Comic Title: Challengers of the Unknown #86
Publisher: DC (DC Comics Inc.)
Address: 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY
Cover Date: Apr/May 1978
On Sale Date: January 26, 1978 Newsstand Date January 26, 1978
Source: House Ad, Challengers of the Unknown #86, Page 30

Copyright Date January 26, 1978
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1978

Newsstand Date January 24, 1978
Source: DC Coming Attractions, #14
For Release the week of January 24th

Newsstand Date January 24, 1978
Source: Comic Reader, #152

Newsstand Date January 23, 1978
Source: Daily Planet, Vol. 78 #3
Listed as on sale the week of January 23rd

Shipping Date January 3, 1978
Source: DC Coming Attractions, #14
Shipping the week of January 3rd

Frequency: Bi-monthly
Cover Price: $0.35
Page Count: 32
Editor: Jack C. Harris

Title: "The War at Times End"
Pages: 17

Feature(s):
Challengers of the Unknown (of Earth-1)

Writer: Gerry Conway
Penciller: Keith Giffen
Inker: John Celardo
Colorist: Eugene D'Angelo

Reprinted In:
Deadman Vol. 5 TPB (2014)
Swamp Thing:The Bronze Age Vol. 2 TPB (2020)
Deadman Omnibus HC (2021)

Feature Character(s)

• Challengers of the Unknown (last appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #85; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #87)
• Ace Morgan (last appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #85; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #87)
• Red Ryan (last appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #85; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #87)
• Rocky Davis (last appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #85; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #87)
• Prof. Haley (last appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #85; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #87)

Guest Star(s)

• Swamp Thing (last appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #85; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #87)
• Deadman (last appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #85; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #87)
• Rip Hunter (last appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #85; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #87)

Supporting Character(s)

• June Robbins (last appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #85; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #87)

Villain(s)

• The Sunset Lords (first appearance; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #87)
• The Persuader (a giant from the future; first appearance; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #87)
• Several monsters from the future (next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #87)
• An army of sub-men (next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #87)

Guest Appearance(s)

• Jeff Smith (last appearance in Rip Hunter... Time Master #29; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #87)
• Bonnie Baxter (last appearance in Rip Hunter... Time Master #29; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #87)
• Corky Baxter (last appearance in Rip Hunter... Time Master #29; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #87)

Other Character(s)

• Lucas Lawspeaker and his rebels (first appearance; next appearance in Challengers of the Unknown #87)
• A television news crew (no further appearances)

Comments:
Chapter One: "The Way It Began"
Chapter Two: "If This Is Tomorrow, You Must Be Rip Hunter"
Chapter Three: "Time Times Terror"
Chapter 4: "A Pit by Any Other Name"

This story is continued from Challengers of the Unknown #85 and continues in Challengers of the Unknown #87.

Synopsis:
Several members of the Challengers have traveled into the future in search of Rip Hunter. They find him at the head of an army of sub-men which attack them. Rocky, Ace, June, and Swamp Thing are captured. Deadman, who has invisibly joined the journey, is unable to help the others, so he seeks out information.

Deadman learns that the world is ruled by a group known as the Sunset Lords. They accidentally bred a race of monsters which threaten their time. When Rip Hunter arrived in his time sphere, the Sunset Lords mind-controlled him and took his time technology secrets. They sent the monsters back in time to get rid of them. Deadman seeks out the leader of a rebel group named Lucas Lawspeaker for help.

Meanwhile, in the 20th century, Prof faces several more monsters that have attacked Challengers Mountain. Red, who stormed off to Metropolis, defeats one of the monsters before heading back to Colorado to rejoin the team.