Reviewer: John Babos
Story Title: Stolen Moments, Borrowed Time
A 6-part mini-series
Written and Illustrated by: Howard Chaykin
Colored by: Michelle Madsen
Lettered by: Richard Starkings
Editor: Scott Dunbier
Publisher: DC Comics
2004 has been a good and bad year for comic book collecting for me so far.
The Good: There is finally a healthy mix of new and older properties being delivered by DC. They’ve been foraging through their vault of Golden, Silver and Bronze Age properties and pulling the trigger on modern revivals such as John Byrne’s Doom Patrol, Marc Andreyko’s Manhunter, Andy Diggle’s Adam Strange, Dan Jolley’s Firestorm, and others. These books are or will be on the shelves with newer titles like Dan Jolley’s Bloodhound, Peter David’s Fallen Angel, Joe Kelly’s Enginehead, Sam Keith’s Scratch, and others.
The Bad: With so many intriguing DC titles, and others like John Romita Jr.’s Gray Area from Image and the upcoming Grimjack revival by John Ostrander at IDW, these books will make a huge ding in my wallet. As we all know, comic book prices are way too high and that sad reality is probably one of the biggest problems facing the industry today next to the reemergence of “alternate†covers and the dominance of the direct market.
Chaykin’s Challs and the Internet
Howard Chaykin’s Challengers of the Unknown (Challs) is part of the Silver Age revival at DC that I wrote about earlier. This title pays homage to its predecessor(s), but really is a different title that is geared to today’s more sophisticated reader.
One of the benefits of the internet and comic book sites like ours is that you can get a sneak peak of books before they come out. You can even read what creators have to say about their books. So, being the voracious reader that I am, and having read Chaykin’s e-comments on Challs, I found myself a bit ahead of Challs #1.
That’s not to say that Challs #1 isn’t a decent read, its just that I was probably in issue #2 mode in terms of what I already knew about the plot and characters per Chaykin’s revealing interview comments.
A Gorgeous, but Challenging Read
Howard Chaykin’s art is still top notch. He remains one of best illustrators and story-tellers in the industry today. His characters have very expressive facial expressions to the point where word balloons or captions are unnecessary in some spots.
Chaykin the writer always peppers his work with socio-political analysis of our media and political cultures. He crafts it in such a way that I’m not sure if its political satire or political outrage.
Gorgeous art and thought-provoking political commentary aside, the key issue with the… um… issue is the “Challengers†themselves. They are introduced in a formulaic and cookie-cutter type of way. I imagine the intent was to provide a “link†between all 5 characters who are presumably all strangers tied together by some unspeakable tragedy.
The problem with this is that these “new†characters aren’t easily distinguishable and as a writer Chaykin must “set up†the plot for the remaining 5 issues of this 6-part mini-series. Introducing 5 new characters, a smattering of villains, a plot and a subplot, takes space in a book. It’s how that space is used that determines whether Challs #1 is a home run or not.
The book starts solidly enough. The wife of a G8 leader is assassinated. Our future “Challengers,†who seemingly have not met yet or don’t remember that they have, are connected to the assassination…. somehow. Each “key†member of the title, whether presumed hero or villain, seems to be tied together by unique yet similar jewelry.. gold rings with black silhouette images in the center of the ring face.
The Ring is the Thing
The assassin was Tony Belle, who wore a gold ring with a black “bell†on it. His “partner†is Miss Brydge, who wears a gold ring with a black bridge on it (similar to the Golden Gates in San Francisco).
Another plot that is introduced and advanced is one revolving around pirate Tom Byshop and his hijacking of a ship in the South Pacific. What’s the connection to this and the assassination or the Challengers? Well, we don’t know yet, but it looks like Tom Byshop is wearing a gold ring with a black image on it. Its likely a silhouette of the “bishop†chess piece, but we don’t get a good look at it… yet.
Our Challengers also wear these rings. Strangers or teammates? We don’t know yet, but we do know they are connected by tragedy.
Videoartist Zach Dyamond sports a gold ring with a black diamond image.
Extreme athlete Tessa Crowne wears a gold ring with a black royal crown on it.
Lawyer Rydell Starr’s ring finger is adorned by a gold ring with a black…. you guessed it… five-point star in its center.
Industrial saboteur Kendra Harte sports a gold ring with a black heart on its face.
Holden Crosse, a Clark Kent lookalike, is an internet journalist who wears a gold ring with a black cross, a la the Passion of the Christ, in its center.
These 5 figures are tied together by strange waking dreams of tragedy and pain, remembering personal loss and foreshadowing mass destruction.
So…..
Challengers of Unknown #1 sets up the mini-series, but doesn’t have readers caring about the fate of the 5 presumed heroes introduced. We know them in very superficial ways. Their introduction seemed more about providing linkages between them then any real character exploration. However, that’s the challenge… pardon the pun… of penning a team book.
The book is gorgeously rendered, and while I may not care about the characters yet, the plot has me intrigued. Plot set-up trumps character development in issue #1, but the cliffhanger and whiff of mystery will have me back for issue #2.
Challengers of the Unknown #1 isn’t a home run, but its a double with Chaykin sliding into second base and the second issue head-first, but safe.
