Just finished IC #6... <spoilers>

[Ares]

I think I've solved the mystery!!!!!!

 

It is definitely Jean Loring. With the mind-wipe being a semi-misdirection.

 

Here's why.....Ready??

 

We all know Jean has access to Atom's patents and inventions (mentioned several times in the series). Jean knows the identities of all the heroes and their loved ones. She and Sue were good friends, and Sue had probably even confided in her a few times, like after the Dr. Light rape (giving Jean a perfect initial suspect).

 

Jean's attacker is never shown, only gloved hands. When the heroes come to investigate, Mr. Miracle is checking out a table and plant in the corner nearest where Jean was hung. The same table she used to step off of to fake her assault. In the flashback scene, notice that the table is replaced by the "assailant", but the planter is right behind his feet (A visual clue from Meltzer).

 

Neither Sue or Jean were warned about their attacks, while Lois and Jack Drake were both warned (after Jean's attack). Boomerang was hired as a fall guy by Jean via Calculator. She knew that if Lois was attacked, Supes would probably kill the guy. Or that Jack Drake (if given a gun) was more than capable of defending himself (being an adventurer and all). Bad guy dead, case closed. End of story. What she didn't count on was Drake getting killed, further drawing Batman into the picture.

 

But why? Ready for the super shocker?

 

Ray and Sue had an affair. The baby Sue was carrying was actually his. He was divorced and upset, needed a shoulder to cry on. One thing led to another. Jean, being one of her closest friends and the Atom's ex-wife, is the perfect one to talk to about how to tell Ray or should she even? Jean won't mind, they're divorced. But, Jean did mind and killer her instead. She may have been divorced from Ray, but maybe this was her sick way of getting him back?

 

Why else would Meltzer make Sue pregnant? Ralph's life was already going to be destroyed by her death. To add a baby "just because" is overkill. It's a clue!

 

They said this story would shake up the League. Well, we know that Atom can't be trusted. He slept with his buddy's wife and is somewhat to blame. Two 'heroes' are dead. Quite the shake up!

 

 

(I may be off, but man this is fun!!!!!!)

 

Makes sence to me!

[HighVoltage]

I just hope that when this all gets collected into a TPB and/or Hard Cover, that we get TONS and TONS of extras, like a director's cut DVD, with Melzer pointing things out & -script copies & notes from him to Morales & editorial meeting recaps, etc. DC has the opportunity to blow us all away even MORE!

[chrisco37]

I just hope that when this all gets collected into a TPB and/or Hard Cover, that we get TONS and TONS of extras, like a director's cut DVD, with Melzer pointing things out & -script copies & notes from him to Morales & editorial meeting recaps, etc. DC has the opportunity to blow us all away even MORE!

 

[Zonker]

Jean's attacker is never shown, only gloved hands. When the heroes come to investigate, Mr. Miracle is checking out a table and plant in the corner nearest where Jean was hung. The same table she used to step off of to fake her assault. In the flashback scene, notice that the table is replaced by the "assailant", but the planter is right behind his feet (A visual clue from Meltzer).

 

See, I think Jean or "Jean" is involved, but I don't see how her attack was staged by her. As you say, we plainly see the gloved hands (IC 3, next to last page, panel 5). This is not the re-telling of events, this is the real-time omniscient narrator p.o.v. And Jean is not wearing gloves on the final page. Nor do we see any discarded gloves at the crime scene investigation of IC 4.

[chrisco37]

Jean's attacker is never shown, only gloved hands. When the heroes come to investigate, Mr. Miracle is checking out a table and plant in the corner nearest where Jean was hung. The same table she used to step off of to fake her assault. In the flashback scene, notice that the table is replaced by the "assailant", but the planter is right behind his feet (A visual clue from Meltzer).

 

See, I think Jean or "Jean" is involved, but I don't see how her attack was staged by her. As you say, we plainly see the gloved hands (IC 3, next to last page, panel 5). This is not the re-telling of events, this is the real-time omniscient narrator p.o.v. And Jean is not wearing gloves on the final page. Nor do we see any discarded gloves at the crime scene investigation of IC 4.

 

I noticed that. I think she stuck them in her pocket knowing that Ray and the rest wouldn't go looking right away for them.

 

She used them so as not to get any residue/fingerprints on the rope.

 

Meltzer had to use them to show her being blindfolded, but not reveal it was a woman.

 

She had to have hung herself. Look at he table positioning. It's a corner table. When she steps off of it, it falls forward (as is shown when Miracle is checking it out).

[chrisco37]

See, I think Jean or "Jean" is involved, but I don't see how her attack was staged by her. As you say, we plainly see the gloved hands (IC 3, next to last page, panel 5). This is not the re-telling of events, this is the real-time omniscient narrator p.o.v.

 

I noticed that. I think she stuck them in her pocket knowing that Ray and the rest wouldn't go looking right away for them.

 

She used them so as not to get any residue/fingerprints on the rope.

 

Meltzer had to use them to show her being blindfolded, but not reveal it was a woman.

 

She had to have hung herself. Look at the table positioning. It's a corner table. When she steps off of it, it falls forward (as is shown when Miracle is checking it out).

 

Additionally, the knot on the outside of the door is shown prior to Jean being strung up. Why would they do that? Why wouldn't she be strung up and then tied to the doorknob. It doesn't make sense. She acted alone on this one.

 

That's why there's no evidence of any other attacker.

[Zonker]

Maybe... I thought in the flashback the supposed assailant was standing in front of the table and planter (otherwise that is an awfully big-arse plant!)

 

On another note since I'm looking at the final panels of IC3-- someone quoted Meltzer as saying there are no coloring errors in the books. Well, doesn't it appear that the gag is purple in that same panel where the gloves are shown, but red everywhere else?

 

Another example: In IC5 pg9 panel 5, Jean has blue eyes again, just like her photo, but unlike all the other green-eyed sightings!

 

Come to think of it, wouldn't an ex-husband notice a change in her eye color?

[Zonker]

we're looking at a female perp.

 

Iris Allen,

 

Zonk, your ideas make a scary amount of sense. (Though Kevin does make a good point that it would be exceptionally bad form for the killer to not have even made an APPEARANCE in the book thus far.)

 

Just for the record, I believe that is Iris Allen panel 1 page 9 of IC6

 

But I agree it would be a cheat if that's her only appearance, and not as Kevin says within the first 4 issues. Wait... did she attend Sue's funeral?

 

...Back soon...

[chrisco37]

Maybe... I thought in the flashback the supposed assailant was standing in front of the table and planter (otherwise that is an awfully big-arse plant!)

 

Nope. I checked it a few times. The planter (in the flashback) is on the ground. You can barely see it "peeking" around the shoe.

 

In "reality" it was definitely on the table as evidenced by it's placement during the investigation.

 

As far as the eyes go, I think it's a coloring error. On all of the "Persons" cover, they are blue. Most other times, they are green. However, when Ray first gets to Jean after the attack, they are blue.

[chrisco37]

Just for the record, I believe that is Iris Allen panel 1 page 9 of IC6

But I agree it would be a cheat if that's her only appearance, and not as Kevin says within the first 4 issues.

 

It's not her. She's being heavily featured in the Flash right now.

 

And again....what's the motive?

 

It's not going to be some "comic book" motive like her mind was erased and she found out and wants revenge.

 

I'm stuck on the pregnancy test.....there has to be a reason why Meltzer made Sue pregnant.

[500]

How about a two killer theory? Most of the theories out there are being strained because the theorist idea is ruined by a mismatch in the facts. Look for two killers working together.

[WiseGuyX]

How about a two killer theory? Most of the theories out there are being strained because the theorist idea is ruined by a mismatch in the facts. Look for two killers working together.

 

[Zonker]

... or a body-hopper/shape-shifter, sometimes being one character, other times being another...

[chrisco37]

... or a body-hopper/shape-shifter, sometimes being one character, other times being another...

 

That's better than 2-killers. 2-killers is the easy out.

 

I'm sticking w/ my theory. The "paternity crisis" is the main theme of the other story w/in this. Why couldn't that be the "motive" behind the murder of Sue?

[nearmint]

I can't shake the image of Meltzer reading all this and laughing maniacally...

[Kevin Boyd]

Hal Jordan did say "get them" and "make them pay". And he does know who did it...

[Kevin Boyd]

I'm sticking w/ my theory. The "paternity crisis" is the main theme of the other story w/in this. Why couldn't that be the "motive" behind the murder of Sue?

 

Sue Dibny was proud to be the mother of Ralph's child. We know from her internal monologue that she was excited to tell him about her being pregnant. If it was another man's child she wouldn't have been so enthusiastic about sharing the news.

[AlexH]

I think it is someone possessing the bodies of the heroes (and possible the villians), or using some form of magic to control their bodies into doing something against their will. And they don't remember it, because THEY were mind-wiped after.

 

Case 1: The Atom comes into Sue Dibny's house through the phone line during her call to Alfred, thus getting through the house security. Since he does this in issue #4 when he tries to save Jean, we know he is capable of getting through without setting off the alarms. He then kills Sue, and sets her on fire, or lets the person possessing him into the house (or brings them in previously through the phone), to set fire to Sue. This might explain his lateness showing up to see Jean when he signs the papers for the patents.

 

Case 2: #4, Pg. 1 - The "Persons" magazine shows her with blue eyes.

#4, Pg. 5 - The last panel shows her with green eyes. She was back to blue eyes in issue #5. She was possessed by someone into faking her own death. Why weren't her hands tied up? Even though it looks like she was fighting whatever was controlling her, with the muffled cries, she had the green eyes after the Atom saved her and could have been wiped at the hospital. So I think she is a victim here.

 

Someone is using the same magic to mind-wipe the heroes, after they have committed crimes.

 

Why is this happening? I think that a number of the villians have discovered they were mind wiped (maybe the wipe wore off over time), and decided to strike back at the heroes in the worst possible way, having them kill friends and then wiping their minds after.

 

So where does the Boomerang fit into all this? Well, I think it is safe to say he was set up by someone. Perhaps this is the same person who is the real "parent" of the new Boomerang, and wanted Digger out of the way. Hit Batman where it hurts the most, another death in the family; and take out the guy (Digger) who has the only influence over his "son". This gives the other "parent" the chance to use their "son" as a weapon, to his fullest extent. Or perhaps the mystery person was worried that Digger would figure out it was them, and wanted to make sure he was not only taken out of the picture, but framed in that picture too.

 

Who benefits from these deaths? This one is a toughy. But if it were easy, then we would know who the murderer is.

 

I'll have more later...

[chrisco37]

I'm sticking w/ my theory. The "paternity crisis" is the main theme of the other story w/in this. Why couldn't that be the "motive" behind the murder of Sue?

 

Sue Dibny was proud to be the mother of Ralph's child. We know from her internal monologue that she was excited to tell him about her being pregnant. If it was another man's child she wouldn't have been so enthusiastic about sharing the news.

 

I thought about that after I wrote everything. But still, why was Sue targeted? There's a reason that it was her and not another relative first.

 

It's Jean. It's got to be. It makes for a better story to have a "normal" being the murderer than a "super", unless it's a hero. But, we've ruled them out, haven't we?

[chrisco37]

Kev -

 

You were definitely onto something a few pages ago when you commented on the pregnancy. It has to be involved with the "Why?".