Challengers of the Unknown #38
In "The Menace the Challengers Made," the Challengers of the Unknown race into the eerie Red Forest of Central Africa, tracking the fugitive Killer Starke into a hidden cave. When Starke's desperate gunfire triggers a bizarre transformation, the team faces a living, growing blob-monster born from a bubbling mineral pool—forcing them to improvise a daring plan with help from the Air Force, local allies, and a surprise ride on an elephant. Written by Arnold Drake and illustrated by Bob Brown, with cover art by Bob Brown, this 1964 DC adventure blends jungle mystery with sci-fi spectacle in a standout issue of the series.
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In Central Africa, the Challs pursue Killer Starke into the mysterious Red Forest. They corner Starke in a cave. He shoots wild, so Prof lobs a grenade. Starke is missing, until a bubbling pool of strange minerals releases a walking blob-monster, absorbing everything and growing larger. Prof works up a plan, Red calls an Air Force base for parts, and Rocky and locals dig a pit. Ace rides an elephant to lure the Ooze onto a leafy cover and it falls over a pit of whooshing jet engines. Suspended in air, the Ooze shrinks until it's just Starke again and the Challs take Starke back to prison.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).