Challengers of the Unknown Archives, Vol. 1 (DC Archive Editions)

Rating:
Summary: What Jack Kirby did between Joe Simon and Stan Lee
Review: The American comic book reached its low point in the 1950s, primarily because the Comics Code gutted EC comics, which meant not only the horror titles like "Tales of the Crypt" but also the science fiction and war titles as well. During that period the team of Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, creaters of Captain America, The Boy Commandos, and the Newboy Legion, ended their partnership as well. Kirby turned to a concept that he had been kicking around and the "Challengers of the Unknown" was published by DC Comics in 1957. The Foreword by Paul Kupperberg in this volume will help put the comic in historical perspective.

Our story begins in "Showcase" #6 with the crash of a small airplane from which four men walk away: Ace Morgan, the war hero and test pilot; Rocky Davis, the heavyweight boxing champ; Red Ryan, the mountain climber and circus daredevil; and Professor Haley, a deep sea scientist. When the quartet walked away from the plane crash they declared that they were now living on "borrowed time," and the next thing we know they are wearing purple uniforms and playing hero. Since, by rights, they should be dead, they are fearless and foolhearty, even by comic book standards. This particular comic book was unusual in that issues usually had a single story, which was quite against the norm at that point in history. That was really more innovative than having a group of relatively normal guys be the heroes. However, the menaces they fought were almost always extraordinary: prehistoric monsters hatched from giant eggs, criminals traveling throught time, and angry aliens.

Volume 1 of the DC Archive Edition of "Challengers of the Unknown" collects "Showcase" #6-7, #11-12, and, "The Challengers of the Unknown" #1-2, including the original covers from this Silver Age classic. The chief attraction here is the art by Kirby, with the first four scripts being written by Dave Wood. These are essentially superhero comic books without superheroes. Much is made of the fact that four years later Kirby and Stan Lee would create the Fantastic Four for Marvel Comics, but seeking out the parallels is only half the fun. These comic stand on their own as fairly unique and ambitious, although once Kirby left they quickly fell out of favor.

Rating:
Summary: What Jack Kirby did between Joe Simon and Stan Lee
Review: The American comic book reached its low point in the 1950s, primarily because the Comics Code gutted EC comics, which meant not only the horror titles like "Tales of the Crypt" but also the science fiction and war titles as well. During that period the team of Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, creaters of Captain America, The Boy Commandos, and the Newboy Legion, ended their partnership as well. Kirby turned to a concept that he had been kicking around and the "Challengers of the Unknown" was published by DC Comics in 1957. The Foreword by Paul Kupperberg in this volume will help put the comic in historical perspective.

Our story begins in "Showcase" #6 with the crash of a small airplane from which four men walk away: Ace Morgan, the war hero and test pilot; Rocky Davis, the heavyweight boxing champ; Red Ryan, the mountain climber and circus daredevil; and Professor Haley, a deep sea scientist. When the quartet walked away from the plane crash they declared that they were now living on "borrowed time," and the next thing we know they are wearing purple uniforms and playing hero. Since, by rights, they should be dead, they are fearless and foolhearty, even by comic book standards. This particular comic book was unusual in that issues usually had a single story, which was quite against the norm at that point in history. That was really more innovative than having a group of relatively normal guys be the heroes. However, the menaces they fought were almost always extraordinary: prehistoric monsters hatched from giant eggs, criminals traveling throught time, and angry aliens.

Volume 1 of the DC Archive Edition of "Challengers of the Unknown" collects "Showcase" #6-7, #11-12, and, "The Challengers of the Unknown" #1-2, including the original covers from this Silver Age classic. The chief attraction here is the art by Kirby, with the first four scripts being written by Dave Wood. These are essentially superhero comic books without superheroes. Much is made of the fact that four years later Kirby and Stan Lee would create the Fantastic Four for Marvel Comics, but seeking out the parallels is only half the fun. These comic stand on their own as fairly unique and ambitious, although once Kirby left they quickly fell out of favor.

Rating:
Summary: Kirby without Stan Lee
Review: This Archive Edition of four Showcase tryouts and the first two issues of Challengers of the Unknown presents a delightful kalidescope of romping Jack Kirby action. Very different from anything else in the late 1950's DC universe.The Showcase issues are each one very long and antically developed story unlike any of the other 1950s DC books which favored multiple short stories. This is just one of many touches that prefigure aspects and characters from the Marvel renaissance several years in the future.Part of the joy of this collection is picking out pieces of the future Marvel Universe : a whole story that parallels FF#24 the Infant Terrible, along with monsters and dragons similar to preheroe Marvel horror issues, along with rock creatures with a hide like the Thing and robots that look like Ironman. The list goes on and on. The ProtoMarvel aspect is not the only reason to buy this book, however. The stories and art are fantastic with Jack Kirby at his peak creating a kinetic collage of action and a plethora of monsters and threats that are truely dizzing per issue. Just like the Fourth World series of books in the 1970's these stories give you a chance to see what KIrby could do without Stan and it is terrific but also telling in the absense of the Marvel majic that Stan contributed. No real humor, no flip, hip dialogue and no Shakespearian introspection.After reading these wonderful stories you can see how special the Lee/Kirby team really was. Archive Editions are great but expensive--this one is worth every penny IF you are a Kirby fan. The stories are a hard to describe mix of H.P. Lovecraft and SciFi. Truely fantastic, but unimaginable to me that any 1950's DC editor would not have his head spinning then go into seizures to see this stuff printed with a DC logo. Kirby did not stay long on this series .Volume 2 ,in the future , has the rest of his limited run -more joy for us! If you have read this far your wallet should be $28 lighter, you will not regret it!

Rating:
Summary: Pre-Fantastic Four Kirby at Its Best!!!!!!
Review: This is Jack Kirby at his best. Just before he made his switch to Marvel from DC he set loose on the world another Fantastic Four-the Challengers of the Unknown. Their adventures did not lack from their lack of super powers, if anything they were enhanced by it. Some of the stoires echoed Kirby's big monster stories for Marvel where ordinary men battled beings from beyond the norm. A great read with that DC silver age feel and yet that feeling of Marvel power. The next volume will have Wally Wood mixing in with Kirby and I can't wait for it!!!!