DC Comics fans who were in San Diego for this year’s Comic Con knew that Jim Lee’s annual panel was the place to be for major reveals. Lee is the current President, Publisher and Chief Creative Officer of DC, and packed his panel – titled “Jim Lee and Friends” – with guest stars and exciting reveals… the biggest of which had to be the first look at the upcoming animated feature Creature Commandos, set to debut on Max in December. There were a number of thrilling “first” in the trailer: first look at the animation; first listen to the voices provided by the all-star cast. But there are a handful of exciting plot points that I’ve picked up through the trailer and an exclusive t-shirt I acquired at the Con. More on that in a second.
First, here’s the first official look at Creature Commandos:
I love the animation style, right off the bat. It differentiates itself from anything else that is out there in the market, embracing sharp angles and dynamic colors that seem to match the aggressive personalities of the main characters. It moves, without being jarring. It has attitude, but also heart.
And yet, as a DC Films fanatic, I was completely intrigued by the story points that were introduced in the Creature Commandos trailer, especially as they confirmed some theories we have been trading on the CinemaBlend site in recent weeks involving this first step into the DCU, and the connections it might have to Gunn’s previous DC work.
‘Congress said you can’t use human prisoners.’
As the trailer gets underway, we see Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) meeting with Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) at Belle Reve, the secret government . And in the conversation, we’re told that all Task Force X activities have been shut down by Congress. I’m going to assume that this is a result of the activities from Gunn’s The Suicide Squad movie… thereby connecting (loosely) to that DCEU movie and this first step into the DCU.
Since Waller – who also is getting her own television show under James Gunn’s master DC plan – can’t use humans as part of her mercenary team, she is turning to monsters. Specifically, the characters of The Bride (Indira Varma), Doctor Phosphorus (Alan Tudyk), Nina Mazursky (Zoe Chao), Frankenstein (David Harbour), Weasel and G.I. Robot (both played by Sean Gunn). They are Task Force M – The Creature Commandos.
But what will be their mission? For that, I’m turning to the shirt.
‘Let’s go kill a princess.’
DC brought a wave of fresh merchandise to San Diego Comic Con this year, instantly selling out of the Superman shirts that sported James Gunn’s newest logo, and also offering this sweet Creature Commandos shirt I was lucky enough to get my hands on. It introduces the core members of the team, and gives each of them a quote or slogan. Here’s the shirt:
Rocking @DCOfficial today at #SDCC24, loving this new Creature Commandos gear!! @JamesGunn pic.twitter.com/Q7NlB6hCL4July 26, 2024
I’m focusing on The Bride on the shirt, who says, “Let’s go kill a princess.” Going over the cast list, it’s revealed that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 collaborator Maria Bakalova will be voicing Princess Ilana Rostovic, meaning that has to be the target of Task Force M in the animated series. Will she be a villain? Is she a wealthy power for good that the Creature Commandos are trying to take down? In the various Suicide Squad missions, the team of villains has to figure out how to do something good. I assume that this will be the point of Creature Commandos, as well.
The character I’m most intrigued by in the Creature Commandos trailer is Nina Mazursky, voiced by Zoe Chao. She appears to be having an existential crisis. And her quote on the Comic Con t-shirt has her saying, “I don’t know how to kill someone.” A pacifist villain roped into Amanda Waller’s vengeance mission? That’s a fascinating plot turn.
We will get to see Creature Commandos in December, when the animated series launches the DCU (officially) and is available to audience members who subscribe to Max.