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History

The man who came to be known as the Creeper was a spy for the Nazis during World War II. At sometime during the war he was personally selected by Adolf Hitler himself to go to America to cause as much havoc as possible. Upon arriving in the United States he gathered a gang and attempted to break into an US military arsenal but was captured by Captain America and Bucky and sent to jail. Shortly after his incarceration, the Creeper broke out of prison and vowed revenge against Captain America for his defeat.

John Lissam (Earth-616) from Captain America Comics Vol 1 21 002

Posing as Ambassador Lissom

By December of 1942, the Creeper used his espionage skills (under the name Lissom) to become the American Ambassador to the nation of Alslavia, the last of the European countries to remain neutral during the war. There he pleaded to King Dane to ally himself with the United States and the Allied Forces, debated against a Nazi operative. Eventually, King Dane decided to side withe Allies and gave Lissom a ring studded with three rubies as a present that he must wear during the signing of the treaty documents.

Knowing that should the ring go missing it would sour relations between Alslavia and the Untied States, Lissom -- as the Creeper -- stole the ruby and mocked the Untied States government, openly challenging Captain America to try and recover the ring before the deadline to sign the treaty passed. Captain America took up the challenge and when the Creeper's men attempted to rob the U.S.O. headquarters, they were led right to the Creeper's lair. There the heroes beat the Creeper's men into submission and found only one of the 3 rubies, learning that the Creeper had hidden them in different locations.

Tracking the Creeper down to his other hideout, Captain America and Bucky once more beat his men and recovered the second ruby. There they were caught at gun point by the Creeper who forced them into the dungeon of his lair and were shackled to the walls. When the Creeper attempted to brand Captain America with a hot iron, the hero kicked him in the face. The Creeper then decided to leave the heroes locked in his dungeon while he went the television station where the signing was taking place to watch the historical blunder he helped orchestrate. Captain America managed to break free and with time running out sneaked out of the Creeper's hideout without Bucky.

He confronted the Creeper at the television station and beat him into submission, recovering the three ruby's and revealing him to be none other than Lissom himself. Rushing back to the spies hideout, Captain America rescued Bucky and explained the whole ordeal. In the aftermath of the crisis, the treaty between Alslavia and the Allied Forces was signed by President Roosevelt who wore the restored ruby ring.[1]

The Creeper's subsequent fate is unknown.

Paraphernalia

Equipment

When using his double identity of Ambassador Lissom, the Creeper disguised himself heavily when operating in his costumed identity. To this end he wore a padded coat, platform shoes, glasses and a fake mustache to protect his double identity.

Weapons

The Creeper wielded a pistol and used a branding iron to torture his enemies.

See Also

Links and References

References

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