(August-September 1977)

DC, 1958 Series
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Volume
16
Price
0.35 USD
Pages
36
Indicia Frequency
bi-monthly
On-sale Date
1977-05-24
Publisher's Age Guidelines
Approved by the Comics Code Authority
Indicia / Colophon Publisher
DC Comics Inc.
Brand
DC [bullet]
Barcode
0709893045309
Editing
Joe Orlando (managing editor); Jack C. Harris (story editor)

Issue Notes

On-sale date from Comic Reader #143.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents)

Challengers of the Unknown / cover / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Michael Netzer (signed)
Inks
Joe Rubinstein (signed)
Colors
Tatjana Wood
Letters
Joe Letterese ?

Job Number
C-486
Genre
adventure
Characters
The Challengers of the Unknown: Rocky Davis; Prof Haley; Ace Morgan; Red Ryan
June Robbins (honorary member)
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Color credit provided by Anthony Tollin.

Chapter 1: The Lurker Below (Table of Contents: 1)

Challengers of the Unknown / comic story / 4 pages (report information)

Script
Gerry Conway
Pencils
Michael Netzer
Inks
Joe Rubinstein
Colors
?
Letters
Clem Robins ?

Job Number
J-4624
Genre
adventure
Characters
The Challengers of the Unknown: Rocky Davis; Prof Haley; Ace Morgan; Red Ryan
Gaylord Clayburn (misspelled as "Clayburne"); June Robbins (honorary member); Dr. Heathcliff Monroe (villain)
Synopsis
Prof is dying of an all-consuming fungus infection. Rocky, June, Ace, and Red rush him to their jet. Gaylord Clayburne, playboy-Challenger-wannabe, learned Prof was sick and found a specialist to heal him. Ignoring Clayburne, the Challengers zoom off to Perdition, Pennsylvania, a farm town. As soon as they land, the Challengers are mobbed by farmers with pitchforks. Doctor Monroe calls off the farmers.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Continued from last issue. The villain is Heathcliff Monroe (an HP Lovecraft look-alike) from Swamp Thing (DC series, 1972) #8.

Chapter 2: Legacy of the Damned (Table of Contents: 2)

Challengers of the Unknown / comic story / 4 pages (report information)

Script
Gerry Conway
Pencils
Michael Netzer
Inks
Joe Rubinstein; Bernie Wrightson (page 7, panel 1 only)
Colors
?
Letters
Clem Robins ?

Genre
adventure
Characters
The Challengers of the Unknown: Rocky Davis; Prof Haley; Ace Morgan; Red Ryan
June Robbins (honorary member); Swamp Thing [Alec Holland] (in flashback); Dr. Heathcliff Monroe (villain); cultists (villains); tractor salesman; Abraham (in flashback); M'Nagalah (in flashback)
Synopsis
Dr. Monroe relates the town's history to the Challengers. Seventy years ago, a man summoned a demon to the town. Enthralled, the locals sacrificed strangers to the “god” until Swamp Thing came to town and collapsed its cave, burying the monster “forever”. Behind the scenes, we see the fungus lived on and still infects many locals. Doctor Monroe needs special medical equipment from a doctor in Borotavia behind the Iron Curtain in order to save Prof's life. Red and Ace zoom off in the jet again, leaving June and Rocky in the town.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

The tractor salesman resembles Richard Nixon. The flashback is from Swamp Thing (DC, 1972 series) #8.

Chapter 3: The Soul Predator (Table of Contents: 3)

Challengers of the Unknown / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script
Gerry Conway
Pencils
Michael Netzer
Inks
Joe Rubinstein
Colors
?
Letters
Clem Robins ?

Genre
adventure
Characters
The Challengers of the Unknown: Rocky Davis; Ace Morgan; Red Ryan
June Robbins (honorary member); M'Nagalah; cultists (villains); tractor salesman (death)
Synopsis
Red and Ace zoom off in the jet again. In Borotavia, they knock out some guards, out-fly jets, and get the blood filter machine. Meanwhile, in Perdition, the locals capture a visiting tractor salesman. Rocky and June, creeped out and worried about Prof, wander around, looking at Dr. Monroe's library, which is full of occult books. They hear the salesman’s screams and see him sacrificed to a tentacled horror. Both interrupt the sacrifice and are cold-cocked
Reprints

Indexer Notes

The tractor salesman is a dead ringer for former president Richard Nixon.

Chapter 4: The Lurker Rises (Table of Contents: 4)

Challengers of the Unknown / comic story / 4 pages (report information)

Script
Gerry Conway
Pencils
Michael Netzer
Inks
Joe Rubinstein
Colors
?
Letters
Clem Robins ?

Genre
adventure
Characters
The Challengers of the Unknown: Rocky Davis; Ace Morgan; Red Ryan
June Robbins (honorary member); Swamp Thing [Alec Holland] (in flashback); Dr. Heathcliff Monroe (villain); M'Nagalah (misspelled as "M'Nagala"); cultists (villains); Jason Monroe (in flashback, cousin of Heathcliff Monroe)
Synopsis
Rocky awakes bound to a post. Monroe confesses he’s also infected with the fungus because it’s actually a manifestation of the god M'Nagalah! Monroe leaves for another sacrifice. Rocky glimpses someone in the shadows. Rocky bursts his bonds and meets Ace and Red, who have returned witht he equipment. In the church, they freeze, because June is the next sacrifice!
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Story continues next issue.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 5)

Challenger Mountain Mail Room / text article / 1 page (report information)

Script
Jack C. Harris ?
Pencils
Michael Netzer (illustrations)
Inks
Bob Wiacek (illustrations); Michael Netzer (illustrations)
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

Job Number
L-700
Genre
biography

Indexer Notes

Text article with biographical info on Mike Netzer.

Volume 77 Issue 21 - Week of May 23, 1977 (Table of Contents: 6) (Expand) /

Daily Planet / in-house column / 1 page (report information)

Editing
Related Scans
Series Information
Table of Contents
  1. 0. [no title indexed]
    Challengers of the Unknown
  2. 1. Chapter 1: The Lurker Below
    Challengers of the Unknown
  3. 2. Chapter 2: Legacy of the Damned
    Challengers of the Unknown
  4. 3. Chapter 3: The Soul Predator
    Challengers of the Unknown
  5. 4. Chapter 4: The Lurker Rises
    Challengers of the Unknown
  6. 5. [no title indexed]
    Challenger Mountain Mail Room
  7. 6. Volume 77 Issue 21 - Week of May 23, 1977
    Daily Planet
This issue was modified by, among others
  • Alan Barnard
  • Nick Caputo
  • John Censullo
  • CTGarry
  • Clayton Emery
  • Jerry Hillegas (R.I.P.)
  • Lou Mazzella
  • Donald Dale Milne
  • Jim Stangas
  • Jim Van Dore
  • Gregg Whitmore