinking to herself that "men are... more complicated then [she] thought." Although that's the extent of her character development, I guess it's good that neither of the other two heroes do much better on that particular count at least. But while she's undoubtedly an invaluable addition to the team, I just with Wagner could've found a way to give her more dramatic depth independent of her relationships with Batman and Superman.]
And as for the villains, the writing isn't really any stronger. Bizarro is essentially a callow Frankenstein-esque Superman copycat who speaks with the vocabulary of a three year old. On paper, he's gotta be the least appealing character in the entire book, but there is something kinda tragic about his gullibility and emotional fragility. In many ways, I guess he reminds me of a newborn bulldog: crude and homely in demeanor, but still somehow strangely disarming. Next up, we've got the mysterious Amazonian girl who joins up with Ra's. One can think of her simply as a rebellious teenager with a smart mouth. I got the impression that Wagner intended readers to be wondering about the circumstances of her exile, or how Wonder Woman could have been involved, but we were given very little reason to care. Admittedly, she does get two pretty cool fight scenes with Batman in the second issue though. Last but not least, there's Ra's al Ghul – an immortal megalomaniac with a devoted following. Trust me when I say that this is a character archetype you've met several times before. Besides his slightly above-average cunning, he's nothing special. But, as shown below, his interplay with the other two main villains proves mutually beneficial to the characterization of all three:
[Through his interaction with his Amazonian ward, Ra's gets the opportunity to distinguish himself from your garden-variety world conqueror in at least two important ways: firstly, he begins to win the girl over with what appear to be laudable aims to preserve the ecosystem, which grant him a modest sympathetic nudge closer to Magneto than Hitler in terms of characterization. Secondly, his almost father-like treatment of the girl betray a gentleness (or vulnerability) that is uncommon among most characters of his type. I mean, sure, there's no good reason to think he's not being manipulative to some extent (like with Bizarro), but it seemed like he acted a little too encouraging and a little too comfortable putting up with her constant sass. Oddly, for all his reprehensible qualities, Ra's al Ghul isn't without his charm, which helps to explain why the Amazon is sticking around with him.]
[But just in case you were starting to think Ra's too tender for a mass-murderer, just remember how callously he handles Bizarro. It's the kind of cruel psychological abuse of a parent having their child compete for their affection, which the child is only too happy to do because they've got no one else. As sad as this was, it could potentially have been heartbreaking if only Bizarro wasn't intrinsically such a shallow brute.]
Part of what makes the final two issues just a bit less entertaining than the first is Wagner's writing style. It's by no means bad, but, on occasion, it does have a certain simplistic, unadorned character to it that begins to hurt the narrative, starting in issue #2. When I noticed how the dialogue exchanges had lengthened, and how more time was being directed toward fleshing-out the characters and their interrelationships, I felt that something important had been lost since the relatively fast-paced and narration-driven first chapter. Because Wagner's oft-basic writing wasn't entirely up to the task of bringing about much further characterization in the time available to him, many of these efforts just led to scenes that felt dragged on, or ended up killing some of the narrative momentum. Luckily, this increase in padding is small, and doesn't result in a quality drop-off that's all that pronounced.
Overall, Trinity's artwork is very strong (especially for the issue covers), and Wagner's technique resembles a mix of the styles of Darwyn Cooke, Mike Mignola, and Frank Miller. The only thing I'd say he could have worked a little harder on was making some of his facial expressions more consistent – especially for Superman and Wonder Woman – but that's minor in the scheme of things, especially with the talented Dave Stewart doing the colors. And when it came to the action, Wagner delivers the goods. Each fight sequence is detailed and nicely choreographed, which I guess is one of the main benefits of being both the writer and artist of a comic book: being the writer means that he has the vision of what he wants rendered on the page, and being the artist means that he's the one best suited to render it to a large extent. I think it's also worth mentioning that Trinity featured perhaps the most convincing JLA team-up involving Batman I've ever seen. Normally, he would strike me as laughably outclassed by titans like Superman and Wonder Woman, but not only are their powers substantially dialed down for this production, but Batman's preparedness and quick thinking were meticulously utilized to make him a formidable threat. And Wagner makes sure to keep Bats closer to the street-level obstacles than the other two heroes, and isn't afraid to have him get his ass handed to him when trying to tussle with big guns like Bizarro.
Comfortably sitting at a solid 3 stars, Trinity turned out to be among the best JLA books I've ever come across, and it had some excellent illustrations. But what could have been a 3.5- to 4-star book was ultimately did in by intermittently unengaging storytelling, and a cast of characters that, although adequately-written, weren't deep enough to keep me fully satisfied. And the final confrontation in the last 20 pages of the book – which is discussed at length in the postscript – made a few minor missteps which carelessly undid some of Wagner's otherwise respectable work. At the end of the day, however, this book was good enough that I'm interested in checking out stuff like Batman and the Monster Men and The Tower Chronicles to see if the writer can achieve more of his latent potential.
Postscript:
Let me just quickly take this opportunity to talk about the problems I had with the book's finale.
Book Info: This collection contains Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity issue #1-3.
ABSOLUTE RATING: {3/5 stars}
STANDARDIZED RATING: <3/5 stars>
Through a carefully orchestrated series of crimes, self-proclaimed eco-terrorist Ra's al Ghul has set out to save the planet by eradicating the ecological cancer that is humanity. To accomplish this end, Ra's makes allies of Bizarro and a young Amazonian detractor, who both work together with his army of trained zealots. Shortly after his activities pop up on Batman and Superman's radar, Bizarro's accidental detonation of a Russian warhead near Paradise Island puts Wonder Woman on his tail as well. Despite poor chemistry among the three heroes, a common enemy in Ra's forces them to band together toward the villain's apprehension. But will Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman manage to put aside their differences long enough to find Ra's and put an end to his nefarious plot before it's too late?
In my opinion, the first two-thirds of issue one promised a better story than the one I ultimately got by the end of the book. It starts in Metropolis with Superman fighting to avert the deaths of passengers aboard an out-of-control commuter train. After one of Ra's snipers shoots the train operator from afar, the accelerating vehicle derails from it's elevated railway after reaching a sharp turn, and Superman is just barely able to catch it before its impact with the crowded street below. Besides being a fairly exciting opening sequence, it also manages to establish Ra's as a formidable antagonist whose agents are able to trigger such coordinated acts of chaos before disappearing without a trace. And when Superman catches the train, he actually seems to strain a little! While that might seem like a small detail to many readers, it was very encouraging for me, since it established an uncommonly reasonable cap to Superman's immense abilities, and one which was adhered to for the duration of the book. Similarly, it was nice to see Batman seek out Superman's help in decrypting the codes on a confiscated security disk: it looked like Wagner was trying to show us a different side of Batman – something other than the all-seeing, all-knowing superbrain – and instead wanted to focus on his resourcefulness and detective ability. So as early as the first third of chapter one, I felt as if I knew both characters pretty well, and they'd already developed a somewhat entertaining chemistry together.
[Unlike so many Batman/Superman team-ups I've seen, this one felt very well-done. While I've never thought much of Superman's boundless generosity and optimism, I do like how it plays against Batman's cynicism and pride. But often, when these dudes get together, writers tend to wussify Bats in attempt to get him to meet Superman halfway. DC hasn't seemed to learn that Batman works best with a minimum of emotional vulnerability – at least when presented in a traditional fashion – but Wagner clearly gets that just fine. To him, it's more of a professional friendship between the two, which is exactly how I would have written it to sidestep the usual sappiness.]
But after this, we gradually shift into a kind of Lego-type characterization, where the Superman/Batman dynamic becomes reduced to things like the former pretending not to notice the latter's transparent attempts to avoid being outshined by the magnificent Superman and Wonder Woman. But being the "Lego-type characterization" that it is, it does maintain a level of cuteness and charm, even if it's not all that deep or particularly humorous. And as for Wonder Woman, I'd say she's probably the weakest character of the three. Aside from her combat prowess – which becomes somewhat redundant/ordinary viewed alongside Batman's – or the mildly exotic Greek mystique she carries into her narration, she's basically just a gentle sexist who's there to occasionally pick away at Batman's masculine composure. And Wagner focuses far too closely on her physical attractiveness instead of her mental qualities. Also, the feminist overtones she brings to the book (i.e. disparaging rape culture and benign chauvinism) aren't really enough to compensate for this shallow treatment. So although the characters don't develop as much as Wagner promises in the first issue, they're sporadically amusing together, and they just barely escape coming off as underwritten.
[If you really think about it, Batman's mistrust and envy of his super-powered companions makes perfect sense. There's no reason I can see that he shouldn't have to fight with every fiber of his being not to be outdone, and that's a very refreshing insight Wagner brings to the table. He does also have a reputation to protect, after all. But though this might make Batman the most intriguing of the three, Wagner leaves his promising character framework largely untapped, and these showy stunts end up saying a whole lot more about Batman than they say about either of the other two – making him slightly more of a showstopper than Wagner probably intended, at least relative to Superman and Wonder Woman.]
[Having grown up on an all-female island, it's understandable that Wonder Woman first enters "the world of man" with a very naive grasp on traditional male psychology. In the beginning, she often thinks things like "men are so obvious." Fortunately, it's more adorable than it is tedious, and Diana surprisingly grew on me after a while. And as she gets to know Batman and Superman more as the story goes on, she ends up thinking to herself that "men are... more complicated then [she] thought." Although that's the extent of her character development, I guess it's good that neither of the other two heroes do much better on that particular count at least. But while she's undoubtedly an invaluable addition to the team, I just with Wagner could've found a way to give her more dramatic depth independent of her relationships with Batman and Superman.]
And as for the villains, the writing isn't really any stronger. Bizarro is essentially a callow Frankenstein-esque Superman copycat who speaks with the vocabulary of a three year old. On paper, he's gotta be the least appealing character in the entire book, but there is something kinda tragic about his gullibility and emotional fragility. In many ways, I guess he reminds me of a newborn bulldog: crude and homely in demeanor, but still somehow strangely disarming. Next up, we've got the mysterious Amazonian girl who joins up with Ra's. One can think of her simply as a rebellious teenager with a smart mouth. I got the impression that Wagner intended readers to be wondering about the circumstances of her exile, or how Wonder Woman could have been involved, but we were given very little reason to care. Admittedly, she does get two pretty cool fight scenes with Batman in the second issue though. Last but not least, there's Ra's al Ghul – an immortal megalomaniac with a devoted following. Trust me when I say that this is a character archetype you've met several times before. Besides his slightly above-average cunning, he's nothing special. But, as shown below, his interplay with the other two main villains proves mutually beneficial to the characterization of all three:
[Through his interaction with his Amazonian ward, Ra's gets the opportunity to distinguish himself from your garden-variety world conqueror in at least two important ways: firstly, he begins to win the girl over with what appear to be laudable aims to preserve the ecosystem, which grant him a modest sympathetic nudge closer to Magneto than Hitler in terms of characterization. Secondly, his almost father-like treatment of the girl betray a gentleness (or vulnerability) that is uncommon among most characters of his type. I mean, sure, there's no good reason to think he's not being manipulative to some extent (like with Bizarro), but it seemed like he acted a little too encouraging and a little too comfortable putting up with her constant sass. Oddly, for all his reprehensible qualities, Ra's al Ghul isn't without his charm, which helps to explain why the Amazon is sticking around with him.]
[But just in case you were starting to think Ra's too tender for a mass-murderer, just remember how callously he handles Bizarro. It's the kind of cruel psychological abuse of a parent having their child compete for their affection, which the child is only too happy to do because they've got no one else. As sad as this was, it could potentially have been heartbreaking if only Bizarro wasn't intrinsically such a shallow brute.]
Part of what makes the final two issues just a bit less entertaining than the first is Wagner's writing style. It's by no means bad, but, on occasion, it does have a certain simplistic, unadorned character to it that begins to hurt the narrative, starting in issue #2. When I noticed how the dialogue exchanges had lengthened, and how more time was being directed toward fleshing-out the characters and their interrelationships, I felt that something important had been lost since the relatively fast-paced and narration-driven first chapter. Because Wagner's oft-basic writing wasn't entirely up to the task of bringing about much further characterization in the time available to him, many of these efforts just led to scenes that felt dragged on, or ended up killing some of the narrative momentum. Luckily, this increase in padding is small, and doesn't result in a quality drop-off that's all that pronounced.
Overall, Trinity's artwork is very strong (especially for the issue covers), and Wagner's technique resembles a mix of the styles of Darwyn Cooke, Mike Mignola, and Frank Miller. The only thing I'd say he could have worked a little harder on was making some of his facial expressions more consistent – especially for Superman and Wonder Woman – but that's minor in the scheme of things, especially with the talented Dave Stewart doing the colors. And when it came to the action, Wagner delivers the goods. Each fight sequence is detailed and nicely choreographed, which I guess is one of the main benefits of being both the writer and artist of a comic book: being the writer means that he has the vision of what he wants rendered on the page, and being the artist means that he's the one best suited to render it to a large extent. I think it's also worth mentioning that Trinity featured perhaps the most convincing JLA team-up involving Batman I've ever seen. Normally, he would strike me as laughably outclassed by titans like Superman and Wonder Woman, but not only are their powers substantially dialed down for this production, but Batman's preparedness and quick thinking were meticulously utilized to make him a formidable threat. And Wagner makes sure to keep Bats closer to the street-level obstacles than the other two heroes, and isn't afraid to have him get his ass handed to him when trying to tussle with big guns like Bizarro.
Comfortably sitting at a solid 3 stars, Trinity turned out to be among the best JLA books I've ever come across, and it had some excellent illustrations. But what could have been a 3.5- to 4-star book was ultimately did in by intermittently unengaging storytelling, and a cast of characters that, although adequately-written, weren't deep enough to keep me fully satisfied. And the final confrontation in the last 20 pages of the book – which is discussed at length in the postscript – made a few minor missteps which carelessly undid some of Wagner's otherwise respectable work. At the end of the day, however, this book was good enough that I'm interested in checking out stuff like Batman and the Monster Men and The Tower Chronicles to see if the writer can achieve more of his latent potential.
Postscript:
Let me just quickly take this opportunity to talk about the problems I had with the book's finale.
September 11, 2019
2.5
This was... disappointing.
The writing and dialogue are SO STIFF. SO hard and awkward and just... ouch, very rough around the edges.
I liked the art alright, and I even liked the "eco-terrorist" Ra's al Ghul plotline (very Injustice 2), I just couldn't get around the writing, especially how Wagner writes Batman to sound and act like he has rocks for brains...
"Listen, Lady! Don't like it? Well, tough!"
"Don't come into my town and start telling me how it's done!"
"I oughtta..."
Especially the kiss scene, which is just so weird and makes me so uncomfortable. Very not Batman professional. Also creepy. Also, totally not in character. At all.
(Alsooooooo, at the end...Batman would never ever let nuclear warheads sink into the ocean after seeing an unknown meta/super swim in the ocean's depths. Sure we know it was Aquaman, but Batman didn't know who it was. And he would never let weapons literally fall into the hands of some unknown power. What the heck?)
The only character I like in this book is surprisingly, Superman, who is earnest and well written (and not creepy, unlike Batman). And Bizarro, who I've always had a soft spot for. Poor Bizarro. :(
Wonder Woman is just as weakly written as Artemis is. (Grr I'm an angry teen so I'll wear my hair up in stupid spikey pink ponytails and have face piercings so you know I'm angry!)
Artemis: "Is that why you left me to die back in Gotham?"
Ra's al Ghul: "I had no fear for your safety, young Artemis. I know how capable you are at taking care of yourself."
Artemis: "Well...uh... good!"
Though unlike Artemis, it's mostly Wonder Woman's inner dialogue more than her actual dialogue that paints her as pretty unconfident and silly crushing on Superman. Artemis only has an inner dialogue at the end when it's convenient to switch sides.
This was... disappointing.
The writing and dialogue are SO STIFF. SO hard and awkward and just... ouch, very rough around the edges.
I liked the art alright, and I even liked the "eco-terrorist" Ra's al Ghul plotline (very Injustice 2), I just couldn't get around the writing, especially how Wagner writes Batman to sound and act like he has rocks for brains...
"Listen, Lady! Don't like it? Well, tough!"
"Don't come into my town and start telling me how it's done!"
"I oughtta..."
Especially the kiss scene, which is just so weird and makes me so uncomfortable. Very not Batman professional. Also creepy. Also, totally not in character. At all.
(Alsooooooo, at the end...Batman would never ever let nuclear warheads sink into the ocean after seeing an unknown meta/super swim in the ocean's depths. Sure we know it was Aquaman, but Batman didn't know who it was. And he would never let weapons literally fall into the hands of some unknown power. What the heck?)
The only character I like in this book is surprisingly, Superman, who is earnest and well written (and not creepy, unlike Batman). And Bizarro, who I've always had a soft spot for. Poor Bizarro. :(
Wonder Woman is just as weakly written as Artemis is. (Grr I'm an angry teen so I'll wear my hair up in stupid spikey pink ponytails and have face piercings so you know I'm angry!)
Artemis: "Is that why you left me to die back in Gotham?"
Ra's al Ghul: "I had no fear for your safety, young Artemis. I know how capable you are at taking care of yourself."
Artemis: "Well...uh... good!"
Though unlike Artemis, it's mostly Wonder Woman's inner dialogue more than her actual dialogue that paints her as pretty unconfident and silly crushing on Superman. Artemis only has an inner dialogue at the end when it's convenient to switch sides.
April 12, 2017
Very retro in it's execution.
World: The art is good. It has it's own sense of style and motion, I love the thick black lines, character models not so much. The world building is solid, building on the lore of these three heroes. It's nothing new and special but rather a classic take on them and treads familiar ground.
Story: Well paced and very retro in it's execution. The portrayals of the characters are old school as is he villain and the stakes. This is what a classic comic book feels like. It's well written and solid. The banter between the Trinity is good but basic with motivations very surface.
Characters: These are classic portrayals of the Trinity and it's done well. They don't stray much from each of their classic takes and the banter and interactions is what you expect. It's nice, it's simple and fun.
Classic and retro in every sense.
Onward to the next book!
World: The art is good. It has it's own sense of style and motion, I love the thick black lines, character models not so much. The world building is solid, building on the lore of these three heroes. It's nothing new and special but rather a classic take on them and treads familiar ground.
Story: Well paced and very retro in it's execution. The portrayals of the characters are old school as is he villain and the stakes. This is what a classic comic book feels like. It's well written and solid. The banter between the Trinity is good but basic with motivations very surface.
Characters: These are classic portrayals of the Trinity and it's done well. They don't stray much from each of their classic takes and the banter and interactions is what you expect. It's nice, it's simple and fun.
Classic and retro in every sense.
Onward to the next book!
September 8, 2016
Utterly boring
June 9, 2015
Not a great story. The characters all seemed off. Plus I freaking hated the artwork.
September 28, 2022
The story of how Superman and Batman first encountered Wonder Woman. First off, Matt Wagner’s art is a treat. The composition and colors broadly reminded me of the old Fleischer Superman cartoons. There’s some great visual flares, especially when contrasting Superman and Batman from one another, both in uniform and out. Ra’s al Ghul also strongly evokes a striking silhouette, and I realized he was the villain almost immediately from his shadow alone. Strong art direction really goes a long way. I’m less sold on some of the faces, especially Diana’s at times, but in the broad strokes I really liked what we were given.
The overall plot of Ra’s al Ghul enlisting Bizarro in his hijacking of nuclear weapons is a solid backdrop to what is ostensibly a character focused story. That being said, with the most important aspect of the book being the titled Trinity, things are a little lopsided.
First and foremost, Wagner’s Superman is perfection. His understanding of Clark’s inner voice is just enthralling. Hesitant in someways, sure of himself in others, often far more sly then he appears, and full of compassion, Wagner really gets what makes Clark tick and his narrations are my favorite in the whole story. His new friendship with Bruce is well depicted, and there’s a deadpan sense of humor he has when they’re interacting which he keeps mostly internal that is hard not to love. Wagner gets Superman and he gets the dynamic between SuperBat and yeah, I was here for it. This is how you make shippers, man.
There’s a scene where Clark is speaking with Bruce in the batcave and Bruce is wearing his Batman bodysuit, sans cape and cowl, and a robe. It’s a very cute moment that visually shows that that despite Bruce’s clear reservations about Clark being around, he’s beginning to feel comfortable with him. I really liked it.
Batman on his own is just a littleeeeeee askew. His initial distrust of Diana is understandable, but kissing her for no reason is a… well, it’s sort of a Bruce move, yeah, but usually he only kisses women who show an obvious interest, which Diana did not. Other than that, I was fine with this sort of uncomfortable, magic-distrusting Batman coming to terms with this world outside Gotham City where he should, for all intents and purposes, be outclassed. He was a little brutish and maybe more surly then I prefer, but he works fine.
Wonder Woman is where things get a little murkier. She’s also not totally off, but she feels a little askew as well. Or maybe it’s less her and more the circumstances the story puts her in. She has a number of good moments, but sometimes it feels like the story is going out of its way to make her appear weaker than her co-stars-- though that may have just been my imagination. What wasn’t my imagination was her full frontal nude scene and non-consensual kiss with Bruce that ends up getting laughed off as a “oh, men!” moment which is on the cringe side.
An issue I had that was Wonder Woman-adjacent was how Bruce and Clark’s presence on Themyscria was played off as no big deal despite being a complete breaking of the Amazon’s taboos. Diana isn’t particularly worried about it, which is one thing, but then Hippolyta shows up and acts like Diana sneaked a boy into the house for a quick smooch and not like her daughter tried to hide a breaking of a centuries old taboo. I don’t necessarily mind Hippolyta possibly looking the other way, but it all happens a little too fast and I couldn’t stop seeing Hippolyta as Regina George’s mom in Mean Girls: “I’m not a regular mom, I’m a cool mom.”
Ra’s threatens to rape Diana too many times. That’s a problem. One “she can be in my harem” is whatever, but it started getting a little… much… for my tastes. Why does DC’s premier heroine have to be threatened with sexual violence? C’mon now. Do better. This conflated my discomfort with Diana’s depiction even more.
Another issue I had was with the narration. It swaps between the Trinity, but aside from a slightly bold letter on the first world denoting perspective shift, it wasn’t always clear who we were following. I think doing something else to differentiate the narration, whether that be different colored boxes or types of font, would have been much appreciated. A majority of the Batman stories I’ve read up till now have Bruce’s internal narration in a very neat cursive. You could’ve gone with that for him and two other types of fonts for Clark and Diana and cut down a lot on confusion.
Despite some issues I harped on, I think this is a solid read and it’s a lot of fun to see the Trinity come together for the first time. Not perfect, but good enough-- if at least for the SuperBat shiptease.
The overall plot of Ra’s al Ghul enlisting Bizarro in his hijacking of nuclear weapons is a solid backdrop to what is ostensibly a character focused story. That being said, with the most important aspect of the book being the titled Trinity, things are a little lopsided.
First and foremost, Wagner’s Superman is perfection. His understanding of Clark’s inner voice is just enthralling. Hesitant in someways, sure of himself in others, often far more sly then he appears, and full of compassion, Wagner really gets what makes Clark tick and his narrations are my favorite in the whole story. His new friendship with Bruce is well depicted, and there’s a deadpan sense of humor he has when they’re interacting which he keeps mostly internal that is hard not to love. Wagner gets Superman and he gets the dynamic between SuperBat and yeah, I was here for it. This is how you make shippers, man.
There’s a scene where Clark is speaking with Bruce in the batcave and Bruce is wearing his Batman bodysuit, sans cape and cowl, and a robe. It’s a very cute moment that visually shows that that despite Bruce’s clear reservations about Clark being around, he’s beginning to feel comfortable with him. I really liked it.
Batman on his own is just a littleeeeeee askew. His initial distrust of Diana is understandable, but kissing her for no reason is a… well, it’s sort of a Bruce move, yeah, but usually he only kisses women who show an obvious interest, which Diana did not. Other than that, I was fine with this sort of uncomfortable, magic-distrusting Batman coming to terms with this world outside Gotham City where he should, for all intents and purposes, be outclassed. He was a little brutish and maybe more surly then I prefer, but he works fine.
Wonder Woman is where things get a little murkier. She’s also not totally off, but she feels a little askew as well. Or maybe it’s less her and more the circumstances the story puts her in. She has a number of good moments, but sometimes it feels like the story is going out of its way to make her appear weaker than her co-stars-- though that may have just been my imagination. What wasn’t my imagination was her full frontal nude scene and non-consensual kiss with Bruce that ends up getting laughed off as a “oh, men!” moment which is on the cringe side.
An issue I had that was Wonder Woman-adjacent was how Bruce and Clark’s presence on Themyscria was played off as no big deal despite being a complete breaking of the Amazon’s taboos. Diana isn’t particularly worried about it, which is one thing, but then Hippolyta shows up and acts like Diana sneaked a boy into the house for a quick smooch and not like her daughter tried to hide a breaking of a centuries old taboo. I don’t necessarily mind Hippolyta possibly looking the other way, but it all happens a little too fast and I couldn’t stop seeing Hippolyta as Regina George’s mom in Mean Girls: “I’m not a regular mom, I’m a cool mom.”
Ra’s threatens to rape Diana too many times. That’s a problem. One “she can be in my harem” is whatever, but it started getting a little… much… for my tastes. Why does DC’s premier heroine have to be threatened with sexual violence? C’mon now. Do better. This conflated my discomfort with Diana’s depiction even more.
Another issue I had was with the narration. It swaps between the Trinity, but aside from a slightly bold letter on the first world denoting perspective shift, it wasn’t always clear who we were following. I think doing something else to differentiate the narration, whether that be different colored boxes or types of font, would have been much appreciated. A majority of the Batman stories I’ve read up till now have Bruce’s internal narration in a very neat cursive. You could’ve gone with that for him and two other types of fonts for Clark and Diana and cut down a lot on confusion.
Despite some issues I harped on, I think this is a solid read and it’s a lot of fun to see the Trinity come together for the first time. Not perfect, but good enough-- if at least for the SuperBat shiptease.
October 12, 2021
So, I finally got around to reading this chestnut…
I beg to differ with some of my fellow Goodreads reviewers: what works about Trinity is precisely the art, Matt Wagner’s robust, unfussy drawing and Dave Stewart’s candy-sweet coloring. Wagner favors big, chunky figures, bold outlines, and minimal rendering, the sort of thing that gets called “retro” among today’s comic book fans: a cross between pulp revivalism and Deco that manages to seem designed yet dashed off at the same time. There’s a lot of space, airiness, in Wagner’s simplified, uncluttered work, and the rendering is bold to the point of brusqueness — that is, the style hovers somewhere between having a ball and not giving a damn. Fans of the Fleischers’ Superman or the animated superheroes of Bruce Timm or Glenn Murakami may find that Wagner hits that sweet spot.
The plot is a textbook super-dustup pitting Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman against a threesome of foes, with, of course, the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Briefly, Batman heavy Ra’s al Ghul, the immortal eco-terrorist and ersatz Bond villain, recruits Bizarro Superman (in this continuity, a damaged Superman clone) and a rebellious young Amazon named Artemis as henchpersons and then sets out to wreck the civilized world with stolen nukes. Wagner builds the story schematically around triads: the three chapters begin in, respectively, Metropolis, Gotham, and Paradise Island, and we get to see each hero on the others’ home turfs. There’s a lot of busyness and bickering and plenty of ass-kicking. So: dumb, serviceable fun.
What doesn’t work so well is Wagner’s scripting of character, which, as others have pointed out here, seems inconsistent and fumbling. Wagner tucks some grace notes of originality into the dialogue and narration — that is, he comes up with observations and character bits that are fresh — but then again, he writes Batman as a macho dumbass and Wonder Woman as, well, spectacularly a woman but not consistently a person. Supes comes out best, knowing, strong, and understated. Mostly, the characters shift in service to the whims of the plot, so motivations and feelings come across as contrivances rather than earned complexities. There are odd, dangling loose ends, unexplored problems, and uncritical echoes of received racist and sexist stereotypes, et cetera. In sum, slapdash.
I wouldn’t want to say that Wagner’s work has declined over the past twenty-odd years (in some ways, the drawing has gotten better). But his early work telegraphed a fiery commitment and experimental restlessness that have since disappeared. Much of his 21st century work consists of complacent, under-thought genre workouts like this. I’d like to see a fresh, creator-owned project from him (that isn’t Mage or Grendel), something to push him in new directions.
In short, Trinity ought to be a keeper, but isn’t. Sigh.
I beg to differ with some of my fellow Goodreads reviewers: what works about Trinity is precisely the art, Matt Wagner’s robust, unfussy drawing and Dave Stewart’s candy-sweet coloring. Wagner favors big, chunky figures, bold outlines, and minimal rendering, the sort of thing that gets called “retro” among today’s comic book fans: a cross between pulp revivalism and Deco that manages to seem designed yet dashed off at the same time. There’s a lot of space, airiness, in Wagner’s simplified, uncluttered work, and the rendering is bold to the point of brusqueness — that is, the style hovers somewhere between having a ball and not giving a damn. Fans of the Fleischers’ Superman or the animated superheroes of Bruce Timm or Glenn Murakami may find that Wagner hits that sweet spot.
The plot is a textbook super-dustup pitting Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman against a threesome of foes, with, of course, the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Briefly, Batman heavy Ra’s al Ghul, the immortal eco-terrorist and ersatz Bond villain, recruits Bizarro Superman (in this continuity, a damaged Superman clone) and a rebellious young Amazon named Artemis as henchpersons and then sets out to wreck the civilized world with stolen nukes. Wagner builds the story schematically around triads: the three chapters begin in, respectively, Metropolis, Gotham, and Paradise Island, and we get to see each hero on the others’ home turfs. There’s a lot of busyness and bickering and plenty of ass-kicking. So: dumb, serviceable fun.
What doesn’t work so well is Wagner’s scripting of character, which, as others have pointed out here, seems inconsistent and fumbling. Wagner tucks some grace notes of originality into the dialogue and narration — that is, he comes up with observations and character bits that are fresh — but then again, he writes Batman as a macho dumbass and Wonder Woman as, well, spectacularly a woman but not consistently a person. Supes comes out best, knowing, strong, and understated. Mostly, the characters shift in service to the whims of the plot, so motivations and feelings come across as contrivances rather than earned complexities. There are odd, dangling loose ends, unexplored problems, and uncritical echoes of received racist and sexist stereotypes, et cetera. In sum, slapdash.
I wouldn’t want to say that Wagner’s work has declined over the past twenty-odd years (in some ways, the drawing has gotten better). But his early work telegraphed a fiery commitment and experimental restlessness that have since disappeared. Much of his 21st century work consists of complacent, under-thought genre workouts like this. I’d like to see a fresh, creator-owned project from him (that isn’t Mage or Grendel), something to push him in new directions.
In short, Trinity ought to be a keeper, but isn’t. Sigh.
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