Summary written by Lou Mougin (lomougin@wf.net)

"Eight Against Eternity" (25 pages)
Cover: Bob Brown
Editor: Murray Boltinoff
Writer: Arnold Drake
Artist: Bruno Premiani

Guest stars: Challengers of the Unknown, Beast-Boy, Mento

Villains: The League of Challenger-Haters (Multi-Man, Multi-Woman, Kra, Volcano Man)
Intro: King Zatopa and his Atlantean people (all die in this story)

This story continues from CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN #48.

The Challengers of the Unknown reunite with the Doom Patrol when Prof Haley's instruments indicate new evidence of Challenger-Hater activity near their destroyed base. The Chief's computer indicates that the Chall-Haters are out to revive a perfectly preserved army of Atlanteans. The villains have indeed found a city of Atlantis, preserved by volcanic activity and vacuum when the continent sank. Kra uses his alien science to revive King Zatopa and his armies, and Multi-Man promises to have Zatopa's queen revived as well if the king will follow his commands. Zatopa agrees.

The Atlantean armies, equipped with super-weapons designed by Multi-Man and his comrades, wreak havoc on the surface world. The Doom Patrol and the Challengers locate the villains' new hideout, and, after a brief battle with their foes, split their forces to deal with the Atlantean zombies. Mento and Beast-Boy are called in to help with the operation. The heroes manage to defeat the Chall-Haters and reunite King Zatopa with his queen for a few precious moments. Then Zatopa, the Queen, and the Atlantean armies crumble into dust, and the underwater city is destroyed.

This chapter actually comes off a bit better than the previous one. Premiani does a better Challengers than Brown does a Doom Patrol, though Brown's work in CHALLS #48 is a distinct improvement over earlier efforts. The romance between the ancient king and queen of Atlantis is a nice bit, as are the Atlantean schtick itself, Rita in a bikini, Cliff's entertaining crippled kids and then remarking gruffly, "Let that hold those midget monsters!" (which has to be a reference to the famed radio saying of Uncle Don, which we will not repeat here), the underwater battle with the Chall-Haters, and the continuing conflict between Cliff and Rocky.

The ironic cover of CHALLS #48, showing the Doom Patrol bearing away the "dead" Challengers, makes one wonder why the Challs didn't show up for the Doom Patrol's wake in issue #121. Oh, well, maybe they were busy that week...

• Go to The Brave and The Bold #65
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• Go back to Challengers of the Unknown #48
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