Review- TRINITY OF SIN- THE PHANTOM STRANGER VOL. 3: THE CRACK IN CREATION

TRINITY OF SIN- THE PHANTOM STRANGER VOL. 3: THE CRACK IN CREATION (DC, 2015; Softcover)

Collects Trinity Of Sin:The Phantom Stranger #12-22 and Trinity Of Sin:The Phantom Stranger- Future's End #1 (cover dates December, 2013- October, 2014)

Writers: J.M. DeMatteis, Len Wein, and Dan Didio

Artists: Fernando Blanco, Norman Keith Breyfogle, Diego Olmos, Cliff Richards, and Miguel Angel Sepulveda

Colorists: Brad Anderson and Gabriel A. Etlaeb

I have enjoyed this series for the most part...until now. Things seem to slow to a crawl, with the plot becoming an overly wordy holding pattern until it hits the Future's End crossover, which I didn't read. While the following issue after that does a brief dialogue style recap of what happened, a Marvel-style text recap page placed between those issues would have helped smooth things out. As it is I had to go back and double check to make sure that I didn't miss anything the night before. The writing is mostly solid and the artwork is serviceable. 

Once we get past that things get really good. The series cancellation was announced and so DeMatteis sought to wrap things up and go out with a bang. Who else should The Phantom Stranger face but the very “Presence” who has been guiding both he and the New 52 version of The Spectre (featured here as well)? We get as close as a happy ending as Judas Iscariot can get. While I am sad to see this series end I will be happy to save my money, so...thanks, DC?

Junk Food For Thought rating: 3.75 out of 5.

The OCD zone- One can't argue the bang for the buck that you get with this book, 12 issues for $19.99 MSRP. Nice.

Paper stock: Good weight glossy coated stock.

Binding: Perfect bound trade paperback.

Cardstock cover notes: Laminated cardstock cover.