World's Finest Comics #253 [1978]

Ditko both wrote and drew a brief run of 8-page Creeper stories for WORLD'S FINEST in 1978/79. One of the few times he was both willing and allowed to go back to a character he created, oddly enough. Not a classic run, but some good goofy fun (Ditko would later do a character named "Shag" who has some resemblance to the Creeper, which may be inspired by where he intended to take the series).

"The Wrecker" is a typical story from the run. I mean, look at Rollo the robot, how weirdly designed and attractive. Pure Ditko. How it finally gets defeated is even funnier, pounding its own "head" in. Anyway, in this story a building that the security team Jack Ryder works for is threatened by the robot controlled by a disgruntled designer upset that his own building was torn down to make way for the new one (I'm sure there's some literary allusion there I'm missing). The Creeper, along with Ryder's co-workers, have to defeat the robot. There's also some fun with Ryder's overall attitude towards his co-workers (scheming to get assigned a better job).

"The Wrecker" J-5315