Military Monsters ‘Creature Commandos’ returning in new TV show, new comic book
The classic war series is getting a relaunch onscreen written by James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) and a new comic book written by Timothy Truman (Hawkworld).
Warner Brothers Studios is relaunching their DC Comics adaptations, with film writer/director James Gunn and producer Peter Safran now heading the new DCU offices. (Both of them have great track records with comic-book-related media adaptations.)
The duo recently announced the first round of adaptations in the works with the new studio branch. Among more famous names like Superman and Batman and (kind of) Wonder Woman, the list also includes the Creature Commandos, a team of military versions of classic monsters. DC Studios co-head Gunn is writing and producing the HBO Max animated series Creature Commandos.
Although a cartoon, reportedly the voice cast have been chosen so they can also show up as these characters in live-action productions as well.
How They Got Started
The Creature Commandos were introduced as soldier monsters during World War II. Making their debut in Weird War Tales #93 (1980), the original team was created by J.M. DeMatteis and Pat Broderick. Led by a human, the team included a version of Frankenstein’s monster, a werewolf, a vampire, and a gorgon.
In an interview with Comics Interview in 1985, DeMatteis said he got the idea for the team as he had been writing the Weird War Tales anthology comic book series for a while. He kept looking at the title “Weird War” and thinking, Ya gotta have a lot of monsters.
He was sidelined for a while when the DC Implosion put him out of work for almost a year. (The “DC Implosion” was a major setback for the comics company when the higher ups told DC to cancel a bunch of books and cut back on their production.)
When work for DeMatteis eventually picked up again, DC was reviving some of their anthology comics by giving each of them a regular series. DeMatteis went to his editor, Len Wein, with his idea for a team of monster soldiers fighting Nazis.
“The actual title [Creature Commandos] may have been Len’s,” DeMatteis said. “And he said the same thing: ‘That’s so silly that it will work. Let’s do it.’”
Over time, the series included stories written by DeMatteis, Mike W. Barr, Dave Manak, and Robert Kanigher, who had written lots of war stories for DC Comics. Artist involved with the series included Joe Kubert (who also did lots of war comics for DC), Fred Carillo, Ross Andru, Romeo Tanghal, Bob Hall, Jerry Ordway, Rich Buckler, Dick Giordano, Dan Spiegle, and more.
Creature Commandos comics collections
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The Creature Commandos trade papeback
There’s a trade paperback collection featuring stories from the original DC Comics series: “In one of DC’s strangest comics ever, a werewolf, a vampire, a gorgon, and Frankenstein's monster fight against the German forces during World War II. Originally published in the early 1980s, The Creature Commandos laid the groundwork for recent series like FRANKESTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. Collecting stories from WEIRD WAR TALES #93, 97, 100, 102, 105, 108-112, 114-119, 121 and 124!”
Creature Commandos 2023 mini-series comic book
A new Creature Commandos comic book mini-series is also happening right now. “A blazing miniseries set in the not-too-distant future begins. A casualty of World War II is revived to join a group of bizarrely transformed soldiers that defend the Earth from other-dimensional threats.” Listed as the creative team are writer Timothy Truman, artist Scot Eaton, and colorist John Kalisz. (Truman writing this is a big deal—he has a cool record of comics as writer and artist, including Grimjack, Scout, Jonah Hex, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, Conan, and more.)
Find new issues of Creature Commandos listed here at Amazon.
You can also talk with the folks about Creature Commandos at your local comic book store. (Click HERE to find a comic book store near you.)
Creature Commandos on screen
With the animated series in the works right now, Gunn offered an update on Twitter: “Starting production; almost done casting.”
Reportedly, Gunn’s version of the group includes Rick Flag Sr. (father of the Suicide Squad leader), Dr. Nina Mazursky (a fish-person like in Creature from the Black Lagoon), radioactive Batman villain Doctor Phosphorus, Eric Frankenstein, the Bride of Frankenstein as the team leader, android G.I. Robot, and Weasel (who was in Gunn’s hilarious 2021 DC movie The Suicide Squad).
Although the original comic was set in the 1940s, apparently the new version will take place in the present day. In fact, the show will include Amanda Waller voiced by Viola Davis (who has played Waller in live-action productions already).
By the way, the video below features Gunn’s original announcement of the first batch of DC adaptations in the works for film, television, and animated projects. Along with Creature Commandos, includes mentions of Swamp Thing, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and more.
Collider recently revealed the cast of the Creature Commandos series: The show will feature the voice talents of Sean Gunn as Weasel and also as G.I. Robot, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana Rostovic, Indira Varma as The Bride, Zoe Chao as Nina Mazursky, Alan Tudyk as Dr. Phosphorus, and David Harbour as Eric Frankenstein. On top of that, Steve Agee is reprising his live action role as John Economos from the movie The Suicide Squad and the streaming show Peacemaker.
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