Unca Cheeks the Toy Wonder's Silver Age Comics Web Site!

(This page is dedicated to PAT... who successfully challenges the unknown every freakin' day.)

One of the most fondly-remembered of all the classic "Silver Age" DC Comics series'... and for darned good reason.

CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN chronicled the fantastic exploits of four men -- jet pilot "Ace" Morgan; marine biologist and all-around genius "Prof" Haley; circus acrobat and mountain climber "Red" Riley; and strongman/wrestling champion "Rocky" Davis -- who'd dedicated the remaining allotment of their natural lifespans to investigating the inexplicable, and winning out over Weirdness with a capital "W."

The foursome first met under less than ideal circumstances: they were the sole survivors of an otherwise fatal plane crash. Noting -- in the aftermath -- that the wristwatches of all four menn had "stopped" at precisely the same moment, they took it as an auger that they were all, henceforth, "living on borowed time"... and, therefore, ought to spend the rest of their days "challenging the unknown."

The series was yet another stand-out creation of the talented Jack Kirby/Joe Simon duo (creators of CAPTAIN AMERICA, as well as a horde of other memorable series' over the decades). And -- while the issues penciled and penned by these two worthies are (justifiably) lauded by knowledgeable fans of the genre -- it is, nonetheless, the lengthier Arnold Drake (writer)/Bob Brown (artist) run of the 1960's which most engaged my own childhood fancy, back in the day... and , therefore, the issues with which we will be chiefly concerning ourselves, in this particular.

Labeling those Drake-scripted tales as "outrageous" or "bizarre" understates the case considerably, to be sure. A typical example of just how outre was the standard Challengers outing was their run-in with a ravening horde of bio-engineered "killer bunnies" [see page, accompanying], courtesy of the group's chiefest nemesis: the self-styled "Challengers-Haters."

(An interesting point, here: Rocky's response to his teammate's inability to dislodge the lethal lapine in this scene is to "... chop my arm off, fellahs! I mean it!" While matters (thankfully) never reached such an unenviable pass as all of that, ultimately... it is typical of the (repeatedly demonstrated) mind-set of the four adventurers, in the main. Just try imagining [say] Aquaman, or the Atom, imploring their Justice League brethren to lop off one of their appendages, under similar situ, rather than allow a proven menace to [possibly] escape and threaten others, in turn. These men really, truly did take this "living on borrowed time" stuff Dead Seriously.)
Eventually, of course... such repeated head-butting against Horrors Unimaginable was bound to catch up with one (or more) ofthe fearless foursome. In issue #55 of CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN... it was "Red's" luck which was, tragically, the first to expire. [See cover, accompanying]

"Red" Ryan died in that issue.

For real. No foolin'.

In "Taps For Red," a quartet of doomsday devices -- engineered to bring about unimaginable geological upheaval on a planetary scale -- had been secreted in four separate locations, throughout the globe. The four Challengers split up to destroy each of these, in turn, with explosive weaponry of the "Prof's" invention... thus, averting world-wide catastrophe.

Unfortunately, the device being carried by "Red" failed to respond to the short-fange radio signal from the man's detonator... so the plucky mountaineer selflessly chose to scramble out onto the field and activate the device, himself. By hand.
As beloved (and notoriously smart-alecky) Hanna-Barbera cartoon character "Snagglepuss" might have parsed it, at that point: "Exit, 'Red' Ryan; Stage Right."

It was, I can assure you, a truly startling storytelling occurence, so far as the readership of the day was concerned. Back in the early 1960's, you see... continuing comics characters simply did. not. DIE, by golly!

(The only remotely comparable event, really -- in the DC comics of the period, at any rate -- was the equally-unheralded [and unexpected] death of short-time Legionnaire "Ferro Lad," over in the pages of ADVENTURE COMICS. However: as startling [and pivotal] as that demise was, as well... Ferro Lad had only been a member of the teen "Legion of Super-Heroes" for a few months, before ultimately shuffling off of this mortal coil. "Red" Ryan's explosive ending was -- by way of comparison -- very nearly like losing a favorite uncle.)
Speaking of which: not everyone the whole wide world over was satisfied with the ashen-faced explanation of the remaining Challengersas to why their ranks had suddenly been depleted by 25%. Certainly, the young rock'n'roll teen idol (and part-time technological "whiz kid") known as "Tino Mannary" had a few pointed inquiries to raise, in that regard. [See pictures, accompanying]

Tino spent several issues harrying and hounding the remaining Challengers, re: the precise nature of "Red" Ryan's untimely passing. He arranged elaborate, super-scientific "death-traps" for them, when the answers he received failed to leave him suitably mollifed, in turn. The Challengers were at something of a loss to explain why this (seemingly) complete and total stranger to all of them should be so obsessive in his investigations; so determinedly deadly, in response to his frustrations over same.

It wasn't until some time later that the foursome finally divined the simple, unvarnished truth of the matter: "Tino Mannary" wasn't "a complete and total stranger"... at least, not to one of their number.

He also wasn't really "Tino Mannary."

You see... "Mannary" was just a stage name.

His real, legal surname was -- in fact -- Ryan.

... as in: "baby brother." ) [See pictures, accompanying]

It took no little time and effort, on the part of "Ace" and Company, to convince the sulky sibling that "Red's" hooking up with the Choir Invisible wasn't (as he seemed so readily disposed to presume) the result of either inter-team jealousies or gross incompetence on the respective parts of the other Challengers. Eventually, the young combination Reed Richards/Rick Springfield became a sort of unofficial "fifth Challenger" -- devising far-out weaponry and modes of transport for the team, If and When the curcumstances warranted it.

In the meantime, however...

The remaining three Challengers carried on, squaring theirimprobably broad shoulders against the devastating emotional weight of their loss... only to be confronted, months later, by the alchemical adversary known only as "Neutro" [see cover, accompanying].
Bad enough that "Ace," "Prof" and "Rocky" had to deal with a foeman who blithely went about transforming any and all opponents into various representations from the periodic table...
... but to discover -- immediately after triumphing over such a menace -- that the creature in question is none other than your dear, departed comrade-in-arms... ?!?

Yup. Believe it or not (and your own incredulity -- I hasten to assure you -- may only pale when held aloft in comparison to the Challengers' own), "Neutro" was The Dear, Departed his own bad self: "Red" Ryan!

It seemed that the aformentioned bomb blast -- rather than rendering the Alps-loving adventurer sufficiently deceased -- merely left him sore, bedraggled, and banged-up... and sporting one king-size whopper of a case of total amnesia.

[IMPORTANT NOTE TO ANY SMALL CHILDREN READING THIS TEXT: "Red" Ryan -- as well as all of the other members of the "Challengers of the Unknown" -- is a trained and highly-skilled professional comic book character. As such, he is able to safely perform such otherwise dangerous "stunts" as the Ground Zero detonation of doomsday bombs without suffering permanent injury or impairment. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DUPLICATE THESE FEATS ON YOUR OWN. Ask Mommy or Daddy to do it, instead.] )

In any event: whilst staggering around the countryside in search of his scattered and missing marbles, "Red" came across a member of the previously referenced "Challenger-Haters" clan -- one "Multi-Man" by name; a bald, malevolent dwarven shape-shifter (although why any self-respecting shape-shifter would willingly choose to remain shriveled and hairless... well; that's not really germane, is it...? Never mind. Forget that I said anything). ) [See pictures, accompanying]

Through a series of events too bothersome to recount here, in full detail... "Red" happened to ingest the scientific super-serum which enabled Multi-Man to asume practically any form imaginable; became "Neutro," as a result; and -- still amnesiac -- found himself in conflict with his erstwhile ex-comrades, as a result. And here you thought THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS was confusing. )

My own personal favorite "character kink" in the CHALLENGERS canon, however, was the bizarre symbiotic relationship "enjoyed" (if that's truly the applicable designation, here) between the bookish, pacifistic "Prof" and the mute, ultra-violent supernatural/cybernetic entity known as "the Wraith." [See cover, accompanying]

(... and, by the way: isn't this a gorgeous cover...? Theartistic handiwork of comics penciling legend Neal Adams. Better than this, it just does not get. EVER.)

The Wraith and "Prof" shared, it seemed, "virtually identical brain wave patterns" (ahhhhhhh... comic book techno-babble; gotta love it. Gotta love it)... and this synchronicity in sentience, in turn, rendered the gentle biologist all-too-susceptible to the mental ministrations of the silent and implacable killing machine.

In other words: whatever bloodthirsty actions the Wraith chose to indulge in... "Prof" would find himself (involuntarily, natch) mimicking them, in turn.

Hell of a conversational "ice-breaker," at parties. )

DC has attempted to "update" the venerable CHALLENGERS concept many a time over the years, since their initial run finally ground to a halt. These have ranged from the worthwhile (the latest incarnation -- only recently cancelled, alas -- with an entirely new cast of characters, has been exemplary) to the worthless outright...

... but none of 'em have ever successfully duplicated that same "magic" that characterized the initial run of this series: a giddy, whirlwind, hell-bent-for-leather sense of: "... oh, yeah. It could happen."

Today's readers, you see, are far, far too "sophisticated" for homicidal, shape-shifting gnomes, and killer bunny rabbits. And stuff like that, there.

Their loss. )

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