REVIEW: 'Second Coming: Trinity' #5 by Mark Russell, Richard Pace, Leonard Kirk, and Andy Troy

 

SECOND COMING: TRINITY #5

(W) Mark Russell

(A) Richard Pace, Leonard Kirk

(C) Andy Troy

(L) Rob Steen

Cover: Richard Pace

As Baby Jordan’s powers grow, Sunstar and Sheila consider childcare options—but even Grandma Agnes might not be able to handle their superpowered tot. Meanwhile, Jesus starts preaching to his choir, only to be interrupted by a flood of biblical proportions! Plus the usual AHOY bonus prose stories and illustrations.

August 16, 2023

$4.99

Score:

★★★★☆ (4/5)

The 'Second Coming' series doesn't get much hype, perhaps because its understated brilliance is overshadowed by the premise of Jesus and a superhero rooming together as they navigate the world. It would appear like a joke that the Savior and a savior are paired to simply poke fun at things like religion and superhero tropes. And while there's some of that, the stories are grounded in very human terms. While some critique the lack of high stakes and a more linear plot, each issue of 'Second Coming' is its own thing and it's entertaining, humorous, and usually thought-provoking. Issue five is no different as the allegory here, in my interpretation, is about dealing with childhood trauma and how that rewires your life as an adult. 

There are some serious daddy issues taking place and Jesus succinctly describes his experience as part of the therapy group along with Sunstar. Sunstar worries about being a capable dad because he lost his parents so early on as a child he didn't have anyone to model the role. He doesn't remember his childhood all too well either. And there's a reason for that. In order to cope or simply to function we sometimes suppress the pain of the past, we block out the terrible things we've experienced to learn to move on with our lives. In a more fanciful way,  Sunstar did the same and has to revisit the trauma and guilt of his past. It's a sad revelation but it makes him so much more grounded, human, and relatable. And it exposes decisions we've all had to make in situations that were fraught with consequences, sometimes selfishly choosing an easy route instead of a different one. What could be more human than that?

Artistically, Richard Pace, Leonard Kirk, and Andy Troy continue to provide a well-paced, expressive, and highly composed comic that captures all the wonder of superpowers with the emotional weight of life-changing decisions. It's really a rare comic that subverts the superhero genre by interrogating the human drama beneath it. 

I'll admit that 'Second Coming: Trinity' isn't for everybody. You have to appreciate thoughtful writing that examines things more grounded than the latest villain taking over the world or a multi-verse challenge. It's told through the lens of superheroes and religious figures that provides both laughs and salient universal truths. Reading this series is a refreshing change of pace in comics and one that should be valued because it's allowed to exist.