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Challengers of the Unknown has always been a book about death — or at least, living on borrowed time. Unlike the frequent Fantastic Four comparisons the classic DC Comics team often gets saddled with, the real thing that separates them is that they almost died — and became thrill-seekers as a result. And in Challengers of the Unknown #1, that’s exactly what writer Christopher Cantwell and artist Sean Izaakse deal with.
Let’s deal with the elephant in the room first, though. Or rather, the Trinity. Front and center on the cover of the issue are Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, leading to the idea that the regular cast of Challengers is taking a back-seat to the marquee superheroes in DC’s stable. Not so! Cantwell takes great pains in this issue to explain that while, yes, other members of the massively expanded Justice League are involved, they’re there to support the Challengers in what they do best: explore the unknown. It’s a smart way to draw readers in while guaranteeing the title characters don’t slip to second billing.
Back to the book proper, the basic setup is that since the death of Darkseid, anomalies have been popping up all over the universe. Mister Terrific needs the Challengers to explore them, and figure out what this all means for the baddie’s inevitable return. And in the midst of that, each of the members of the group has their own secrets… And Mister Terrific is hiding a big secret, as well.
It’s a lot of balls to juggle, but Cantwell is an expert at keeping them all in the air while focusing on character and theme. Here, after the initial setup we narrow in on team leader Ace, and his support superhero, Superman. And true to form, Ace is grappling with his prior — and eventual — death.
Given the Silver Age nature of the team, it’s a surprisingly dark start to the book, and in that is perfectly matched to Izaakse’s art. He’s not going for goofy, gee whiz heroics here. The lines are thicker, and darker. And while there’s a lot at play, he manages to capture everyone from the Challengers, to Superman, to other guest stars with ease.
Overall, this book is closer in tone to Cantwell’s work on IDW’s Star Trek books than what you might expect from Challengers of the Unknown. It’s dark, intense, and clearly central to the overarching story being told by DC All In. Whether this book is also living on borrowed time is TBD. But for now, it’s a promising start.
Spinning out of Absolute Power and the DC All In Special, the terror of the Darkseid shockwave has cascaded across the DC Universe… tearing open the very fabric of time and space itself! Only one band of super-scientists have the right stuff to challenge the fate of a universe… enter: THE CHALLENGERS OF THE UKNOWN. Alongside the Justice League —where the Challengers run day-to-day operations for the massive Watchtower base in orbit above Earth — Ace Morgan, June Robbins, Prof Haley, Red Ryan, and Rocky Davis must team with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the rest of the League to seal the rifts that threaten the galaxy. But a mysterious foe from the Challengers’ past lurks in the shadows, and its connection to the godshock will put the DCU on borrowed time!
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“]] Read our review of Challengers Of The Unknown #1 from DC Comics, written by Christopher Cantwell with art by Sean Izaakse. Read More