Challengers of the Unknown #71

Challengers of the Unknown #71 (On Sale: October 2, 1969) has a cover by Nick Cardy.

The full-length story "When Evil Calls" is by Denny O'Neil, Jack Sparling and Frank Giacoia. I don't think the art team works at all. Some of Sparling's layouts are fine, but Giacoia is just not the right inker for his work.  Continuing from last issue, the Challengers search for Prof, worrying that the alien Chu, boosted his strength. They find him, but Prof has been driven mad and tries to kill his fellow Challengers. Ace finally stops him, but not before their car explodes and Red is rendered blind in his one remaining eye.

Red's folk-singing brother, Tino, has been able to "see" what Red is seeing ever since Red donated one of his eyes to Tino. While on a TV show, Tino notices that Red is no longer seeing and stops his show to ask his fans to help find Red. Meanwhile, in Skull Mountain Village, a local witch gives a local kid a painful leg for trying to tease her with his friends. The alien, Chu, sees this and thinks the witch might be a good addition to his team.

Meanwhile, the Challengers attempt to get back to the village as Tino scouts the area from a helicopter and his fans scout the area on the ground. The Challs finally reach the town only to be bushwhacked by the townspeople, who think the Challs are the cause of all the troubles they have been having.  When they awaken, they are tied to stakes and confronted by Chu and the witch.

Tino arrives just in time and Chu is going to shoot him. The mayor intervenes and Chu shoots him. The sheriff then shoots Chu. As the mayor dies he offers his eyes for transplant into Red. They do the operation and Red's sight is restored.

That is followed by a two-pager, "Who am I?" drawn by Nick Cardy, a nice little story about an actor who has lost himself into too many roles and now is not sure who he really is. In the end he realizes he is a patient, in cell #13, or is that just another role?

Edited by Murray Boltinoff