|
|
The Challengers debuted in January 1957 in Showcase 6. According to Jack Kirby historians, Jack had the first issue at least completed, had been shopping it around, and DC bought it to fill a slot in their new tryout title. Which means Jack worked on it in 1956. So the question is: Can we find any influences from 1956 that might have worked their way into the Challengers? Here are a few possibilities... |
|
A popular movie in 1956 was BACK FROM ETERNITY.  It starred Robert Ryan, Rod Steiger, and others, and featured a plane crash in the Amazon jungle. Everyone survives – same as the Challengers. Only here the survivors worry about being eaten by cannibals. |
Another popular movie in 1956 was - wait for it - TOWARD THE UNKNOWN.  Air Force test pilots (like Ace) risk their lives shooting for the upper atmosphere. Makes for a great title… A similar movie was ON THE THRESHOLD OF SPACE. Again, pilots risk their lives for altitude.  |
It’s obvious that Rocky Davis is based on Rocky Marciano. That boxer had retired undefeated in 1948, so was still on everyone else’s mind. In 1956, another hero made his debut. Rocky Jones and His Space Rangers entered the public eye in BEYOND THE MOON.  So the name “Rocky” got a boost. |
Boxing was also big in 1956 with REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT, THE WORLD IN MY CORNER, ON THE RUN, and THE HARDER THEY FALL. All about pugilism. Rocky is first introduced as an Olympic Wrestler, but he looks like Rocky Marciano. Perhaps he was intended as a boxer and someone suggested wrestling was more kid-friendly. |
|
A big movie of 1956 was TRAPEZE.  Former-acrobat Burt Lancaster and never-an-acrobat Tony Curtis were partners vying for the same girl. The aerial trapeze scenes are said to be stunning because they used the best acrobats of European circuses. Maybe all the acrobatics inspired Red Ryan as a “circus daredevil”. |
|
Mountain climbers were also big in 1956. THE MOUNTAIN starred Spencer Tracy and Robert Wagner. They climb a mountain to rescue survivors of – you guessed it – a place crash.  SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET was about another famous mountain climber who escapes from a POW camp across the Himalayas. |
SCUBA divers were also popular in 1956. Jacques Cousteau became a household name in THE SILENT WORLD, with divers flirting with sharks. THE PHANTOM FROM 10,000 LEAGUES starred a sea monster and a sinister professor experimenting with radiation at the “Pacific College of Oceanography”. THE SHARKFIGHTERS was based on true research where scientists tried to make a worthwhile shark repellent. The hero uses himself as bait. And around this time, SEA HUNT starring Lloyd Bridges was a hot television show. |
 |
Comments Nothing is definite here.
There's no way to prove |