Since his contributions to the DC Extended Universe at the start of the decade (first with The Suicide Squad followed by Peacemaker season 1) filmmaker James Gunn’s soft reboot of the DC Universe has been an impressive feat, now with his seven-episode miniseries, Creature Commandos. Taking its title from J.M. DeMatteis, Robert Kanigher, and Fred Carrillo’s 1980-83 comic book stories of the same name under DC Comics’ Weird War Tales, as well as Jeff Lemire, Alberto Ponticelli, and Matt Kindt’s 2011-13 New 52 run, Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E., Gunn’s series extrapolates what attentive audiences know about the ongoing mythos within the comic book cinematic universe.
Whether DC Comics fans view the show episodically or marathoned as if one blockbuster-length animated feature film, Creature Commandos is a great new beginning to the universe, but it also isn’t without its faults here and there.
[Editor’s Note: This review of DC’s Creature Commandos was written by John Daniel Tangalin. Note: Context of the source material lies ahead, but no explicit spoilers of the series will be made.]
DC Universe Chapter One: “Gods and Monsters”
Thus far, what is known about DC Studios’ rebooted universe is that its overarching story will be broken down into different chapters, the first of which is referred to as “Gods and Monsters”. An animated Justice League film, directed by Sam Liu and written by Alan Burnett and Bruce Timm, was released in July 2015 under the subtitle, Gods and Monsters. However, it should also be important to understand that, at least for now, that film doesn’t tie into Creature Commandos and the larger DC Universe. The only details carried over are Liu’s continued directorial contribution, spearheading a few emotionally heavy episodes, along with an appearance from Doctor William Magnus (voiced by Alan Tudyk).
“Gods and Monsters” is rather a re-establishment of DC Comics adaptations currently in development. Creature Commandos is the first television series released from this cinematic universe, followed by Gunn’s Peacemaker season 2, Lanterns, an Amanda Waller-centric series, and some others. Starting next July, fans will see Gunn’s Superman followed by Craig Gillespie’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, The Authority, Andy Muschietti’s The Brave and the Bold, and James Mangold’s Swamp Thing on the big screen. The “gods” in question deal with spotlights on superheroes, including Superman and Supergirl, while the “monsters” here are Creature Commandos and Swamp Thing.
Creature Commandos’ roster
Creature Commandos looks to be a fascinating start to this new universe, not necessarily calling in any faithful page-to-screen depiction of characters. The early ‘80s run focuses on a human lieutenant, Matthew Shrieve, and his pseudo-freaks Warren Griffith the werewolf, Sergeant Vincent Velcro the vampire, Private Elliot “Lucky” Taylor the Frankenstein-like figure, and Doctor Myrna “Medusa” Rhodes the gorgon, with small appearances from G.I. Robot, also referred to as Jungle Automatic Killer – Experimental (or J.A.K.E.) models 1 and 2. This run comes off as a mixture between The Suicide Squad and Alan Moore’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
The 17-issue Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. series finds itself within the confines of the DC Comics universe, with Frankenstein being a Hellboy-type antihero, joined by his Bride, Doctor Nina Mazursky, Vincent Velcoro (new spelling, same surname), Warren Griffith, and Khalis the mummy.
James Gunn’s Creature Commandos doesn’t borrow any particular storyline from either of these two comic runs but instead borrows a few known characters there–The Bride (voiced by Indira Varma), G.I. Robot (voiced by Sean Gunn), Nina Mazursky (voiced by Zoë Chao), Frankenstein (now given a first name, Eric; voiced by David Harbour). Re-established or introduced into the DC Universe are Weasel (voiced by Sean Gunn), Alex “Dr. Phosphorus” Sartorius (voiced by Tudyk), Richard Bill “Rick” Flag Sr. (voiced by Frank Grillo), and Princess Ilana Rostovic of Pokolistan (voiced by Maria Bakalova), with small appearances from Amanda Waller (voiced by Viola Davis), Circe of Themyscira (voiced by Anya Chalotra), and John Economos (voiced by Steve Agee).
The animation in Creature Commandos
Character designers Dusty Abell, Will Nichols, Zak Plucinski, and Jon Suzuki create the uncanny when it comes to Flag Sr. and the eponymous co-leads. Frankenstein and The Bride eerily resemble their grotesque Universal Pictures counterparts, Flag Sr. takes on the same look as his late son but older, and Weasel’s design is copied from his look in The Suicide Squad. G.I. Robot’s bronze aesthetic in the series makes sense as an homage to the Bronze Age of comic book history, where the character had a more silver physique.
Additionally, Rostovic bears similar physical qualities to, say, Princess Peach in the Super Mario video games; it could be wrong to suggest so, but it is nonetheless worth mentioning. I love the electrical charge animation when the imprisoned monsters attempt to attack one of the human characters, which is a rare occurrence despite the series’ roots in The Suicide Squad.
Creature Commandos’ storyboard artistry is enjoyable work. Out of all the action sequences, I also love how the fighting can sometimes engage with the environment, much like in the Injustice video games. Because of its TV-MA rating, the series has its bloody moments, including men getting perforated by bullets, skulls getting caved in or blown or ripped open, and more. As it tends to be with Warner Brothers Animation, notably the Justice League and Mortal Kombat films, Gunn’s series truly plays out like an action comic book brought to life.
Prop designers Art Lee, Austin Reinkens, and Norman Ryang craft neat weapons for the series’ characters. I especially love the assault rifles and other guns that form out of G.I. Robot’s metallic hands, akin to how it was in the ‘80s comics. Besides that, Princess Rostovic’s flintlock pistol is an alluring prop that complements her presence in the show. Background designers Brandon Hahn, Robert Haverland, John Paik, Jason Park, and Jonard Soriano have fun creating a visually appealing atmosphere of Pokolistan, as well as the show’s minor location settings. The nighttime landscape of the country centering on the Rostovic castle is a rare sight, using the huge crescent moon to take up nearly a quarter of the screen. I even love certain imageries, such as G.I. Robot collecting dust in his prison cell over time and Frankenstein walking away from a burning vehicle.
James Gunn’s narration in this DC animated series
More than anything, the animated series treads similar waters as The Suicide Squad. With direction from Matt Peters and Sam Liu, Gunn brings in some surprising twists and turns, mainly in how he ties major character developments together and in his further world-building of the DC Universe. For instance, Eric Frankenstein and G.I. Robot both have talkative speaking roles compared to their silent tenure in DeMatteis, Kanigher, and Carrillo’s comic run, where they speak through actions and/or thought bubbles.
Looking at his filmmaking credits up to this point, it would be easy to figure out Gunn’s specific narrative signature and style. Thematically, the storyteller is drawn to narratives pertaining to the practices of control and the takeover of the individual and collective body. While his prior works, Scooby-Doo, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, Slither, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, The Suicide Squad, and Peacemaker season 1, take on a more Invasion of the Body Snatchers approach to things, Gunn views control in terms of political superpowers, hence the series’ main external conflict.
The show does contain some inconsistencies here and there. Its pilot episode introduces the princess’s mother, the Queen of Pokolistan, in one scene, but she never appears in any other parts of the show. Gunn’s development of the fictional country being led by a monarchy isn’t executed in full, but the screenwriter does convey enough in terms of its place in the world. Remote-controlled detonation is a recurring plot device in Suicide Squad- or Amanda Waller-related stories, so Gunn toning down on that this time around opens the door to other means of handling Belle Reve’s inmates. After the second episode, it doesn’t become an option at all, and maybe that’s for the best.
Conversely, there is some foreshadowing that comic book fans could take a liking to. While Lieutenant Shrieve never wastes a moment to call his team “freaks”, “monsters”, or other terms synonymous with ugly in Weird War Tales, Gunn’s characters seldom refer to themselves as the “Creature Commandos”. Specifically, the screenwriter often highlights what it means to be a monster, not just physically but psychologically. Occasionally, this message is told through masculine or feminine lenses but turns into a defining quality that is too on-the-nose.
Ultimately, he takes a humanist perspective to the series’ title with a Shakespearean spin. On the one hand, we can be enhanced and transformed by the world, but what good does that do? On the other hand, human improvement through technologies and the environment calls into question how effective it can be to co-exist in the world.
Easter eggs and other references in Creature Commandos
This new series has subtle and explicit references to its DC Comics source material and popular culture at large. G.I. Robot’s character design involves a helmet with the number 2 written on it, most likely alluding to the two J.A.K.E. models that existed throughout Weird War Tales. James Gunn continues to pay his respects to what must have inspired him to take on this television project, including The Suicide Squad, The Dirty Dozen, and Walt Disney. Due to the characters’ milieus, the screenwriter pokes fun at Maleficent, Hocus Pocus, Star Wars, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and even one supernatural Marvel Comics character, comparing DC’s lesser-known figures to those widely adored.
The animated series features silent cameos from iconic and fan-favorite DC Comics characters, such as Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man and the Justice League, but not in ways one would expect. As a reboot of the DC Universe, it’s going to be intriguing to see how Creature Commandos fits into the newer comic book mythos, not to mention how the roster changes after the conclusion of the series.
The fictional country, Pokolistan, might be behind on culture and political progress, which is why Princess Rostovic and her castle’s soldiers read quaint lliterature,e.g. Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote and Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. This also explains why Rostovic and her country are not up-to-date on the latest pop culture catchphrases.
Voice performances and character developments
The Bride is a cool adaptation of the character in Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. and, to some extent, Frankenstein’s yearned-for version of Medusa in Weird War Tales. This character is written as a Gamora-like personality: a fighting type who refuses to have attachments to others for personal purposes but learns to appreciate company regardless. Of course, the character is an archetype that exists outside of the framework of Gunn’s filmography, but the storyteller depicts her so well here.
Nina Mazursky’s backstory in Creature Commandos is nothing like in Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. Issue #2, where she reveals she purposefully transforms herself into a monster to be an equal to her monstrous creations rather than a mother or godlike figure. The character’s sense of family and companionship allows her to be out of place in the different environments she finds herself in. She’s young and therefore innocent, brilliant , buton her way to being the brightest of the team. Where her teammates are antagonistic, Mazursky is kind-hearted, which only gets her so far.
Phosphorus is the Drax the Destroyer-like character whose strengths have limitations. Gunn depicts him as a cross between the Joker and, somehow, Black Mask. His inclusion in the Creature Commandos is pivotal not just as a source of (dark) comedic relief but a male-speaking role.
G.I. Robot is perhaps the closest interpretation of his comic iteration, who clung to the thrills of war, especially in the obsession with Nazi-hunting. He is the old man of the ggroup,without making the fact too obvious. Sean Gunn is a perfect voice for the character, including one line delivery that makes an early episode worth the watch.
Whereas G.I. Robot is mature, Weasel is childlike, and it makes sense given that the context of his crimes that landed him in Belle Reve paints him to be some Pennywise the Clown kind of killer. Weasel and G.I. Robot might be tied for having the best backstories, one being poignant and the other being purely nostalgic. Every member of the Creature Commandos has an amount of ethos and pathos, but these two characters appeal the most to me.
Viola Davis’ recurring voice role as Amanda Waller is unique. While she doesn’t have a sizeable voice-acting career, she still possesses the same assertive rhetoric needed to be a leader for the past eight years. In juxtaposition, Bakalova’s voice as Ilana Rostovic is awkward at first, but as the series progresses, Gunn unveils his reason for making the character so one-sided. As her second-ever voice role, the Bulgarian-American actor has the potential to break ground in this territory.
David Harbour’s Eric Frankenstein is an interesting combination of the endearing version from the early-1980s and the poetic version from the early-2010s. Although he is not renowned for his voice roles, Harbour makes for a decent depiction of the literary figure revitalized. In action, Frankenstein is as tough as nails, but when it comes to his personality, he is a hopeless romantic… and through Gunn’s screenwriting Creature Commandos doubles down on that notion. The actor has some striking line deliveries, and maybe the theatrics of his voice do wonders.
Final thoughts on James Gunn’s Creature Commandos
Music composers Kevin Kiner and Clint Mansell and music supervisor Joey Singer’s soundtrack continue the memorable curations that many may know Gunn’s works for. The organ instrumental that plays while The Bride is constructed by Victor Frankenstein (voiced by Peter Serafinowicz) is lovely and harmonious with their part of the narrative. Gogol Bordello comprises a good fraction of the series’ tracklist,; however, I also love one light-hearted song that plays in the episode concentrated on G.I. Robot.
What can be admired about Creature Commandos is its political nature, reminding viewers of its roots in the realm of comic books and media history. Disputing otherwise would be difficult, considering how Gunn crafts backstories around his characters. “Cheers to the Tin Man” and “Chasing Squirrels” are highly impactful episodes, with “Priyatel Skelet” and “A Very Funny Monster” coming in close. Overall, the DC Universe is back and now under new creative forces, although with a one-hour-and-forty-minute-long series, fans are only offered a taste of what’s to come.
DC’s Creature Commandos debuts with the first two episodes on Max on December 5, 2024. For Vin’s quick reaction to the series, visit our YouTube channel here. Don’t forget to subscribe for more as there will be a full review with Vin & John later this week!
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