DC Challenge
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox comic book title|
| image = Dc challenge 01.jpg
| caption = Cover of DC Challenge! #1 (Nov 1985), art by Jerry Ordway.
| schedule = Monthly
| format = Limited series
| publisher = DC Comics
| date = November 1985 – October 1986
| issues = 12
| main_char_team =
| writers = {{List collapsed|Mike W. Barr, Cary Bates, Gerry Conway, Mark Evanier, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Elliot S. Maggin, Dan Mishkin, Doug Moench, Roy Thomas, Len Wein, Marv Wolfman}}
| artists =
| pencillers = {{List collapsed|Ross Andru, Gene Colan, Denys Cowan, Dave Gibbons, Keith Giffen, Don Heck, Rick Hoberg, Carmine Infantino, Dan Jurgens, Gil Kane, Steve Lightle, Tom Mandrake, Luke McDonnell, Chuck Patton, Dan Spiegle, Joe Staton, Curt Swan, Stan Woch}}
| inkers = {{List collapsed|Terry Austin, Mike DeCarlo, Jan Duursema, Mark Farmer, Dick Giordano, Don Heck, Dave Hunt, Klaus Janson, Rick Magyar, Larry Mahlstedt, Tom Mandrake, Gary Martin, Frank McLaughlin, Steve Mitchell, Rodin Rodriguez, Bob Smith, Dan Spiegle, Arne Starr}}
| colorists = Carl Gafford
| letterers = John Costanza
| editors = Robert Greenberger
| creative_team_month =
| creative_team_year =
| creators =
| TPB1 =
| ISBN1 =
}}
DC Challenge was a 12-issue comic book limited series produced by DC Comics from November 1985 to October 1986, as a round robin experiment in narrative. The series' tagline was "Can You Solve It Before We Do?"
Publication history
The DC Challenge series was conceived during a rooftop party at the 1983 San Diego Comic-Con.{{cite comic| writer= Evanier, Mark; Greenberger, Robert|title= DC Challenge|issue= 1|date= November 1985}}{{cite web |url= http://ifanboy.com/articles/dc-histories-the-dc-challenge/|title= DC Histories: The DC Challenge|first= Jeff|last= Reid|date= May 22, 2013|website= IFanboy|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20130818231155/http://ifanboy.com/articles/dc-histories-the-dc-challenge/|archivedate= August 18, 2013|url-status= live}} The premise of the series was that each chapter would be made by a different author and artist.{{cite book|last=Manning|first= Matthew K.|editor-last=Dolan|editor-first=Hannah|chapter= 1980s|title= DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle|publisher= Dorling Kindersley|year= 2010|location= London, United Kingdom|isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9|page= 215|quote= In a playful twelve-issue maxiseries, DC decided to put its writers and artists to the test. With each issue written and drawn by a different team, DC Challenge told a story that was in a constant state of flux.}} No consultation between authors was permitted. Additionally, each chapter would end in a cliffhanger from which that chapter's author had to have planned a viable escape, and the name of the next chapter would be provided. Authors were free to use any DC character, with the exception of those whose appearances they were currently writing. Dick Giordano had been the original editor of the series, but turned the job over to Robert Greenberger before the first issue was published. The last issue of DC Challenge was a collaborative effort by six of the twelve writers.{{cite journal|last= Greenberger|first= Robert|title= It Sounded Like a Good Idea at the Time: A Look at the DC Challenge!|journal= Back Issue!|issue= 98|pages= 34–44|publisher= TwoMorrows Publishing|date= August 2017|location= Raleigh, North Carolina}}
The issues
| class="wikitable" |
| Issue
! Date ! Story title ! Writers ! Artists ! Featured characters ! Citations |
|---|
| align="center"|1
| align="center"|November 1985 | align="center"|"Outbreak!" | align="center"|Mark Evanier | align="center"|Gene Colan and Bob Smith | align="center"|Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Adam Strange, Riddler | align="center"|{{Gcdb issue|id= 40602|title= DC Challenge #1}} |
| align="center"|2
| align="center"|December 1985 | align="center"|"Blinded By the Light" | align="center"|Len Wein | align="center"|Chuck Patton and Mike DeCarlo | align="center"|Superman, Batman, B'wana Beast, Jonah Hex, Congorilla | align="center"|{{Gcdb issue|id= 40717|title= DC Challenge #2}} |
| align="center"|3
| align="center"|January 1986 | align="center"|"Viking Vengeance" | align="center"|Doug Moench | align="center"|Carmine Infantino and Bob Smith | align="center"|Superman, Hawkwoman, Jonah Hex, Batman, Aquaman, Adam Strange, Viking Prince, Hawkman, Alanna | align="center"|{{Gcdb issue|id= 40942|title= DC Challenge #3}} |
| align="center"|4
| align="center"|February 1986 | align="center"|"Atomic Nights" | align="center"|Paul Levitz | align="center"|Gil Kane and Klaus Janson | align="center"|Martian Manhunter, Zatanna, Detective Chimp, Superman, Aquaman, Jimmy Olsen | align="center"|{{Gcdb issue|id= 41057|title= DC Challenge #4}} |
| align="center"|5
| align="center"|March 1986 | align="center"|"If There's a Hole in Reality, is Life a Cosmic Donut? or Thunderbolts and Lightning" | align="center"|Mike W. Barr | align="center"|Dave Gibbons and Mark Farmer | align="center"|Adam Strange, Doctor Fate, Captain Comet, Captain Marvel, Uncle Sam, Blackhawks | align="center"|{{Gcdb issue|id= 41167|title= DC Challenge #5}} |
| align="center"|6
| align="center"|April 1986 | align="center"|"A Matter of Anti Matter" | align="center"|Elliot S. Maggin | align="center"|Dan Jurgens and Larry Mahlstedt | align="center"|Silent Knight, Batman, Adam Strange, Deadman, Albert Einstein | align="center"|{{Gcdb issue|id= 41267|title= DC Challenge #6}} |
| align="center"|7
| align="center"|May 1986 | align="center"|"Don't Bogart That Grape ... Hand Me the Gas Pump!" | align="center"|Paul Kupperberg | align="center"|Joe Staton and Steve Mitchell | align="center"|Mister Mxyzptlk, Plastic Man, Batman, Blackhawks, Woozy Winks | align="center"|{{Gcdb issue|id= 41369|title= DC Challenge #7}} |
| align="center"|8
| align="center"|June 1986 | align="center"|"If This Is Love, Why Do My Teeth Hurt?" | align="center"|Gerry Conway | align="center"|Rick Hoberg, Dick Giordano, and Arne Starr | align="center"|Batman, Orion, Blackhawk, Enemy Ace, Lightray, Joker | align="center"|{{Gcdb issue|id= 41470|title= DC Challenge #8}} |
| align="center"|9
| align="center"|July 1986 | align="center"|"All This and World War, Too!" | align="center"|Roy Thomas | align="center"|Don Heck | align="center"|Geo-Force, Metron, Son of Vulcan, Guardians of the Universe, Wonder Woman | align="center"|{{Gcdb issue|id= 41580|title= DC Challenge #9}} |
| align="center"|10
| align="center"|August 1986 | align="center"|"Jules Verne Was Right!" | align="center"|Dan Mishkin | align="center"|Curt Swan and Terry Austin | align="center"|Deadman, Superman, Tomar-Re, Arisia Rrab, Vigilante, Adam Strange, Hawkman | align="center"|{{Gcdb issue|id= 41687|title= DC Challenge #10}} |
| align="center"|11
| align="center"|September 1986 | align="center"|"How Can You Be In Two Places At Once When You're Not Anywhere At All?" | align="center"|Marv Wolfman and Cary Bates | align="center"|Keith Giffen and Dave Hunt | align="center"|Doctor Fate, Batman | align="center"|{{Gcdb issue|id= 41790|title= DC Challenge #11}} |
| rowspan="7" align="center"|12
|rowspan="7" align="center"|October 1986 | align="center"|"Prologue" | align="center"|Mark Evanier | align="center"|Dan Spiegle | align="center"|Phantom Stranger, Bork, Mordorh, Darkseid, DeSaad, Adam Strange, Guardians of the Universe, Floyd Perkins, Superman, Kaz, Batman, Detective Chimp, Darwin Jones, Jimmy Olsen, Vigilante, Uncle Sam |rowspan="7" align="center"|{{Gcdb issue|id= 41889|title= DC Challenge #12}} |
| align="center"|"Phase 12.1: Fathers Against Suns"
| align="center"|Mark Evanier | align="center"|Denys Cowan and Rodin Rodriguez | align="center"|Superman, Manticore, Aquaman, Adam Strange, Mordorh, Anti-Matter Man, Joker, Orion, Lightray, Metron, Doctor Fate, Spectre |
| align="center"|"Phase 12.2"
| align="center"|Dan Mishkin | align="center"|Luke McDonnell and Rick Magyar | align="center"|Batman, Joker, Kaz, Guardians of the Universe |
| align="center"|"Phase 12.3"
| align="center"|Roy Thomas | align="center"|Stan Woch and Jan Duursema | align="center"|Viking Prince, Batman, Hawkman, Hawkwoman |
| align="center"|"Phase 12.4"
| align="center"|Gerry Conway | align="center"|Steve Lightle and Gary Martin | align="center"|Wonder Woman, Woozy Winks, Deadman, Blackhawks, Metron |
| align="center"|"Phase 12.5"
| align="center"|Len Wein | align="center"|Ross Andru and Frank McLaughlin | align="center"|Superman |
| align="center"|"Phase 12.6 Final Phase"
| align="center"|Mark Evanier and Marv Wolfman | align="center"|Tom Mandrake | align="center"|Green Lantern, Flash, Superman, Batman, Elongated Man, Vixen, Hawkman, Wonder Woman, Vibe, Firestorm, Aquaman, Doctor Fate, Spectre, Eli Ellis, Darkseid, Martian Manhunter, Metron, Jimmy Olsen, Floyd Perkins, Perry White |
See also
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{comicbookdb|type=title|id= 4541|title= DC Challenge}}
- [http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=636 DC Challenge] at Mike's Amazing World of Comics
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dc Challenge}}
Category:Collaborative fiction
Category:Comics by Dan Jurgens
Category:Comics by Dave Gibbons
Category:Comics by Doug Moench
Category:Comics by Gerry Conway
Category:Comics by Keith Giffen
Category:Comics by Marv Wolfman
Category:Comics by Paul Kupperberg
Category:Comics by Paul Levitz