Challengers of the Unknown #47
In "The Sinister Sponge," the Challengers of the Unknown encounter Miklos, a man transformed into a living sponge after a diving accident, as he struggles to reclaim his humanity. With a desperate plea for help from his neighbor Stacy, the team follows a trail of chaos that leads to a bank heist and a shocking betrayal. Written by Bill Finger and illustrated by Bob Brown, this 1965 classic blends sci-fi oddity with emotional stakes, all rendered in striking detail on a cover by Bob Brown.
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The Challengers meet Miklos, a diver who became a human sponge. His neighbor Stacy promises a cure for Miklos' condition, but he will need money to do it. Miklos heads downtown and begins to absorbs all color, sound, and even the Challs' strength, as Stacy robs a bank. Later, the Challs inform Miklos that Stacy is a crook and has no cure for him. Stunned, Miklos wanders in a daze, absorbing water by the ton and growing larger until the Challs dump sleeping pills into a lake to make Miklos sleepy. Miklos uses his abilities to douse a forest fire and save a child, then slinks off into the ocean.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).