The members of the animated series’ Creature Commandos are (from left): Nina Mazursky, G.I Robot, The Bride, Rick Flag Sr, Dr Phosphorus, and The Weasel. — DC Studios
The all-new DC Cinematic Universe (DCCU) kicked off recently not with a giant leap over a building, nor with the sound of a Batarang... but with a roar from some of DC Comics’ weirdest heroes!
Sure, Creature Commandos may not be most fans’ first choice for an introduction to what James Gunn has in store for us as DC Studios’ co-CEO, but until his Superman movie is released in July 2025, it’s all we have to enjoy for now.
Fortunately, “enjoy” is a good word to describe the feeling of watching the Max animated series, as it manages to balance a decent cast of characters and an interesting story, while staying true enough to both the team’s comic book roots, and also updating it for the DCCU. The series was recently renewed for a second season.
The Creature Commandos as a team made its first appearance in 1980’s Weird War Tales #93, and was created by J.M. DeMatteis and Pat Broderick.
Initially, the team was a World War II military unit created to strike terror into the hearts of Nazis. Based on the “guiding principle that villains are characteristically superstitious and cowardly” (source: DC.com), the first “Project M” was formed in 1941 from a troop of battle-injured soldiers who were transformed to look like, and also possess the powers, of some of horror’s most classic monsters.
The Creature Commandos as a team made its first appearance in 1980’s 'Weird War Tales' #93.
The first team comprised Private Elliot “Patchwork” Taylor, who was “patched up” to look like Frankenstein’s monster; Private Warren “Wolfpack” Griffith (werewolf); Sergeant Vincent Velcoro (vampire); and Dr Myrra “Medusa” Rhodes (gorgon).
In the current DC universe, however, the Creature Commandos is a strike force that operates under the purview of the Super Human Advanced Defense Executive (SHADE) counter-terrorism unit.
The team is now led by the actual Frankenstein’s Monster, who goes by just “Frankenstein” and wields a giant sword. Also on the team are the (former) Bride Of Frankenstein, the amphibious Dr Nina Mazursky, Khalis (an ancient resurrected mummy), and two members from the original team – Velcoro, now with extra vampiric powers augmented by a Man-Bat serum, and Griffifth, who is now an actual werewolf.
The makeup of the team has been slightly altered for the TV show. Here is the lowdown on who they are and their comic book backstory.
Rick Flag Sr was created by writer John Ostrander and artist Luke McDonnell for 1987’s 'Secret Origins' #14.
You might have heard of Rick Flag Jr, the leader of the Suicide Squad in the previous movies. In Creature Commandos, however, it is his father, Rick Flag Sr (voiced by Frank Grillo, who played Crossbones in the Marvel Cinematic Universe), who is in charge of the team.
Created by writer John Ostrander and artist Luke McDonnell for 1987’s Secret Origins #14, Richard Montgomery Flag was a former ace WWII fighter pilot who was assigned to lead “Squadron S”, a group of misfits and “whackos” who knew they were expendable. They were called, the “Suicide Squadron”.
Flag Sr’s exploits with the Suicide Squadron were so effective that he was later assigned by SHADE to lead the newly formed Task Force X in 1951 as well, a role his son would later take over.
In Creature Commandos, Flag Sr is also tasked by Amanda Waller (voiced by Viola Davis) to lead a new superteam – Task Force M – to replace her previous Task Force X (aka the Suicide Squad), which was shut down after events in 2021’s The Suicide Squad.
Having Frankenstein and the Bride of Frankenstein in the same team won't be awkward at all, will it?
There have been several DC characters based on the monster in Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein. The first one made its debut in 1948 Detective Comics #135, created by Edmond Hamilton and Bob Kane.
The late Len Wein later reworked the character as the “Spawn of Frankenstein”, who was being controlled by Dracula; while a third Frankenstein’s Monster made an appearance in 1980’s Superman #344 , and was from the “World of Nightmare”.
The current DC version of Frankenstein, however, was created by Grant Morrison and Doug Mahnke in 2005. In the comics, he is an undead being stitched together from parts of different bodies by Dr Victor Frankenstein and was one of the “Seven Soldiers” featured in Morrison’s 2005-2006 Seven Soldiers series.
While not exactly an A-lister, Frankenstein, who also goes by “Frank”, still got his time in the spotlight during DC’s New 52 universe-wide reboot with a new title called Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E., and would go on to be a recurring character in DC’s later events and story arcs.
The original comic book version of The Bride has four arms.
Like Frank, The Bride was also created by writer Morrison and artist Doug Mahnke, and made her first appearance in Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein albeit in the third issue, where she shows up as an agent of SHADE.
Based on the “Bride” character in James Whale’s 1935 film Bride Of Frankenstein, the original comic book version has four arms, which was grafted on to her by a supervillain named Red Swami.
She was created by Dr Victor Frankenstein to be Frank’s companion, but rejected him, saying ‘you’re just not my type”.
Frankenstein (left) and the amphibious Nina are among the current members of the Creature Commandos in the comics. — DC Comics
A character who first appeared in 2011’s Flashpoint: Frankenstein And The Creatures of the Unknown #1, Nina is a current member of the Creature Commandos in the comics.
As a child, disease ravaged Nina’s lungs and she had problems breathing. Out of desperation, her father, the brilliant scientist Myron Mazursky, experimented on her and turned her into an amphibious creature.
Dr Mazursky was later recruited by the military to develop Project M, a super soldier project that would later include his daughter and also future members of the Creature Commandos.
Doctor Phosphoros is best known as a Batman rogue. — DC Comics
Dr Phosphorus is better known as a Batman rogue. Created in 1977 by the legendary team of writer Steve Englehart and artist Walt Simonson, he made his first appearance in Detective Comics #469.
Alexander Sartorius was a nuclear scientist who wanted to build a nuclear power plant in Gotham City, but was forced to move it outside after a public outcry. An accident at the plant exposes Sartorius to irradiated sand, which causes his skin to burn with green flames, and his skeleton to also be visible through his glowing body.
Taking the name Dr Phosphorus, Sartorius swore vengeance on the people of Gotham for his agony, becoming one of Batman’s rogues in the process (though not one of the A-list ones).
There have been six G.I Robots in DC’s comics so far.
Yo Robo! There have been six G.I Robots in DC’s comics so far, and they were all pretty much what the name implies – robots that have been made for military combat.
The first four were all created by writer Robert Kanigher (and designed by different artists), the first of which appeared in 1961’s Star Spangled War Stories #101.
G.I. Robot hit the mainstream in Batman Confidential #4 (2007), by Andy Diggle and Whilce Portacio, in which Lex Luthor designed a new G.I. Robot; and in 2008, another version, J.A.K.E. 6.1, featured in Greg Rucka and Eric Trautmann’s Checkmate (Vol. 2) #24.
The first Weasem in DC Comics, John Monroe, made his first appearance in 1985’s 'The Fury Of Firestorm' #35.
Yes, this is the same Weasel that was in The Suicide Squad. No, we have no idea why he is part of the Creature Commandos either, other than the fact that, well, he IS a creature.
There were actually two villains called The Weasel in DC Comics, but this one is probably based on the first one, John Monroe, who made his first appearance in 1985’s The Fury Of Firestorm #35 (created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Rafael Kayanan), but never really made a major impact beyond that.
Even his tenure in the Suicide Squad was short-lived – Weasel was killed by Flag Jr when he tries to kill Thinker during a mission. He was later revived as a Black Lantern in the Blackest Night event, and then resurfaced again during the New 52.
