"Trinity" #48 on sale now

"You are the Void Hound? I am the Void. Welcome." - BatmanWelcome to TRINGENUITY, CBR's ongoing commentary of DC Comics' weekly superhero series, "Trinity." The title is divided into two features; the first focuses on Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, while the second feature portrays background or tangential events that relate to the ongoing lead storyline. "Trinity" is a weekly series that is promised to be epic in scale and help define the trio of heroes' mythical place in the DC Universe.PREVIOUSLYThe Trinity attacked the Troika's arctic base, coinciding with the arrival of Despero's armada. As the JLA and JSA engaged the armada, Krona attempted to reason with the Trinity and convince them they were similar due to their godlike statuses. During the interlude, Morgaine planned a sneak attack against the Trinity, but her former allies, Xor and the Dreambound, counterattacked. With the bad guys on the defensive, Enigma and the Crime Syndicate arrived to join forces with the Trinity. As we ended the lead feature, Charity and Gangbuster rescued Tarot and SPHERE, but the Worldsoul itself was on its last legs.Lex Luthor returned to the tale, contacting the heroes through Alfred with information about the magic spell used by Morgaine to usurp the powers of the planet's consciousness. The trail led from America to Europe, where Luthor used his science to examine the magic. The information was then beamed directly to the arctic, where the human heroes presented it to the Trinity, which gave Batman an idea for a plan.TRINITY #48 As the lead begins, the Trinity commune with one another to mull over Batman's plan of attack. The plan appears to be using Superman and Wonder Woman to aid the allies in attacking the Troika. In the meanwhile, Batman gathers his allies within the darkness of his godlike form and casually dispenses with the Void Hound. The feature ends as Superman triggers a prison fueled by Sun-Chained-In-Ink, Tarot, and the Void Hound, binding Krona.It is the combination of these three individuals that Batman has discovered will bring Krona's villainy to a temporary halt. Uniting Sun-Chained-In-Ink, Tarot, and the Void Hound, Batman has created a new trinity of the tarot's Sun, World, and Moon. Adding Krona's own power to the mix, the three heroes, also embodiments of man's greatest triumphs, creates a powerful cage, with power added by the collection of heroes that joined the Trinity in the arctic. COMMENTARYJustin Eger: So, despite the fact that the Trinity has a plan, they need to take some time to prepare for what Batman has in mind.Brian Eason: Note they have to get their minds in sync. Remember when they were thinking as one? What happened there?JE: Perhaps these touches of humanity that their friends are providing have weakened their godly bonds.BE: Or becoming gods restored their individuality. They did conflict with one another as gods. JE: Very true. There was a whole war fought amongst them. Not a whole lot of thought going into this, is there?BE: Hit the bad guys while Batman does something mysterious? Sounds like a Batman plan to me.JE: Agreed, but I was just as interested in the fact that the whole of the plan took only a fraction of a second to discuss and coordinate.BE: Their divine communion facilitated that, no doubt.JE: Thoughts on the current match-ups? First up we have Superman vs. Krona.BE: As the source of the creation energy, one would assume he out-matches Superman.JE: But Kal seems to be in good control of his powers, as he actually finds a way to tap into Krona's own supply of power.BE: Superman is a battery of sorts, this makes sense.

Welcome to the heart of Batman

JE: This whole part of the adventure has reminded me some of Kal's turn as a being of energy in a blue suit designed by Ron Frenz. Morgaine and Enigma seem to have tied themselves into knots across the battlefield.BE: This is more evenly matched.JE: Considering their powers came from the same source, there's little room for either one to outmaneuver the other. Then there is Despero taking on Wonder Woman.BE: Despero is not tapping into the godhead. I give this one to the Amazon Princess.JE: I'm a little surprised that Morgaine hasn't attempted to use her magic to strip power from Xor to give to Despero.BE: I think she was a little busy with Enigma.JE: Interesting that Enigma steps in for Batman on the Trinity as the fighting commences.BE: Enigma is very Batman like in many ways. He has the vengeance angle going on and the, now, the darkness. He also one of the smartest men in the room.JE: I like seeing that. Batman is at his best when dealing with adversaries that are his equal. Again, I hope we get to see Enigma stick around once this series concludes.BE: Very much so, lot of potential with this character.JE: Leave it to Bruce to find a way to channel the darkest impulses of a space monster.BE: And a great line. And our quote of the week.

Superman channels Krona's own power

JE: Batman has never been the melodramatic sort, has he? He is, quite literally, the darkness.BE: And his confidence is not god-like, it's Batman-like.JE: The plan goes into effect: Krona is bound by Morgaine's own magic.

That which lingers in the hearts of heroes

BE: And the answers to how and what are in the backup feature.JE: Which I found to be very informative, and nicely picks up right where we left off in the lead.BE: Another Trinity. Sun-Chained-In-Ink, Tarot, and the Void Hound. I'm looking for a connection here. JE: It's a seemingly random conglomeration of powers. Even the characters themselves don't seem to understand.BE: Then we get inside the head of each character. First is Sun.JE: An artist looking to unleash his full potential, his inner sun.BE: Then Tarot.JE: A young woman trying to use her powers to change the world.BE: And the Void Hound.JE: A hunter, a creature of the night.BE: Then the connection is obvious, once again, they are a trio of major arcana. The Sun, the Moon, and the Earth.JE: Clever of Batman to see the connection and to access the resources of his own connection to godhood to make it work.

BE: The pattern has been laid out from the beginning. Batman does well with structured thinking.JE: Fitting, then, that his greatest nemesis is The Joker, who is nothing but chaos, as we saw earlier in this series.BE: Then, as Krona is bound we are made to understand what the Trinity means.

Krona caged!

JE: An embodiment of ideas that make up the core of the world at heart. Very metaphsyical.BE: Indeed. It's not the being, but what they represent: Truth. Justice, and the American Way. All harkening back to the beginning of the series.JE: As we've stated before, Kurt Busiek is very aware of the themes he uses. This has been no chance occurrence.