DCU Comic Book Reviews

CHECKMATE #6

Rogue Squad, Part One

November 2006

Written by Greg Rucka, Nunzio DeFilippis & Christina Weir

Pencils by Cliff Richards

Inks by Dan Green

Cover by Lee Bermejo & Patricia Mulvhill

Synopsis

In Quarac, the Bronze Tiger frees Rick Flag from prison.  At the United Nations in New York, White Queen Amanda Waller attempts to convince the members to an operation in Myanmar, which has seen an increase in energy that may have been from a meta-human.  The members decide to table the proposal indefinitely.  Elsewhere, Mirror Master convinces Icicle to join a new Suicide Squad, one intended to find a way to screw Waller by heading into Myanmar.  Icicle is concerned the Society and specifically the Calculator is watching, but Mirror Master convinces them it is worth the risk.  In Detroit, Waller convinces Bronze Tiger and Rick Flag to help reform the Suicide Squad.  In Myanmar, scientists are careful to keep their new human energy source in good shape.  Meanwhile, the Suicide Squad uses mirrors to travel to Myanmar for their mission, but they get there to find that the Calculator of the Society knew they were coming....

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

“No, it’s totally okay for him to do that.  Dogs are dime a dozen, but experimentation with explosives is priceless.”

This issue was quite good.  Except for the Mirror Master (whom I remember from the Flash written by Geoff Johns) and Punch and Jewelee (whom I remember from a short scene in Manhunter), I am not all familiar with any of these characters.  I actually think this works to my favor as I don’t have preconceived notions of these people should be or how they should act or if this appearance in any way contradicts other appearances.  As such I viewed them as they are, loser criminals looking for a way to clear their records.  Or in this case to get rid of Waller.  The ending with the Society and the knowledge that Bronze Tiger and Rick Flag are on board as well makes the next couple of issues intriguing. 

The good news about this issue is that even though it was not written by Rucka, he still maintains control over the story so that it flows nicely from the previous issues.  We still have the topics of the selection of the new White King, a quick mention of the new Black Knight, and we still have Sasha’s romance with Mr. Terrific.  Some may argue that the Suicide Squad has hijacked the regular flow of the series for this fill-in story arc.  But, to me, this does not seem like a fill-in issue.  Credit must go to DeFilippis and Weir who have worked with Rucka before and have seamlessly blended their story into the overall Checkmate story. 

I do not think the plan for the new Suicide Squad was actually revealed in this issue just as we don’t really know the reason why Waller wants to go into Myanmar.  At the moment all we know is that Waller wants to go there, but it was the Suicide Squad that got there first.  The assumption is that they are both after the person strapped into the energy chamber, but Waller only has speculation that there might be a meta-human source. 

Interesting to note that as of this moment, Mr. Terrific is still a member of Checkmate, but I doubt that will last too much longer.  The new Justice Society of America starts soon.

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