For a free comic book, DC packed as much as possible into a few pages, setting up possible storylines that could and should play out throughout the remainder of the year. Before we jump in, I have to give kudos to IGN, who picked up on a few easter eggs I missed.
THE TRINITY OF SIN
That mysterious
Pandora lady, the one that everyone said was so-and-so? Turns out she's
Pandora....the greek
Pandora from mythology. She was punished for her classic sin by the
The Circle of Eternity, who are simply the first users of magic. [Some wild speculation out there as to who these people are.] It's interesting to note the surroundings as
The Circle metes out punishment to
Pandora and two other individuals. This is indeed
The Rock of Eternity, the same place briefly glimpsed in the Shazam backup story in Justice League #7 although it's a lot brighter here.
NOW
THEN
Arguably the biggest reveal here concerns
The Phantom Stranger, a figure long shrouded in mystery. He's given a definitive, "biblical" origin in this panel below.
If you're rusty on your biblical lore or can't connect the dots, DC is all but shouting that
The Phantom Stranger is none other than
Judas Iscariot.
The last member of The
Trinity of Sin is a familiar character who's now, not so familiar as his new backstory will surely ignite a firestorm of controversy.
Vic Sage aka
The Question was a lovable, nutcase who no one really took serious yet always got the job done [in his own way]. Well, here's his new, decidedly different origin....
Judging by the historical/mythological nature of
Pandora and
Judas, it wouldn't be a far stretch to assume that
The Question is really someone similar. We'll have to wait and see when and where he turns up in
The New 52 and if he has adopted the
Vic Sage persona. I'd have to say this was a pretty interesting issue for a
FCBD special and is definitely a must have if you've been following any of
THE NEW 52. Oh, and before we go, there was also this.....
[CLICK TO ENLARGE]