DC Comics has a talent for creating unique superhero teams, such as the Metal Men, the robotic superhero team, and Doom Patrol, the iconic group of super-powered misfits. Another unique team from DC is the Creature Commandos, World War II’s weirdest warriors!
Created by writer J. M. DeMatteis and artist Pat Broderick, the Creature Commandos made their first appearance in Weird War Tales #93. It all started in the Midwest, on a spring day in 1942, where Lieutenant Matthew Shrieve introduced the Creature Commandos to various generals, admirals, and senators as part of the mysterious Project “M”—one of those classic World War II government projects creating specialized soldiers!
The team was sent on a mission in France and deployed to Dinosaur Island, but their time on the pages of DC Comics was short-lived, and they quickly disappeared into obscurity. Throughout the years, the Creature Commandos occasionally reappeared and were reimagined as members of S.H.A.D.E. during the New 52 era. They never really left a significant mark and remained in one of those obscure corners of the DC until recently.
The team recently gained mainstream attention for starring in a new adult animated television series as part of the DC Universe, the new shared universe created by James Gunn and Peter Safran, which serves as a soft reboot of the DC Extended Universe.
To learn more about the Creature Commandos of DC Comics, follow our reading order guide, guiding you through the issues featuring this team of monsters!
But first… What to read for the Creature Commandos animated series?
Chances are, if you are on this page, is to know more about the character populating the animated version of the Creature Commandos! While you will find below a detailer order for the Creature Commandos, There is not a lot of material out there and the closest version to the animated series is reprinted in Creature Commandos Present: Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. Book One. This book will give you information about Frankenstein (voiced by David Harbour), The Bride (voiced by Indira Varma) and Nina Mazursky (voiced by Zoe Chao).
For the remaining members of the team, here’s a few suggestions:
- Rick Flag Sr. (voiced by Frank Grillo) – Honestly, there is almost nothing about Rick Flag’s father. You can check his story in Secret Origins #14 (May 1987)
- Dr. Phosphorus (voiced by Alan Tudyk) – This Member of the Bat-rogue who made his first appearance in Detective Comics #469-470, collected in Tales of the Batman: Steve Englehart.
- Weasel (voiced by Sean Gunn) – You already know Weasel if you have watched The Suicide Squad. You can find his first comic book storyline in Firestorm #36-39
- G.I. Robot (voiced by Sean Gunn) – He made his first appearance in Star-Spangled War Stories #101 (1961) and became entangled with the first incarnation of The Creature Commandos!
Creature Commandos Comics in Order
Meet the Creature Commandos, the original team of the ’80s
DeMatteis got his start in comic books at DC Comics in the late 1970s, with his first published story for the company appearing in Weird War Tales #70. He wrote for six months on that title before the DC Implosion of 1978, an event that resulted in the cancellation of numerous ongoing and planned series. Consequently, DeMatteis was out of work for almost a year. As he explained in Comics Interview #38, he took a “look at the title, Weird War, and I said, ‘You gotta have a lot of monsters.’ So I had this idea for The Creature Commandos. It was really a silly idea, but I think it was so silly that it worked on some level. I mean, I don’t stand up for this as great art or anything.”
After finding work at DC again, DeMatteis pitched the idea to editor Len Wein. DeMatteis recalled, “the actual title may have been Len’s; I think it was — and he said the same thing: ‘That’s so silly that it will work. Let’s do it.’ And we did it, and it was silly, and nothing came of it, and the book died anyway.”
The roster of the original Creature Commandos included Warren Griffith (a werewolf), Sgt. Vincent Velcro (a vampire), Pvt. Elliot “Lucky” Taylor (a Frankensteinian monster), with Lt. Matthew Shrieve (a normal human) as their leader. DeMatteis didn’t stay long on the title and left after issue #108. He was followed by Robert Kanigher who wrote the remainder of the series and introduced Dr. Myrna Rhodes (a gorgon) as well as G.I. Robot (who had his own adventures in the pages of Weird Tales).
- The Creature Commandos!
Collects stories from Weird War Tales #93, 97, 100, 102, 105, 108-112, 114-119, 121 and 124!
In their final adventure, the Creature Commandos are sentenced to death by order of General Paul Levitz. They narrowly escape this fate only to be assigned a final mission that ultimately propels them into outer space. The end?
The Optional Creature Commandos
The Creature Commandos were left in outer space, but some soft DC Reboot led to the return of the team in
Post Zero Hour – Under the creative team of writer Timothy Truman and illustrator Scott Eaton, the Creature Commandos were back in action in their own miniseries. This is a new version of the team that includes the previous member Wolfpack, Medusa/Myrra (previously Myrna), Velcoro (named Velcro before) and Lucky who are joined by newcomers the Bogman (A humanoid amphibian grunt), Aten (the Mummy), Gunner MacKay (A cyborg who died during World War II), and human Captain Lucius Hunter. This series is considered non-canon.
- Creature Commandos #1-8
This has never been collected.
Post-Our Worlds At War – When Clark Kent, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen are sent to visit Count Rominoff, this ends up with Superman facing Dracula and most importlanty the introduction in the last panel of a new Creatures Commandos… with no follow-up!
- Superman #180
Also uncollected.
Post-Infinite Crisis – Yet again, another attempt to bring back the Creature Commandos. This time, the story is a direct follow-up to their Weir War Tales adventures, though it doesn’t make it an obligatory read. The team is found by Alura, Superman and Supergirl in suspended animation, as they have been taken captive by Brainiac at some point.
- Action Comics #868
Collected in Superman: Brainiac. You can see the team captive on Brainiac’s ship in one panel! - Action Comics #872
Collected in Superman: New Krypton Vol. 2. The team is freed, only to be captured by the American military! - Superman #692
Collected in Superman: Mon-El: Man of Valor. The Creature Commandos appear in one panel as part of Project M.
Once more, this story goes nowhere substantial, and the next time the group appears, they are under the control of Maxwell Lord and up against Justice League International.
- Justice League: Generation Lost #15-17
Collected in Justice League: Generation Lost Vol. 2
Frankenstein and the new Creature Commandos
A new era for DC Comics is around the corner, but first, the world was changed in a Flash during Flashpoint with several miniseries exploring an altered DC Universe. Among those series were Frankenstein & the Creatures of the Unknown by Jeff Lemire and Ibraim Roberson who introduced a new version of the Creature Commandos under the leadership of Frankenstein:
- Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown #1-3
Collected in Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint Featuring Green Lantern
Following this event, the world of DC Comics was rewritten and relaunched for New 52! Lemire and Roberson are still in command of this new Creature Commandos. The group works for the Super-Human Advanced Defense Executive (S.H.A.D.E.), a counter-terrorism organization headed by Father Time. Frankenstein lead the team consisting of the Bride of Frankenstein, Dr. Nina Mazursky (a Gill-man/mermaid) and the creator of the group, Vincent Velcoro, Warren Griffith, Khalis (a mummy), and former prisoner of war Matthew Shrieve. This is certainly the main source of inspiration for James Gunn’s Creature Commandos animated series.
- Creature Commandos Present: Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. Book One
Collects Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein #1-3, a story by Grant Morrison and Doug Mahnke part of the Seven Soldiers storyline. It introduces S.H.A.D.E. and is a good starting point for modern Frankenstein. The book also collects Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #1-7, a creature commandos series previously reprinted in Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E. Vol. 1: War of the Monsters. - Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E. Vol. 2: Secrets of the Dead
This is the old collection as DC Comics haven’t announced yet a release date the Book 2 of Creature Commandos Present. Collects Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.#0, 8-16 and Men of War #8.
After the end of Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E., the team reappeared a few years later in Justice League United, with writer Jeff Parker and illustrator aul Pelletier at the helm. Frankenstein is still leader of The Creature Commandos that still count on his ranks Vincent Velcoro and Warren Griffith and see the return of Medusa, G.I. Robot and Bogman, they are joined by newcomer G.I. Zombie
- Star-Spangled War Stories Featuring G.I. Zombie
Collects Star-Spangled War Stories Featuring G.I. Zombie #1-8 to know more about Jake Kabe. - Justice League United #14-15
Not collected. Don’t be fooled by the cover for issue #13, the team is not present in the story. - Justice League Dark Vol. 2 #7
Collected in Justice League Dark Vol. 1: The Last Age of Magic.
DC Horror Presents: Creature Commandos
A brand new era starts here for the Creature Commandos under the creative helm of Count Crowley creator David Dastmalchian (also known as Polka Dot Man in The Suicide Squad) and artist Jesús Hervás. More details coming soon…
- DC Horror Presents: Creature Commandos
Collects DC Horror Presents Creature Commandos #1-6
Did we forget an important issue? Did we make a mistake? Let us know in the comments!