DC Aims to Topple The Fantastic Four By Overhauling One Team's Tragic Origin Story

Warning: Spoilers for Challengers of the Unknown #1

Every comic fan has some degree of familiarity with the Fantastic Four, but what many don't know is that DC Comics houses a team with a very similar gimmick to Marvel's First Family - yet they've never shared the same level of popularity. Now, after joining the Justice League, the Challengers of the Unknown have undergone a major lore overhaul that shows they have what it takes to surpass the Fantastic Four at long last.

Challengers of the Unknown #1 by Christopher Cantwell, Sean Izaakse, Romulo Fajardo Jr., and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou marks the long-awaited return of DC's most underrated team to the Justice League's roster. As the team is reintroduced to DC canon, their backstory is explained, and Ace Morgan sums up the tragedy of their origin: "We are blessed with life. But we are also tinged with death."

The Challengers of the Unknown's backstory has been redefined in a compelling way that unveils the dark side of their lore, as the effect the team's past has on them demonstrates how much more compelling they can be than their Fantastic Four competition.

DC's Version of the Fantastic Four Just Received a Tragic New Origin

Sorry, Fantastic Four: The Challengers of the Unknown Have a Sadder Backstory

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The Challengers of the Unknown formed after its heroes were caught in a devastating plane crash that, for all intents and purposes, should have been fatal. However, in miraculous fashion, the team's members - Ace Morgan, Professor Haley, Rocky Davis, Red Ryan, and June Robbins - survive and are struck with the realization that they are "living on borrowed time". Knowing that their time could run out at any moment, they become the Challengers of the Unknown and dedicate themselves to chasing after anomalies as a way of living their lives to the absolute fullest. However, in pursuing this cause, the Challengers have inadvertently lived emptier lives.

In this issue, Ace contends with his inner demons during a mission to Mars with Superman. Different versions of himself confront him, all of whom went down different paths than the true Ace, and they accuse him of never making a choice for himself. By becoming the Challengers, Ace and his teammates have deprived themselves of things like falling in love or accepting superpowers. Simply put, living on borrowed time means they aren't truly embracing life. Ace's variants reiterate that he should have died in the plane crash, and the other Challengers likely feel the same. The Fantastic Four's origin is certainly sad, but the Challengers' is officially far more tragic.

Jack Kirby's "Prototype" for the Fantastic Four Set the Precedent for Marvel's First Family

The Challengers of the Unknown Are the Blueprint for the Fantastic Four

If the Challengers of the Unknown's backstory sounds familiar, that's because the Fantastic Four's is strikingly similar. Like the Challengers, Reed Richards and his allies faced an accident of their own during a space flight that he'd urged them to join him on. The four of them were exposed to cosmic rays that forever altered their biology, with Reed responsible for their suffering. Herein lies the key difference between the Fantastic Four and the Challengers of the Unknown, though; the Fantastic Four received superpowers from their incident as a consolation prize, whereas the Challengers only have trauma to show for it.

The shared qualities between the Fantastic Four and the Challengers stem from the fact that both teams were created by comic legend Jack Kirby. The Challengers of the Unknown were originated by Kirby in 1956's Showcase #6, and the Fantastic Four later made their debut in 1961's Fantastic Four #1. Both teams also share the primary objective of investigating strange cosmic phenomena across their respective universes. Unfortunately, despite the Challengers filling this role first, they haven't had much luck with audiences and are thus overlooked by many. The Fantastic Four, on the other hand, are much more successful - for now.

The Fantastic Four Is More Popular Than DC's Challengers, But That Could Change

DC's Fantastic Four Is Finally Getting the Spotlight in Their New Series

Despite being preceded by the Challengers of the Unknown, the Fantastic Four remains the more mainstream team within the pop culture landscape. Furthermore, with Fantastic Four: First Steps on the horizon to introduce them to the MCU audience, their popularity will only continue to skyrocket with time. However, the Challengers' latest evolution proves that they have the potential to reach that wider audience. Their deepened tragedy enhances their appeal, and now that they've been granted such an integral role in DC lore, the Challengers of the Unknown may have what it takes to surpass the Fantastic Four.

Challengers of the Unknown #1 is available now from DC Comics.