The Challenger of the Unknown are a DC property that never quite hit the big time as far as recognition beyond comics are concerned, but they seem to find a way to return every so often. I think a lot of it all comes down to their team name - it just sounds so cool, and it's a shame not to use it, not unlike The Doom Patrol. I'm not sure what the Challengers' current status is in the New 52. Hopefully they'll find their place in the spotlight again one of these days.
There was a mediocre 1977 paperback novel by Ron Goulart, but aside from that, I don't think the Challs have ever appeared outside of comics. Were they ever in Batman: the Brave and the Bold? If not, then they may have been the only DC property that was never on that show.
ReplyDeleteI don't know of any appearances outside of comics for the CotU nor have I noticed them in the new52 yet.
ReplyDeleteThe Challengers are one of those rare comic book features that would translate to series television without having to change much to make it palatable to a larger, non-comics-literate audience. They have uniforms instead of costumes (like "Star Trek" and "Stargate" and the way cop and military shows would if they were as realistic as "Star Trek" and "Stargate"). They don't have physics-defying super-powers, but they do have extraordinary expertise. The biggest obstacle to getting them on TV is that in the decades since they've been introduced, tons of shows have used their basic formula of professionals risking their lives confronting unprecedented dangers, including "X-Files", "Warehouse 13", etc. It's hard to impress kids with "Forbidden Planet" when they've grown up seeing "Avatar".
ReplyDeleteThe were in the animated version "New Frontier" but I don't know if that counts as being 'outside the comics' since it was an adaptation of the graphic novel.
ReplyDeleteGod forbid they ever come under the purview of Task Force X. The "New 52" version of Amanda Waller is thicker in the head than her original version was in the girth!
ReplyDeleteThey're in the New 52 - see DC Universe Presents #6-8. It's an amalgam of people from all the previous incarnations of the team.
ReplyDeleteThey are also in Phantom Stranger 7 with a fantastic four homage ...
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