Creeper #6 - DC

This one wraps up the Creeper storyline. We see more of Jack Ryder this issue. Which is the way it should be. I mean, after all, the Creeper is a very multidimensional character. Literally. Anyways, he breaks out all the freaks from the place where Yatz and Joker were hiding them. So now he has to go after Yatz. But not as the Creeper, as Jack Ryder. He's going to let the public take care of him. He goes on his show and tells all of Gotham what he's done, leaving out a yellow and green part of it obviously, and asking for everyone to be on the lookout for him. The phones start ringing immediately. And before long they have him in custody. Now Jack just has to figure out what to do about the antidote that Batman gave him. Should he use it and get rid of the Creeper? I think we all know what he's going to decide. The final panel is him out on the street patrolling. Justiniano is back this issue for the pencils. His style lends itself perfectly to a series like this. To bad you can't sign him up for an ongoing one. But, as the closing box says, " . . . look for the Creeper somewhere on the rooftops of Gotham". And that's it for this series. Hopefully DC utilizes him, now that he's been "reinvented". It'd be a shame for him to be shoved away in a drawer someplace.

Creeper #5 - DC

The Creeper has always been one of my favorite characters. The original. Not the revamped one that came out a couple of years ago. Anyways, this incarnation lives up to the original. This issue we find out that the Joker is also involved with Dr. Yatz. He says that his Joker venom is in the serum. But he could just be playing with Creeper's head. Creeper tried to confront Dr. Yatz last issue, but he and the Joker were ready for him. This issue, Batman comes and tries to help, but these guys get 'em both. Yatz and Joker take of while they're down, and as they're flying away, blow up the facility. But not before the Creeper discovered a whole wing of his progeny. Apparently these were all the previous attempts and failures that Yatz had. So at the end of this issue, we don't know if Bats and Creep got out, got blown up, or got beaten to death by the Creeper Rejex. Steve Niles has been doing a great job with this story. We started out with Justiniano on pencils, which was awesome, but we've had fill ins for the last two. Steve Scott does the honors this issue. But, Justiniano will be back for the final issue. But then, what happens to the Creeper after that? Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Creeper #4 - DC

Ok, we've gotten away from the origin finally, and into the meat of the story. We've also switched artists, unfortunately. We've gone from Justiniano to Steve Scott. Steve really doesn't do a bad job, but I am a big Justiniano fan. So, I was a bit disappointed when I picked up this issue. But, that's just me. Anyways, the Creeper, who seems to be getting better at working with Jack Ryder, even though he is . . . . . . actually . . . . .him, goes out to Gotham Tombs, a penitentiary in the harbor. He comes face to face with his counterpart, Gav, again. Who seems to be getting bigger every time he sees him. He takes a pretty sound beating from him, and when he recovers, he's strapped to a table, and face to face with the guy that made him the way he is. But, is everything as it seems? At the last minute the Joker makes an appearance, and the Batman is not far behind. Steve Niles, whom I think is relatively new to the comic scene, does a great job with the scripts. As I said, I'm a bit disappointed with the art, but again, that's just me. Overall it's a good book, but unfortunately only has 2 issues left. But, that's still a lot of time to shake things up.

Creeper #3 - DC

Steve Niles is doing a great job writing this book. He's keeping it in the current environment of the DC universe, while still staying true to it's origins. Great balancing act. And I can't say enough about Justiniano's art. It's fantastic. And it's perfect for this book. We start to get a little involvement from the Batman this issue. He's determined to find out who the Creeper is, and what's going on with him. I don't think he's decided which side of the fence he's on yet. From the blood sample he collects, from the hatchet that the Axeman put in him, he determines that there's two distinctive entities. The red and the green seem to be at war with each other. But he does determine that the red, definitely belongs to Jack Ryder. I also like the way the Steve is writing the Creeper with a dissociative personality. But, they also seem to leech on each other at the same time. Very pseudo psychological. Which, really, is what the Creeper is all about. It's a shame that this is only a six issue mini. I like the direction that this book is going. And I'm really digging the characters. Guess we'll just have to wait and see what the future brings.

Creeper #2 - DC

What I like about this book so far, is that it really pays homage to the original Creeper origin story. It's really a modern reworking of the exact story. A little bit is changed here and there to keep it up to date, but it's essentially the same. Of course Justiniano wasn't the artist back then, but now. . . . this guy is amazing. His framing process, and the flow from frame to frame and page to page is exquisite. I mean we're still dealing with Jack Ryder. And we're still dealing with him stumbling across a lab experiment when he goes after a crime family for revenge. He then gets turned into this alter ego. Which is really what all this is about, Schizophrenia. When he's out there in the real world, he runs across the Batman. Classic interaction, "Who are you?!". "Me? I'm the . . uh . . Creeper". "Good or Bad?" "Good. Yeah . . . .we're good". "You don't sound so sure. If you change your mind, we'll meet again Creeper". He's not really a hero, but as he's jumping around the night, he comes across the Axeman, whom he assumes the Batman is after. They battle back and forth and finally Creeper takes the guy down, because he figures that's what Batman would want. He finally makes his way to the Hewson mansion, only to find it exploded from within, because of the lab experiment. He comes to a compromise with Hewson, because of his grief, and because Hewson agrees to stay out of his way when he goes after the Doctor. But on his way out, he comes across another misshap of the "Smart-Skin" experiment, a huge ugly monster named Gavin. To be continued. . .

Creeper #1 - DC

Ok, I know that there's been a few incarnations of the Creeper in the last couple of years. But there's always been a classic one. That of Jack Ryder. He's been around since the 40's or 50's. Well now he's being brought into the new millenium. This is the classic tale of Jack Ryder, crossing some mob or gang or whatever, and through his actions becoming the Creeper. Well this time its nanotech that does the trick. After creating the nano-genetech, a gang wants the genes for themselves. Well, of course, Jack gets caught in the middle. Long story short, the doctor injects him with the final cells, he gets shot, the cells bring him back to life. A little altered of course though. And on the fly, he comes up with the laugh, and the Creeper. It's ok for a first issue. If you've read the old story, you knew what was going to happen. I'll let it slide, because I want to see what they do with the character from here. Justiniano is on pencils, and they're perfect for this story. I'll be more forthcoming with my opinion when I see what they do with him next issue.