CREEPER thread. Thoughts on Jack Ryder?

[huedell]

When I was kid, I loved supheroes but did not own many comicbooks.

Loved the TV stuff... the toys... and, of course: The costumes!

I didn't DISlike the superhero comics... but many times that I'd peruse a comic's contents, I'd find them decidedly dry or otherwise
not connecting with my childish mentality. So, I never had many comics as a kid.

One of the few comics that I DID own back then was a TB&TB issue from late 1978... my Mom got it for me when I was sick, I assume.
I usually either got comics for camp or when I was sick at home.

The Creeper was in that comic, and I've been fascinated with this DCU C-lister ever since.

The are many things i've liked about the character culminating in his Joker-birthed BTAS appearance.

One thing I've particularly liked about his character was not touched upon in the BTAS episode as they were playing him insane outta the gate once "Jokered out". I liked that the comicbook version seemed to TOLERATE the Creeper persona as a means to an end. It's not like he embraced the silly persona, like, say Batman embraced his own violence and dark behavior.

What do you all think about the character?

On a connected note:

I was thinking about mocking up a spec treatment or a spec script for Creeper movie... my thoughts being that if I could happen across a good story idea forged by combining a lot of Creeper's more defining "good character" stuff, it could be a good way of getting some attention from "the powers that be". It may be a better idea then just another Batman or Wolverine fanfic as it seems the Creeper is more untouched.

Any ideas on what NOT to forget when considering a definitive Creeper movie?

[thunderbolt]

don't forget the origin of the costume, a box of leftovers at a costume shop. Ohh, you might want to look at Ditko's personal beliefs too. It seems like they crop up a lot in his creations.

[huedell]

don't forget the origin of the costume, a box of leftovers at a costume shop. Ohh, you might want to look at Ditko's personal beliefs too. It seems like they crop up a lot in his creations.

Thanks T-bolt... the Ditko advice is VERY cool.... makes total sense to take as much from that angle as possible.
If the Net has it... I will try to find it. The Ayn Rand/Objectivism stuff refernced on his wiki page is probably a good base to start on.

I have every Creeper comicbook scan too, BTW, including all cameo appearances in other titles. So, of course that's a big help.

But, I have yet to really study them... it's a bit intimidating of a job to take on essentially from scratch, so that's why I like hearing what the experts here have to say.

I imagine the Ditko written stuff, is the biggest priority as far as comicbook appearances go... although it iS interesting to see how DC has "handled" Ryder up to present day in order to adapt him to a modern day DCU... his place in it.

That said, I still look forward to reading up on the co-creator of Spider-Man himself

It's kinda funny to think that he helped create one of the biggest superheroes ever, yet I still look at Creeper as being so related to him, and important in general.

And heaven knows there's a lot of Question fans out there.... so it appears Ditko is a pretty cool writer/creator with a lot of value in his compact body of work.

[PNGwynne]

I've been wondering how Ditko's Objectivism ties into The Creeper, Blue Beetle, Hawk & Dove, even the later Speedball. It's easy to correlate with the Question or Mr. A,
but perhaps it's incorrect to read it into other characters.

[huedell]

I've been wondering how Ditko's Objectivism ties into The Creeper, Blue Beetle, Hawk & Dove, even the later Speedball. It's easy to correlate with the Question or Mr. A,
but perhaps it's incorrect to read it into other characters.

At this moment, I can't say much, but Creeper's wiki page says Ryder, at one point, was an outspoken talk show host... of a political nature... that could be used a lot to read into with injecting objectivism to form a definitive movie interpretation of the scattered DCU character of Creeper, I'd think.

[ShadowAvenger]

I have always liked the Creeper and there is a nice little history of him here.

[johnnystorm]

Ditko's Creeper was one of my favorite characters. I always took it though that the 'creepy' part was an act being put on by Ryder, it was only later writers that added in the crazy parts. When he interacted with other heroes like Wildcat & Batman he wasn't off the wall nuts, more Spiderman wisecracking. And his thought balloons still had ryder's thought patterns. Personally, the crazy creeper never appealed to me, I liked it better as a character Ryder acted out to scare & confuse crooks.

Ditko's Jack Ryder was a tv talk show host of the Bill O'Reilly style if I remember correctly, but targeting crime & corruption instead of political viewpoints.

[Megotu]

I really remember the episode of Joker's short comic book series that featured Creeper as the hero of the month...Seems like there was a particular police officer who really had it out for the Creeper...

[thunderbolt]

http://marvelmasterworksfansite.yuku.com/topic/15300

some interesting bits in this message board thread.

[huedell]

I have always liked the Creeper and there is a nice little history of him here.

That is quite definitively awesome, Shadow! Thanks!

[huedell]

Ditko's Creeper was one of my favorite characters. I always took it though that the 'creepy' part was an act being put on by Ryder, it was only later writers that added in the crazy parts. When he interacted with other heroes like Wildcat & Batman he wasn't off the wall nuts, more Spiderman wisecracking. And his thought balloons still had ryder's thought patterns. Personally, the crazy creeper never appealed to me, I liked it better as a character Ryder acted out to scare & confuse crooks.

Ditko's Jack Ryder was a tv talk show host of the Bill O'Reilly style if I remember correctly, but targeting crime & corruption instead of political viewpoints.

You can't throw a stone far in crime & corruption without hitting something political though, I'd say. That was my point, really. "Political" would cover ANY big real life debate that our country faces with a philosophical bent resulting in actual political action.

As far as his "act"... man, am I with you a hundred percent.

Why? Because, once you go another direction.. he's more of an extension of comttment in his hero guise like Batman... or mostly oblivious
between the hero and human alter-ego like the Hulk or Mr. Hyde.... if anything, maybe he'd be be "crazy" in the sense of a schizo... like
Firestorm... but one person instead of two.

Whatever the case, this is real cool stuff that this C-lister has going for him.

[huedell]

http://marvelmasterworksfansite.yuku.com/topic/15300

some interesting bits in this message board thread.

1. You hit a great motherlode there T-bolt.... it's like THIS thread, but from a parallel universe

2. Your suggestion regarding the objectivist stuff has given me a great direction...AND I think it may've made me an objectivist overnight.

Bless!

P.S. I wanted to specfically mention the Creeper's Corner scans in that thread... now, THAT'S fan feedback on the character in it's purest sense! Why didn't I think of that myself. I'm going to collect them all into one folder, print them out, etc. (My comic scans include all of them)

[thunderbolt]

now you got me revisiting my Creeper custom, so thanks to you to!!