Check Mate/Outsiders Crossover: "CheckOut"

[Will.S]

Now usually I'm not a big fan of the Outsiders or Judd Winick stuff outside of his Batman work but I must say that this collaboration between Greg and Judd has been very enjoyable so far.

So far the issues are Checkmate#13 & 14 and Outsiders #47 with #48 coming up to conclude the 4 part story. The first act starts out with Checkmate abducting all the Outsider members except for Nightwing, Sasha then convinces Nightwing and the rest of the Outsiders to join forces with Checkmate due to all the trouble they've been causing the organization in Africa and violating international laws.

As far as the latest issue goes, if you're a fan of the stuff that went on in 52 concerning Oolong Island, the place still has lots of activity going on with a great cliffhanger to Checkmate #14 with robotic versions of the 4 horsemen back in action! Another spoiler is the next issue cover preview which has Egg-Fu back in action.

A few things that caught my attention during all this:

- Grace Choi and Thunder are lesbian lovers now? I kind of expected Grace to go that route given her design and the way she is but it just caught me by surprise that they're both bi-sexual now.

- I haven't read Checkmate #9 even though I have the issue but Thomas Jagger outs himself to Grace and Thunder as being gay and disses poor Fire in the proccess, burn!

- Captain Boomerang Junior spills the beans to Sasha about his team-up with Count Vertigo during his time with the Suicide Squad in 52. This will have some big implications on Amanda Waller's white side and maybe even Checkmate as a whole.

- Nightwing rocks, his team-ups and interaction with Sasha are fun to see play out given both their ties to Batman and how they operate on totally different levels.

Anyone else *checking out this current crossover so far?





*Pun intended

[DubipR]

My review of this crossover.
Ex
Cre
Ment

Have a good laugh, courtesy of DC. Shoddy writing by both writers.

[Will.S]

My review of this crossover.
Ex
Cre
Ment

Have a good laugh, courtesy of DC. Shoddy writing by both writers.
Care to elaborate why?

[Hatut Zeraze]

I'm reading the Checkmate half of this crossover and I'm liking it.

I'm also befuddled by the EX CRE MENT review. I'm willing to believe that there may be something crappy about it. I often am not able to see the crap until a few months later. I certainly see nothing bad about it right now.

Where is this excrement of which you speak?

[DubipR]

Care to elaborate why?

I did, if you read my post..."shoddy writing"
I find both Rucka and Winnick's writing so laughable, its no wonder I've dropped down now to 3 DCU books. The little 'jokes' are stilted and lame, the deliberate ass-shots thrown in there...wow, they're good *rolls eyes*

C'mon DC...get some real damn writers that make DC a pleasurable read again.

[Jack Zodiac]

They have real writers on real good books... they just don't give any of those books the attention they deserve.

[PastePotPete]

I did, if you read my post..."shoddy writing"
I find both Rucka and Winnick's writing so laughable, its no wonder I've dropped down now to 3 DCU books. The little 'jokes' are stilted and lame, the deliberate ass-shots thrown in there...wow, they're good *rolls eyes*

C'mon DC...get some real damn writers that make DC a pleasurable read again.

Somewhat agree about the t&a. And Winick's jokes are weak, no question. But I think Rucka's still writing well. I really think Winick writes for kids and Rucka writes for adults, so I was curious how this cross-over would work.

I like that Rucka is using the cross-over to further develop the story threads running through Checkmate. Having Bordeaux hear about Waller's suicide squad involvement through Boomerang was cool. Beyond that, we're really just getting the usual super hijinx - meet, fight, team-up, fight the villain. I hope they have some surprises planned for the final chapters. I seem to remember a death is in the offing?

[drwho]

I don't mind the crossover at least it is also progressing some plot points in the Checkmate series rather than just being a mindless kill the sea monster team up.

[Will.S]

I did, if you read my post..."shoddy writing"
I find both Rucka and Winnick's writing so laughable, its no wonder I've dropped down now to 3 DCU books.
Ok, so why does it have "shoddy writing" and why is it "laughable"? It's apparent that it's not to your liking and that's fine and all but if you're going to berate something at least go into detail. Otherwise it comes off as if you merely flipped through the book, deemed it crap, and called it a day.

C'mon DC...get some real damn writers that make DC a pleasurable read again.
Greg Rucka is a great writer and Checkmate is consistently a really good book. Hell even Judd Winick's work throughout this crossover was good since it looks like he got the characters right.

[Jack Zodiac]

I really think Winick writes for kids and Rucka writes for adults, so I was curious how this cross-over would work.

"Kids," or "teens." I wouldn't let a kid read any of Winick's Outsiders. Or his Green Arrow. Green Lantern, sure, and maybe Exiles, but not much of his newer stuff. And not just 'cause it sucks, 'cause it ain't kid-friendly, Outsiders and Green Arrow especially.

Hell, I'd let a kid read his Barry Ween before I'd let him or her read his new stuff.

[Xanrn]

Its a 6 Part Story concluding with Outsiders 49..

[jerrymcl89]

Personally, I'm finding this crossover more enjoyable than the normal status quo for either book, which I think is pretty rare for a crossover. But that's just me.

[Brady]

I thought the first Checkmate storyline was terrific, but it hasn't been as interesting since then. Haven't picked up #14 yet, but it sounds promising. Egg Fu and Oolong Island, good to see someone expanding on that from 52.

[Will.S]

Personally, I'm finding this crossover more enjoyable than the normal status quo for either book, which I think is pretty rare for a crossover. But that's just me.
Agreed, I'm very surprised that I've been enjoying both this and The Lightning Saga. Both were crossovers that came out of nowhere for me.

I thought the first Checkmate storyline was terrific, but it hasn't been as interesting since then. Haven't picked up #14 yet, but it sounds promising. Egg Fu and Oolong Island, good to see someone expanding on that from 52.
Checkmate has definitely been getting better with the injected action and interaction with other superheroes. I was wondering what would become of the island since it was such a crazy/wacky place that should be used again after 52.

I also wonder if whatever happens here will have anything to do with the 52 Aftermath: The Four Horsemen.

[steve2275]

afer this crossovers over
should i continue buying these books?
havein women sure does help matters

[Will.S]

afer this crossovers over
should i continue buying these books?
havein women sure does help matters
Checkmate yeah, Outsiders.....not so much.

That is unless Outsiders: Five of a kind turns out to be a REAL good read.

[Cayman]

Checkmate yeah, Outsiders.....not so much.

That is unless Outsiders: Five of a kind turns out to be a REAL good read.

Outsiders really needs a new writer. How can DC not see this? Surely they can't be pleased with the performance of the book over the last year or so.

[drwho]

Well I never got into outsiders until one year later. So some of us do like the thing.

[Will.S]

Outsiders really needs a new writer. How can DC not see this? Surely they can't be pleased with the performance of the book over the last year or so.
Yeah I mean, I'm liking the crossover so far but I've seen alot of either mixed or little reaction to it during OYL. Of the few that I read it seems like a decent title but I don't know if I'd buy it regularly since it's so inconsistent. Plus I think some characters could use costume revamps.

I hope the upcoming Five of a kind can mix it up a bit more and give the title something for me to be interested in the long term.

[CYOTI]

Outsiders really needs a new writer. How can DC not see this? Surely they can't be pleased with the performance of the book over the last year or so. Other than the fact it's still a pretty solid performer despite the lack of a well known artist and the presence of a supposed writer that all the fans hate?

When the sales are telling a different story, DC is going to be listening to the money not to the fanboys.

[PastePotPete]

"Kids," or "teens." I wouldn't let a kid read any of Winick's Outsiders. Or his Green Arrow. Green Lantern, sure, and maybe Exiles, but not much of his newer stuff. And not just 'cause it sucks, 'cause it ain't kid-friendly, Outsiders and Green Arrow especially.

Hell, I'd let a kid read his Barry Ween before I'd let him or her read his new stuff.

I was just implying that I think his style is a bit immature. It often reads like an Afterschool Special with superheroes. He tries to do Buffy-speak with his dialogue but it ends up sounding like Dawson's Creek - overly ornate and pedantic, like someone insecure about their intelligence trying to sound smart.

Rucka has none of these problems. Rucka is the man.

Considering how much I dislike Winick's work and love Rucka's, this cross-over was a hard sell for me, but I guess I'm reasonably happy with how it's developing so far.

[Cayman]

Other than the fact it's still a pretty solid performer despite the lack of a well known artist and the presence of a supposed writer that all the fans hate?

When the sales are telling a different story, DC is going to be listening to the money not to the fanboys.

The sales aren't telling a different story, the book has plummeted over the last year.