Challenge of the Unknown 6 1950

Challengers of the Unknown 6
 September 1950

"Villa of the Vampire"
"High Priestess of the Snake People"
and other strange stories

Cover art: Mike Sekowsky
Ace Magazines

Comment: "Villa of the Vampire" was cited by the New York Joint Legislative Committee (as an example of a gory comic inappropriate for children, we presume).



There are many mysteries associated with our heroes.  One is exactly where they got their name.

"Challengers" makes sense.  They're adventurers and daredevils taking on the world.

But "of the Unknown"?  Where did that phrase come from?  Yes, they challenge unknowns, especially in their first appearance (Showcase 6).  But the phrase just seems to fall from the sky.

Or so we thought.  Turns out the name had been used before.

We don't know much about Challenge of the Unknown.  This comic just surfaced on eBay and we've never seen a copy.  It ran at least six issues and featured "weird, spooky, and supernatural stories."  Probably really gruesome in pre-Comics Code days.

Most telling, the series came out in 1950, seven years before our Challengers appeared!

As much as we love King Kirby, it looks like Jack was, uh, inspired to, uh, borrow the name for our fearless band.  Even the logo is similar to later issues.

More if we get it.