JACK KIRBY'S CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN COVER & SPLASH PAGE GALLERY (EXPANDED) - PART ONE...

Images copyright DC COMICS

What's wrong with the above cover illustration?  For a start, the Challenger (ACE MORGAN) hitting the egg with Thor's spare hammer (allegedly) is standing too far away to even connect with it.  Secondly, whatever is emerging from the egg is just far too big to be in there to begin with.  (Yeah, okay - maybe it's expanding on contact with air, but I don't buy it!)  Thirdly, it's hardly one of JACK KIRBY's better cover compositions, what with the other three Challs clumsily positioned behind a wall to avoid them 'merging' into their colleague.  And thus the CHALLENGERS Of The UNKNOWN made their debut in SHOWCASE #6 in 1957.

They made another three appearances in Showcase (#s 7, 11 & 12) before being awarded their own mag in '58.   For part one of this cover and splash page gallery we present a triple dose of those first Challengers try-out tales.  (Part two will feature Showcase #12, plus Challengers #s 1-3, so don't miss out!)  The title continued for another 46 issues after Jack's departure, but it's only the ones with which he was involved that will fall within the purview of these palpitating posts.

Now - let's brave the unknown together!