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July 1999 |
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July 1999 |
Continued from 63... Black Zero banishes the many Doomsdays to a dead Hyperzone. And moves ahead with plans to invade Superboy's world. While Black Zero complains about our heroes. "THAT Superboy... THOSE Challengers. In all the different realities I've been to, no one's caused me more trouble!" Superboy and the Challengers try to free the statis-podded alt-Superboys. Black Zero freezes them with TK - and accidentally triggers their signal watch. Clark-Superboy breaks free of his pod, as does the entire Legion of Superboys! While they battle, Prof Haley appeals to Metron's cold logic. Why not, for a change, stop Black Zero from invading and see what happens? The Superboys battle Black Zero to a standstill by combining TK, until SVAZKOOM! the alt-Superboys vanish, sent home by Metron. Black Zero is pinned by a Mother Box. Time to go home. Rather than be transported instantly, Prof Haley wants to fly in a vehicle THROUGH Hypertime. Ace will pilot. Metron concedes Prof is "one of only three mortals" who could understand Hypertime to navigate it successfully. He touches Prof's brow to give him further knowledge. The other Challs buy into the plan, fully supporting Prof's choice. Superboy brings along Black Zero to rehabilitate. |
The Challengers' ship plunges into the Hyperium Reactor, "into the unknown!"  |
Sailing the hyperstorm, Black Zero shakes off the Mother Box and blows out a hatch. Attacking, Red and June are swept out. Superboy rescues June but loses Red, and is himself rescued by Black Zero. Zero floats outside to go- and gets blasted away by hyperenergy.  Holding the ship together with TK and guts, the heroes vanish into a bright white light... While back at Cadmus, the word goes out: we need a replacement Superboy... Continued. |
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August 1999 |
Continued from 64... Metropolis, in the Planet Krypton restaurant. Mr. Carter, the owner, closes the restaurant for renovations. Just in time. The Hypershuttle smashes through the roof! Superboy breaks free. "We made it!" The Challengers crawl out: Ace, Prof, and June.  |
Here to meet them is Rocky, flown in specially! Their reunion is marred: Red was lost in Hypertime. And June is not June Robbins, but June Walker!  Somehow she got switched with an alternate. THIS June has been a full-time Challenger since meeting Ultivac (Showcase 7), not a "mascot". |
Since Prof has Metron's knowledge of Hypertime, and a piece of hyperium, and the Challengers are "living on borrowed hypertime", they vow to reenter Hypertime to rescue Red. Mr. Carter offers the sub-basement as a "Hypertime Headquarters", because he's actually the cyborg Rip Hunter!  We don't get to see the sub-basement this time, just the exterior. The young people in costume are waitpersons. |
The Challengers invite Superboy to join the team as a "death-cheater." Thanks, but Superboy has to go, since Cadmus is trying to replace him right now!  The Challs' last appearance to date is them debating how to get back to Hypertime. Their adventures continue, but are not chronicled by DC Comics. Yet... |
As for Superboy... At Cadmus, dozens of heroes are gathered. Captain Marvel Jr. The Creeper. Young Justice. Sparx. Flamebird. The Odd Man. Steel. And others come to replace Superboy or meet him or just hang out. Colonel Winterborne and Mickey Cannon host a sort-of tryout, but things get out of hand. Hero Hotline gets miffed. Damage is passed over. The Gadget Guru wants to disassemble the Metal Men. Green Lantern reports Superboy is still MIA. Heat Wave, trying to reform, exposes Hawk and Dove as Punch and Julee! They grab a hostage - and get clobbered by Superboy. He's back! Tryouts are over. Heat Wave gets a "second chance" to be Superboy's backup. And Dubbilex gets haunted by the Gene-Gnome. Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman come to collect and debrief Superboy about his Hypertime adventure. And Mickey Cannon says, "I'll never think of Superboy as a 'kid' again!" |
Comments Up till now, it was thought a mere typo when June was accidentally named Walker. Leave it to Karl Kesel, Challs fanatic, to work both Junes into the history! For more on Hypertime, check these links: Prof's take on Hypertime (and government attempts at censorship) The Infinite Atlas and the Known Hypertimelines As a postscript, one fan got his letter published in Superboy 69. From the editor's response, maybe there's hope for more Challenger adventures...  |