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Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Favourite Comics: Challengers of the Unknown #74 - Neal Adams, George Tuska, Bernie Wrightson

The Challengers of the Unknown (created by Dave Wood and Jack Kirby ) had their own title which ran for an impressive 77 issues (1958-1970) following their test run which began in Showcase# 6 (February 1957). Despite the titles relatively long run this was a comic that I was unaware of and my introduction to the team would have to wait until issue 79, when the title was re-launched as a short lived all-reprint comic in 1973. It wouldn’t be until 1977 when DC rebooted the title under the stewardship of Gerry Conway and hot artist Mike Nasser when I would become a fan of the team. Although this new series did not last long it whetted my appetite for the team and in 1981, I eventually tracked down my first “Challengers” back issue, the above #74 (1970) featuring art by Neal Adams, George Tuska, Bernie Wrightson and Henry Boltinoff !!!! Below are a few pages from this excellent issue.
As can be seen from the above splash page and cover, Deadman guested in issue 74, an occult story drawn half and half by Tuska and Neal Adams who, at that point, was the only artist who got to draw Boston Brand. Although Adams and Tuska's styles would not be considered compatible, as a fan of both artists I loved this issue even although Tuska's pages had a touch of "Scooby Doo" about them compared to Adams realistic style.
As was the norm for many DC titles at this time (1970) most issues feature a one page humour strip by the great Henry Boltinoff.
An to round of this excellent comic, DC added a one page tale by Bernie Wrightson.
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8 comments:

  1. KidNovember 26, 2025 at 6:25 AM

    I read somewhere that the idea of The Challengers was created by Simon & Kirby, but Kirby took it to DC when the pair ended their partnership - dunno if it's true or not. I love the Wally Wood-inked Kirby art on The Chals and the collected edition is worth having, McS. The art here is nice enough though.

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  2. McSCOTTYNovember 26, 2025 at 9:16 AM

    I only have Challengers of the Unknown issue 79 and a DC special featuring Kirby / Woods art on the Challengers which is very nice. The team does seem like the kind of thing Simon and Kirby would co-create.I also have ( or had) some Challenger comics with stunning art by Jerry Ordway that I picked up a few years ago for £1 an issue

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    1. KidNovember 26, 2025 at 11:04 AM

      I have one of the reprint issues (78-80) which may well be #79 (it rings a bell) as well as the DC Special you have, McS. I think that might've been my first exposure (I was sentenced to 6 months) to The Chals.

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  3. McSCOTTYNovember 27, 2025 at 12:48 AM

    Lol. That DC Special is a great wee collection of early Challs stories

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  4. baggseyNovember 28, 2025 at 4:21 PM

    I have this issue. I always thought it was a very strange issue, with the juxtaposition of George Tuska's art and Neal Adams' art being particularly jarring. According to Neal Adams, he had agreed with DC that he would draw Deadman wherever he appeared in a story, hence his contribution to this issue of Challengers, and also his 5 pages in JLA #94. This convention didn't extend to Forever People #9 and #10, though.
    As far as I know, Adams never drew an issue of Challengers, although he did do some excellent covers. Back in 2009, when I met him at the NYCC, he did say that if the opportunity to draw Challengers arose, he would do it, because he loved the whole concept.

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  5. McSCOTTYNovember 28, 2025 at 10:32 PM

    That explains his Deadman art in the Aparo Aquaman tale from Aquaman issue 52 ( on here somewhere). JLA #94 and Adams Deadman pages are burned into my comic buying brain .I really like Adams Challengers covers and I think this would have been a great comic for him to draw.

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  6. Rip JaggerNovember 29, 2025 at 6:34 AM

    I'm a hard fan of the classic Challs drawn by Kirby, but I am less familiar with the later incarnations. It seemed they had a difficult time finding footing in the superhero dominated universe. This Deadman story I have in some collection of his belated doings. George Tuska is an unsung artistic hero of mine. His work on Iron Man remains to my brain definitive, and his work on other titles critical and most important in those "Dreaded Deadline Doom" days punctual.

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  7. McSCOTTYNovember 29, 2025 at 6:09 PM

    I'm a big fan of Tuska's art as well I really enjoyed his 1960s Teen Titans art and his ( short) Planet of the Apes run

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Happy New Year

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