On the symbol on the wall, ever see the film The Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story? ... His father used the discs with that pattern as a way to protect against germs and demons by placing them on the windowsill next to his crib.
Having looked at imdb.com, I pulled up the guest stars list for Lost. Episode 2 will feature Jolene Blalock, formerly of Enterprise, as a guest star. What her role will be? I have no idea.
Episode 3 will have more on Jack, his father appears in it again most likely as a flashback, so does Locke's father, and Desmond reappears. In an interesting note, Katey Sagal (Mrs. Bundy) makes an appearance as well.... She plays a woman named Helen....
What do you suppose the age difference is between Jack and Locke? They seem about 23 years apart...possibly? ... Keep in mind that Jack is a standard nickname for the first name John... John F. Kennedy, Jr/Jack Kennedy ...
Desmond may also be sensitive to light hence the need to use the scope to see the mirror at the end of the tunnel. Also consider that he knew someone was up on the surface because Locke had previously pounded on it in frustration.
Now as far as tunnels and other entrances: didn't Ethan seem to be able to appear out of nowhere? ... Wasn't he unusually stronger than they thought? ... What if the black smoke was to draw the attention away from the entrance they intended to use? ... Remember also that Claire had no memory of being taken nor of ending up on the island...
Would you also say it has been about 4 years since Jack and Sarah got married? ... Feasible, right?
Leonard and Sam were in the Navy ... 15 or 16 years ago...
Here is another quirky point ... the name Black Rock, per numerology rules, is the number 4 (2+3+1+3+2 9+6+3+2 = 11 + 20 = 31 = 4). Kind of weird I admit but it happens to be true.
As to why the comic book was blurred, it is a DC comic. Per IMDB.com: "The comic book that Walt reads is Green Lantern/Flash: Faster Friends #1, published by DC Comics, and a polar bear really appears in it." Warner Brothers who owns DC probably nixed the idea once they discovered which comic it was.