Showcase #12 is an issue of the series Showcase (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1958.
Synopsis for Challengers of the Unknown: "Menace of the Ancient Vials!"
While chasing the criminal known as Karnak, the Challengers and their prey end up flying into a strong lightning storm, forcing both parties to land. Karnak finds a manor owned by an archeologist who had just discovered the ancient vials of a long dead society, each vial able to unleash a different magical effect. Karnak and his companion steal the vails and use them to battle the Challengers.
The Challengers are able to fight off all the effects of the different vials, from fighting Karnak as a giant, a giant fire creature, a giant octopus, and an army of Karnak duplicates. Learning that the Karnak duplicates, the Challengers use this fact to find the real Karnak, who tries to use the last vial which turned out to be an antidote to the duplicate vial.
Appearing in Challengers of the Unknown: "Menace of the Ancient Vials!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Amos Hunter (an archaeologist) (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- Karnak (foreign thief) (Single appearance)
- Brommer (foreign thief) (Single appearance; dies)
- Gortz (foreign thief) (Single appearance; dies)
- Fire Being (Single appearance) (Destroyed)
- Kraken
Other Characters:
- Chet Hollister (a sheriff) (Single appearance)
- Doctor Rodney (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Pacific Ocean
- Unnamed island
- California
Items:
- Ancient Vials (Single appearance)
- Enlarging Serum (Single appearance)
- Duplicating Serum (Single appearance)
- Duplicating Serum Antidote (Single appearance)
Vehicles:
- Challengers' Plane
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in Challengers of the Unknown Archives Vol. 1 and Showcase Presents: Challengers of the Unknown, Volume 1.
- This issue is divided into four chapters:
- The Menace of the Ancient Vials!
- The Fire Being!
- The Demon from the Depths
- The Deadly Duplicators
- A two-paged Professor Eureka strip is in this issue.
See Also