Wednesday, March 26, 2008

40 Years Ago Today From DC Comics -- Beware the Creeper #1

Beware the Creeper #1 (On Sale: March 26, 1968) has a wonderful cover by Steve Ditko.

"Where Lurks the Menace?" is scripted by Denny O'Neil and plotted and drawn by Steve Ditko. This is O'Neil's first work for DC, having been brought over from Charlton by editor Giordano. An underworld informant named Jurgens is killed by a masked murderer known as the Terror before he can pass information to Jack Ryder. Ryder does get a few names from the dying man. The first of which is underworld boss Gerk Kreg.

Kreg and other crime boss's are being threatened by the Terror. Ryder visits Kreg as the Creeper, and begins to suspect that Kreg is the masked killer. The Creeper is unable to get proof, so he visits the other names given to him by Jurgens including Hack Axeley, an investigator.

When the Terror finds that Ryder has been investigating him, he attacks. Ryder is able to escape and become the Creeper. After a fight on the rooftops, Creeper is able to expose the Terror as Axeley's assistant Forbes, who has been blackmailing crooks. Creeper is able to take down Forbes and Kreg and escape as the police arrive.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

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