Victor Von Doom
Fist of teh Internets.
Ok....there were a few comments about this in the OYL thread....but it's about time it got it's own thread.
Who doesn't love this book? Seriously...it's awesomeness cannot be denied.
Synopsis/Overview taken from Wikipedia:
Checkmate is a covert operations agency within the DC Comics universe. Created from the ashes of its predecessor group, The Agency, it was originally set up by Amanda Waller to serve as a small, quasi-independent branch of Task Force X under the command of Colonel Valentina Vostok (formerly Negative Woman of the Doom Patrol) to perform operations worldwide considered vital to the security of American interests. In the wake of events depicted in the mini-series The OMAC Project and Infinite Crisis, Checkmate has been re-chartered as a United Nations Security Council-affiliated agency.
Rucka was quoted regarding the new series: "Take a big chunk of The OMAC Project, take the concept of "Who Watches the Watchmen?" and throw in some James Bond and you've got Checkmate." Rucka's stated plans in several interviews[1] include depicting the repurposing of Checkmate as a United Nations-affiliated intelligence/intervention force with a specific purpose of maintaining "balance" between Earth's human and metahuman communities in the wake of events in The OMAC Project and Infinite Crisis.
In issue #1, a team led by Black Queen Sasha Bordeaux infiltrates a Kobra base. Despite White Queen Amanda Waller's apparent orders that minimal force would be used, Bordeaux' team kills everyone on the base, some in cold-blooded fashion (including one wounded Kobra leader who Bordeaux herself shoots dead after uttering the word "Checkmate" to the doomed man). It is unclear whether Waller -- who has sanctioned similar activities in the past -- actually approved this level of force.
In issue #2, Bordeaux and Khalid learn that Waller made the "minimal force" promise without Bordeaux's knowledge, which they hypothesize was done to appease Alan Scott (who is opposed to loss of life) and to discredit Bordeaux, possibly in a bid to become Black Queen. Also, Fire claims that between 30 and 50 Kobra personnel were killed in the mission, leading to further conflict between Scott and Bordeaux (who defends her actions as necessary to complete the mission), and also to a rise in tensions between Bordeaux and Fire, who apparently regrets having taken part in the mission. Bordeaux accuses Fire of exaggerating the numbers; based upon issue 1, it's clear the team kills many people, but it's impossible to gauge exactly how many.
In issue #3, both Amanda Waller and Alan Scott are attacked by would-be Kobra assassins. Scott disables his attacker, who survives. Waller, who also defeats her attacker, cold-bloodedly executes the wounded operative. As shown on the final page of issue #3, the Checkmate ground team, currently on an infiltration mission in China, has been discovered - and cornered by The Immortal Man in Darkness.
In issue #4, The Ops team of Checkmate battles China's The Great Ten. But when The Auguust General in Iron shows up to the battle, he and The Black Queen talk out the discussion diplomatically. Meanwhile, Scott/Waller disagree on the methods each has taken against their attacker. Back in China, Vertigo attacks a secret China govt lab and is thwarted by The Accomplished Perfect Physician. Black Queen intercedes but is then halted by the Iron General. A mexican stand-off ensues until Scott arrives with the Chinese Ambassador. The Ambassador tells his people to stand down and Scott does the same. The 2 leaders then come to a diplomatic agreement as on how to find out who the Cobra spy is in their midst. It seems Scott's diplomacy has saved the day----but in the final pages of #4, at the next Checkmate meeting, we see all the Checkmate leaders being confirmed except for Scott. He's out as White King.....
I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!! :rockon:
Who doesn't love this book? Seriously...it's awesomeness cannot be denied.
Synopsis/Overview taken from Wikipedia:
Checkmate is a covert operations agency within the DC Comics universe. Created from the ashes of its predecessor group, The Agency, it was originally set up by Amanda Waller to serve as a small, quasi-independent branch of Task Force X under the command of Colonel Valentina Vostok (formerly Negative Woman of the Doom Patrol) to perform operations worldwide considered vital to the security of American interests. In the wake of events depicted in the mini-series The OMAC Project and Infinite Crisis, Checkmate has been re-chartered as a United Nations Security Council-affiliated agency.
Rucka was quoted regarding the new series: "Take a big chunk of The OMAC Project, take the concept of "Who Watches the Watchmen?" and throw in some James Bond and you've got Checkmate." Rucka's stated plans in several interviews[1] include depicting the repurposing of Checkmate as a United Nations-affiliated intelligence/intervention force with a specific purpose of maintaining "balance" between Earth's human and metahuman communities in the wake of events in The OMAC Project and Infinite Crisis.
In issue #1, a team led by Black Queen Sasha Bordeaux infiltrates a Kobra base. Despite White Queen Amanda Waller's apparent orders that minimal force would be used, Bordeaux' team kills everyone on the base, some in cold-blooded fashion (including one wounded Kobra leader who Bordeaux herself shoots dead after uttering the word "Checkmate" to the doomed man). It is unclear whether Waller -- who has sanctioned similar activities in the past -- actually approved this level of force.
In issue #2, Bordeaux and Khalid learn that Waller made the "minimal force" promise without Bordeaux's knowledge, which they hypothesize was done to appease Alan Scott (who is opposed to loss of life) and to discredit Bordeaux, possibly in a bid to become Black Queen. Also, Fire claims that between 30 and 50 Kobra personnel were killed in the mission, leading to further conflict between Scott and Bordeaux (who defends her actions as necessary to complete the mission), and also to a rise in tensions between Bordeaux and Fire, who apparently regrets having taken part in the mission. Bordeaux accuses Fire of exaggerating the numbers; based upon issue 1, it's clear the team kills many people, but it's impossible to gauge exactly how many.
In issue #3, both Amanda Waller and Alan Scott are attacked by would-be Kobra assassins. Scott disables his attacker, who survives. Waller, who also defeats her attacker, cold-bloodedly executes the wounded operative. As shown on the final page of issue #3, the Checkmate ground team, currently on an infiltration mission in China, has been discovered - and cornered by The Immortal Man in Darkness.
In issue #4, The Ops team of Checkmate battles China's The Great Ten. But when The Auguust General in Iron shows up to the battle, he and The Black Queen talk out the discussion diplomatically. Meanwhile, Scott/Waller disagree on the methods each has taken against their attacker. Back in China, Vertigo attacks a secret China govt lab and is thwarted by The Accomplished Perfect Physician. Black Queen intercedes but is then halted by the Iron General. A mexican stand-off ensues until Scott arrives with the Chinese Ambassador. The Ambassador tells his people to stand down and Scott does the same. The 2 leaders then come to a diplomatic agreement as on how to find out who the Cobra spy is in their midst. It seems Scott's diplomacy has saved the day----but in the final pages of #4, at the next Checkmate meeting, we see all the Checkmate leaders being confirmed except for Scott. He's out as White King.....
I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!! :rockon: