We can always count on James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) to deliver an irreverent story about oddballs and misfits, which is why it makes perfect sense that he’s kicking off the new DC Universe’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters with Creature Commandos.
The highly-anticipated animated series follows a motley crew of monsters who first appeared in Weird War Tales #93 (1980) by J. M. DeMatteis and Pat Broderick. Gunn wrote all seven episodes (before becoming DC co-chairmen and co-CEO with Peter Safran) with Dean Lorey (Harley Quinn) serving as showrunner.
Timeline-wise, Creature Commandos begins soon after the events of 2021’s The Suicide Squad and the Season 1 finale of Peacemaker (Warning: some spoilers ahead for both). Since not all members of Project Starfish or Team Peacemaker made it out of their missions alive, Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) can no longer use human prisoners for dangerous secret missions.
But with Princess Ilana Rostovic (Maria Bakalova) and the fictional European country of Pokolistan currently being terrorized by powerful sorceress Circe (Anya Chalotra), Waller finds a way around this rule by forming a new team out of Belle Reve penitentiary’s non-human internment division.
Leading this Task Force M (m for monster) is Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo), military General and father of the late Rick Flag Jr. (Joel Kinnaman) who was killed by Peacemaker (John Cena) in Corto Maltese. Waller introduces him to his team via her trademark rogue roll call.
While technically made up of several human parts, the Bride (Indira Varma) is considered a monster with enormous strength and combat skills. Doctor Phosphorus (Alan Tudyk) is a completely irradiated skeleton in a lab coat that can burn through anything and anyone. The highly intelligent Nina Mazursky (Zoë Chao) is an amphibious scientist who requires a helmet full of water at all times.
James Gunn’s brother and frequent collaborator Sean Gunn voices G.I. Robot, a military android created to fight in World War II who remains single-mindedly obsessed with killing Nazis. The actor also reprises his role as Weasel, last seen in The Suicide Squad.
More characters include: Rupert Thorne (Benjamin Byron Davis), a major part of Doctor Phosphorus’ backstory; Clayface (also voiced by Tudyk); and the animated debut of John Economos (Steve Agee). Michael Rooker, Linda Cardellini, Gregg Henry, and Peter Serafinowicz also make guest appearances.
Similar to Harley Quinn or Kite Man: Hell Yeah!, Creature Commandos has a darkly comedic tone with plenty of exploding body parts, creative kills, hilarious jokes, and touching moments. However, it’s more action-oriented and dramatic like an animated version of The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker.
The series is also a lot like the first season of Doom Patrol where each character’s backstory explores how some were born (or molded) into their monstrous identity while others were stripped of their humanity until they became monsters.
The Bride’s origin stays close to Mary Shelley’s classic novel with her being created as a companion for the well-spoken and very insecure Frankenstein’s Monster (David Harbour), aka Eric Frankenstein. We see him in the Bride’s traumatic flashbacks but unfortunately for her, he fights his way back into her life, still determined to be with a woman who hates him. In part, it’s his penchant for stalking that makes her so cold and dismissive toward others.
Nina, seemingly the only team member who’s genuinely kind despite her own nightmarish origin, is able to empathize. In an interview with BGN, Zoë Chao described their budding friendship, saying that her character “pulls out any remaining heartbeat in Bride.”
Nina also has a sweet kinship with G.I. Robot. Both G.I. Robot and Weasel have heartbreaking pasts that highlight their wide-eyed innocence. Since one of them only talks about killing Nazis and the other doesn’t actually speak, they’re always misunderstood. Sean Gunn rises to the challenge of voicing two characters who can’t communicate or emote like the others, making each of them equally sympathetic and humorous in different ways.
One of the most distinct aspects of the series is the music, something James Gunn is known to highlight in his work. Kevin Kiner and Clint Mansell, both of whom previously worked on other DC titles including Doom Patrol, Peacemaker, and Titans, composed the score. Expect several needle drops from bands like Gogol Bordello and The Dresden Dolls. Anyone unfamiliar with the sound of gypsy punk might find the songs a bit odd at first but will quickly realize how fitting the energy is to the overall Eastern European aesthetic of the series.
Creature Commandos is a riotous good time with all of James Gunn’s trademark brilliance for storytelling and humanizing the strangest, most obscure characters. With its irreverent rogues and sick monster mash of a soundtrack, the seven-episode series is truly a blast to watch and rewatch.
Creature Commandos premieres with two episodes December 5, 2024, on Max, followed by one episode weekly through January 9.
