THE NEW 52 FCBD ONE SHOT

During the recent Free Comic Book Day, one of the key books to be lucky enough to get you hands on was DC’s NEW 52 FCBD offering. The 16 page story, while short and to the point, sets in place many things about the NEW 52 and gives us a taste of what is in store in the future.

The tale, written by Geoff Johns, begins at a time when “man first discovered magic”.  Standing in front of seven “wizards” are the “Trinity of Sin”: billed as the “greatest transgressors mankind has ever known”. The first is sentenced to walk the earth as a stranger to man because of his greed. Silver pieces are tossed at him. Before he's sentenced, he says: "Forgive me has he would!" This would make him Judas Iscariot. Thus we witness the birth of the Phantom Stranger. The second man defies the wizards and claims the whole world will fear his name. The wizards remove his face and his name. He will forever question his identity. Thus we have the birth o0f The Question.

Lastly is a certain hooded woman who we have seen in countless DC titles(specifically ALL the first issues of the NEW 52 titles). This is Pandora. She is now forced to spent eternity being told she is evil because she opened the box. Did I also mention that the condemned are standing on a big lightning bolt? Sound familiar. This is the Circle of Eternity-the seven “wizards” who make up the power of Shazam. Does this make this the new version of the Rock of Eternity?

This first four page mini-story is illustrated by Ivan Reis and Joe Prado and looks fantastic, as I have come to expect from Reis and Prado.

The next two page segment is by Johns and Keith Rocafort and it takes place inside the Red Room in Detroit. the Red Room is the largest research facility for the extraterrestrial and unexplained. Thomas Stone’s team is in a panic as someone or something is trying to connect with the Red Room. Then they discover an alternate universe and our first glimpses of Earth 2’s heroes, including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Green Lantern and Flash(this is the Apokolips War being seen). And let’s not forget Pandora who is watching it all.

This is a nice little piece that introduces the Earth 2 heroes and ties Pandora to both worlds.

The third segment is a five page one by Johns and Gene Ha. This time we find ourselves in Washington, D.C. at A.R.G.U.S. where we learn that someone is breaking into the Black Room. Inside, Colonel Steve Trevor and his team discover Pandora who, besides marveling at the collection of artifacts(among other things, the seven spells of Shazam and the spear of Destiny) takes her box(yeah…that box). She escapes with the box while Trevor orders that someone get in touch with Doctor Mist, John Constantine and Black Orchid. What’s inside the box? What looks like a gold skull with three red eyes. She declares that she now knows what she is dealing with and doesn’t care if it “means and end to the Justice League.”

This segment proceeds to tie A.R.G.U.S. into the picture, getting them ready for a more active role in the NEW 52 Universe. After all, although set five years in the past, we will see many of these characters in the newly announced TEAM 7 book(which will feature Trevor, Dinah Lance, Amanda Waller, John Lynch, Alex Fairchild Cole Cash and Slade Wilson).

The final segment, one page plus a four page battle foldout, is all Johns and Jim Lee. Set in “the near future”, Batman, with the glowing skull strapped around him, is being chased down by a mystery Green Lantern(could it be John Stewart?). The Lantern declares that Batman and the League lied. “This war is your fault." This leads to a four page spread with the League and then some including Element Woman, Hawkman, Captain Marvel and more. Trinity War is coming next year.

So go hunt this down on Ebay or your local comic shop. Ebay prices have it as low as four bucks and as high as twelve bucks as of now. This is going to be a key book somewhere down the road.