Challengers of the Unknown (vol.2) #1 (March, 1991)
"The Challengers Must Die!"
Writer - Jeph Loeb
Artist - Tim Sale
Letters - Bob Pinaha
Colors - Lovern Kindzierski
Editors - Barbara Kesel & Elliot S! Maggin
Cover Price: $1.75
Here's one that's been just sittin' there in the collection for... eesh, the better part of two decades. Never read it... always meant to. Thing of it is... it stars the Challengers of the Unknown, and even in looking at the cover, I couldn't tell ya which one's which... or why I should even care to find out!
This series is (sometimes) acclaimed critically... I suppose it really depends on the hive mind's feelings on Loeb on any given day. I'm a fan of his... and for that reason, I'm looking forward to seeing where it all began for him!
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We open in the offices of Tattletale Magazine... a news tabloid, whose heroic subject is usually the Challengers of the Unknown. Must be a pretty dull rag... in fact, that's kinda the point. They keep having to use the same "news" because nobody can be bothered to keep up with them. And so, Tattletale Senior Editor, Jennifer Taylor calls in Harold Moffet, a fella who "polishes" their stories... and sends him out to Challengerville to check in with the Challs.
From here, the storytelling gets a bit wonky. The pages all go four-panel... Moffet travels... then we get a look at Challengerville... then we meet a Chall as they go about their daily work... then we see something going on in deep space. This goes on for four pages... and the only new "news" Moffet can find is that Rocky bought a cat... and the poor thing died. Also, there's a strange nebbish fellow heading to Challengers Mountain... and he thinks in rhyme.
While Moffet phones in his "findings" to the Tattletale, we see that same nebbish fellow inside Challengers Mountain... and it looks like he's up to no good. In fact, he's rhyming "bomb" with "calm", so I think we can say for sure that he's up to no good.
Inside Challengers Headquarters, Prof and June find... something. An "incredible energy force" more powerful than any black hole. The rest of the Challs charge up to the monitor to take a look. Prof immediately realizes that something just ain't right... and attempts to reverse whatever it was that he just did.
This doesn't go so well.
Not only is Challengers Mountain destroyed... but, it took a great big chunk of Challengerville with it! Moffet looks on in shock... the nebbish fellow is pleased.
After the Challs pull themselves from the rubble (sans Prof and June), they hop into action, attempting to rescue the citizens and visitors of Challengerville. Ace rushes into "Our Lady of Challengers" church... and hopes to himself that he can be brave. He also worries a fair amount about June and Prof. He is able to save a little girl.
Red Ryan climbs up the side of the Ace Insurance Company building to rescue the survivors. It's funny, one of the citizens asks him "which Challenger" he is... because they all look alike! Ya know, that's pretty much exactly why this series has just lingered in my longboxes all these years!
Next, we join Rocky as he fights a fire using a pipe marked as the Challengerville Water Supply. He recognizes that this really isn't his style... more appropriate for Prof. He's surprised... and pleased, when his efforts result in putting out the blaze.
We jump to Jody Watkins, Reporter for KHAL as she interviews Harold Moffet, who just happened to be an eyewitness to the entire ordeal. He sensationalizes the happening, while lusting over the newslady... and we get a pretty good look at what remains of both Challengers Mountain... and Challengerville.
Watkins asks Moffet what ought to happen to the Challs, if they're found to be responsible for "this holocaust". Moffet brushes it off, after all, the Challengers of the Unknown are heroes... they'll probably get a Medal of Honor for their rescue efforts! Actually, it's not like that at all... the Challs are lead away... in chains!
The arrest of the Challengers is broadcast over the air... and we join that nebbish fellow as he watches the news from his home. He appears to be quite satisfied with himself... and thinks the word "free".
We wrap up with the reveal that there's... something... deep within the wreckage of Challengers Mountain. A new Unknown that has come to challenge the Challengers!
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Wow... this was pretty darn good.
Gotta tell ya, I did have to read it twice. The first time around, a lot of what went on in the early pages kinda went over my head... that might not be the books fault though.
This has some cinematic qualities to it... which, shouldn't be all that much of a surprise considering the world Loeb came from. I feel that it "worked" for this story, about half the time. Again, those early pages with the four-panels... so much was going on, that I wasn't sure what was and wasn't important to the story. Add to that, my unfamiliarity with the Challengers... and it was a bit of an uphill slog at first.
From the explosion of Challengers Mountain on, however... the storytelling was amazingly solid... easy to follow, and most importantly to a Challs-newb like me, easy to invest in.
So much so, that during my second read-through... everything seemed to "click". Whether that's a problem with the open... or a problem with my density, I'll leave that to you (though, if it's the latter... please don't tell me, my heart couldn't take it).
The idea of there being a Challengerville... it's both charming and mind-boggling. It feels like something we'd read in a one-off Silver Age story... and doesn't seem like something you could "get away with" in 1991... and yet, it kinda works! I can't imagine there being as much tourism as there is, considering... it is the Challengers of the Unknown, and it is 1991... but, we'll allow it.
It's interesting to me, that even in Loeb's earliest comic work... he's already building mysteries. I think that's what a lot of us have come to expect from him, after much of his Batman work (Hush, The Long Halloween)... hell, even the Red Hulk was a mystery story. Here we have... whatever that is... that has come to challenge the Challengers. Also... that nebbish fellow... what's his deal anyway? I'm looking forward to finding out!
Tim Sale's art here is pretty great. Not as stylized as I'm accustomed to, which probably works better for this story. This is a story that happens in the daytime... it doesn't need to be as "dark" or "abstract" as his later work. Not that I have a problem with his later work... I just like this better for this story (so far). For the cover, we get a pretty awesome piece from the master of covers himself, Brian Bolland. Really good stuff!
Overall... I can only speak for this issue (so far), but I think there's a lot to dig here. Even if you're new (or willfully ignorant) to the Challengers of the Unknown (like myself), this is a wonderfully engaging story, with excellent art. Shouldn't be too difficult to come by... it has been collected as The Challengers of the Unknown Must Die! (or just, Challengers of the Unknown by Jeph Loeb & Tim Sale) and is also available digitally.
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Teen Titans #46 (February, 1977)
"The Fiddler's Concert of Crime!"
Writer - Bob Rozakis
Pencils - Irv Novick
Inks - Joe Giella
Letters - Ben Oda
Edits - Julius Schwartz
Cover Price: $0.30
Ladies and Gentlemen... the countdown is on! As of today, we are one month away from our ONE-THOUSANDTH DAILY POST! Sooo, barring my getting hit by lightning... it looks like we're probably going to get there!
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We open with a comparison of the Roman Colosseum... and the Long Island Colosseum (I'm guessing they mean Nassau Colosseum) where there's about to be a Battle of the Bands! Great Frog fans, don't get your hopes up... they're not playin'. The bands among the battle are Peter and Laura McCarthy and the Flyers... and the Woodworkers. Fans of 70's tunes will probably figure that we're looking at Wings and the Carpenters. Inside... the Earth-2's Fiddler is wrecking all sortsa havoc.
The Titans bust in, and after Mal toots on his wondrous Horn, the Fiddler changes tact. Instead of having everyone destroy their instruments, he starts them on a dance-off. Speedy fires some gas arrows into the mass of humanity... which only seems to enrage them. Roy and Mal wind up on the receiving end of a mosh pit stomp-down.
Meanwhile, back at Titans Cavern... the rest of the teen-age heroes talk about how their next headquarters should be on an island (hmm...). Then, Robin tells an awful joke before introducing their latest member... the *shudder* Joker's Daughter. Eesh, she really skeeves me out.
Speedy and Mal return from their beating, and report in that the Fiddler is on the loose. Kid Flash posits that this might be the same fella that the Flash fought on Earth-2. No duh, Wally. Then they see... Joker's Daughter. Yeeeeeeesh, just lookit her face. Ay yai yai... that must be what you see before you die.
We learn a bit more about the competitors in the Battle of the Bands. The Flyers... and the Woodworkers (oi). Turns out, neither band wants anything to do with the other. They agree to the showdown, so long as they never share the stage. If you're thinking this won't be important later... well, just wait.
Back to the Titans... the Creeper delivers some horrible news: The MacCarthy's have been kidnapped! The "fantastic" Fiddler is among the likeliest culprits. The Titans decide to look into it... otherwise, Great Frog might have to take their place in concert! What would be so bad about that?! Also... there's plenty more ghoulish smiling from Duela. Yeeeeesh.
Robin sends all of the Titans (sans he, Aqualad and J.D.) back to the Colosseum to take on the Fiddler. Upon arrival, they find that he's started a musical plague... calling forth rats, and bugs! Mal gives his horn a toot... and is reminded by the spectre of death that if he loses another fight... he'll die. A holdover from a recent run-in with Azrael (not that Azrael... or that other Azrael either).
Despite the Titans' best efforts... the plague continues. Roy gets a bad case of "ants in the pants", causing him to fire a (thankfully gimmicked) arrow right into Wonder Chick's back!
With the rest of the Titans downed... it comes down to a musical duel between the Fiddler and the Hornblower! Mal manages to win... saving not only his own life, but saving the crowd from being covered with vermin. The Fiddler takes off in his... uh, Fiddlemobile.
Elsewhere, Robin and Company are looking into the abduction of the McCarthy's. Their hotel room is in shambles... and there are two sets of footprints leaving the room via an opened window.
Robin locates the McCarthy's outfits (floppy hats and whatnot)... and has an idea. He asks Aqualad to pretend to kidnap Joker's Daughter... and during the reenactment, we can see that the footprints he leaves are deeper than those present. Robin's not so convinced that the McCarthy's have been nabbed. Before he can share his conclusion, they are zapped away courtesy of Mal's wondrous horn.
They arrive at the Colosseum... where they are informed by the rest of the Titans that the Fiddler has the Woodworkers atop the arena. Also, Joker's Daughter's face... uhhhh.
Once up high, the Titans are taken in by a Fiddler spell... they do-si-do for a bit, nearly chuckin' Mal and Duela off the roof!
When they "come to", the Fiddler calls in his Fiddlecopter (how many things did he manage to bring from Earth-2?!). While the team takes care of the chopper... Joker's Daughter uses her gimmicks to disarm the Fiddler... then she karate chops his funny bone to ensure he won't be fiddlin' with much for at least a little while.
All that's left for the Titans is solving the case of the Missing McCarthy's... only, Robin's already done that! Ya see, he takes the Woodworkers to a Colosseum closet... where he reveals the Flyers! The Woodworkers are sure they're impostors though!
And that's because... the Flyers are the costumed alter-egos for the Woodworkers! Ohhhhh... so, that's why they refused to share a stage.
That night, during the Battle of the Bands... the secret is revealed! And (allegedly) the world of Pop Music will never be the same again!
We wrap up with an epilogue, in which the Titans find their newest digs. Next issue promises the big reveal of the TT's Disco-Headquarters!
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Okey dokey... well, this was something.
Such a weird little story, wasn't it? Bringing analogues for big pop-music acts is interesting. I'm not terribly familiar with either band outside of their hits... but I tried Googling to see if there were any rumors that Wings and the Carpenters were the same band. Couldn't find anything, but that doesn't mean that it wasn't a rumor at the time... I guess. This was all well before my time.
The action scenes were pretty well done, and fit the threat the Fiddler posed. Having the Titans distracted with a plague is probably a good idea... since, it wouldn't take much for them to beat up an old man with a fiddle.
Robin was able to flex his detective muscles here, which was also pretty cool... if not a bit convenient. I suppose most detective-y bits in comics are going to be convenient, so I shouldn't really harp on it.
We probably ought to talk about the Joker's Daughter. Yikes... just so darned unpleasant to look at. It's as though the comic was able to look into my soul anytime she was on-panel. Just... that face. Gonna have to sleep with the lights on for a few nights.
My biggest disappointment here is... we have a Battle of the Bands, and there was no Great Frog performance. I guess I just oughta be happy that they get a mention! Also... and more seriously, the art was a bit uneven.
Overall... ehh, this was silly, but fun. If you're down for a weird-o Bronze Age Titans romp (featuring the ghoulish Duela Dent), you'll probably dig this. I'd certainly advise against breaking the bank (or your back) to get this one though.
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Outsiders #14 (December, 1986)
"The Looker Murder Case!"
"Starting Over"
Writer/Editor - Mike W. Barr
Artists - Jim Aparo & Mary Wilshire
Colors - Adrienne Roy
Cover Price: $1.50
Halo... has braces?! Now tell me, what soulless heathen could pass up a story like that?
Not me!
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We open cold with a scene of a man with a knife plunged in his back. The Outsiders are investigating the scene... while Looker is behind bars. We're not there yet, but we will be! But first... something far, far, farrrrr more important. Halo... gets braces!
Tatsu and Gaby walk throughout the mall, with the latter doin' the whole "woe is me" deal that many teen-agers would in the same situation. She refers to herself as "Gaby Doe: Robotgirl", and runs off threatening never to go back to school again. Is she really the only High Schooler with braces?
We shift scenes to the offices of Carl Cramer. He's stolen a photo from Looker's apartment which confirms that she's really the mousy Emily Briggs. He's been hired by a Mr. Dumont... but, he says he doesn't have to tell him anything... so long as Looker "plays ball". This proposition earns him a smack in the face... followed up by some hypnosis. After she leaves, we hear a scream coming from his office.
The next day at Canyon High School... a pair of young ladies try and chat Gaby up... but she ghosts them. We know she's just self-conscious about her brace-facedness, but they're taking it as she's being a stuck-up snob.
That night, Gaby is so distracted that she's forgotten that tonight is her Birthday Party! The Outsiders all show up, gifts in hand, to celebrate. Gaby is still a bit uncomfortable about entertaining... until she sees the stack of presents, which she giddily opens. Just in case you forgot when this book came out... check out her loot!
Before it's time for cake, Rex makes a boneheaded remark about Gaby forgetting all about her metal-mouth. This, naturally, gets her blushy... and she scampers away. Just then, there's a knock at the door. It's an officer, with a warrant to arrest Looker for the murder of Carl Cramer!
Down at the station, the officer deduces that Looker did the deed because... get this, Cramer was building a model ship... a Brigantine... and Looker's real last name is "Briggs", so... they take this as a clue. I'd like to know what Police Academy this guy graduated from... was Steve Guttenberg there? Jeff (Black Lightning) doesn't quite know what to say... but he and Brion agree that the safest place for Looker is behind bars... because, clearly... someone is trying to frame her.
And so, it's time to investigate. Gaby and Tatsu head to Warren Kennels to chat up one Belle Warren. Belle ain't the most hospitable host... and fires a rifle in their direction. When they finally get to question her... she agrees that she has a cause to kill Cramer... and actually she wishes she had... only, somebody got to him first.
Next, Rex heads to the apartment of John Rupert, an Accountant. While Rupert sleeps, Rex goes through his belongings... including a metal box. Upon opening it, an alarm goes off... which wakes its owner. Rex confronts the fella... who, comes clean... about embezzling. Ya see, he once ran with Cramer... but has since gone clean. Even going as far as changing his name to distance himself from his past. Satisfied, Rex leaves.
Finally, Jeff and Brion head to an (all-night?) Discount Watch shop owned by one Phil Melton. Melton confuses the heroes for members of Infinity, Inc. and tells his story. Yeah, he had reason to wanna "off" Cramer... but he didn't do it, see? Not completely convinced, Geo-Force and Black Lightning leave.
Congregating at Cramer's office, the Outsiders tap into Looker's telepathy to fill her in on everything they found out. Allowing her to "see" through their eyes, they ask her to tap into her photographic memory and tell them if she notices anything different. She notes that there had been a ship's bell... only, it's missing now. Everyone (sans Gaby... and me) have figured it out!
We rejoin the team back at the Police Department where they present their case to the officer. If the killer took a "bell"... might it be Belle Warren whodunnit?! Well, no... that'd be too easy, and almost make sense. In fact, it as Phil Melton the Discount Watch King... because, get this, bells are used to tell time on ships. Ay yai yai. Oh, and also... they found some blood evidence linking him to the murder, which will probably hold a bit more water in court than "a tchotchke was missing from his desk".
We wrap up with Looker breathing her first bit of fresh air in 24-hours... and latching onto Brion so they can confront that Dumont guy. Gaby still doesn't wanna go to school... but, whattaya gonna do?
We're not done yet, folks... it's backup time... starring Windfall. Who? Well she was a member of the Baron Bedlam's Masters of Disaster alongside her sister New Wave. She's since had a change of heart... and finds herself in a small village in Markovia, the site of one of their earlier raids. She swipes some clothes in order to fit in with the locals...
... and walks right into a young fella named Nikolas who is on his way back from a day of hunting. He claims that there is a bear terrorizing the village, and he was out trying to take care of it. They hit it off immediately, and he invites her to his place so his mother can fill her belly with a hot meal.
We learn here that Nik's father and older brother were killed in the battle with Bedlam... which makes Windfall feel kinda bad. They invite her to spend the night, however, she finds it too difficult to sleep. She suits up and heads out.
She comes upon a group of hunters (including Nikolas)... and gets clobbered in the back of the head with the butt-end of an ax. Before we know it, she's tied up to a stake, and just about to be roasted. Windfall is able to extinguish the flames with her powers... but she knows she won't be able to keep it up.
Just then... that bear shows up! The hunters scamper, knowing that the beast will take care of their little witch problem. Windfall is able to break free, and after a distraction from Nikolas, the bear finds itself impaled on the stake.
We wrap up with Nikolas telling Wendy that it'd be best if she left... next time, he's not sure he'll stick around to help her.
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Okay... this was a "cute" story, I guess. I had fun with it, but can't help but notice how strange and convenient the whole thing was. I mean, the whole mishagoss is predicated on the murdered dude (who apparently loves puzzles!) having a model ship on his desk.
Something I'm confused about... primarily because, coming in (relatively) cold, I lack the context. If people (like the arresting officer) know that Looker's real name is Briggs... than what was Cramer's secret? Just the fact that she looks different as a civilian? I suppose that's enough... but, I'd figure it wouldn't be too difficult to connect the dots if you know her real name. I dunno.
Our three suspects... all had reason to wanna "off" Cramer, which is fair enough. Not sure why the... ya know... Police didn't follow these leads, but whattaya gonna do? I guess they really thought the "brigantine on the desk" was enough to prosecute. So dumb.
As was the conclusion. A bell tchotchke missing from Cramer's desk indicates that the Discount Watch King dun did the deed? The hell? This assumes that Melton even knows that a ship's bell indicates time. Of course, it's all moot since they also have the blood evidence... which, really... is all they needed. Not sure why we needed to confuse things with the knick-knacks.
Also... Halo gets braces. It's these sorta-soapy elements that always keeps me coming back to the Outsiders. It's not quite as soapy as New Teen Titans or the X-Men... but, we do get really neat "civvie" moments like this for the team members. I mean, we also get Gaby's birthday party... which was a lot of fun, and also really brought me back to the late 80's!
One problem I have... and this really goes for all of the early-ish Baxter books. The paper doesn't really do the art any favors. Here, Aparo's work looks more like it would fit in a newspaper strip than a comic book. Not horrible or anything, just not up to the standard set by his non-Baxter work.
The back-up... was what it was. It's the story of reflection... and the concept of redemption, and it made its point. Art here was pretty good... though, I'm sure (like Aparo's) it would have looked better on newsprint.
I appreciated that Nikolas had a sort of crisis of conscience. He remained to help Windfall with the bear... but, wasn't sure he'd "have her back" next time around. Makes perfect sense for a guy who had been affected by her former villainy.
Overall... like I said, a cute issue, but kind of a throwaway. Still worth checking out, in my opinion... especially if you're into some soapy-superheroics. This issue is available digitally.
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