Creature Commandos

You’re the United States Government and you need a deniable op done quickly, quietly, and with as few operatives as possible.  Who do you get?  No, not the whackjobs of Task Force X, you need The Creature Unit.  It’s a work-in-progress cell made up of the most deniable operatives there are:  Monsters!  Under the iron fist of General Wade Eiling, Dr. West has assembled a motley crew of creatures for the task at hand:  Vincent Velcro the Vampire, Wanda Griffith the Werewolf, Mina Rhodes the Medusa, and Lucky the Franenstein-ed Monster.  Together, they’ll stop a nefarious plan being put together by one of Superman’s most notorious foes, or die trying in the process.

While this comic is written by David Dastmalchian – the Polka-Dot Man himself – and illustrated by Jesus Hervas, it was really brought to you by synergy.  DC released the animated “Creature Commandos” series last year, so it’s only natural that they’d put out a comic to capitalize on its appeal.  (See also:  “Peacemaker Tries Hard!”)  To Dastmalchian and Hervas’ credit, they’re not trying to do the show again as none of the characters from it make an appearance here.  We get an original story that only reflects the broad strokes of its animated predecessor in that it’s about a group of outcasts forced to work together.

I thought the animated “Creature Commandos” was alright, as while it definitely had its moments, it also felt like James Gunn’s style was starting to calcify into formula.  Still, it had a clear purpose and really fleshed out its characters, something I felt this series generally lacked.  Hervas’ art is appropriately expressive and bloody, but it still felt hard to get invested in the overall story being told despite Dastmalchian’s clear affection for the characters.  So when the volume ends in a way that sets up future adventures, while also feeling like it was being cut short, I can’t say that I’d be that interested in coming back for a second tour with these “Commandos.”