DC Universe Presents #8: Challengers of the Unknown

One issue left and three talismans to go? I predict they do die.

Last issue left off with the majority of the living Challengers still in Germany and the majority of the dead Challengers in Challenger's Mountain.

This issue begins here.

First off, the colors in this issue seem a bit washed out. I think that's supposed to represent all of the sun shining out of the Sun Gate. It makes me feel like I have cataracts. Or how I believe having cataracts would affect my vision.

The next Talisman is on the top of this sun gate. The sun gate leads to the Realm of the Giant Ant God. I'm not sure the team gained enough experience points last issue to fight a swarm of Giant Fire Ants! Although Brenda seems to have increased her Fleeing Skill.

What the hell does Brenda bring to this team?

Red has climbed to the top of the Sun Gate because he's the only one with the Climbing Skill. He manages to knock the next Talisman out of the gate and the gate begins sucking the Giant Ants into it. The gate isn't very particular about what it sucks down its maw so the Challengers are also pulled toward the opening.

Oh! I guess Brenda was what we, in the parlance of Role Players, call a "Hit Eater."

Oh. Um. Geez. I'm sorry to see Brenda go! Maybe she'll come back. She's only been dragged off to a dimension ruled by Giant Fire Ants. Maybe they'll make her their queen, right?

The Challengers end up being interviewed by Billy McCoy (I believe that's the guy that Superman dropped off the building at the end of the last issue I read. If I'm remembering things correctly!). It sounds like Ken died of his wounds from Ace but The Prof survived. Hopefully Kenny Kawa left the Challenger's Headquarters to June or Rocky so they don't get kicked out by whoever inherits his winter retreat.

Emily Briggs! Vampire! Former Outsider! I can't wait for her comic in August!

The Prof has indeed survived. He tells June that the talisman they just recovered is The Seal of Shamash and should have been in the Middle East. I think they found it because the Challengers were somehow drawn to it. Perhaps Ace has the last two and that way the Challengers won't have to spend another issue tracking down lost Talismans.

Meanwhile, June quits the show but Morgan Edge barely cares since they have enough footage for two more seasons of Challengers of the Unknown. The seasons will probably suck as they try to edit them into a coherent story line but people stick with shows they love for at least one lousy season before they abandon it. Morgan has the right idea!

The rest of the Challengers meet back at Challenger's Mountain to discuss the Talismans.

Ha ha! I knew there were more than five! I bet the artist, Ordway, told DiDio that he could fit seven together into a better pattern than five.

Except that isn't the Prof telling them there are seven talismans: it's Ace in disguise! So maybe there aren't seven! No, no. There are probably seven so that the Challengers have more talismans to hunt down when they return in one form or another. Ace manages to kill Rocky and put down the other Challengers. But the real Prof shows up and tells June to give Ace all of the talismans. She does and Ace is consumed by their power instead of being filled by it. Once again, they win out through sheer luck. Although Prof pretends he knew it would happen due to the insights he's made.

One Talisman for each Chosen Challenger. But Ken is dead. And Brenda missing. And Rocky possibly dead or dying.

DC Universe Presents #8: Challengers of the Unknown Rating: No change. I was planning on dropping this comic one rank simply because Aquaman is a better comic. But I really enjoyed this story and couldn't bring myself to do it. Anyway, I still have three issues of Aquaman to read and I'm sure it will move up past DC Universe Presents on its own. This was a pretty good introduction to the Challengers of the Unknown and it sets them up with a pretty decent premise for their own comic book. I had pretty much decided I wasn't going to be buying any of the New 52 mini-series and just stick with the main 52 books. But if DC decides to come out with a Challengers mini-series, I think I'll be picking it up!

Ahhhhhhh! Ghost heads!