Oxel Kärnhus (The Creep)

Created by John Arcudi

“Whoa… That is one ugly sucker.”

First introduced in the pages of Dark Horse Presents, comic book writer John Arcudi‘s The Creep is not just a wondrous continuation of the old defective detectives schtick of the 1940s crime pulps, but a moving (and sadly overlooked) addition to the P.I. genre itself.

Originally created by Arcudi and artist Dale Eaglesham, “The Creep” is the nickname given to New York private eye OXEL KÄRNHUS, a big, hulking brute with a huge schnozz and a face only a mother could love.

But looks can be deceiving. In truth, Oxel suffers from acromegaly, a nasty, debilitating disease which causes your bones to enlarge and become brittle; so brittle, in fact, that violence is pretty much out of the question. He may look like a monster, but deep down — barring a burst of temper now and then—Oxel’s a pussycat.

When we meet him in “Homicide,” a two-part arc in the the August and September 1991 issues of Dark Horse Presents, he’s been working as a claims adjuster for Provincial Insurance for ten years, when he’s framed for murder.

It’s a short but effective intro to a great character; a brooding, morose man whose physical appearance has led him to a life of insults, chronic pain, loneliness and relative poverty, scratching out a living as a low rent private eye. But his looks and his threatening demeanor mean he can’t be too fussy about clients.

Arcudi is one of the most underrated writers during the indie comic boom of the eighties and nineties, creating or working on such cult faves as Homicide (a police procedural), The Mask, Barb Wire and B.P.R.D.

THE EVIDENCE

• “I… prefer to deal with people face to face.”
  — Oxel meets a potential new client.

COMICS

• DARK HORSE PRESENTS
  (1986-2000, Dark Horse)
  Various artists and writers.
  • “Homicide, Part One” (August 1991; #53)
    Written by John Arcudi
    Art by Dale Eaglesham
  • “Homicide, Part Two” (September 1991; #54)
    Written by John Arcudi
    Art by Dale Eaglesham
  • “The Creep, Part One” (November 1991; #56)
    Written by John Arcudi
    Art by Dale Eaglesham
  • “The Creep, Part Two” (December 1991; #57)
    Written by John Arcudi
    Art by Dale Eaglesham
  • “The Creep, Part Three” (January 1992; #58)
    Written by John Arcudi
    Art by Dale Eaglesham
  • “The Creep, Part One” (March 1992; #60)
    Written by John Arcudi
    Art by Dale Eaglesham
  • “The Creep, Part Three” (April 1992; #61)
    Written by John Arcudi
    Art by Dale Eaglesham
  • “The Creep, Part Three” (June 1992; #63)
    Written by John Arcudi
    Art by Dale Eaglesham
  • “The Creep” (July 1992; #64)
    Written by John Arcudi
    Art by Dale Eaglesham
• DARK HORSE PRESENTS
  (2007-10, Dark Horse)
  Various artists and writers.
  • “The Creep, Part One” (April 2012; #11)
    Written by John Arcudi
    Art by Jonathan Case
  • “The Creep, Part Two” (May 2012; #12)
    Written by John Arcudi
    Art by Jonathan Case
  • “The Creep, Part Three” (June 2012; #13)
    Written by John Arcudi
    Art by Jonathan Case
• THE CREEP
  (2011-12, Dark Horse)
  Written by John Arcudi
  Art by Jonathan Case
  • “The Creep” (August 2012; #0)
  • “The Creep, Part One” (September 2012; #1)
  • “The Creep, Part Two” (October 2012; #2)
  • “The Creep, Part Three” (November 2012; #3)
  • “The Creep, Part Four” (December 2012; #4)

GRAPHIC NOVELS & COLLECTIONS

• THE CREEP | Buy this book | Kindle it!
  (2013, Dark Horse Comics)
  Written by John Arcudi
  Art by Jonathan Case
  Collects issues #0-4 of the 2012 series. Also featuring artwork by Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Ryan Sook and Tonci Zonjic.

FURTHER INVESTIGATION

• The Defective Detectives
  Handicapped Heroes from the pulps and beyond…
• Dark Horse Presents
  Private Eyes from Dark Horse Comics.

Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.