So You Want To Read Comics: Chess Edition

It’s all about gambits (not that one) in this week’s So You Want to Read Comics.  This is our weekly feature where we take a look at a single topic or genre, then give you two comic book recommendations, perfect for new readers, based on that topic or genre.  This week we’re looking at comics for fans of chess.

Chess is considered by many to be the ultimate board game.  It is a test of skill, intelligence, and strategy that pits players against each other in a pure contest. It is believed that chess is an ancient game, although much of that history is based on speculation.  The first time that a game that is recognizable as chess, called chaturanga,  was recorded was in 7th century C.E. India.  The game then spread through Persia, eventually making its way to Europe.  It went through many changes and alterations until evolving into the version we’re most familiar with around 1500 C.E.  Chess is played in nearly every country in the world with identical rules, making it one of the few games that can be played between players from anywhere. It has also managed to remain popular for centuries with no indication that’s going to change. The game has also taken on a life of its own within media and entertainment.  It is often used as a visual representation of a struggle between two entities, like in The 7th Seal or as shorthand used to display a character’s intelligence like in Sherlock Holmes – A Game of Shadows.

Here are a couple of comics that would be perfect for fans of chess, looking to get into comic book reading.

BLACK AND WHITE: THE RISE AND FALL OF BOBBY FISCHER

Writer: Julian Voloj
Artist: Wagner Willian
Publisher: Abrams ComicArt

Throughout the history of chess, there have been a few names that have become synonymous with the sport.  Names like Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen have managed to become known beyond just the fandom of chess.  But there’s no player who is as well-known as Bobby Fischer.   Bobby lived a tumultuous life that first saw him becoming a champion, then getting roped into Cold War propaganda, then to a troubled fight with mental health.   This graphic novel tries to capture his life and show him as a person rather than simply an interesting story of a public figure.  While the majority of this graphic novel is about his personal life, not just his skill as a chess player, there are some moments where his approach to the game is examined.  It also features very lovely black-and-white art and utilizes chess motifs to inform the panel layouts and some of the art direction.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE SILVER AGE VOL. 1

Writer: Gardner Fox
Artist: Mike Sekowsky
Publisher: DC Comics

It’s hard to imagine a world where The Justice League wasn’t a thing in the DC Universe.  But, back in the 1960s, the iconic team was just getting their start as a group, and it was not clear yet if readers were going to enjoy having all these heroes in one title.  As you might’ve guessed, people did enjoy it, and the experiment worked, partially due to the strength of the early stories.  One of these stories was called The World with No Return, and it features the JLA up against an evil alien named Despero, who would go on to be a recurring villain who continues to make appearances in comics and comic-related media.  In it Flash must play a chess-like game, featuring his friends as pieces, in order to save them from Despero and in doing so freeing an entire enslaved world.  I’ll admit, the ties to chess are pretty slim here, but these Silver-Age stories are a great way to get into comic book reading as they are fairly simple and have very low barriers to entry.  Even if you’re just looking for some cheesy fun, this volume will do it for you.

Are you good at chess? What did you think of these recommendations? Let us know in the comments section below.

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