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Mild Mannered Reviews - Justice League Comics

Justice League of America #6 Justice League of America #6

Justice League of America #6

Scheduled to arrive in stores: July 17, 2013

Cover date: September 2013

"Trinity War" - Chapter Two

Writer: Geoff Johns and Jeff Lemire
Penciller: Doug Mahnke
Inker: Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne, Doug Mahnke, and Tom Nguyen

Ralph Silver Reviewed by: Ralph Silver

Click to enlarge


Justice League of America #6 Justice League of America #6 The Question is cursed to answer questions that pop into his brain periodically. He has been told that when he answers enough of them, he will get an answer to the important question "Who am I?" For now, he is a man without a name and without a face.

The battle in Kahndaq continues. Superman has his eyes covered; fearing he will hurt someone else. Some are accusing him of killing Doctor Light; and some say it is a trick, and that Superman would never do such a thing. Amanda Waller on a cell phone asks Steve Trevor what is going on, and is told that Doctor Light is dead. Superman warns everyone to stay away. Atom is given a direct order by Steve Trevor and she refuses. She says she never should have agreed to spy on the Justice League for Waller and Trevor. Atom says that she betrayed the Justice League and now someone got killed.

Martian Manhunter grabs Superman to see if someone poisoned his mind. But Flash jumps in to protect his buddy, vibrating through Martian Manhunter's torso to shock him into letting Superman go. Trevor barks an order to Vibe, telling him to shut down the Flash's speed by using his vibration powers to disrupt Flash's connection to the Speed Force. Vibe does this, but apologizes immediately. Batman grabs Selina Kyle in a tight embrace that could be both a wrestling hold and also a lover's embrace, and asks her to help him so he can help Superman.

Superman keeps trying to get everyone to stop fighting. He asks to be locked up, to protect everyone from his heat vision. He is sick at heart because he killed a man.

The fighting stops, and they bring Superman in.

Amanda Waller and Steve Trevor talk about what happened with Superman. When Waller says that this will discredit the Justice League, which will put her team in an even better position, Trevor gets suspicious and asks Waller if she had anything to do with Superman's malfunction. Of course Waller does not admit anything.

Green Lantern (Simon Baz) and Green Arrow agree that Superman would not kill someone on purpose. Arrow suspects that somebody is keeping the truth from them, which he hates.

Flash tells Aquaman he is still not feeling right due to Vibe's attack. Firestorm is miffed that this other team calls itself "Justice League of America"; essentially appropriating that name. Shazam just wants to go home, not really caring much about the events before him. Atom tells Element Woman she is going to find Batman and confess. Amanda Waller asks Firestorm if he can make Kryptonite.

Wonder Woman is scornful of Steve Trevor for forming another Justice League behind her back. She is angry that Steve's team rushed in to confront the Justice League without telling her. Wonder Woman says a man is dead because of it. She says that despite any attempts to prove that he is innocent, Superman will never forgive himself.

Superman is immobilized in a hi-tech chair that looks like it was created just to restrain him. His eyes are covered. Batman is there with him. Superman has been coughing. Batman has never heard Superman cough. Superman asks who he has killed. Batman reveals that it was Doctor Light, and explains that Superman's malfunction may have been due to Doctor Light's ability to manipulate energy. Batman wonders if it was accidental or a result of a deliberate effort to depower Superman. Batman hopes that an autopsy could help clear Superman.

Wonder Woman shows up with a different theory. She believes that Superman's malfunction and current health issues are a result of his contact with Pandora's Box. Superman continues to cough, which she believes is one of the continued after-effects from the magic box. She holds his hand, and promises her lover that she will help him.

Wonder Woman goes to visit Hephaestus, the Greek god who forges weapons for the other gods in Olympus. She uses her Lasso of Truth to find out if Hephaestus forged Pandora's Box. But Hephaestus says he did not make it. He says that nobody knows who made the box. He says that the box is not what she thinks. He says there are other magics in the world; magics that even the gods of Olympus cannot control. He says that the box is dangerous. He suggests that if Wonder Woman does find it, she should stop trying to unravel its mysteries and just destroy the box.

Searching for answers, she decides to try magic next. She heads to see the members of Justice League Dark, and requests their help.

At A.R.G.U.S headquarters, the guards let "Steve Trevor" in to see Superman. He asks to go in alone. Once inside he frees Superman, who says it is not safe. But his rescuer insists that it is indeed safe, and that Superman is no killer. He unmasks to reveal he is not Steve Trevor. He is The Question. He has a question for Superman. "Do you want to find out who REALLY killed Doctor Light?"

5Story - 5: The Trinity War continues to be a fascinating ride. I love that this story is big enough to include three teams and many heroes. I also love that Superman, my favorite hero (and your favorite hero) is at the center of things.

I particularly enjoy that the Trinity of Sin (Pandora, The Question, and Phantom Stranger) are so tightly integrated into the plot. We have already seen Pandora last issue have a big impact; and now we see The Question playing a major role; freeing Superman and revealing that he is innocent. I wonder how and when Phantom Stranger will make his mark.

Before this series started, I of course expected that the Trinity War would be all about the DC "Trinity"; Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. But it is clear now that there are other possibilities. It could refer to the Trinity of Sin, since they are playing a major role. Or it could refer to the fact that three different Justice League teams are involved; which effectively is another trinity.

I found the scene where Wonder Woman comforts Superman while he is restrained to be particularly poignant. She makes a point of caressing Superman on the face and hands, since he cannot see her, and can hardly move. Since he is so powerful, it is unusual to see him restrained and powerless. She feels the irony of the moment, and makes sure that he feels loved right now. Later, she admits to Hephaestus that the box has hurt someone she cares for deeply.

When The Question frees Superman, his face is green. Did that machine have a small amount of Kryptonite to weaken and constrain Superman?

The story moves on to Justice League Dark, and then back to Justice League.

4Art - 4: The artwork is solid. All the heroes look just like they are supposed to. I liked the scenes with Superman restrained in that chair and we see the reactions of his two closest friends, each one supporting him in his or her own way.

4Cover Art - 4: We have more images from the battlefield: Martian Manhunter looking ferocious; the new Green Lantern looking determined; Superman reaching in from the cover of Justice League #22 to crush the bow of Green Arrow; and Pandora kneeling in front, cradling her skull-shaped box, and looking so sad.

Don't forget you can place the covers of this series side-by-side to see one large image.

3Cover Art (Variant Edition) - 3: We see many of the heroes attacking a giant image of The Question. I prefer the original cover.

Mild Mannered Reviews

2013

Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.

January 2013

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