1+1 =3

O.k. so there are three weeks left in 52 and I’m still no closer to figuring the whole thing out. One of my co-workers said to me today, “You are just the demographic DC is hoping for.” You know, because I’m putting so much time and effort into this whole thing. What can I say but that I’m a little obsessed. So on with more thoughts.

I’m sure everyone remembers the famous Rip Hunter chalkboard. I, for one, have loved watching the clues unfold; how the writers at DC told us everything they were going to do in a whole year’s worth of comics. That is some fancy planning. Now, one of the clues that has always felt unresolved is the equation. You know this one:



Here is the obvious: TE is Tellium, Tellium’s atomic number is 52, thus it is 52 vs. the sum of AU (Gold) and Pb (Lead.) This the equation at its core. Many on-line have theorized that the Gold referred to Booster but that didn’t take the lead into account. Others have theorized it’s 52 vs. the Metal Men. This is also a valid theory, although at this point I think it is not likely. Besides, we’re talking the sum of the two; the Metal Men don’t quite fit when you think of it that way.


Now Gold’s atomic number is 79 and Lead’s is 82 giving us 161. I remember reading somewhere that a person counted all the little circled 52’s on the chalkboard and came up with 160. I figured, “Hell, maybe he was off by one.” That suggests it is 52 of something versus 161 of something. Heroes vs. New Universes, maybe? Every time I counted though, my number changed and not once was it 161.

Well, then the posters for Countdown came out and that started my research all over again. I looked up things like “Darkseid and 161” and so on. The only thing I got was the cover to Jimmy Olsen #161.


Maybe that is why Olsen must die? Nah, that felt far fetched even for me.

Then this in 5.2 about 52 for this week came out. Mike Siglan was nice enough to tease us with that beautiful splash page. I would put it up but Newsarama is having difficulties.


Anyway, looking at it I came to a realization. The numbers probably have nothing to do with it at all. It could be the colors that are important. Gold is, of course, the color of gold. Lead, while in reality a gray-blue, is always drawn as black. That would mean the equation is 52 vs, Gold and Black – the colors of Khandaq, the colors of Black Adam. Now, there are only thirty-odd heroes taking on Black Adam in the picture but there could be heroes not drawn into the splash page. Mary Marvel is on the cover but not present.

Maybe the 52 are the heroes who fight Black Adam. Maybe the same 52 heroes are the ones that the “Shadow Demons” are afraid of. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. So many maybes. The answers in three weeks.