Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #47
Published December-January 1966
Cover Price 0.12
Pages 36
Editing Murray Boltinoff
Notes Learn more about the Challengers at www.challengersoftheunknown.com.

Cover Details - "The Sinister Sponge-Man!"

Genre Adventure
Pencils Bob Brown
Inks Bob Brown
Notes Learn more about the Challengers at www.challengersoftheunknown.com.

11 page Challengers of the Unknown story "The Sinister Sponge"

Characters Challengers of the Unknown (Ace Morgan, Rocky Davis, Prof Haley, Red Ryan), The Sponge Man / Miklos, Stacy, Lisa.
Synopsis The Challengers answer a call for help from a former sponge diver. Miklos gashed his hand on a curious rock (meterorite) with a tiny sponge figure. Overnight he became a human sponge. The team will research to help. Miklos wanted only to meet his pretty neighbor, Lisa, but she recoils. Then a villainous neighbor, Stacy, promises a cure - for lots of money. A simple man, Miklos proceeds to rob downtown. His absorbing powers cause chaos as he sucks colors from paintings and money and stop lights. When the Challs arrive, Miklos absorbs their strength and all sound! Miklos grabs Stacy and runs. The Challs produce a police report: Stacy is a crook and has no cure! Stunned, Miklos wanders in a daze, absorbing water by the ton and expanding proportionately. At this rate, he'll suck up all the water on Earth! The Challs race on motorcycles and dump sleeping pills into a lake. Miklos absorbs the water and grows sleepy - just as a forest fire springs up, and a child is trapped by flames! A decent man, Miklos douses the fire. The Challs still want to help, but Miklos declares he's a freak, and dives into the ocean. Sitting alone, he thinks, "This is my rightful home now... here in the sea..."
Genre Adventure
Script Bill Finger
Pencils Bob Brown
Inks Bob Brown
Notes The Sponge / Sponge Man returns in COTU 52. As does Lisa, the pretty neighbor, who's a spy!

13 page Challengers Casebook (Challengers of the Unknown) story "The Terrors of Mr Tic-Tac-Toe"

Characters Challengers of the Unknown [Ace Morgan; Rocky Davis; Prof Haley; Red Ryan]; Mr. Tic-Tac-Toe [ Dr. Bradford]; Herbert.
Synopsis The Challengers are entrusted by a scientist and his assistant, Dr. Bradford, to deliver a vial of mysterious liquid to Washington. Along the way, Prof experiments with a stinking potion of his own. Their jet, sabotaged, makes a forced landing in the desert. The guys split up. Ace wanders in a crisscross arroyo, is lassoed, and staked to a giant Tic-Tac-Toe display. Captured by Mr. Tic-Tac-Toe! Red chases Herbert, a thug, climbs railroad ties (another TTT motif), then falls through a trap door. He's "crossed off". Rocky bursts through a wall but ends up behind bars, also crossed off. Where's Prof? He has the coveted vial. With his pals threatened, Prof reveals the secret. The liquid, derived from a meterorite, hardens into diamonds! He refuses to surrender it - then drops it! A pink gas - Prof's new tear gas - overwhelms Mr. TTT and Herbert. The villain is unmasked as Dr. Bradford. Prof crosses him off. "You lose."
Genre Adventure
Script France Ed Herron
Pencils Bob Brown
Inks Bob Brown
Notes The "Challengers Casebook" logo means earlier adventures - before the Challs got their new yellow-red uniforms. Writer id by Martin O'Hearn