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Pandora has completely changed as a character in the past few months. She was once a loner who thought she was responsible for all sin, and now she's become a healer who is involved with a man for the first time in ages. Writer Ray Fawkes answered a few of our questions about the series and the character.
COMIC VINE: The "relationship" between Pandora and Vandal Savage is something that was set-up in very early issues of this series, seeing as they are both immortal. What can we expect from this newest issue between these two characters?
RAY FAWKES: You can expect something truly final, in a sense. The way they might once have related to each other - with some measure of tenderness or empathy or even attraction - is about to die. Now, they will forever measure their relationship to one another in terms of “before the encounter in Baltimore” and “after it”.
CV: Pandora started out as a character searching for something who felt she was responsible for all sin. Now, she's become more of a healer, looking to help others. What was it like writing this major transition for this character?
RF: It was wonderful. The plan from the start was to take her from a position of misunderstanding and suffering to one of purpose and peace. We’re nearly there, and it’s been fun taking her on the journey!
CV: On top of that, Pandora also has a love interest in her life, Marcus. Pandora is a woman who seems to have spent most of her time on Earth. What made you want her to explore a relationship?
RF: It’s all part of moving her away from the cursed wanderer she began as. She can never fully be at peace if she doesn’t allow herself some happiness, and Marcus represents a means to explore that for her. It may not work out - these things do have a way of falling apart, as any immortal would know quite well - but taking the step of opening herself to the experience is a huge change for Pandora.
CV:In the last issue, we saw SHADE trying to kill Pandora. While Pandora neutralizes her target, will we be seeing more from SHADE in the future and how much of a threat are they to Pandora?
RF: Yes, absolutely. Her relationship to SHADE will no doubt be as complicated and difficult as the one she shares with Vandal Savage.
CV: Pandora was shot with a dart that neutralizes immortal beings. How long has Pandora's ability to regenerated been shut down for?
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RF: Even SHADE doesn’t really know the answer to that question. Pandora’s a unique individual, and the curse of the Council of Eternity has a way of asserting itself…but who knows. Maybe this time science will really beat magic? Readers are urged to keep reading...
CV: Pandora's text bubbles are very different from the rest of the characters in this book, which Taylor Esposito gives a very distinctive look. What do you imagine, when writing this book, what her voice sounds like?
RF: I imagine Pandora sounds like something impossibly, inhumanly old and sad - that listening to her would be difficult for people, because their mind can barely wrap itself around the depths of pain she carries. I imagine she modulates her voice with magic just to keep mortals from going insane when they hear it.
CV: What have you enjoyed the most about working with this brand new character over the past 12 issues?
RF: Exactly that - that she’s brand new, and that we’ve been free to build her from the ground up. I’ve enjoyed working with our fantastic artists in creating Pandora’s history and her life, and I’ve enjoyed hearing from readers who are thrilled and moved by her story. I’m thankful and proud that we were able to put a character like Pandora front and centre in her own strange book in a strange corner of the DC Universe.
CV: What can you tell us about the future for Pandora without giving any big spoilers away, obviously?
RF: Ha! Nothing! Spoilers threaten at every turn! I’ll say this: she has a future, and you won’t have to wait too long to see it!
Make sure to check out TRINITY OF SIN: PANDORA #12, which is currently on sale, to see Pandora and Vandal Savage battle it out. Thanks to Ray Fawkes for answering our questions.