By: Peter J Mellini

Creators Dan Dido and Jerry Ordway present a modern take on classic silver age heroes The Challengers of the Unknown, bringing them into the New 52 with this week’s DC Universe Presents.

Created by Jack Kirby in 1957 the Challengers of the Unknown told the story of five Olympic heroes who after surviving a plane crash decide they are living on barrowed time and form a team to explore the strange and supernatural.

This updated take depicts the would-be challengers as contestants on a struggling Survivor type reality show.  All the contestants appear to be selfish and fame hunger, bragging about their amount of twitter followers and gossiping about one contestant’s internet sex tape with Green Arrow. This all changes when a harsh storm and what appears to be a living mountain causes to the plane to crash.

The survivors suddenly awake in the hidden and mystical city Nanda Parbat and are being cared for by the monks of Rama Kushna. As the monks explain the importance of their upcoming mission the contestants are convinced this is all part of the show. During a feast the monks tell the survivors they are all living on barrowed time thanks to the blessing of Rama Kushna and that the fate of the world rests in their hands. After hearing this, the contestants fall into a sleep and awake in the middle of the plane wreckage.

Writer Dan Dido’s modernization of this series seems forced and somewhat takes away from how much fun of the original source material.  Although the use of reality show stereotypes is probably a plot device to show transformation of each character, it came off as annoying and made it so you really didn’t care if these people lived or died. Although his use of Nanda Parbat and Rama Kushna is a great bridging tool from DCU Presents last storyline featuring Deadman.

Now, nothing against Jerry Ordway but teasing readers with a Ryan Sook cover is somewhat of a disappointment once they open the book. Ordway is a fine storyteller and artist but his style is a bit old fashion and it really doesn’t give the feeling this book is taking place in the New 52.

Negativity aside, this is not to say this is a bad book. This issue laid the ground work for a story filled with adventure and mystery.  The fact that DC is using silver age titles is a good sign that they are creatively thinking outside the box. Although some of these changes may bother long time fans, if you’re new to the Challengers of the Unknown this is the book for you.