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12 Part Maxi-Series April 1985 - March 1986 |
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Here's a closeup of Rocky standing in for the team to pay last respects to Supergirl. The cover is representational: not all these heroes were actually present at Kara's death. |
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August 1985 |
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November 1985 |
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The Challengers help by researching a "blip on the satellite readings... some kind of flux out there in space". Even Prof doesn't know what it means. June's monitoring "sub-space readings" that Superman asked them to check. The readings are positive (for what?) and that scares June. Soon they're assaulted by an "agonizing scream permating the entire universe". The noise is frightful, and the Challs still have no clue. The skies above Challenger Mountain burn red with lightning. Prof has throughout his career been interested in other-world everything, but especially power sources that could be tapped for humanity. This quest leads to trouble for the team when he and June (sort-of accidentally) blow up Challenger Mountain (COTU V2 1). |
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February 1986 |
 Weather anomolies lash the world. The Challengers investigate a crater in Peru. They stay topside to monitor, having passed the spelunking to the world's leading expert, Cave Carson. Three thousand miles underground, Cave finds a roiling pit that stuns him. "I've never seen anything like it! It's pure energy!" He starts praying. The "electrical storm" is being seen all around the globe as the Anti-Monitor makes his final move. |
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March 1986 |
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The red-sky electrical storm heralds the onset of the Anti-Monitor's anti-matter universe - doom for the Earth. Then the sky turns black, everywhere. The Challengers are still in Peru when the black sky cracks into countless Shadow Demons. Since there's no one around to rescue in this remote spot, we assume the Challengers take shelter in the pit. Soon the Shadow Demons are rounded up by Green Lantern magic and other sorcery. The Challengers are next seen carrying Cave Carson on a stretcher. The rest of Cave's team are fine. Bigger heroes deliver the killing blow, and the Universe is saved, even if a Multiverse has been lost. There's only one Earth after the dust settles. The guys presumably help with mop-up. |
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As for Kal-L Superman, Lois Lane, Superboy Prime, and Alex Luthor, they'll return in Infinite Crisis in ways no one expected. And among the people affected by their actions are the Challengers of the Unknown. Jump to Infinite Crisis Secret Files & Origins 2006. |
Comment It's nice to see the guys pitched in during the Crisis. Superman specifically asks Prof for help, and their info-gathering might have helped elsewhere. Let's hope the guys can shine in the next crisis. |
Alex Ross painted a spectacular poster of the Crisis. Our boys and June made it in the long line of heroes along the bottom. Here are closeups.  |
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