Comic Title: Challengers of the Unknown Archives Vol. 1 HC
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: 2003
On Sale Date: July 2, 2003 Direct Market Date July 2, 2003
Source: Previews, Vol. 13 #5 (#173)

Direct Market Date July 2, 2003
Source: ComicList, New Comic Book Releases List for Wednesday, July 2, 2003

Cover Price: $39.95
Page Count: 168
Editor: Dale Crain

See Also: The Guide to Graphic Novels and Collected Editions

Title: "The Menace of the Ancient Vials"
Pages: 24

Feature(s):
Challengers of the Unknown (of Earth-1)

Writer/Artist: Jack Kirby
Inker: Wallace Wood

Reprinted From:
Showcase #12 (1958)

Feature Character(s)

• Challengers of the Unknown (last appearance in Showcase #11; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #1)
• Ace Morgan (last appearance in Showcase #11; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #1)
• Prof. Haley (last appearance in Showcase #11; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #1)
• Red Ryan (last appearance in Showcase #11; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #1)
• Rocky Davis (last appearance in Showcase #11; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #1)

Villain(s)

• Karnak, Gortz, and Brommer (International spies; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Amos Hunter (an archeologist; no further appearances)
• Sheriff Chet Hollister (no further appearances)

Comments:
Chap. 2: "The Fire Being"
Chap. 3: "The Demon from the Depths"
Chap. 4: "The Deadly Duplicates"

Synopsis:
The Challengers are assigned to capture Karnak, an international spy. The spy and his henchmen land their plane on a small island. The island’s only inhabitant is archeologist Amos Hunter, who has discovered five vials from an ancient civilization. The Challs land on the island, so Karnak makes his henchmen drink the contents of one of the vials.

Gortz and Brommer are transformed by the potion into giants. The Challs manage to defeat them and corner Karnak. The henchmen revert to normal size and show up to fight the Challs again. In the process, the second vial is shot and destroyed, releasing a fire being. The being sets the forest on fire, and everyone is forced to retreat to the beach.

Red and Rocky chase the henchmen who have escaped using Hunter’s boat. A third vial, carried by Brommer is dropped into the ocean summoning a kraken. Meanwhile, using Hunter’s manuscripts Ace and Prof defeat the fire being. Karnak escapes in his plane, followed by the Challs.

From the air, Ace and Prof spot Red and Rocky in the water. They rescue their comrades and manage to defeat the kraken. They follow Karnak’s plane to the California coast where Karnak has used the fourth vial which has created dozens of duplicates of himself.

The Challs are able to catch some of the duplicates, but are only able to locate the real Karnak by following one of them back to Karnak’s hide-out. Karnak tries to escape using the final vial, but it is only the antidote to the vial which created the duplicates. The Challs capture Karnak, and his doubles disappear.