Name: Challengers of the Unknown
Universe: Post-Crisis
First Appearance: Secret Origins #12

History:
It was a different time. Before Superman and Batman. When the All-Star Squadron had become, like radio, something for nostalgia buffs. America needed heroes.

They were the best in their fields. Men who had it all. Money. Fame. Ace Morgan — Fearless Flyer! Rocky Davis — World Class Wrestler! Red Ryan — Heroic Mountaineer! Prof Haley — Underwater Diving Expert! These four diverse heroes were brought together for a multi-billion dollar corporation (Tri-Corp) in a nationwide tour to help inspire the young people of America — though some would say that they were sent on a marketing blitz to promote dolls, toys, and other licensed products.

Fate took a hand. The plane, which Ace piloted, crashed! Miraculously, the men survived. Ironically, their watches had stopped.

It was at that moment that they realized they were four men living on borrowed time. Together they decided to form a team—using their unique backgrounds to delve into adventures into the unknown.

Their thrilling exploits were recounted weekly by reporter Harold Moffet in the tabloid paper Tattletale. Millions across America delighted in the lurid tales of their battles against the likes of the League of Challenger Haters (Multi-Man. Multi-Woman, Kra the Living Robot, and Volcano Man) and The Legion of the Weird. Long before the Invasion, the Challs (as their fans knew them) took on aliens from throughout the galaxy.

But in recent years these four men, who had no meta-human powers to speak of, found that their moment of glory had passed. Supergroups like the JLI and the Doom Patrol could handle what they once encountered. And so, wealthy beyond their dreams from the sale of products they had endorsed and from the proceeds from the public attraction of Challenger Mountain (not only their headquarters, but now a spectacular museum and tour), the Challengers live in semi-retirement, each free to pursue his own life.

Kyle "Ace" Morgan was a world class pilot. After the fateful plane crash which brought the Challengers together, Ace became team leader and was instrumental in the design of Challenger Mountain and the financial structure of the Challenger Foundation, which funded the Challengers.

Long before the days of Hulk Hogan and Rowdy Roddy, when Haystack Calhoun and Gorgeous George kept America watching wrestling, one man held the championship belt — Rocky Davis.

Always considered the "heart" of the Challengers. Rocky possessed unending loyally and courage that were always there to hold the group's diverse personalities together.

Matthew "Red" Ryan made his name as a mountaineer, but few know that his public life as a sportsman provided an excellent cover for work he did for the C.I.A. Much of Red's life of espionage has long been deemed classified; some of it is only now coming to light.

The hot-headed Challenger, Red was always willing to go that extra step, often ignoring his own safety. His current status of semi-retirement doesn't sit well with him; he is a time bomb waiting to explode.

Walter Reed "Prof" Haley came from money. A playboy, he trawled the world seeking thrills in underwater adventures for his own pleasure. Only when he joined the Challengers did he put his skills to use in a constructive way.

In recent years, Prof lived up to his nickname by embracing the world of science. His inventions helped finance the Challengers, but his main preoccupation was in finding an alternative energy source to help our polluted environment.