Challengers of the Unknown (2nd Series)

One of the more interesting attempts to revive the first super-team of the Silver Age, this ongoing series does not include any of the original Challengers of the Unknown (except for guest appearances). Nor is it as lighthearted as the concept that spawned it.

Here, the supernatural is the “unknown” challenged by the new team, composed of racecar driver Clay Brody, pilot Marlon Corbett, software designer Kenn Kawa, and theoretical physicist Brenda Ruskin. Instead of the garish monsters and world-dominating villains their predecessors battled, this quartet encounters sinister elemental forces, killer demons and other paranormal baddies.

The tone of the series—set largely by the edgy art of John Paul Leon (Earth X, Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix)—is that of a moody thriller. Steven Grant’s (Grifter, X-Man) scripts are packed with sophisticated suspense, as much as any of DC’s other contemporary horror/fantasy titles (Hellblazer, Swamp Thing and Night Force, in particular). Ultimately, however, these newer, darker heroes were “living on borrowed time” as much as the originals. Fans of the 1960s series must have felt the absence of the burly guys in yellow jumpsuits, enough so that this revival folded after 18 issues.

Jump to issue:

#1

Feb 1997

Cover: $2.25

W: Len Kaminski, Steven Grant · A: John Paul Leon

New team

8 copies from $2.25
#2

Mar 1997

Cover: $2.25

W: Len Kaminski, Steven Grant · A: John Paul Leon

12 copies from $0.75
#3

Apr 1997

Cover: $2.25

W: Len Kaminski · A: John Paul Leon

7 copies from $0.75
#4

May 1997

Cover: $2.25

W: Len Kaminski, Steven Grant · A: John Paul Leon

Origin of Challengers

9 copies from $0.95
#5

Jun 1997

Cover: $2.25

W: Steven Grant · A: John Paul Leon

11 copies from $0.80
#6

Jul 1997

Cover: $2.25

W: Steven Grant · A: John Paul Leon

Concludes in Scare Tactics #8

9 copies from $1.10
#7

Aug 1997

Cover: $2.25

W: Steven Grant, Len Kaminski · A: John Paul Leon, Tommy Lee Edwards

Return of original Challengers

6 copies from $0.99
#8

Sep 1997

Cover: $2.25

W: Steven Grant · A: John Paul Leon, Mike Collins

Origin of both Challenger teams

6 copies from $1.24
#9

Oct 1997

Cover: $2.25

W: Steven Grant · A: John Paul Leon

4 copies from $1.64
#10

Nov 1997

Cover: $2.25

W: Steven Grant · A: Jill Thompson

8 copies from $0.99
#11

Face cover

Dec 1997

Cover: $2.25

W: Steven Grant · A: John Paul Leon

3 copies from $2.98
#12

Jan 1998

Cover: $2.25

W: Steven Grant · A: John Paul Leon

5 copies from $1.64
#13

Feb 1998

Cover: $2.25

W: Steven Grant · A: Jill Thompson

Versus banshee

8 copies from $1.85
#14

Mar 1998

Cover: $2.25

W: Steven Grant · A: Christopher Schenck

7 copies from $1.75
#15

Apr 1998

Cover: $2.25

W: Steven Grant · A: Ryan Sook

[s]1998-15.2; Continues in Superman #134; Millennium Giants

2 copies from $12.98
#16

May 1998

Cover: $2.50

W: Steven Grant · A: John Paul Leon, Mike Zeck

Tales of the original Challengers

6 copies from $1.85
#17

Jun 1998

Cover: $2.50

W: Steven Grant · A: George Freeman

7 copies from $0.99
#18

Jul 1998

Cover: $2.50

W: Steven Grant · A: Mike Zeck

Final Issue

5 copies from $1.85