This is a strong week for comics, but Justice League #22 easily pulled away with the victory. Honorable mentions need to go to titles such as Batman, Uncanny X-Men, and Superman Unchained (yes, I am actually reading Superman Unchained. I surprises me too) for having strong showings. Justice League #22 is not my Pick of the Week just because it starts out the Trinity War. It is my Pick of the Week because it was a great issue which should be noted.
Justice League #22
Still Hope for Those Who Have Not Read Justice League #22 Spoilers
Yes, there are many sites which have leaked certain aspects of the story told in Justice League #22. Even those sites which have given the most spoilers have not been able to touch on the entire scope of what is going on in the issue. Let’s explore without major spoilers.
Justice League #22 is Packed
I have to commend Geoff Johns on Justice League #22. There are not very many writers who could have pulled off such a packed story. There were no filler pages or panels in this story as the reader is sped from one location to another to give as many levels of the story as possible. The spoilers have only covered a few aspects of this issue which are of note, but someone who has been following the story leading into the Trinity War will have dozens of bits to talk about in Justice League #22.
The Means
There is a quick conversation between Superman and Wonder Woman which delves into their means for dealing with villains. The conversation might get lost by some readers as it is only a few panels long, but within those handfuls of words, Johns is able to point out a major difference between the two characters. There are other points in Justice League #22 which also show how different the players in this war really are.
Superman, Wonder Woman, and Pandora
Another short conversation which needs to be paid attention to happens between Superman, Wonder Woman, and Pandora. The crossing of lines between mythology, psychology, and “reality” is interesting to see between these three characters. Conversations such as this, and the one mentioned previously, are often forgotten about by writers, but should not be. These explorations into the character’s minds help to define them.
The WTF? Moments
Yes, Justice League #22 has a good handful of WTF? moments. A few are still leaving me scratching my head and waiting for the next issue in the Trinity War series. There are enough questions left in people’s minds which will keep them around for at least one more comic in the Trinity War run.
A Concern Addressed?
One of my biggest concerns about the Trinity War was that it was not going to have many grabbing moments to keep the reader’s attention. I have been worried that it was simply going to be a battle series and nothing more. If the rest of the Trinity War is able to deliver like Justice League #22, it will be a wild ride many of us will remember for years. The bar has been set by Geoff Johns’ writing and amazing art by Ivan Reis. We have to wait until next week to see if the story can continue at this current level.
