[blind-chess] US Chess History article 14
- From: Roderick Macdonald <rmacd@xxxxxxxx>
- To: Blind Chess Mailing List <blind-chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 6 May 2010 19:29:54 -1000 (HST)
US Chess History Article 14
Superman & Chess
by Ray Alexis
Did you know that the very first time Superman appeared on the cover of a
comic book, he was depicted as a chess piece? Ray Alexis, of Chess
Collectors' International-whose chess set collection draws oohs and ahs at
the World Chess Hall of Fame-explains.
Action Comics #1 was issued in June 1938. It marked the birth of super
hero Superman. Created by Jerry Seigel and drawn by Joe Shuster, Superman
emerged as, perhaps, the greatest super hero that fiction has ever known!
According to my research, the first appearance of Superman on a comic
cover involving chess is Action Comics #112 issued in September 1947 by DC
Comics. On this cover, Superman and Mr. Mxyztplk, an adversary, are
depicted as chess pieces. The actual scene has the two characters on a
chessboard with Superman punching out his foe. The cover text, which
suggests a chess related story line, is " it's Mr. Mxyztplk again playing
a goofy game with Superman in 'The Cross-Country Chess Crimes'."
The next appearance of Superman, in a chess context, is in Justice League
of America #1 (Oct-Nov 1960). This comic is important for two reasons: 1)
It is a #1 in a series and therefore, from a collector's point of view
commands a special price, and 2) it has a classic chess-like cover. The
Flash is seated at a chessboard playing against the villain Despero, a
three-eyed, pink-skinned alien with a serrated gila monster style headfin.
Seated around the table are the other heroes Wonder Woman, Green Lantern,
Aquaman and the Martian Manhunter. Their likenesses, plus those of
Superman and Batman, are the chess pieces. As the Flash moves the Green
Lantern piece, Green Lantern begins to disappear from his seat. The
chessboard is incorrectly set up as it is rotated ninety degrees; this
happens about half the time in comic books. The story includes the cover
scene, but we learn that the game being played in not exactly chess.
Despero has paralyzed the other heroes and challenges Flash to save them.
There is to be only one danger square for each hero. Flash's odds are 63:1
in his favor but he manages to pick the danger square six times in a row!
How can this happen? Despero is cheating of course. If Flash couldn't have
seen this one coming, he's not as fast as he's cracked up to be!?
Despero is at it again in Justice League of America #178. This time he's
playing chess with Martian Manhunter. The cover scene has seven heroes
(Aquaman, The Atom, Batman, Black Canary, Green Arrow, Superman and
Zatanna) as chessmen on a chessboard. Each is entombed in a glass cylinder
with a footed base. The Justice League of America, for which this comic
series is named, is a band of super heroes, each an invincible champion of
justice, formed to fight crime and evil. The story, "The Chess-Master of
Mars", continues within. The visual effects throughout the story,
particularly as they relate to chess, are very well done! The comic was
published in May 1980.
In April 1992, DC Comics released Justice League America #61 (not to be
confused with the former series Justice League of America). The cover is
remarkably similar to JLA#1! What is changed are "the players" (I suppose
that the JLA team, and there enemies have changed since 1960). Blue Beetle
is playing against the new adversary, Weapons Master. Other heroes seated
around the table are Booster, Green Lantern, Ice, Maxima and Superman.
Fire, another hero in the story line, is omitted from the cover scene. The
board is again incorrectly rotated ninety degrees, and most interesting,
the pieces are still on the same six squares (a1, a6, c5, d3 [the killer
square], d7 and g5!). The comic's cover title is dubbed "Pawns of the
Weapon's Master!" The chess story line is continued, somewhat extensively,
into the next issue (#62/May 1992) of JLA.
In 1997, DC Comics issued a unusual comic Superman/Wonder Woman (book
four). The comic has a chess related cover, chess graphics within, and a
Nazi theme.
Finally, the cover of Superman #137 (August 1998) has our hero at the
chessboard making a move against his opponent, the malevolent Muto. Once
again DC Comics produces a cover similar to that of JLA#1; although now
the setting is 2999a.d. and the story title is "World Without a Future."
Others around the table are the heroes Supergirl, Green Lantern, Aquaman,
and The Bat (a futuristic version of Batman).
If you were to be paired against Superman, say at a chess tournament,
you'd no doubt be in awe of his very presence. So to even matters
somewhat, I suggest you find some kryptonite and always bring it with you
with your other chess gear.
__________________________________________________________________
About the author: To say that Ray is an avid collector of chess
memorabilia is a gross understatement! He is the editor of The CCI-USA
News, a publication of Chess Collectors International. He is also the
president of Chess On Stamps Study Unit, an international group which
focuses on chess philately. Other major interests include chess art, Mardi
Gras doubloons with a chess motif-which he has researched thoroughly for
nine years, and The CHESS 'n stuff Museum, located in Longmont, Colorado.
----------
Copyright U.S. Chess Hall of Fame
All rights reserved
http://www.excaliburelectronics.com/history_archive.html
==========
The blind-chess mailing list
View list information and change your settings: //www.freelists.org/list/blind-chess
List archives: //www.freelists.org/archives/blind-chess
=========
Other related posts:
- » [blind-chess] US Chess History article 14 - Roderick Macdonald