Determined Daredevil Divers of DC

The preeminent swimmers in the DC Multiverse are, without question, the Aquamen. Then, there were the undersea dwellers from the various Atlantis settlements who adapted to life under the oceans’ depths. From among mankind, the surface dwellers, the most famous divers were Dane Dorrance and his fellow Sea Devils of Earth-One and Jim “Red Torpedo” Lockhart and his allies of Earth-Two. Although other expert swimmers teamed up with them on occasion, those being Walter Haley and Rex Tyler on their spandex suit identities. While their day job was as elite chemist, their physical fitness matched their mental acuity!

The Sea Devils met Walter "Prof" Haley with his fellow Challengers. as had the Red Torpedo met Rex "Hourman" Tyler with his Freedom Fighters, on single missions related to threats to the United States. On these specific cases, these two men were joined by six other men and a lady each (along with a growing sponge-man and a shrinking  mini-man), as these brave teams dealt with imposing threats from foreign powers.

The evil organization known as Scorpio were hired by another country to subvert the American military, and manipulated the mutated Sponge Man into attacking the USA. As the Sea Devils encountered the mutant man, they recalled his former confronting with Prof Haley and his Challengers, and enlisted their aid in facing the creature together. Although the being overpowered them, he was motivated into saving innocent humans by using his sponge powers to absorb deadly gas which cost him his life.

The fascist government of Imperial Japan, which has subversive agents such as the Yellow Scorpion, launched an attack on Pearl Harbor. Learning about this plan ahead of time, the hero Uncle Sam recruited Red Torpedo, Hourman and the remaining Freedom Fighters to defend this threatened location. However, doing so cost Red Torpedo and some of his fellow costumer crusaders their lives, while Hourman barely made it out alive.

The Sea Devils would eventually expand their ranks when the recruited young divers from around Earth-One, forming the International Sea Devils. Included in their illustrative ranks were: Sikki of India, Molo of Africa, Miguel of South America, Petey Eldidge and a lad named Brad from America. Their chief foe and begrudging ally throughout the seven seas was Captain X aka John Payton Dorrance, who was Dane's father. While Dane's doppelgänger Jim Lockhart didn't have a legion of followers, no doubt his example motivated other aspiring deep-sea divers such as the Boy Commandos who patrolled the oceans of Earth-Two. 

On a later adventure, Prof and Hourman plunged into the murky depths once more, this time joined with a member of their Earths’ Dynamic Duos of Gotham City. In addition, they teamed up with the other part of their Worlds’ Finest Team, Superman! However, while in Prof’s case there was no friction between he and Earth-One Superman and Batman he teamed up with… Hourman had a bit of friction with Superman and an adult Robin of Earth-Two.

Prof Haley and Ace Morgan request the assistance of Superman and Batman in order to free their fellow Challengers of the Unknown Red Ryan in an undersea cavern below the Andes Mountains and a sky base high above the Arctic. Prof expertly led Batman on a dive into the cavern through an underwater passage. In addition, they were tasked with destructing the gravitational equipment of the Gravity Masters, which kidnapped the two Challengers. Thankfully, the heroes succeeded in both goals.

Hourman and his fellow Justice Society members enlisted the aid of the Justice League in order to defeat the Black Sphere Gang which plundered their world. However, Hourman became infected with a Black Sphere which temporarily turned him evil, attempting to drown Robin. Thankfully, Superman was able to overpower Hourman and restore him to normal, with the two teams freeing the four Gang members of their insidious power influence of the Black Spheres themselves.

There is a logical connection between Haley and Tyler’s’ affinity to the oceans of the world and their career of choice. As their worlds’ preeminent chemists, they were able to unleash the human potential through their vast knowledge and extensive research. Their love of liquid in its forms, along with these fluids’ connection with loving beings, made them the ultimate scientist superheroes.

The notable discovery for Haley was his anecdote to liquid light, which mutated human organisms into various forms and revered them back to normal. The pinnacle achievement for Tyler was the Miraclo drug and black light which enhanced human physique and stabilized it. On multiple occasions, Haley transformed himself into a physical powerhouse which could easily match Tyler. 

While Hourman consistently possesses his powers, he most often worked solo (when not on occasional Justice Society missions). Meanwhile, Prod Haley compensated for lack of powers on most of his adventures by having at least three other teammates on the Challengwrs helping hm. And so, while Hourman with Miraclo possessed lathe strength of ten men, Haley with his Challenger allies possessed the strength of four to ten men (sometimes they had temporary colleagues like millionaire adventurer Gaylord Clayburn, Challenger Red Ryan’s kid brother Tino Mannaray, Alec “Swamp Thing” Holland, and Boston “Deadman” Brand… among others).