My Rating
“Earth Came A-Walkin’”
Somewhere in the foothills near Cerne Abbas, England, Clay Brody guns the engine of his 750cc motorcycle as an enormous shadow darkens the countryside around him. There is no time to hesitate. The motorcycle howls in protest as Clay cranks back the throttle and pushes the machine toward sixty-five miles per hour.
Then a titanic foot crashes into the earth behind him!
Clay’s heart leaps into his throat as the impact shakes the countryside. Those satellite photographs he reviewed earlier in the day didn’t come close to showing the true scale of this thing. The earthen giant is enormous—literally the size of a small mountain—and every step sends another shockwave ripping through the landscape.
The good news? Clay survived.
The bad news?
The giant is stomping its way toward London.
While Clay attempts to stay one step ahead of the walking mountain, the other Challengers search for a way to stop something that conventional weapons may not even scratch. Kenn Kawa’s investigation brings him into contact with a man who knows a thing or two about magic and the hidden forces running beneath the Earth—John Constantine. The answer may involve the mysterious network of ley lines crisscrossing the British countryside.
And if a mountain-sized supernatural creature wasn’t enough, Superman is about to become involved!
Will the Challengers stop a mythical titan before London gets the Godzilla treatment? Can Kenn Kawa unlock the secrets of the ley lines with a little help from Constantine? What caused this massive creature to rise from the English countryside? And can Superman somehow combine red and blue before the Earth is destroyed? Collect the series—and apparently several others—to find out!
Review
Look out, Londoners, you’re about to get the Godzilla treatment!
I was having a great time with “Earth Came A-Walkin’.” We have Clay Brody racing a motorcycle away from a mountain-sized monster, ancient forces running through ley lines, John Constantine, and even a cameo by blue Superman. This is exactly the kind of crazy mixture of science fiction, mythology, horror, and superhero action that I’ve come to enjoy about Challengers of the Unknown.
Then I discovered the bad news.
I’m almost finished reading this series, and now I find out this issue connects to an eleven-book crossover? Nooooo!
I have mixed feelings whenever a comic suddenly drops me into the middle of a larger event. Crossovers can be fun, especially when they introduce me to characters and titles I might not normally read, but they can also interrupt the flow of a series. I’ve spent fifteen issues following these Challengers, and suddenly the completionist in me is being told, “Hey, buddy, you might want to go buy a stack of other comics if you want the whole story.” My wallet does not appreciate this development.
Constantine?
The good news is that John Constantine shows up, and his involvement makes perfect sense considering the supernatural nature of the threat. Ley lines, ancient forces, and a gigantic earthen creature stomping across England certainly sound like something Constantine would have encountered before breakfast. We also get a brief appearance by blue Superman, which sent me down another rabbit hole entirely.
I don’t know much about the whole red and blue Superman storyline from this period. Why is Superman blue? Where does the red one come from? Are they two separate Supermen? Can they recombine? I have questions! Apparently, it’s time for me to do some research.
Crossover frustrations aside, “Earth Came A-Walkin’” is still a fun issue. Watching Clay Brody try to outrun a walking mountain on a motorcycle is worth the price of admission by itself, and Constantine’s appearance adds another layer of supernatural weirdness. Unfortunately, I’m deducting one star for making me realize I need to hunt down even more comic books. You got me, DC. Four out of five stars.
The read order for the Millennium Giants story arc:
- Superman: Man of Steel #78
- Aquaman Vol. 5 #43
- Challengers of the Unknown Vol. 3 #15
- Superman Vol. 2 #134
- Teen Titans Vol. 2 #19
- Supergirl Vol. 4 #20
- Adventures of Superman #557
- Steel Vol. 2 #50
- Action Comics #744
- Superman: Man of Steel #79
- Superman Vol. 2 #135