Checkmate #1 Preview

[Hypo]

Checkmate #1 Preview
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Alex Maleev

[Factor]

I hope we get the Bendis who wrote Daredevil here, not YJ Bendis.
This book has so much potential and so many cool characters, it would be a shame if it was lackluster like some of Bendis's efforts have been.
I also hope he manages to make this new incarnation as interesting as Rucka's. I loved Rucka's organization with assigned roles inspired by chess.
It would be nice to have that kind of structure again, with a new queen, king, rooks, knights and so on.

[Frontier]

Is anyone suddenly excited for Mark Shaw as Leviathan? I'm still not feeling it.

"Hello Mother" I am expecting this will probably be the most believable dialogue from Damian in this issue, considering past precedent with how Bendis handles his voice.

[Thor-Ul]

I hope we get the Bendis who wrote Daredevil here, not YJ Bendis.
This book has so much potential and so many cool characters, it would be a shame if it was lackluster like some of Bendis's efforts have been.
I also hope he manages to make this new incarnation as interesting as Rucka's. I loved Rucka's organization with assigned roles inspired by chess.
It would be nice to have that kind of structure again, with a new queen, king, rooks, knights and so on.

At least it is more in his confort creative zone: few characters, noir background, Maleev in the images.

[Captain Nostalgia]

I hope we get the Bendis who wrote Daredevil here, not YJ Bendis.
This book has so much potential and so many cool characters, it would be a shame if it was lackluster like some of Bendis's efforts have been.
I also hope he manages to make this new incarnation as interesting as Rucka's. I loved Rucka's organization with assigned roles inspired by chess.
It would be nice to have that kind of structure again, with a new queen, king, rooks, knights and so on.

I think this comic could be the Bendis we've been waiting for.

1) With all the cutbacks, it's unlikely DC would have released a new Checkmate series unless Bendis crafted the idea and presented it to those in charge.

2) It looks like Bendis has hand picked the characters. With a lesser known writer I'm sure DC would have pushed to add more than Green Arrow (You must add a Batman, ect)

Finally your right, he has picked some super cool characters. Green Arrow and the Question are the obvious, but I've always been intrigued by Mister Bones, fascinating character.

I'm not sure who the others are. I'm assuming that's Talia sitting on the pawn, the woman in red looks familiar but I can't place her, and I'm not sure who the other two guys are.

[Thor-Ul]

I'm not sure who the others are. I'm assuming that's Talia sitting on the pawn, the woman in red looks familiar but I can't place her, and I'm not sure who the other two guys are.

The guy with white hair is King, a new character or maybe someone old with a new appearance, King Faraday maybe? The other guy I think is Steve Trevor.

[numberthirty]

I think this comic could be the Bendis we've been waiting for.

1) With all the cutbacks, it's unlikely DC would have released a new Checkmate series unless Bendis crafted the idea and presented it to those in charge.

2) It looks like Bendis has hand picked the characters. With a lesser known writer I'm sure DC would have pushed to add more than Green Arrow (You must add a Batman, ect)

Finally your right, he has picked some super cool characters. Green Arrow and the Question are the obvious, but I've always been intrigued by Mister Bones, fascinating character.

I'm not sure who the others are. I'm assuming that's Talia sitting on the pawn, the woman in red looks familiar but I can't place her, and I'm not sure who the other two guys are.

If I was putting a whole box of jellybeans on it...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhunter_(Kate_Spencer)

[j9ac9k]

Normally, I would pick this up just for The Question, but I still feel burned by "Event Leviathan" which I found just kinda meandering and pointless and lacking in any drama, despite an initially compelling setup. He even messed up the "Who is Leviathan" mystery since he unmasked himself, undermining the whole point of using all those detectives, (having all the detectives standing around Batman's kitchen talking should have been really interesting, but they didn't really have much to contribute) and the reveal of Mark Shaw wasn't compelling since he came out of left field as a suspect and honestly, he'd been out of play for so long, did it really impact anyone? The revelation should have made Leviathan more interesting, not less. I might wait for the trade.

[failo.legendkiller]

Normally, I would pick this up just for The Question, but I still feel burned by "Event Leviathan" which I found just kinda meandering and pointless and lacking in any drama, despite an initially compelling setup. He even messed up the "Who is Leviathan" mystery since he unmasked himself, undermining the whole point of using all those detectives, (having all the detectives standing around Batman's kitchen talking should have been really interesting, but they didn't really have much to contribute) and the reveal of Mark Shaw wasn't compelling since he came out of left field as a suspect and honestly, he'd been out of play for so long, did it really impact anyone? The revelation should have made Leviathan more interesting, not less. I might wait for the trade.

I totally agree with you. Event Leviathan was the first time I was approaching to a Bendis book, after the first issues I was really impressed and enthusiast just to end in a boring and pointless way.
His young justice had the same development.
Now I’m still burned so I don’t want to be screwed another time.
Maybe in trade if reviews are really good.

[hairys]

I hope we get the Bendis who wrote Daredevil here, not YJ Bendis.
This book has so much potential and so many cool characters, it would be a shame if it was lackluster like some of Bendis's efforts have been.
I also hope he manages to make this new incarnation as interesting as Rucka's. I loved Rucka's organization with assigned roles inspired by chess.
It would be nice to have that kind of structure again, with a new queen, king, rooks, knights and so on.

I mean, it's been twenty years. I'd keep expectations low on Bendis, and I would expect that all his characters will end up sounding the same and annoying.

[Captain Nostalgia]

The guy with white hair is King, a new character or maybe someone old with a new appearance, King Faraday maybe? The other guy I think is Steve Trevor.

Good guesses. Steve Trevor would make sense with Checkmate being a government agency if I don't stand mistaken. King Faraday, that could work to.

If I was putting a whole box of jellybeans on it...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhunter_(Kate_Spencer)

Thanks I think you nailed it!

So we have Green Arrow, The Question, Mister Bones and Manhunter

The others possibly being (Talia, Steve Trevor, & King Faraday?)

[numberthirty]

Honestly?

I'm not even sure if any real ties to the "Classic Coke..." Checkmate there will be.

Feels a lot like it will be an "In Name Only..." version of the title that will be a follow up to the entire "Leviathan..." thing from last year.

[Factor]

I think people who are interested in this book should pick Event Leviathan and the follow-up special prior to this.
Those books are where the current team was assembled and the new Leviathan threat was established.
I think I'd be pretty lost reading Checkmate #1 if I hadn't read the rest.

All in all, #1 was ok, but as usual in Bendis's books, it felt like reading a 10 pages comic. Not a whole lot happened but at least the art is pretty.
I hope this picks up and we get a proper Checkmate run soon.

[sbp1972]

The blonde male is Trevor, the woman sitting on the pawn is Lois Lane.

[The Cool Thatguy]

Is anyone suddenly excited for Mark Shaw as Leviathan? I'm still not feeling it.

"Hello Mother" I am expecting this will probably be the most believable dialogue from Damian in this issue, considering past precedent with how Bendis handles his voice.

I'm not buying it, or really, the whole logistics of somehow sweeping up government agencies, all their employees and assets alongside a religious terrorist group. I mean, did Frank in accounting just decide to leave everything behind for a bounty hunter?

Honestly, it feels like Bendis is gonna smoosh all the DC agencies and evil organizations together so that we'll have DC's version of Shield vs. Hydra.

Frankly, I liked how different organizations had different mandates and identities. Shoving them all into one group is underwhelming, at best