Story: "Chapter One: Coffin" (38 Pages)

Credits:

Brad Meltzer (plot, script)
Rags Morales (pencils)
Michael Bair (inks)
Kenny Lopez (letters)
Alex Sinclair (colors)
Valerie D'Orazio (assistant edits)
Mike Carlin (edits)

Feature Characters:

Atom II
Black Canary II
Elongated Man
Green Arrow I
Hawkman I
Zatanna

Guest Stars:

Batman (behind the scenes)
Black Lightning
Firehawk (last in ..., next in Flash Vol. #215)
Green Arrow II
Katana
Nightwing II (last in Nightwing Vol. 2 #100, next in Flash Vol. 2 #214)
Oracle II (last in Birds of Prey #76)
Robin III (last in Teen Titans Vol. 3 #19, next in flashback in Teen Titans Vol. 3 #20)
Starfire III (last in Teen Titans Vol. 3 #19, next in Flash Vol. 2 #213)
Superman
Wildcat II (last in JSA #65, next in JSA #67)
Wonder Woman I

Supporting Characters:

Jonathan Kent
Martha Kent
Sue Dibny (last in ..., in flashbacks in #7 between pages of this issue, dies; next in 52 #52)
Jack Drake (last in Robin Vol. 2 #131)
Jean Loring (last in flashback in #7)

Villains:

Benny Addison
Trey Williams (first appearance, small-time hoods, both next in Teen Titans Vol. 3 #20)
Bolt (last in ..., next in Teen Titans Vol. 3 #20)
Calculator

Guest Appearances:

Adam Strange
Animal Man
Aquaman
Arsenal IV (next in Flash Vol. 2 #214)
Beast Boy (between Teen Titans Vol. 3 #19 and #20)
Big Barda
Black Condor II
Blue Beetle II
Booster Gold (both next in Flash Vol. #215)
Captain Atom
Captain Marvel
Cyborg (last in Teen Titans Vol. 3 #19, next in Flash Vol. 2 #214)
Dmitri Pushkin
Doctor Fate IV
Doctor Mid-Nite II (last in JSA #66)
Ellen Baker
Firestorm II
Flash I (next in JSA #67)
Flash III
Gold (of the Metal Men)
Green Lantern (Alan Scott, next in JSA #67)
Green Lantern (John Stewart)
Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner)
Guy Gardner
Gypsy
Hamilton Drew
Hawkgirl II (next in JSA #67)
Jack Knight
Jade
James Gordon
Jason Blood
Jimmy Olsen
Kid Flash II (last in Teen Titans Vol. 3 #19, next in Flash Vol. 2 #214)
Kimiyo Hoshi (Docor Light IV)
Lead (of the Metal Men)
Lois Lane
Martian Manhunter
Mary Marvel
Maxwell Lord
Metamorpho I
Mister Miracle II (Scott Free)
Mister Terrific II (last in JSA #66)
Oberon
Power Girl (next in JSA #67)
Ray II
Red Tornado II
Slam Bradley
Snapper Carr
Stargirl (next in JSA #67)
Tasmanian Devil
Tempest II
Vixen

Other Characters:

Sue Dibny's uncle
Members of Sue and Ralph's families

Comment: Continues directly in the next issue. Two days pass between pages 29 and 30.

Comment: The flashbacks which appear during Elongated Man's reminiscences about his marriage are mostly to previously-published stories and have therefore not been indexed.

Synopsis:

While on a stakeout with Firehawk, Ralph Dibny - the world-famous Elongated Man - chats to the younger hero about his relationship with his wife. Family is important to many of the world's heroes, as the two Green Arrows train together, Superman spends time with his parents, Robin relaxes with his father and Nightwing visits his parents' grave. None of them are prepared for what happens at this moment. Someone invades Ralphand Sue Dibny's apartment, and by the time Ralph gets there, Sue has been burnt to death. At the exact same moment, the villain Bolt is shot by two minor hoodlums. The super-heroic community goes into action immediately to try to find out who is responsible for this, but two days later, by the time of the funeral, nobody is any the wiser. After the service, they split into groups to search for various potential culprits, such as those who use fire as a weapon and villains who can teleport. But Elongated Man and a number of other heroes from the early Justice League hang back. Through his tears, he demands that the others help him find the real killer, Doctor Light.