Challengers of the Unknown Vol. 1 #73 (DC Comics, May 1970) Neal Adams Cover

• Issue: Challengers of the Unknown #73

• Cover Date / Publication: May 1970 

• Main Creative Personnel: Editor Murray Boltinoff. The interior art is by George Tuska; writing credit includes Dennis O’Neil among others. 

Plot Summary

“The Curse of the Killer Time Forgot”

• NASA recovers a falling capsule near an aircraft carrier; the sole occupant has been strangled. The Challengers are called in to investigate. 

• Corinna Stark (a recent addition to the team) begins experiencing psychic phenomena. She’s drawn into a laboratory and nearly killed via a vacuum chamber. Her teammates rescue her.

• An inhuman entity (a being named Machu) from the Moon appears, who has existed there eons ago. Machu has been influencing events — strangling astronauts, sabotaging. Major Cheever, an astronaut, is revealed to be working with or manipulated by Machu, attempting to prevent humans from going into outer space because Machu sees humans as a threat. 

• Ultimately, Machu’s influence is such that Major Cheever’s machinations are exposed. Machu, after realizing the difference between good and evil (partly through Corinna’s mind), rejects Cheever’s plan. Cheever dies. Machu decides to atone by killing himself, drifting into space. The Challengers survive and return home.

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