Checkmate #7 (SPOILERS)

[DWEarhart]

Greg Rucka, along with Nunzio DeFilippis & Christina Weir finish up the return of The Suicide Squad, with Cliff Richards handling the art.

It shows the meta-human Nay, being coerced by the captain of the Myanmar military into going with him. It fast forwards, and shows that Nay is now the power source that's been showing up on Checkmates charts, as he is captive to the Myanmar military, who has just struck a deal with China to syphon Nay's powers to fuel their own needs.

The Suicide Squad, meanwhile is surrounded by armed guards. Punch is dead, and Jewlee (Punch's wife) is losing her mind, or what's left. Calculator admits that the Society tipped off the Myanmar Government about the Squad's operation. Flag and B. Tiger come to the rescue. Jewlee won't let go of Punch, Javelin grabs her for a getaway, and is run over by a jeep for his causes.

Jewlee's already looking for a new bo. Icicle figures out that it was Tattooed Man who "ratted" the squad out to the Society. Mirror Master encases him in a mirror shell. Jewlee "accidentally" tips him over, and Tattooed Man is now a jigsaw puzzle.

The Squad rescues Nay, and leave him in Mirror Master's limbo for the time being. Colonel Flag orders everyone to believe the coverup he is explaining to the rest of the squad; that they lost Nay, but escaped, and that there is no Suicide Squad.

Mr. Terrific senses a mole in Checkmate's operations. The frames lead us to believe that he suspects King Faraday.

Nay is now in America, and is the proof against China that Checkmate needed.

B.Tiger, and Colonel Flag are having drinks at a bar, and Ms. Amanda Waller joins them. And she confirms that there will be a next time for the Suicide Squad.

Some new cogs are turning in this series. A possible traitor in Checkmate. The Suicide Squad is officially unofficially back. Good two issue story, and many more good things to come. I started thinking about the sales figures on this series. I doubt their spectacular, but I hope this book stays around for at least another year or two. As long as possible, actually, but I'm trying to be realistic.

[Damo]

I do hope it sticks around. The first few issues I felt iffy about, but seeing Bronze Tiger and Col. Flag back in action was divine.

I am very very sorry about Punch though. I had hoped the psychotic lovebirds would manage to get through this one, like they did the original Squad. Sigh.

Interesting to see Turner wearing the Tiger mask though. Does this mean he's accepted his dark side to the point that it no longer has any hold over him? It used to be that putting on the mask allowed all his evil urges to take over. I'd think that maybe Rucka just didn't know how significant the mask was... except he has Ben teaching at the Tiger Dojo. Anyone that knows that Ben owns the Tiger Dojo knows the significance of the mask, so I doubt it was a mistake.

[DWEarhart]

There was a point, right before Col. Flag and B. Tiger jumped in to rescue SS where they had a bit of a stand off on killing. Flag was ready to slaughter the whole army, while Tiger chimedin with his two cents, stating that killing wasn't necessary, and could be avoided.

He seems to have control over it.

[Thnikkaman]

Javelin appeared for a couple of panels in Giffen's JLI.

CONSPIRACY!!!!!!!

[Damo]

There was a point, right before Col. Flag and B. Tiger jumped in to rescue SS where they had a bit of a stand off on killing. Flag was ready to slaughter the whole army, while Tiger chimedin with his two cents, stating that killing wasn't necessary, and could be avoided.

He seems to have control over it.

If I remember right it was something like

"We may need to use lethal force to get out of here. Can I count on you?"
"You can always count on me. I can kill if it's necessary. But it's almost never necessary."

Which is different from his line in Ostrander's squad, when he wouldn't kill period... but also different from what we'd expect with the mask, which was meant to just turn him into a merciless killing machine. So I'm not entirely sure what it means, but I trust Rucka that there's reasoning behind it (because like I said, the guy knew about the Tiger Dojo. That takes some research that does).

[JelloBiafra]

I'm loving this book and am so psyched that the Wall is back to being the baddest chick in the DC Universe. I knew there was no way she'd allow anyone to stop her from running field missions.

[marshal99]

Javelin appeared for a couple of panels in Giffen's JLI.

CONSPIRACY!!!!!!!

I thought Javelin died in that war of the gods crossover when he got impaled by his own spears ?

[Count Vertigo]

I do hope it sticks around. The first few issues I felt iffy about, but seeing Bronze Tiger and Col. Flag back in action was divine.

I am very very sorry about Punch though. I had hoped the psychotic lovebirds would manage to get through this one, like they did the original Squad. Sigh.

Interesting to see Turner wearing the Tiger mask though. Does this mean he's accepted his dark side to the point that it no longer has any hold over him? It used to be that putting on the mask allowed all his evil urges to take over. I'd think that maybe Rucka just didn't know how significant the mask was... except he has Ben teaching at the Tiger Dojo. Anyone that knows that Ben owns the Tiger Dojo knows the significance of the mask, so I doubt it was a mistake.

In the final issue of SS vol.1, Turner, in a hallucination, put on the tiger mask and came to terms with his league of assassin training and violent temper

[Damo]

In the final issue of SS vol.1, Turner, in a hallucination, put on the tiger mask and came to terms with his league of assassin training and violent temper

*Nods.* I know, that weird jungle where you got to see significant illusions that conveniently tied up plot threads. Heh. He said that his rage might be a problem, might even be his destruction, but will no longer be his master... or something, I forget the exact line. It's still odd that he'd wear the mask - it's not needed, and it has some bad memories attached to it. So like I said, I can only assume he's testing himself mentally to make sure he's still in control, or some other psychological reason.

Sorry you weren't in the comic this month Count. I was hoping to see you and Ben together for a bit, taste of the old days. I guess that might have gone over the coolness limit for this month though.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Sorry, I haven't been reading Checkmate, but did you say Col. Flagg? Col. Rick Flagg Jr? Isn't he dead?

[Thnikkaman]

It's the old "We never DID see a body" gag.

[Damo]

Colonel Richard "Rick" Rogers Flag Jr. is indeed alive in Checkmate right now.

To be fair, while Ostrander always said that he meant for Rick to be dead as the dodo, he's also said that he made sure to write in a "way out" into the story, just in case he ever changed his mind.

[Nunzio DeFilippis]

Interesting to see Turner wearing the Tiger mask though. Does this mean he's accepted his dark side to the point that it no longer has any hold over him? It used to be that putting on the mask allowed all his evil urges to take over. I'd think that maybe Rucka just didn't know how significant the mask was... except he has Ben teaching at the Tiger Dojo. Anyone that knows that Ben owns the Tiger Dojo knows the significance of the mask, so I doubt it was a mistake.

Not a mistake. We decided he'd be in the mask for a reason.

Ben wears it to show that, to paraphrase from The Man In The Iron Mask, he wears the mask - it doesn't wear him. (at least, not anymore)

And as to Javelin, I've said it before. He's the Kenny of the DCU. We almost had a line with Icicle saying "oh my God, they killed Javelin. You bastards!"

[Paragon]

And as to Javelin, I've said it before. He's the Kenny of the DCU. We almost had a line with Icicle saying "oh my God, they killed Javelin. You bastards!"

:)

Does this mean he will be back? ;)

[Count Vertigo]

Sorry you weren't in the comic this month Count. I was hoping to see you and Ben together for a bit, taste of the old days. I guess that might have gone over the coolness limit for this month though.

LMAO!

You know how it is. Training new grunts, controlling my manic-depression, fighting the urge to tear out Waller's throat:D

[Sean Walsh]

I thought Javelin died in that war of the gods crossover when he got impaled by his own spears ?

It's entirely possible that Javelin was a franchised Society villain.

[Damo]

Oh sure, if I forget to credit Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir along with Rucka, of course they're going to be looking in. D'oh. To add to my shame, I loved their New Mutants/New X-Men stuff and Once in a Blue Moon & Destiny's Hand ("you don't look like an index finger"). Oh well, just glad to know there's lots of thought going on behind the scenes. Thanks for letting us know!

[PastePotPete]

This book continues to deliver every month.
Great action, great sense of humor, lots to think about every issue. Rucka and co. pack the story with good stuff.

Keep in mind, I'd never heard of Rick Flagg, Bronze Tiger, Sasha Bordeaux, or Amanda Waller before I started reading Checkmate. But Waller might be my new favorite character in the DCU. This is a book for anyone who likes a great espionage story.

[K'Nort]

This book continues to deliver every month.
Great action, great sense of humor, lots to think about every issue. Rucka and co. pack the story with good stuff.

Keep in mind, I'd never heard of Rick Flagg, Bronze Tiger, Sasha Bordeaux, or Amanda Waller before I started reading Checkmate. But Waller might be my new favorite character in the DCU. This is a book for anyone who likes a great espionage story.

You really need to hunt down old Suicide Squad. It's probably in quarter bins.

[Jessica Drew]

Wow...best damn DC book of the past several months. Checkmate just keeps going from strength (political intrigue) to strength (action). After I read issue #4, in which--on the last page--Waller quietly lets Alan Scott know how he's been played, I didn't think I'd read a better comic this year. Now, I'm not so sure, as this issue, with it's action, consequential death, remorse (and/or lack thereof), is pretty powerful in its own right.

The entire series, in fact, has been superb, and--unlike most mainstream comics nowadays--it's a hefty read.