The Creeper #4 (of 6)

Genre action Author Steve Niles Publisher DC Comics External Links Official DC Comics Website

Truth and consequences. Rarely do you get one without the other. It is epitomized in this issue as several nuggets of truth are revealed not only to us but also to a number of the cast of characters playing out this origin sequence. The consequences that will result are presented or easily deduced. They are varied and character building in their revelation. The crux of revelations is the involvement of The Joker in the experiments of Dr. Yatz. In truth though, this issue is merely a bridge until we get to the exciting conclusion to this story arch in the next two issues. Steve Niles guest pencils in place of Justiniano and more than adequately fills his shoes.

Still out on his investigation of Dr. Yatz, The Creeper has just suffered an ego-reducing defeat at the hands of Gavin, the skin serum recipient that preceded him and the focus of his "You are Wrong" investigation. Regaining consciousness at the end of last issue, The Creeper now follows Gavin out to the Gotham Tombs in the waters of Gotham not sure exactly what he might find but knowing it cannot be good. He just knows that he has to do it.

Once on land, The Creeper and Gavin go at it again in the prison rec yard. Gavin then throws The Creeper through so many walls of the Tombs that he finally knocks him unconscious, allowing his capture by Dr. Yatz. When he comes to, the doctor is discussing his formula with one of his benefactors. We learn that there are two subjects that have his latest smart skin technology. The Creeper is obviously one; Gavin is the other. Gavin has some rather obvious side effects. However, Gavin's re-synthesized blood turned out to be the perfect base to mix with the smart skin nano-cells and nerve agent to create the more exact formula that created The Creeper. Since Jack Ryder was the lone recipient of this formula and the colors he exhibits are reflective of Gavin, Dr. Yatz has wisely deduced that The Creeper must be Ryder. Yet the Creeper's sadistic behavior leads him to question that deduction.

While unconscious The Creeper and Jack Ryder find themselves in the same dark room. This is an interesting development! As Jack notes, it did not happen before when The Creeper lost consciousness. Why did it happen this time? Hopefully we will get some sort of explanation, but to have the two discussing the developments and coming to the realization that the each has their respective roles to play was shrewd. Despite how much Jack would like to be on the outside, he knows that it is not a situation that he could handle. He will do more good as the conscious guide and, as he puts it, being "the brains."

The Joker's involvement provides an interesting wrinkle. More than just a financial backer, he provides a special ingredient of a nerve agent to Dr. Yatz that proves to be a highly successful additive. Just what is it that Dr. Yatz is trying to perfect and why? Has The Joker hired him to create this formula, or is he only a benefactor that will then benefit from whatever is discovered. I suspect the use of the dead Hewson men as zombies provides some sort of clue. What technology is this that is able to attach a battery and bring them back to life? Is it related to Dr. Yatz' work? How are the colors critical to the relationship and are they some sort of ski replacement for the white skin of The Joker? Questions are beginning to increase and hopefully all will be answered upon the conclusion of the story.

Batman has now appeared in three of the four issues of The Creeper. What part of this tangled web is it that has attracted the World's Greatest Detective? Is it his curiosity about The Creeper whom he stumbled across two issues ago or is he following The Joker and another one of his foul plots and Jack Ryder has become entangled? He is obviously making progress in his quest because he seems to have Jack Ryder figured out. The question now is, can Batman's truth be of any assistance in stopping the consequential connecting of the dots that awaits the green, red and gold.

While Jack Ryder has been away from the television studio, his ex-girlfriend Vera has sidled right into his host chair. Anxious for the opportunity, she is torn between whether she wants to discover to whom the red hair belongs that she found last issue and getting more air time. They are similar souls and made for each other Vera tells us, still she can't help but be angry when suddenly she thinks she receives a call at last. When it is not Jack but Hewson' father and son, she becomes fearful that something has happened. As Batman steps in to rescue her, she keeps flipping back and forth from anger to concern. Is Vera satisfied with Batman's explanation of Jack Ryder? It's hard to say, but if she has any sense, she realizes that Jack may be involved in something much bigger than either of them could imagine.

Steve Scott is a more than capable replacement for Justiniano. It is not like Scott filled in on just a few pages, or even finished off Justiniano's rough sketches. He did the entire book. While Justiniano did the cover and probably had that done way in advance, Scott has successfully picked up on some of the strange features that make The Creeper odd such as his cape and the clearly visible gums as well as the similarity between the cape and Gavin's hair. It just does not go quite as far as Justiniano does to push the envelope. Scott's work lacks that slight touch of craziness that Justiniano's exhibits but I suspect that he was brought in to do this issue because Justiniano has too much on his plate. Nevertheless, there is no drop off in quality and he would be a great replacement if Justiniano cannot return.

The truths revealed in this issue provide the interesting twists that will help cement the origin and character of The Creeper. Batman reveals to Vera that Jack Ryder is not cheating with a redhead. Dr. Yatz reveals that he has used Gavin's blood to filter out the side effects of his smart skin technology and that he is working in part for The Joker. Jack Ryder reveals that as much as he wants to be the hero on the outside, The Creeper is the hero and he is the analytical one. What the full consequences of these revelations turn out to be will solve the mystery around Dr. Yatz and The Joker and how The Creeper acquired these oddly combined colors.