Challengers of The Unknown

The Challengers of the Unknown is a group of fictional characters in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, or co-created with Dave Wood (sources differ), this quartet of adventurers explored science fictional and apparent paranormal occurrences and faced fantastic menaces.

Scripts for the first stories are often credited to Dick and Dave Wood, two brothers who also wrote other Kirby-illustrated material, such as the "Sky Masters of the Space Force" comic strip; but others have claimed that Kirby created the Challengers himself or together with former partner Joe Simon. The stories had weird menaces, fistfights, wild vehicles and gadgets, spectacular terrain, daring escapes, and a sense of humor.

Elements of this series were later reused by Jack Kirby in collaboration with Stan Lee to create The Fantastic Four which helped establish Marvel Comics as a major competitor in the comic book medium.