Challengers of the Unknown #83

(October-November 1977)

Chapter 1: Seven Doorways to Destiny! (Table of Contents: 1)

Challengers of the Unknown / comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Script

Gerry Conway

Pencils

Keith Giffen

Inks

John Celardo

Colors

Jerry Serpe

Letters

John Workman ?

Job Number

J-4748

Genre

adventure

Characters

The Challengers of the Unknown: Rocky Davis; Ace Morgan; Red Ryan
June Robbins (honorary member); Dr. Heathcliff Monroe (villain); M'Nagalah (misspelled as "M'Nagala"); cultists (villains)

Synopsis

The Challengers attempt to free June, but are beaten down by the cultists.

Reprints

• in Démon (Arédit-Artima, 1976 series) #11 (4ème trimestre 1979) [Noir & Blanc et remonté [Black & White and reframed]]
• in Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age (DC, 2018 series) #2 ([March] 2020)

Indexer Notes

Story continues from previous issue.

Chapter 2: Savior from the Swamp? (Table of Contents: 2)

Challengers of the Unknown / comic story / 3 pages (report information)

Script

Gerry Conway

Pencils

Keith Giffen

Inks

John Celardo

Colors

Jerry Serpe

Letters

John Workman ?

Genre

adventure

Characters

The Challengers of the Unknown: Rocky Davis; Ace Morgan (off-panel); Red Ryan
Gaylord Clayburn (misspelled as "Clayburne"); Alec Holland (also in flashback as Swamp Thing); June Robbins (honorary member, off-panel); Ruth Monroe; Dr. Heathcliff Monroe (villain); M'Nagalah (misspelled as "M'Nagala"); cultists (villains, off-panel); Linda Holland (flashback, cameo)

Synopsis

In Challenger Mountain, Clayburne (the wanna-be Challenger), uses the computer to analyze Prof's infection. It recommends Dr. Alec Holland as an expert in "biochemical abnormalities."

Reprints

• in Démon (Arédit-Artima, 1976 series) #11 (4ème trimestre 1979) [Noir & Blanc et remonté [Black & White and reframed]]
• in Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age (DC, 2018 series) #2 ([March] 2020)

Chapter 3: The Gods Crawl Closer (Table of Contents: 3)

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

Script

Gerry Conway

Pencils

Keith Giffen

Inks

John Celardo

Colors

Jerry Serpe

Letters

John Workman ?

Genre

adventure

Characters

The Challengers of the Unknown: Rocky Davis; Ace Morgan; Red Ryan
Gaylord Clayburn (misspelled as "Clayburne"); Alec Holland (remembers his time as Swamp Thing); June Robbins (honorary member); Ruth Monroe; Dr. Heathcliff Monroe (villain); M'Nagalah the Eternal (misspelled as "M'Nagala"); cultists (villains); Rh'Thulla of the Wind (in flashback); Kag'Naru of the Air (in flashback); Malcolm Monroe (in flashback)

Synopsis

Clayburne flies to Oregon to ask Holland for help and he agrees to accompany him to Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, Rocky and Ace fly to England and perform an incantation from a mystical book and bring M'Nagala's "family" to Earth as Monroe tells June and Red how M'Nagala came from the stars.

Reprints

• in Démon (Arédit-Artima, 1976 series) #11 (4ème trimestre 1979) [Noir & Blanc et remonté [Black & White and reframed]]
• in Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age (DC, 2018 series) #2 ([March] 2020)

Cooky La Moo on Broadway (Table of Contents: 4) (Expand) /

Hostess Twinkies; Wonder Woman / comics-form advertising / 1 page (report information)

You Can Help Superman When You Help the Special Olympics! (Table of Contents: 5)

Superman / public service announcement / 1 page (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Curt Swan

Inks

Vince Colletta

Colors

?

Letters

?

Editing

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Superman [Clark Kent]

Indexer Notes

On the page immediately preceding the 4th page of the previous story sequence.

Chapter 4: All Monsters, Good and Evil (Table of Contents: 6)

Challengers of the Unknown / comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script

Gerry Conway

Pencils

Keith Giffen

Inks

John Celardo

Colors

Jerry Serpe

Letters

John Workman ?

Genre

adventure

Characters

The Challengers of the Unknown: Rocky Davis; Mark "Prof" Haley (first name revealed); Ace Morgan; Red Ryan
Gaylord Clayburn (misspelled as "Clayburne"); June Robbins (honorary member); Swamp Thing [Alec Holland] (antidote wears off); Dr. Heathcliff Monroe (villain, death); M'Nagalah (misspelled as "M'Nagala"); cultists (villains, deaths of all)

Synopsis

Clayborne and Holland find Prof, who suggests using sonics against the plant life. Outside London, while Ace fetches a pack of jet fuel, Rocky chants to allow one of M'Nagala's kin to enter this world. Back in Pennsylvania, Holland ducks away because he is reverting to Swamp Thing as his bio-restorative formula wears off, but Clayborne and Prof fight off the cultists and fire the emergency siren, transforming the cultists to slime. In London, Ace chucks the fuel pod into the monster, destroying it and shutting the portal. Soon after, all the Challengers are reunited in Perdition.

Reprints

• in Démon (Arédit-Artima, 1976 series) #11 (4ème trimestre 1979) [Noir & Blanc et remonté [Black & White and reframed]]
• in Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age (DC, 2018 series) #2 ([March] 2020)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 7)

Challenger Mountain Mail Room / letters page / 1 page (report information)

Script

Jack C. Harris

Pencils

Michael Netzer (illustration)

Inks

Bob Wiacek (illustration)

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Job Number

L-734

Indexer Notes

Fans like the new characterization, though some wonder if Mike Nasser was the right fit.

Volume 77 Issue 29 - Week of July 18, 1977 (Table of Contents: 8) (Expand) /

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