Arak / Son of Thunder #40

In "Shah Mat! The King Is Dead!", Arak faces a deadly game of shatranj where lives are the stakes, as the Caliph forces a battle of chess with living pieces—Arak and his allies against the guardsmen. After a near-fatal injury, young Alsind is healed by Arak’s shaman magic, only to turn on the Caliph, igniting a confrontation that leads to a high-stakes duel of strategy and survival. Written by Roy and Dann Thomas and illustrated with fierce precision by Tony DeZuniga, with colors by Adrienne Roy and letters by L. Lois Buhalis, this 1985 issue delivers a gripping blend of ancient intrigue and personal stakes, all wrapped in DeZuniga’s dynamic cover art.