It’s all too easy to begin a review of Second Coming: Trinity #1 with a reference to Jesus’s return. Alas, he has returned along with superhero Sunstar and supervillian Cranius. The series that started in 2019 after grabbing a few headlines for its cancellation before it was even published by DC, and subsequent resurrection through AHOY is back with along with series creators Mark Russell and Richard Pace. Leonard Kirk is also here to provide finishes to Pace’s layouts and Andy Troy colors. If the next chapter in the Second Coming story isn’t enough, there’s also a prose stories by Tyrone Finch and Darrick Patrick.
The Good
Mark Russell won the 2022 Eisner Award for Best Humor Publication, so it goes without saying that the script is good. Not many series get cancelled by one publisher before any issues are released and snapped up by another. But that’s Mark Russell for you. He and Richard Pace have already crafted two fan-favorite installments of Second Coming. This time around, Sunstar has a child, who Jesus is babysitting while Sunstar testifies against Cranius. Here’s the thing about Second Coming that a review can’t do justice, as AHOY editor-in-chief Tom Peyer said: “If you haven’t read a Second Coming series and you think you know what it is, I guarantee you do not.”
A superhero rooming with Jesus is a fairly high concept. Jesus babysits for the superhero continues that. It sounds silly, and it is a bit, but Russell, Pace, and Kirk play it straight. For as out there as the concept is, the series doesn’t mock faith. On the contrary – sure, it’s a satire, but it’s one that promotes the ideals of spirituality. Sunstar (and the civilians) have a lot to learn. The majority of the issue develops sympathy for the villain Cranius. Nothing justifies the supervillain’s actions, but we could all do better.
The artwork between Pace and Kirk goes a long way to achieving this sympathy. The way shots are framed make you forget Cranius is a villain. By the end you would think he’s just your average bully victim. But when the scene requires it, the artwork can also show startling shots of space or a baby shooting lasers out its eyes.
The ‘Bad’
For an opening issue, Second Coming: Trinity #1 is pretty good. If there was to be a complaint, it could feel like a little too much setup. But at the same time, this is the third Second Coming series now, so readers should know what to expect. How is it as a jumping on point for those new to the series? Both good and bad. On one hand it’s an excellent issue that’s easy to follow. There are moments that might seem a bit jarring, like Jesus the babysitter, but they’re not difficult to understand given the artwork. The “story so far” could be a little longer than a paragraph, given this is the third installment.
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