January 1983 |
Our story opens in Rocky's "plush penthouse", though we're not told where it is. (Except it's not Las Vegas nor Hawaii.)  Prof, the thinker, paces and sifts clues to the sabotage of their plane. He notes drily, "I don't think you gentlemen are seriously considering our situation." What an understatement. Rocky is reading. Red is reading a letter from his kid brother Tino Mannaray, the rock star, who's "hit it big with the guys in Vegas." And Ace is robbing Peter to pay Paul, shifting debt from one credit card to another. (The first time we learn Ace spends money like water.) Prof notes that someone booby-trapped their plane, and after four days investigating, they don't know who is the someone nor who is the target. Rocky contends the perpetrators will show themselves sooner or later. Prof counters that Rocky was not the target, but he wonders "if I should be looking over my shoulder." |
Ace recounts how he received $5000 to deliver a load of nitro to prospectors in Alaska. But the load broke loose in flight, and Ace couldn't risk a landing. Instead he buzzed the prospectors to take cover, then ditched the load. It blew open a vein of gold that made the miners rich. Unfortunately, Ace had bombed an Eskimo burial ground, and the Eskimos weren't happy.  Red jokes, "So what are you saying? That angry Eskimos booby-trapped our plane? C'mon, this isn't some dopey TV movie!" |
Where was Red last week? Hunh? In South America, in Santa Florida, the president, Senor Domingo, wanted to mount a radio transmitter atop Mount Blanco "to educate my poor countrymen". Red planned to scale the mountain anyway, so sure. He's to direct in the helicopters for construction, and hopes to use the money to pay off his "heavy debts". That night,a kid invades his tent. Senor Domingo wants to become dictator and use the radio tower for propaganda. Red argues, "That's none of my business! I'm just doing a job! Politics isn't my bag." The kid runs out - and is shot! Enraged, Red pursues, counting the killer's shots. The killer is Domingo himself. Now they've got "the same weapon - bare hands!" But Domingo backs away. Red tries to warn him, but Domingo is electrocuted. Ironically, Domingo died a hero, for the radio tower is now used for education. But Domingo might have had friends still gunning for revenge.  Is anyone mad at Prof? Yes, because of his own stupidity. He capsized a boat belonging to Sir Lawrence Revere, who was trying to retrieve a statue considered good luck to local fisherman. Revere, of course, showed Prof "what a real hero is" and that "there's more to life than money". When Prof inherited millions from Uncle Cyrus, he planned to be the American Jacques Cousteau. He spent money against his inheritance. But "where's there's a will, there are lots of relatives." The will left money to his Cousin Freddie, but discovery of an earlier will invalidated Freddie's claim. But if Prof dies, Cousin Freddie inherits! Rocky says they should talk to Cousin Freddie. But Red says, "Hang on a second, fellas. I've got something to tell you before you go chasing after the wrong man." |
 One cute moment is when Rocky sets down his girly mag VA-VOOM to grab a "brew". Red picks up the magazine and discovers WAR AND PEACE tucked inside. Red: "The dumb jock is reading Tolstoy?" |
The mystery continues in Adventure 496! |
Comment This wonderful recap of the Challs' origin is made even better by the unsurpassed art of Alex Toth. On this original page, note the clean lines and striking use of black. And how the panels are juggled to add interest. Note how Prof is simply but elegantly dressed, and the way he paces, which says so much about his personality with just a few lines. Alex Toth designed super-clean characters for Super Friends, the Herculoids, Space Ghost, and other TV shows, and you can see why he got lots of work. It's a pleasure to see him illustrating Challengers.  |