Reviews - Checkmate #4

The Game of Kings Part 4

I was first introduced to Checkmate in the pages of the OMAC Infinite Crisis tie-in. I didn't know that some incarnation Checkmate has been existed in the DC Universe for some time.

This new incarnation by Greg Rucka has been great to read. Issue 4 concludes the first story arc of the series. We last left off with Black Queen Sasha Bordeaux and her team in China. They had infiltrated the top secret super-soldier program and have come face to face with some of the Great Ten (China's superhero team). An uneasy truth is established between the two sides as The August General in Iron consults his superiors. Rucka puts in some great bantering between the Chinese superheroes and the Checkmate operatives.

Back at Checkmate headquarters, the political game is being played by Alan Scott and Amanda Waller. The power struggle between the upper echelons is great to watch. I especially liked how Alan Scott handled the entire situation and how he got the Chinese to vote for Checkmate's continuance. So in the end Checkmate survives, but it appears that it has lost of its Royals.

Jesus Saiz's artwork is enjoyable throughout the book. I liked his rendition of Fire and Count Vertigo's superpowers. Saiz's rendition of the Great Ten characters was also enjoyable and I'm thrilled to see some characters in 52 making appearances in One Year Later storylines.

Overall a good issue and I hope Rucka and Saiz will continue to stay on this book. As long as they do, I'll still put this on my pull list.

DRAGONCRYPT 8/7/2006 10:37:00 PM