Writer – Dennis O’Neil
Artist – Steve Ditko

By chance, reporter Jack Ryder is out and about thinking about just how it is that he will finally be rid of Proteus when a woman runs by scared out of her wits, going on about a man whose face changed into another face. Ryder knows this is his chance for there are only two people that can do such a thing, he and the villain who has been making his life and that of the Creeper miserable. Transforming into the Creeper, he runs into what seems to be some kind of cult where people of influence are under the spell of a man named Yogi Bizerk. As to the location of Proteus, he has no idea though. A few fisticuffs later and the cops break in to put a stop to it and Ryder is no closer to Proteus than he was before. This continues on under the authorship of Dennis O’Neil and the artistry of Steve Ditko, the two providing hints as to where Proteus is with Ryder always running into a dead end, the keyword being dead as those who know of Proteus do not live long to tell of him. Enter two agents from the country of Offalia, one Bulldog Bird and the man called Sumo. They are looking for Proteus as well as he used to be the Secretary of State and made off with their greatest invention, a chemical that alters the molecular structure of flesh. Ryder is glad for the help and they get one more lead that points back towards Yogi Bizerk and he means to get answers this time no matter what it takes. Suffice it to say, Proteus always seems to be one step ahead of the Creeper and in this instance, that step is the man named Sumo who is an agent for the villain. While the Creeper does his best, he is sorely outmatched when it comes to strength with the only option being the use of his agility and perhaps a little ingenuity. In the end, the Creeper manages to come out on top but he is no closer to finding Proteus than he was in the beginning with the one big difference this time being the fact that Proteus knows that Jack Ryder and the Creeper are one and the same. O’Neil writes a fun tale, though it seems to be taking forever for the Creeper to find Proteus. It does seem as if it is all building to one epic showdown though and Ditko makes it look as good as he possibly can. If there is one thing that can be said of this book, it does seem to fly by a little faster than some of the previous ones though there is no humour in sight, something that is slightly missed. A solid issue that makes one want to see what comes next.

3.5 out of 5