Comic Title: Action Comics #598
Publisher: DC (DC Comics Inc.)
Address: 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: March 1988
On Sale Date: December 1, 1987 Shipping Date December 1, 1987
Source: DC Releases, #46

Shipping Date December 1, 1987
Source: Amazing Heroes, #130

Newsstand Date December 24, 1987
Source: Amazing Heroes, #130

Copyright Date December 22, 1987
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1987

Frequency: Monthly
Cover Price: $0.75
Page Count: 32
Editor: Mike Carlin

Title: "Checkmate"
Pages: 22

Feature(s):
Superman (Post-Crisis)
Checkmate

Plotter/Penciller: John L. Byrne
Writer: Paul Kupperberg
Inker: Ty Templeton
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Petra Scotese (Goldberg)

Reprinted In:
Superman:The Man of Steel Vol. 8 TPB (2014)
Superman:The Man of Steel Vol. 4 HC (2022)

Feature Character(s)

• Superman (last appearance in Adventures of Superman #438; next appearance in World of Smallville #1)
• Checkmate (Knight-Two named; next appearance in Checkmate #1)
• Harry Stein (last appearance in Doom Patrol #6; next appearance in Checkmate #1)
• Harvey Bullock (last appearance in Vigilante #50; next appearance in Checkmate #1)
• Grace Guiness (a Checkmate official; not named in this story; next appearance in Checkmate #1)

Supporting Character(s)

• Lois Lane (last appearance in Adventures of Superman #438; next appearance in Superman #16)
• Perry White (last appearance in Action Comics #595; next appearance in Superman #16)
• Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in Adventures of Superman #438; next appearance in Superman #16)
• Catherine Grant (last appearance in Adventures of Superman #438; next appearance in Adventures of Superman #439)

Villain(s)

• The Angels of Allah (a terrorist group; the Jackal and the Fist of Allah named; no further appearances)
• Achmed Khareemali (Qurac's Minister of Defense; no further appearances)

Guest Appearance(s)

• B.J. (Harry Stein's secretary; next appearance in Checkmate #1)

Other Character(s)

• A Navy officer (no further appearances)

Cameo Appearance(s)

• Lana Lang (in Superman's thoughts)
• Gangbuster (in Superman's thoughts)
• Booster Gold (in Superman's thoughts)
• Lex Luthor (in Superman's thoughts)
• Wonder Woman (in Superman's thoughts)
• Batman (in Superman's thoughts)
• Hawkman (in Superman's thoughts)
• Martian Manhunter (in Superman's thoughts)
• Arisia (in Superman's thoughts)
• Kilowog (in Superman's thoughts)

Synopsis:
Lois Lane conducts an interview with Khareemali, Qurac's defense minister, who is in Metropolis to denounce Superman's actions against his country. Angered that a woman is sent to do the interview, the minister has his guard seize Lois. Members of a rival terrorist group known as the Angels of Allah then storm the office and take Lois and the minister hostage.

To ensure Superman is distracted, other members of the terrorist group hijack a Navy aircraft carrier and plant a bomb on its nuclear reactor. Lois is rescued by a man in black wearing a modified knight's mask. Superman meets a man in similar garb aboard the carrier. This man helps Superman defeat the terrorists. After the crisis is over, both "knights" disappear.

Lois then returns to the Daily Planet to write up her story. Clark writes up the story about the carrier. Elsewhere Harry Stein and Harvey Bullock hold a meeting. Their secret government organization, known as Checkmate, employed the two knights. Harry receives a report that the defense minister has left American airspace. He then detonates an explosive on Khareemali's plane, destroying it.