Challengers of the Unknown #69

By Denny O’Neil, Jack Sparling

Publisher: DC Comics 1969

Created by Jack Kirby at the dawn of the Silver Age this series continued long after he moved on to other publishers. Pilot Ace Morgan, wrestler Rocky Davis, acrobat Red Ryan and professional diver Professor Haley were strangers en route to an appearance on the “Heroes” radio show. There they were to be honored for their individual acts of heroism. On the way there, however, their plane was caught in a violent storm and crashed. The four miraculously survived, but they were changed by the experience. They felt they were living on borrowed time and decided to take on all life’s challenges for as long as it lasted. Thus the four strangers became the Challengers of the Unknown, fearless adventurers dedicated to exploring the edges of existence.

The group first debuted in Showcase #6, later going on to star in this long-lived series which ran on-and-off from 1958 to 1978.

1st appearance of Corinna Stark; "The Secret of Skull Mountain" is written by Denny O'Neil and drawn by Jack Sparling. Cover by Joe Kubert. The Challengers respond to the FBI's call for help in solving a series of brutal murders in a small town in the Ozarks. No sooner do they arrive when they hear another victim in the making. Rushing to the scene, the Challs come face to face with a nine-foot horror straight out of Frankenstein. They battle the monster to a standstill but it escapes forcing the Challs to follow on foot through the snow. Along the way, the evil force growing inside Prof goads him into nearly killing Ace.

The giant's tracks lead to a gothic-style castle, apparently owned by a long-hair type named Algernon Stark. The Challs ask permission to look around and in a sub-basement discover not only the monster but also Stark's beautiful daughter Corrina, who has been locked up with it. Rocky uses his wrestler muscles to break into to save the girl and another titanic battle with the creature ensues. Finally, the monster is electrocuted and its secret revealed. The monster is a horribly mutated clone of a man the Challengers have been looking for and Algernon Stark is the mad genius behind these unholy experiments (a plot reminiscent of the classic Star Trek episode "What Are Little Girls Made Of?"). When Stark threatens to kill the Challs and his own daughter, Prof steps in to take the bullet. After all, with a demon possessing his soul, what does he have to live for? Will this be the end of the Challengers?

▲ VG CONDITION, with the usual surface wear & slight rubbing to covers from book being handled, read and stored. Solid, Bright copy.

▲ Please refer to scanned images- they are accurate and have not been edited or corrected and, as always, are worth at least a thousand words.

▲ Use TITLE, KEYWORD, TERM, ARTIST or CHARACTER name in QUALITY COMICS' STORE search to find other items.

▲ Additional images & information available upon request

#sashakeen #qualitycomicsamerica @sashakeen @qualitycomicsamerica

BIT COIN ACCEPTED!

Please Visit our sister shops for more Quality Collectibles & NEET STUFF!:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ephemarama/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Neetorama/

...................................................................................................................................................

Please FAVORITE and Like us! "BOOKMARK" & "FOLLOW" us to stay informed and you really should "LIKE" our FB page:

▲ https://www.facebook.com/qualitycomicsamerica/

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

and don't forget to check us out here:

▲ https://www.pinterest.com/sashaalexandrek/

▲ http://www.redbubble.com/people/sashakeen/portfolio/

▲ https://plus.google.com/u/0/108234463405922194503/posts/

..........

"High End and Low Brow"

QUALITY COMICS AMERICA, a glorious part of the NEET-O-RAMA Internet Empire, "Dedicated to the Neglected Collector", has been since 1976, a primary source for vintage books, comics, baby boomer toys, ephemera, memorabilia & collectibles. Committed to preserving Mostly American Pop Art & Pop Culture artifacts as well as similar examples from around the World.

..........

More NEET STUFF can be found on etsy by visiting these teams or using the appropriate tags listed below:

COMICS-

https://www.etsy.com/teams/24901/strictly-4-vintage-comics

4comicsteam, uk comics, us. comics, comic books, dell comics, d.c. thomson, charlton comics, superhero memorabilia,

https://www.etsy.com/teams/13611/comic-books

https://www.etsy.com/teams/14497/dc-universe

dc comics, marvel comics, justice league, batman, superman, superhero,

https://www.etsy.com/teams/14767/marvel-excelsior

comics, marvel, stan lee, excelsior, comic books,

https://www.etsy.com/teams/15638/geeks-unleashed

geek, nerd, anime, geekery, comic book,

https://www.etsy.com/teams/10185/disneyana

disney, disneyana, mickey mouse,

VINTAGE EPHEMERA:

https://www.etsy.com/teams/11978/got-vintage-shops-team

vintage, antiques, ephemera, gvs team, gotvintage, memorabilia, collectibles,

https://www.etsy.com/teams/15100/rare-vintage-bookspapers

70s, art, book, rare, paper, magazine, photography, graphic.poster,

https://www.etsy.com/teams/13509/vintage-magazine-madness/discuss/15327191/

mag, vmm, weekly, monthly, magazines, periodical,

https://www.etsy.com/teams/10903/vintage-addiction

mid century, promotional, vintage toys, vintage ephemera, vateam, retro,

https://www.etsy.com/teams/7374/vintage-books

vbteam, vintage books, booksellers,

POP CULTURE:

https://www.etsy.com/teams/11695/pop-culture-passion

pop culture, pcp team, pop culture team,

https://www.etsy.com/teams/12802/the-attic

steam punk, music, 1950s-80s inspired, mod, punk rock, rockabilly, psychobilly,

VINTAGE TOY COLLECTIBLES:

https://www.etsy.com/teams/21770/vintage-toys

toy, automobiles, action figures, tin toys, kitsch,