James Gunn's plans for DC's cinematic universe have finally been revealed, with one part of the new DCU's "Chapter 1" now unveiled. Beyond familiar faces such as Superman, Batman and Green Lantern, there's the expected emphasis on more obscure teams and properties from Gunn. One such team will even headline the first major animated series of the shared universe.
The Creature Commandos aren't exactly a mainstream group of characters, even for diehard DC Comics aficionados. Based on numerous horror movie and novel archetypes, the team is made up of outcasts who slightly tie into the more supernatural side of the DC Universe. With the Creature Commandos primed to get their own show courtesy of DC Studios' creative lead, here's what everyone should know about the forgotten troupe of monsters.
The Creature Commandos were an Offshoot of DC's Horror Titles
Created by J.M DeMatteis and Pat Broderick, the Creature Commandos debuted in Weird War Tales #93. This comic book was both a supernatural horror title and a war-themed one, combining two genres that had slowly but surely lost relevance amid the revived superhero takeover of the Silver Age. The feature was taken over by Robert Kanigher, who penned many of the best Sgt. Rock comic books. The Creature Commandos were created by Project M, a secret organization that used arcane means during World War II to turn the tide for the Allies. True to horror form, the combat group's repugnant ranks included a werewolf (Warren Griffith), a vampire (Vincent Velcro/Velcoro) and a Frankenstein's monster-esque creature (Private Elliot "Lucky" Taylor), all of whom had once been humans. Leading the charge was Lt. Matthew Shrieve, who was a completely normal human being.
Essentially engaging in missions too "harrowing" for regular units, the Creature Commandos had several morally questionable exploits. These included killing a group of superhuman children and killing a French scientist due to her knowledge of chemical warfare. This showcased the horrors of war and its deplorable reality, even if the soldiers in question were far from the ordinary jarhead. The G.I. Robot would also join the team later on, though this too would result in tragedy. One final adventure would see the team's members end up in space, however, DC wouldn't pick up on this plot thread for years.
One storyline in the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths universe had the ship containing the team found in space by the Superman villain Brainiac. Upon making it back to Earth, they would assist the Man of Steel and others against their mutual enemy. From there, the Creature Commandos would be reformed with new members, including those based on other monsters such as mummies and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Given the deaths of many team members, they could be considered a supernatural and war-based variant of the more well-known Suicide Squad concept.
The New 52 was a Claim to Fame for the Creature Commandos
Easily the biggest spotlight for the Creature Commandos was in the New 52 comic book reboot, where they were a part of the Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. title. The Frankenstein Monster in this incarnation of the team was the real deal, and their vampire Vincent Velcoro was turned by a version of Kirk Langstrom's Man-Bat formula. A new version of Lt. Shrieve would also be introduced. The series as a whole wouldn't last incredibly long, but it was a decent attempt by DC to expand beyond the more traditional superhero comics in its line-up.
The same is now being done in the DC Universe's movies and shows, which will all share the same continuity. Frankenstein is shown in promo art with his bride, alongside others such as a female version of Gill-Man, a character who's likely Lt. Shrieve, and the same version of Weasel from Gunn's The Suicide Squad. This makes it seem like one of the most unknown DC properties is getting a chance to shine in their own 7-episode cartoon, with the Creature Commandos set to make a monstrous debut sometime in the future.