From the award-winning creative team behind last year’s Event Leviathan comes the next surprising chapter in DC Comics’ deadliest saga. Leviathan has agents and acolytes all over the world, but what is the secret behind its power? The planet’s last, best hope to infiltrate Leviathan may be this motley collection of spymasters, now teamed up to try to take back the world that was stolen from under us all! Green Arrow, the Question, Talia al Ghul and other unlikely allies converge to tackle Leviathan as members of the new Checkmate, but who is the surprise hero behind this team? Big clues to the future of the DC Universe start here!
But Shaw is suddenly distracted thinking about the Batcave ... him. And then my favorite scene and moment in the book. Read Full Review
In this issue, Maleev uses a traditional art style that is paired with a changing palate of colors and tones cultivated by Stewart. Each scene is visually pleasing and engaging. I really enjoyed how the artwork completely captures the mood of each time period and setting. Read Full Review
As is typically the case, your mileage may vary with Bendis' brand of humor but since story features a lot of characters he hasn't put his mark on in a big way it's fun to see this time around. Read Full Review
Complimenting Maleev’s line work are Dave Stewarts’s colors - and boy, does Stewart compliment Maleev. Stewart’s mastery of color is expressed wonderfully throughout the issue. I would say there were four distinct set pieces throughout the issue, and the reader was queued visually to know, even without the text, that we had changed scenes, and this was all down to Stewart's colors.In all, the first issue of Checkmate continues a pretty good run for these creators on the Spy side of things in the DC Universe. Time will tell if the ideas seen within the series will bear fruit in the wider DCU - a one year delay and sometimes muddy plans - but I for one can’t wait to see more. Read Full Review
If you've been stalling on jumping into Bendis's Leviathan saga, Checkmate #1is a great starting point to see if this story is for you. Read Full Review
Having gone into Checkmate #1 completely blind, I wasn't 100% sure what I was getting into. I'm happy to report that Bendis, Maleev, and Stewart work together really well to deliver this introductory spy thriller issue. While there was more appetizer than meat and potatoes, it's still really fun. The dialogue between the characters is exciting; and I can't stress enough how much Maleev and Stewart's art brings the whole thing together. Read Full Review
I'm not sure this has the momentum to work as an event, given how long it's been since the first chapter, but the team is talented enough for me to want to see it through. Read Full Review
Checkmate is a unique comic, especially at DC Comics. You can't get this type of moody espionage storytelling anywhere else, and knowing it's just six issues keeps things interesting as this motley crew attempts to thwart a godlike villain. The book is certainly on the slower side, but it's worth a look for fans of this legendary creative team. Read Full Review
The pandemic caused this story to lose some steam, but that might play into its favor. Once again fresh in readers' minds, a smaller team with more to prove could lead this to be a very interesting book. Bendis is known for his huge events, but shifting focus to a smaller team could show that Bendis doesnt need every major character in a story to be worth reading. Read Full Review
Despite DC's tagline that its greatest detectives are behind the new Checkmate, we see no appearance of either Batman nor Detective Chimp (c'mon, can you really say the “best” detectives without including these two?). The first issue gives us Talia and Damian captured by Leviathan while the other members of the team look to piece together information and form a plan of attack. We also get some flashbacks to Shaw originally working his way into Leviathan as the first step of a master plan. Read Full Review
Checkmate #1 is an entertaining start to the series but struggles to find its feet. The characters involved possess huge potential, the partnership of Maleev and Bendis reuniting is definitely exciting. However, the plot lacks forward momentum and true clarity. The art is stunning but most of the characters are yet to get involved. This comic needs to get moving to prevent readers from losing interest. Read Full Review
This doesn't really feel like a first issue at all, more like #3 of 12, and that's difficult for understanding what's going on. Maleev's art is cleaner than some of his previous work, but muddy coloring covers some of it up. Read Full Review
As usual, Bendis seems game, but he gets stuck in his mindset of telling a story for an audience of one. Checkmate doesnt flip the board on Event Leviathan and feels especially irrelevant in the new Infinite Frontier landscape of DC. Read Full Review
This book is". fine? It's not a very explosive intro for sure, and I think it relies too heavily on the assumption that you will already be hooked. There wasn't a lot here to grab a first-time reader, and it really felt like Bendis just wanted to write more Event Leviathan. I hope it turns around, because I genuinely think this book could be amazing. But as of right now, I don't know if I can really recommend this book yet. Maybe give the series another issue or two. Read Full Review
If you were a fan of Event Leviathan and the big nothing burger that gave us, then you'll love this too because you continue to get nothing out of the first issue of this six-issue mini. The worst part is, I thought the story was dull previously, but now after having so much time removed from Leviathan and the complete lack of progression we got out of that story, this feels even worse because nothing feels like it matters because the reader, like the rest of the DC Universe, has moved on. Read Full Review
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I really became invested in the story and thought the art was absolutely perfect for setting the tone for this one. I'm really looking forward to the next issue
Well this issue has proven controversial hasn't it?
Seems its mostly about personal issues with the writer rather than the content of the book; which is pretty good overall. Its a slow burn but did anyone expect otherwise? As a detective story it has a good amount of mystery and intrigued to keep me interested. Solid first.
Not perfect, but interesting start
Found this quite interesting and to be a massive improvement for Bendis. Maybe he's just much better at non-superhero comics
I am seeing way too many Bendis haters with hard-ons around here. This isn't a perfect series since it goes off on an event that wasn't too creative. But crime dramas are where Bendis shines, even if he does make Damian a bit more annoying than he should.
Still tells nothing
Pencil/Ink: Meh
Writing: Meh
Story: Meh
Layout: Great
Color: Good
Lettering: Good
There are gaping holes in the story that are glossed over perhaps for brevity but appear as laziness. This notion is supported by terrible dialog and a dull plot twist.
A real disaster, all this Leviathan's event always was a tried to give it a dectetives and a touch of science fiction, in the path they lost the way.
The art is very good, but with the narrative it makes it tiring.
DC really had a chance to let this one go with the pandemic but nope, they still chose to indulge Bendis.
*RANT* inviting someone to your "hidden fortress" only to ambush them and get all your foot-soldiers killed is stupid. Like logistically that has to be a nightmare... you'd have to get more "expertly" trained assassins and convince them to be sworn to secrecy, only to have the very real chance of being used as fodder hang over their heads. I just found it to be such a stupid cliche.
*END OF RANT*
I had forgotten about 'Event Leviathan,' so imagine my surprise that it got a follow-up! Oh boy oh boy, a bunch of assholes that all think they're the smartest in the room get together and honestly achieve nothing. I can already sense the exhaustion I'm going to experience from hate-reading this.
*mini RANT*
I more
This... is terrible. I do not understand why this was even put out. I don't think anyone besides the two Mark Shaw fans liked Event Leviathan. And they're just deluding themselves into liking it anyway, let's be real. I just find this abysmally boring. I'm already out, but of course, I can't not read it because Bendis loves to tie all his shit together, so it'll be important to know of for DC comics. Like cancer is important to know of in the human body.
Look, I like DC Comics more than Marvel Comics. But can we PLEASE get rid of Brian Michael Bendis? He isnt the same writer as he was when he did Ultimate Spider-Man. The only good modern story he did was All New X-Men and Batman: Detective.
This thing is among the top ten boring things I have read.
Boring and pointless, this was long waited by no one, save your money, don't waste your time
Brendis should dedicate himself to singing or dancing or retire, because writing is definitely not happening to him.
I keep doing this to myself and have to stop. Once again, I decided to try another book written by Bendis and once again, I found it to be complete garbage.
DC really does need to get rid of him; his work is just awful.
Benjamin Percy left Green Arrow in a cool place where he has gone through a huge trial, bitter against the Justice League, and J'onn J'onzz leaves him with a mystery box that could possibly take down the League.
Only for Bendis to come along and give us...all of this. GA relegated to yet another team where he feels placed in just for name recognition, not because he wanted to join the team or if he would make sense on said team. I dunno. I just want Bendis to pretty please stop writing DC Comics, it hurts.
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