James Gunn is starting his brand-new DCU with Creature Commandos, a team of soldiers like Frankenstein, a fish-monster, and more. The team is new to TV, but they’ve been in DC Comics since 1980. And though you don’t need to read the books to prep for the show, while you wait we’ve got some picks for comics to check out if you want to know more about the creatures kicking off James Gunn’s multi-platform experiment.
In the TV series, the US government prohibits Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) from using human prisoners. So she assembles a new task force using monsters. Hence, they are Task Force M, aka the Creature Commandos.
The show begins streaming on December 5, exclusively on Max. The first week will have a two episode release, and you can expect new chapters every Thursday. It’ll have only seven episodes for now, meaning you may need a little more to sate those CC cravings.
A relatively obscure team created in the ’80s in Weird War Tales, the Creature Commandos were a group of monsters made to fight the Nazis — and had a different roster from the animation, which includes Frankenstein, The Bride, Weasel (from The Suicide Squad), Doctor Phosphorus, Nina Mazursky (the fish-woman), and Rick Flag Sr.
With that in mind, let’s check some of the best comics featuring the Creature Commandos if you want to learn more about this team. Then, you’ll also be able to spot many differences and references from the original works when you’re watching the show!
1. Weird War Tales (#93, #97, #100, #102, #105, #108-112, #114-119, #121, and #124)
Writer: J. M. DeMatteis
Artist: Pat Broderick
Weird War Tales is an anthology series focusing on war stories with mystery and horror elements. Creature Commandos debuted in issue #93, featuring a werewolf, a vampire, a gorgon, and Frankenstein as the protagonists. It offers a perfect blend of supernatural and science fiction.
2. Creature Commandos (2000)
Writer: Timothy Truman
Artist: Scot Eaton
A mummy, a cyborg, and other characters join the previous roster to stop threats from a parallel world. This is a fun miniseries that expands the team, and their enemies.
3. Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Doug Mahnke
If you want something weird, who better than Grant Morrison? Seven Soldiers is a meta-series that ties into Final Crisis, another comic by Morrison. In this mini, Frankenstein returns in a bad**s apocalyptic tale to stop the Sheeda, a race from the future.
4. Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.
Writer: Jeff Lemire, Matt Kindt (part of volume 2)
Artist: Alberto Ponticelli
Agent of S.H.A.D.E. has an engaging team and shows how Lemire is a great supernatural/horror writer. It also introduces Nina Mazursky, one of the protagonists of Gunn’s animated series.
5. DC Horror Presents: Creature Commandos
Writer: David Dastmalchian, Steve Orlando
Artist: Edwin Galmon, Jesús Hervás
In their latest iteration, the Creature Commandos return to their original roster. The series will have six issues, ending in March.
Where To Watch Creature Commandos:
Creature Commandos Premiere Dates And Episode Guide:
The first two episodes of Creature Commandos premiere Thursday, December 5 at 3 am ET / Midnight PT on Max. One episode a week premieres after that, leading to the season finale on January 9, 2025.
Here’s the full list of episodes in Creature Commandos, with premiere dates:
- Thursday, December 5, 2024: Creature Commandos, Episode 1: “The Collywobbles”
- Thursday, December 5, 2024: Creature Commandos, Episode 2: “The Tourmaline Necklace”
- Thursday, December 12, 2024: Creature Commandos, Episode 3: “Cheers To The Tin Man”
- Thursday, December 19, 2024: Creature Commandos, Episode 4: “Chasing Squirrels”
- Thursday, December 26, 2024: Creature Commandos, Episode 5
- Thursday, January 2, 2025: Creature Commandos, Episode 6
- Thursday, January 9, 2025: Creature Commandos, Episode 7
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