It’s not an exaggeration to say that the whole comic book world has its eyes on Creature Commandos. Spearheaded by showrunner Dean Lorey, Creature Commandos is James Gunn’s first tease for what’s in store for the upcoming DC Universe reboot. A literal franchise might sit on the goodwill established by a project whose biggest character is a Weasel voiced by the writer’s brother.
For those uninitiated, the series follows Task Force XI, otherwise known as the Creature Commandos, after the government outlawed the use of human prisoners for warfare. Led by Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo), the band of misfits includes The Bride (Indira Varma), Nina Mazursky (Zoe Chao), Doctor Phosphorous (Alan Tudyk), Weasel, and GI Robot (Sean Gunn). This ragtag group is forced into the center of a geopolitical conflict with the world hanging in the balance, coming to blows with familiar faces like Circe (Anya Chalotra) and Frankenstein (David Harbour).
Each member of the Creature Commandos has a rich inner world that is only capable of being fleshed out in a television environment. James Gunn brings his emotional A-game to the series, with each member of the company feeling capable of carrying their own franchises if given the chance. Even those with less of a fleshed-out comic presence like Nina Mazursky feel as though Gunn is only showing fans a small picture of a life much too big to capture on the screen.
Perhaps surprising to those who only know him as Kraglin in Guardians of the Galaxy, Sean Gunn comes out as a shining star in Creature Commandos. GI Robot is a surprisingly somber figure with some truly glorious fight scenes. He also cranks his performance as Weasel up to eleven. While not much can be said here, it’s truly impressive how a few grunts and squeals can bring tears to the eyes of even the most jaded superhero fans.
Modern animated superhero media has often struggled to find a compelling art style. Across the pond, Marvel has settled on using mostly 3D models supplemented with cell shading. In contrast, Creature Commandos takes a similar route to X-Men ’97 in being a 2D show with minor 3D supplements for particularly dynamic action scenes.
What sets Creature Commandos apart from even X-Men ’97 is the bold and fresh art style chosen for the series. It can best be described as what would happen if a Saturday morning cartoon had the budget of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. This was accomplished by Bobbypills, the same animation studio behind the acclaimed teasers for Invincible, giving every moment a slick and energetic feel.
The anime comparisons don’t stop at animation. The score for Creature Commandos almost feels like something out of Cowboy Bebop. While its orchestral elements might not be up to that truly historic level, James Gunn managed to find perfect vocal pieces to fit the Baltic-inspired region in which the series takes place.
The show also doesn’t turn its nose up at the comic books that inspire it like a lot of contemporary superhero media. Creature Commandos allows James Gunn to go hog wild with his references. Eagle-eyed fans can catch astonishing cameos from across the DC Universe, not just in the background, but littered throughout key scenes. It goes a long way in making the show feel like a part of something grander than just another checkbox on the corporate IP mandate.
It’s important to note that this isn’t a kid’s show, perhaps more so than any animated superhero show before it. Putting aside all of the beautifully animated blood and gore, Creature Commandos might be the horniest series currently on the market. It’s certain to quell the complaints of those who complain about the lack of intimacy in modern blockbuster media many times over.
One shouldn’t think the series is immature though due to its focus on titillating animation. It’s perhaps the most mature thing that James Gunn has ever written. Creature Commandos holds truly heart-wrenching depictions of war, trauma, and abuse. These are perfectly balanced with the show’s comedic elements, giving it a sharp edge that’s never downplayed as a joke.
Of course, Creature Commandos isn’t perfect. The show could’ve benefitted from an extra 5-10 minutes in both the premiere and the finale to smooth out the breakneck pacing. James Gunn also falls into his usual trap of boiling at least one character down to a single joke, although Frankenstein manages to handle this fate better than most.
Creature Commandos isn’t just James Gunn at his best — it is some of the best work that he’s ever put out. It’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you cry, and it’ll make your heart race in more ways than one. If the rest of the DC Universe to come even has a crumb of the quality that this series provides fans, it’s certain that the superhero genre will be alive and well for a long time to come.
Score: 9.5/10
