Challengers of the Unknown (2nd Series) #1 (Mar 1991)

They were four middle-aged men who seemed to have it all.  Wealth.  Power.  Fame. Their names and likenesses appeared on every conceivable piece of merchandising...even a mountain and town were named after them.  All this adoration is based on a long-ago event and the illusion of the four men - Rocky Davis, Ace Morgan, Red Ryan, and Prof. Haley - the team the world knows as the CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN.  

Unfortunately, in a single devastating instant, all their fame and popularity is destroyed when an experiment conducted by Prof. Haley seemingly goes wrong, destroying Challengerville and the theme park, killing hundreds along with Prof. and his assistant, June.  Their safe world shattered, the surviving Challengers go their separate ways, seeking to fill the void in their lives with adventuring, mysticism, women and drink.  But no matter what divergent roads they take, they're destined to be drawn together again by a mysterious force that's driving normal people to commit horrendous acts of crime and violence...and to discover what really happened to Prof. Haley and June.  

Written by Jeph Loeb, with art by Tim Sale.  

Cover by Brian Bolland.  

New Format.  Cover price $1.75.

Issue Details
Issue:  #1
Published:  March 1991
Frequency:  Monthly
Cover Price:  1.75 USD; 2.25 CAD; 1.00 GBP
Pages:  36
Editing:  Barbara Kesel; Elliot S. Maggin

Cover Details
Characters: Challengers of the Unknown [Ace Morgan; Red Ryan; Rocky Davis; Prof Haley]; three kids
Genre:  adventure
Pencils:  Brian Bolland (signed)
Inks:  Brian Bolland (signed)

25-page Challengers of the Unknown story "The Challengers Must Die!"

Characters:  Challengers of the Unknown [Ace Morgan; Rocky Davis; Red Ryan; Prof Haley; June Robbins]; Harold Moffet; an unnamed mad bomber (Duncan Pramble formerly Multi-Man); an unnamed space creature
Synopsis:  To the world, the Challengers are ancient history. The only person still interested is Harold Moffet, hack reporter for the National Tattler, who’s scratched a living embroidering their adventures. Moffet goes to Colorado for one more story… Challenger Mountain is a theme park above tourist-trap Challengerville. Rocky is fat and drunk and killing time. Ace is an airhead pondering religion and mysticism. Red Ryan, the youngest, is angry the team is defunct. Prof. Haley and June Robbins probe space for a new energy source for Earth when a red space mist attracts their attention. An unnamed mad bomber (Duncan Pramble, we’ll learn, the former Multi-Man) sneaks away from a tour group and plants a bomb. The bomb detonates as Prof pulls the switch to tap the unknown red energy. Challenger Mountain explodes and takes most of Challengerville with it. Ace, Rocky, and Red rush to town and rescue folk. Ace thinks about God, Red curses everyone, and Rocky wants a beer. The authorities arrive, see carnage and a thousand deaths, and arrest the Challengers. While up in the crater of Challenger Mountain, the red space THING seeps from the rubble into our world… Continued…
Genre:  adventure
Script:  Jeph Loeb
Pencils:  Tim Sale
Inks:  Tim Sale
Colors:  Lovern Kindzierski
Letters:  Bob Pinaha

Notes:  Includes a very abbreviated glimpse of the Challengers' history, but hints much of it may be exaggerated or false.

2-page Challengers of the Unknown text article "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?"
Genre:  adventure
Script:  Jeph Loeb
Pencils:  Tim Sale (illustrations)
Inks:  Tim Sale (illustrations)
Letters:  typeset

Notes:  Loeb tells the origin of the series. Illustrated with panels and character designs.

Cover price $1.75
Overstreet Guide price $5.00