Checkmate: Pawn Breaks

One of the best new titles to come out of DC since the events of Infinite Crisis, Greg Rucka's Checkmate continues to impress with Pawn Breaks, the second TPB of the series. Amanda Waller, always seeming to be one step ahead in the game, has big plans in store, and the way that writer Greg Rucka weaves everything together is simply fantastic. Between Pawn 502's mission, the Suicide Squad, Bane, JSA member Mister Teriffic's rise in the organization, and a clash between Checkmate and a rival organization; Checkmate never fails to be boring in the least. The wonderfully stunning artwork from Jesus Saiz only makes Checkmate all the better, but it's Rucka's shifty storytelling that makes Checkmate one of the best DC titles you'll pick up today. All in all, if you enjoyed the first volume of Checkmate, picking up Pawn Breaks is a no-brainer, but if you've been missing out, what's wrong with you? Go check out Checkmate, you'll be glad you did.

Vol.2 of Checkmate has two really compelling stories, which are crucial to the series and very enjoyable to read. If you want a hard hitting black-ops story, this is definitely for you!

I reviewed Checkmate: A King's Game not too long ago, and I was pretty positive about it. There's a reason for that, and there's a reason the review for this book will be equally, if not more positive. That reason? Checkmate continues to be a great book. Volume 2, Pawn Breaks, deals with a couple different things left over from A King's Game - the mystery of Waller's hold on Fire and what Corvalho means, as well as the personal and professional ramifications of Mister Terrific's rise to White King, as his relationship with Sasha begins to deteriorate even while he has to find a good new Bishop. It also lets you get a little deeper into the minds and hearts of the agents, while introducing new problems and setting up future conflicts. While some get pushed to the side-lines, Shen and King Farraday in particular, characters like Taleb Benni Khalid, Fire, and Thomas Jagger get notably more screen time, and Khalid and Jagger particularly get their personalities deepened ten-fold. The backstabbing is brilliant fun, and sets up what looks to be some excellent plots between the Royals. That's the thing about Checkmate. There will be fights and, unlike many comics, there will even be deaths, both among and at the hands of the main cast. But the real heart of the book, what should keep you coming back for more, is the characters. Yes, "Corvalho", one of the two arcs featured in this trade, has a brawl with Bane...but, what it's about is two characters, dealing with the problems they've inherited from their parents. Yes, "Pawn 502" deals with an attempted infiltration of the ranks of a secret organization...but, the story is about coming to grips with the sacrifices people have to make for the job. Checkmate isn't perfect, but in a medium that is more and more becoming filled with fun-but-simple beat 'em ups or grim-'n-gritty...well, beat 'em ups, Checkmate is a breath of fresh air. It's a well written book with good art, but more than that, Checkmate is a fun, gripping book that's got a heart.