Creature Commandos: How DC's Band of Monsters Became Heroes
Creature Commandos, DC Comics, Project M, S.H.A.D.E., Weird War Tales, J. M. DeMatteis, Pat Broderick, Vincent Velcoro, Warren Griffith, Frankenstein, Nina Mazursky, James Gunn, DCU, animated series, comic book history, supernatural soldiers, Task Force M, Rick Flag Sr., Frank Grillo, history, origins, origin, story, characters, Comics, Superhero, Marvel, DC, watchmojo, watch mojo, top 10, list, mojo,
Creature Commandos Origins
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re delving into the history of one of DC’s spookiest teams. We’ll be getting into all things Creature Commandos-related, so consider this your spoiler warning.
Conception:
The Creature Commandos were created in 1980, debuting in issue 93 of “Weird War Tales.” They sprung from the minds of J. M. DeMatteis[a] and Pat Broderick. The idea was for a monster-heavy team that lived up to the weirdness of the title they were appearing in. Punching Nazis, taking names, and sending shivers down the spines of all involved were their main objectives. It was an out-there idea, and when DeMatteis pitched Creature Commandos to editor Len Wein, he was given the green light to step into the land of the bizarre. However, the original run for the Creature Commandos was short-lived, hardly setting the world on fire. Roughly three years after their debut, “Weird War Tales” would be canned in ‘83. But this plucky team of monstrous misfits and spooky soldiers had a way of bouncing back from the dead.
Backstory:
In pretty much all continuities, the Creature Commandos are an off-the-books military special ops team. In their original history, they were part of Project M, a top-secret organization within the government. To say that they were hard to find would be an understatement. Project M’s base of operations happened to be a special lab hidden underneath the Statue of Liberty of all places. They experimented in the areas of radical biotechnology, and robotics, even dabbling into dark arts like necromancy. The lead scientist, Professor Mazursky[b], theorized that a group of straight-up nightmarish-looking, super-powered individuals would send the bad guys running. Not to knock this guy’s educational background, but you hardly need to be a scholar to come up with that kind of conclusion. With a goal to quite literally weaponize fear, Project M’s lab rats would go on to become the titular Creature Commandos. The Creature Commandos ran missions during World War II that only they were the best equipped for. For example, they once went to Dinosaur Island and got the dinosaurs to revolt against the Axis forces occupying the area. Yeah, not sure if Sgt. Rock and his platoon would’ve been able to pull that off.
During “The New 52,” the team went through somewhat of a makeover. Most of their origin was the same, but with some overhauls. Mainly that they were now under the umbrella of S.H.A.D.E. It was a new agency within DC that focused on taking down monsters and the supernatural. This new era was really kicked off by Nina Mazursky. Wow, another Mazursky, what are the odds? In this rebooted continuity, she was a scientist who developed the first Commandos. When they ended up being faulty, she went back to the drawing board. Once she made a revised version, she willingly turned herself into a fishwoman and became a Commando herself. Now that’s some serious dedication. No matter what version you’re looking at, being a Commando meant always having your life in danger. With the introduction of S.H.A.D.E., this team had to adapt or die!
Members:
The Creature Commandos have had a bit of a rotating cast through the decades. Their very first incarnation had a variety of… let’s just say eccentric characters. Hey, if they’re from a book called “Weird Tales,” it makes sense to hammer in the ‘weird,’ right? For starters, there was Vincent Velcoro[c], a guy who was essentially a living vampire, not unlike Michael Morbius. Followed by a werewolf named Warren Griffith, and a gorgon named Dr. Medusa. There’s also a lovable robot in the mix known as G.I. Robot, but you could also call him J.A.K.E. That’s still not the weirdest, though. We’ve also got Lucky Taylor, better known as Patchwork. He’s a particularly interesting one since at first glance, you’d think he’s Frankenstein’s monster. We mean–he’s got the rotting flesh, sickly complexion, and limited vocabulary down to a T. Despite that, he’s actually not him. He’s kind of like “Bootleg Frankenstein.” Just… uh… don’t tell him we said that, okay? To round out the group is their leader, a fairly regular military man with no powers or mutations named Matthew Shrieve[d].
The modern incarnations saw some more shake-ups. Characters like the Bogman and Aten[e] the Mummy would go on to join the ranks in later stories. Then, when S.H.A.D.E. was introduced, and the team was revamped in the New 52, more agents entered the fold. We mentioned Nina Mazursky already, but what about the other fresh blood? The other newcomers among the modern lineup were the actual Frankenstein’s monster and his Bride. Even Ray Palmer–the Atom–was hanging around the group, but only in a microscopic capacity. We’ll clarify by saying he wasn’t exactly an actual Creature Commando. He was just working for S.H.A.D.E. as a scientist and occasional field agent/hero, but still, that tiny bit of overlap is pretty cool, right? Though the team has varied from time to time, every version is pretty much guaranteed to be filled to the brim with the most powerful and vicious monsters you’ve ever seen!
Powers & Abilities:
The Creature Commandos are an interesting case when it comes to what makes them so special. Some of these Commandos don’t have any powers at all, like Matthew Shrieve for instance. Instead, he relies on his tactical prowess and years of military training to get the job done. Matthew’s really just the outlier though, as the rest of the Commandos are pretty gifted in the powers department. We’ll give a quick rundown of some of the standouts. Vincent Velcoro has vampirism, meaning he can fly with his wings, use super strength, and even become a bat. If vampirism weren’t enough, you’ve also got werewolfism with Warren. Basically, that means you’ve got a completely feral beast when you need it. Speaking of feral beasts, Frankenstein’s another major player here. He’s got massive strength, but also a surprising amount of agility, as he’s an expert swordsman. Because of special cybernetics gifted to him by S.H.A.D.E., he’s also able to tap into technology, so maybe he’s not so feral after all. When the going gets tough and things are in a real pinch, Aten the Mummy is a viable asset in the fight. His bandages have special healing properties unlike anything else. There’s definitely more we could dive into, but all you need to know is that this team brings a lot to the table.
Adaptations:
There hasn’t been a whole lot of other media that the Commandos have shown up in outside of the comics. However, that has slowly begun to change. The team was featured in a handful of animated shorts on Cartoon Network. They also had a guest appearance in “Batman: The Brave and the Bold.” That’s all well and good, but we doubt that’s what everyone’s really interested in. So let’s talk about the elephant in the room. The Creature Commandos happen to now be the stars of their very own TV show! The animated Max original has more major implications than you might think. That’s because this project is the first real glimpse we have at DC’s newest cinematic universe. Technically the upcoming “Superman” movie is considered the official launching point for the DCU. But “Creature Commandos” comes out before that. So, in a way, it’s up to them to make a great first impression. No pressure or anything! The show’s roster is a pretty interesting one. It’s got a dynamic cast of characters, with many of the usual suspects you'd expect from the comics. Nina Mazursky, Frankenstein’s monster and the Bride, and G.I. Robot will all be part of the team. Some of the other members joining the ranks are a lot less traditional. Characters like Rick Flag Sr., Doctor Phosphorus, and Weasel will be rounding out the group. None of those gentlemen have ever actually been Creature Commandos before. The show also seems like it’s going to present the team as a sort of Suicide Squad offshoot. “Task Force M” kind of gives that away. This isn’t necessarily a complaint, though. James Gunn has been known to toy around with characters and concepts plenty of times before. A somewhat unconventional lineup and a change in who their government overlords are can still be very entertaining nevertheless.
The Commandos also have the potential to go beyond the confines of their show. The intention for the new DCU is to have characters be played by the same actors regardless of the medium. That means that the voice actors for this show can possibly show up down the line as those same characters in other live-action projects, or even video games. In fact, we already know that’s going to be happening. Frank Grillo will return as Rick Flag Sr. in the “Superman” movie, and then later in “Peacemaker” season two, where he’ll presumably get revenge for his son’s death. Overall, there are some exciting possibilities all around for what can happen next, and a lot of that ties back to the Creature Commandos. For a group that seemed like nothing more than a team DC would prop up for Halloween, the Commandos are just getting started. Sometimes the best heroes aren’t the noble ones, they’re the terrifying ones!
Are there any traumatizing tidbits about this team that we missed? Let us know in the comments! And also let us know if you’re looking forward to the new “Creature Commandos” TV show!
[c]vell-CORE-oh https://youtu.be/dPmobm6jqDA?si=SJJwrytUdyatNMs4&t=176
[d]shrieve rhymes with "leave"
[e]AW-tin https://youtu.be/wKSqgLQNIeQ?si=6jb3ktlAS7nVHE-g&t=71
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re delving into the history of one of DC’s spookiest teams. We’ll be getting into all things Creature Commandos-related, so consider this your spoiler warning.
Conception:
The Creature Commandos were created in 1980, debuting in issue 93 of “Weird War Tales.” They sprung from the minds of J. M. DeMatteis[a] and Pat Broderick. The idea was for a monster-heavy team that lived up to the weirdness of the title they were appearing in. Punching Nazis, taking names, and sending shivers down the spines of all involved were their main objectives. It was an out-there idea, and when DeMatteis pitched Creature Commandos to editor Len Wein, he was given the green light to step into the land of the bizarre. However, the original run for the Creature Commandos was short-lived, hardly setting the world on fire. Roughly three years after their debut, “Weird War Tales” would be canned in ‘83. But this plucky team of monstrous misfits and spooky soldiers had a way of bouncing back from the dead.
Backstory:
In pretty much all continuities, the Creature Commandos are an off-the-books military special ops team. In their original history, they were part of Project M, a top-secret organization within the government. To say that they were hard to find would be an understatement. Project M’s base of operations happened to be a special lab hidden underneath the Statue of Liberty of all places. They experimented in the areas of radical biotechnology, and robotics, even dabbling into dark arts like necromancy. The lead scientist, Professor Mazursky[b], theorized that a group of straight-up nightmarish-looking, super-powered individuals would send the bad guys running. Not to knock this guy’s educational background, but you hardly need to be a scholar to come up with that kind of conclusion. With a goal to quite literally weaponize fear, Project M’s lab rats would go on to become the titular Creature Commandos. The Creature Commandos ran missions during World War II that only they were the best equipped for. For example, they once went to Dinosaur Island and got the dinosaurs to revolt against the Axis forces occupying the area. Yeah, not sure if Sgt. Rock and his platoon would’ve been able to pull that off.
During “The New 52,” the team went through somewhat of a makeover. Most of their origin was the same, but with some overhauls. Mainly that they were now under the umbrella of S.H.A.D.E. It was a new agency within DC that focused on taking down monsters and the supernatural. This new era was really kicked off by Nina Mazursky. Wow, another Mazursky, what are the odds? In this rebooted continuity, she was a scientist who developed the first Commandos. When they ended up being faulty, she went back to the drawing board. Once she made a revised version, she willingly turned herself into a fishwoman and became a Commando herself. Now that’s some serious dedication. No matter what version you’re looking at, being a Commando meant always having your life in danger. With the introduction of S.H.A.D.E., this team had to adapt or die!
Members:
The Creature Commandos have had a bit of a rotating cast through the decades. Their very first incarnation had a variety of… let’s just say eccentric characters. Hey, if they’re from a book called “Weird Tales,” it makes sense to hammer in the ‘weird,’ right? For starters, there was Vincent Velcoro[c], a guy who was essentially a living vampire, not unlike Michael Morbius. Followed by a werewolf named Warren Griffith, and a gorgon named Dr. Medusa. There’s also a lovable robot in the mix known as G.I. Robot, but you could also call him J.A.K.E. That’s still not the weirdest, though. We’ve also got Lucky Taylor, better known as Patchwork. He’s a particularly interesting one since at first glance, you’d think he’s Frankenstein’s monster. We mean–he’s got the rotting flesh, sickly complexion, and limited vocabulary down to a T. Despite that, he’s actually not him. He’s kind of like “Bootleg Frankenstein.” Just… uh… don’t tell him we said that, okay? To round out the group is their leader, a fairly regular military man with no powers or mutations named Matthew Shrieve[d].
The modern incarnations saw some more shake-ups. Characters like the Bogman and Aten[e] the Mummy would go on to join the ranks in later stories. Then, when S.H.A.D.E. was introduced, and the team was revamped in the New 52, more agents entered the fold. We mentioned Nina Mazursky already, but what about the other fresh blood? The other newcomers among the modern lineup were the actual Frankenstein’s monster and his Bride. Even Ray Palmer–the Atom–was hanging around the group, but only in a microscopic capacity. We’ll clarify by saying he wasn’t exactly an actual Creature Commando. He was just working for S.H.A.D.E. as a scientist and occasional field agent/hero, but still, that tiny bit of overlap is pretty cool, right? Though the team has varied from time to time, every version is pretty much guaranteed to be filled to the brim with the most powerful and vicious monsters you’ve ever seen!
Powers & Abilities:
The Creature Commandos are an interesting case when it comes to what makes them so special. Some of these Commandos don’t have any powers at all, like Matthew Shrieve for instance. Instead, he relies on his tactical prowess and years of military training to get the job done. Matthew’s really just the outlier though, as the rest of the Commandos are pretty gifted in the powers department. We’ll give a quick rundown of some of the standouts. Vincent Velcoro has vampirism, meaning he can fly with his wings, use super strength, and even become a bat. If vampirism weren’t enough, you’ve also got werewolfism with Warren. Basically, that means you’ve got a completely feral beast when you need it. Speaking of feral beasts, Frankenstein’s another major player here. He’s got massive strength, but also a surprising amount of agility, as he’s an expert swordsman. Because of special cybernetics gifted to him by S.H.A.D.E., he’s also able to tap into technology, so maybe he’s not so feral after all. When the going gets tough and things are in a real pinch, Aten the Mummy is a viable asset in the fight. His bandages have special healing properties unlike anything else. There’s definitely more we could dive into, but all you need to know is that this team brings a lot to the table.
Adaptations:
There hasn’t been a whole lot of other media that the Commandos have shown up in outside of the comics. However, that has slowly begun to change. The team was featured in a handful of animated shorts on Cartoon Network. They also had a guest appearance in “Batman: The Brave and the Bold.” That’s all well and good, but we doubt that’s what everyone’s really interested in. So let’s talk about the elephant in the room. The Creature Commandos happen to now be the stars of their very own TV show! The animated Max original has more major implications than you might think. That’s because this project is the first real glimpse we have at DC’s newest cinematic universe. Technically the upcoming “Superman” movie is considered the official launching point for the DCU. But “Creature Commandos” comes out before that. So, in a way, it’s up to them to make a great first impression. No pressure or anything! The show’s roster is a pretty interesting one. It’s got a dynamic cast of characters, with many of the usual suspects you'd expect from the comics. Nina Mazursky, Frankenstein’s monster and the Bride, and G.I. Robot will all be part of the team. Some of the other members joining the ranks are a lot less traditional. Characters like Rick Flag Sr., Doctor Phosphorus, and Weasel will be rounding out the group. None of those gentlemen have ever actually been Creature Commandos before. The show also seems like it’s going to present the team as a sort of Suicide Squad offshoot. “Task Force M” kind of gives that away. This isn’t necessarily a complaint, though. James Gunn has been known to toy around with characters and concepts plenty of times before. A somewhat unconventional lineup and a change in who their government overlords are can still be very entertaining nevertheless.
The Commandos also have the potential to go beyond the confines of their show. The intention for the new DCU is to have characters be played by the same actors regardless of the medium. That means that the voice actors for this show can possibly show up down the line as those same characters in other live-action projects, or even video games. In fact, we already know that’s going to be happening. Frank Grillo will return as Rick Flag Sr. in the “Superman” movie, and then later in “Peacemaker” season two, where he’ll presumably get revenge for his son’s death. Overall, there are some exciting possibilities all around for what can happen next, and a lot of that ties back to the Creature Commandos. For a group that seemed like nothing more than a team DC would prop up for Halloween, the Commandos are just getting started. Sometimes the best heroes aren’t the noble ones, they’re the terrifying ones!
Are there any traumatizing tidbits about this team that we missed? Let us know in the comments! And also let us know if you’re looking forward to the new “Creature Commandos” TV show!
[a]deema-TAY-iss https://www.youtube.com/live/xFw6C3ztCHo?si=3Tlvi5w10u8WU_A-&t=11
[b]muh-ZUR-skee https://youtu.be/dPmobm6jqDA?si=hSU-VN-NUljuHEbM&t=166[c]vell-CORE-oh https://youtu.be/dPmobm6jqDA?si=SJJwrytUdyatNMs4&t=176
[d]shrieve rhymes with "leave"
[e]AW-tin https://youtu.be/wKSqgLQNIeQ?si=6jb3ktlAS7nVHE-g&t=71
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