Friday, April 22, 2011

The Janus Directive: Checkmate vs Task Force X

So I decided to open up this posting with a Janus Directive house ad for those of your who aren't as familiar with that cross title DC saga. It's a pretty large file so you can magnify it for a better read. You might find it interesting to know that in mythological terms Janus was the "two faced" god of beginnings and transitions. So Checkmate and Task Force X found themselves among the various U.S. agencies and organizations duped by Kobra into fighting amongst themselves.
Certain members of Checkmate's strategy was to capture Amanda Waller in order to get leverage on Task Force X (Checkmate #16 Vol.1 1989). A hand full of agents break into Belle Reve and quietly attempt to subdue Belle Reve's security personnel as well as members of The Suicide Squad. One of their first targets is Captain Boomerang and as usual they make the mistake of underestimating him.
Once you've read enough books that feature Capt. Boomerang you get to a point where you can almost see what's going on in a live action way in your head. It's like you can actually hear him talking with that Aussie accent. It's one of the things that makes him such a fun character to follow.
By this point in the issue I was laughing out loud.

I'm sure at this point you have some idea happens what the next "rang" does that Digger is about to throw. Also seen in this issue is Bronze Tiger in some hand to hand combat against the other invading Checkmate agents. In the middle of this Waller makes good her escape from Belle Reve and the Checkmate agents are forced to abort their mission and flee. Eventually of course all the players involved figure out they've been had by Kobra and combine forces in the final showdown to stop Kobra from his latest doomsday scheme.

5 comments:

  1. I couldn't get to a computer yesterday, so I'm apologising for lateness.
    I hadn't read those checkmate issues. I don't think they were publishe in the Brazilian version we had here.
    This is the first time i'm seein these scenes. Very cool! I wish I would read the whole story.
    It was easy to underestimate Harkness, with all his bravado and complaining, but people forget all the time, he would do anything to protect himself.
    He only spent one second on beeing surprised, and one boomerang after another was already flying.
    Oh, and Aussie accent is sexy. I just finnished watching an aussie decoration show on TV.(On or In?)
    Also the art was diferent from the reagular artists on SS. I really like it.
    I'm really eager for issue 24 of Brightest Day. I'm kind of afraid of what will come out of it.

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  2. Another thing.
    Boomerang didn't have his explosive bracelet on, when in civilian clothes.
    Then, with his boomerang outfit, the bracelet was there again.
    What comes? Was it glued to his glove, or did it became a fashion statement, to wear on missions?
    If he still need the bracelet to stay, wouldn't it be contraproductive to take it out to take a bath?
    I would run away naked.

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  3. well i just got done reading your comment Aliera and i was very thorough about it. and i'd like to start off by saying that i can do a VERY convincing Australian accent. i don't have any explosive bracelets for you but don't let that stop you from what you said at the end of your second comment.
    well you know in my "Road Warrior" posting of Boomerang I did talk about how dangerous he can be. as to the last Checkmate panel with the bracelet i think it's just something the artist drew with out thinking it out the way you did : )
    so i have a question for you my dear. so when Brightest Day comes out is there somewhere you can buy it in Portugal or do you have to read parts of it online?

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  4. There is a comics store that I told you before, where I can buy them. I just can't get them as soon as you do.
    So sometimes I avoid spoilers, but most of the time I'm too curious to care and I read every preview and critic around, about what I like.
    Anyway, the brazilian editor doesn't publish in here anymore, but a geek worthy of the title reads the original version.
    I'm glad you don't have an explosive bracelet for me. I would be a very uncooperative member of SS.
    Did they think Harkness was hard to handle? They didn't met little me. Imagine, "go there, you might (very probably) get killed, but you'll have your sentence reduced. Oh! Do that undercover, with a HUGE but very discreet explosive wrapped on your wrist. It's only fashionable"
    Yeah.

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  5. Today is a hollyday here, but you have a free comic book day. That is amazing.

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