With Creature Commandos being the first official DCU project, writer-creator James Gunn gives audiences a look into what this franchise will be before his long-awaited Superman lands in theaters next summer. Similar to his Guardians of the Galaxy projects at Marvel Studios, Creature Commandos sees Gunn highlight obscure characters from comic history and craft them into lovable and engaging figures that audiences want to follow. Creature Commandos Episode 3 "Cheers to the Tin Man" is a clear example of that as this entry focuses on G.I. Robot (Sean Gunn). This member of Task Force M (M for Monster) is a World War II robot designed specifically to kill Nazis, which he seemingly loves doing.
Once WWII was over, however, G.I. Robot was relegated to being a publicity figure for the U.S. Army. But with his prime directive being a Nazi killer, the Army decides there's no use for G.I. Robot during times of peace. G.I. Robot is placed in the care of a scientist who wants to study him to develop a new generation of androids. The scientist is Dr. Will Magnus, voiced by Alan Tudyk (who also voices Dr. Phosphorus). As Magnus shares his goal with G.I. Robot, he's seen glancing at his chalkboard, which features early robotic designs and symbols of his creations in DC Comics: the Metal Men.
The Metal Men made their first appearance in DC's "Showcase" #37 by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Ross Andru in 1962. They were created as a last-minute filler story, but readers were interested in this new lineup and wanted more, which led to their own comic series in 1963. The team consists of Dr. William "Will" Magnus and six sentient robots based on elements on the periodic table: Gold, Platinum, Tin, Iron, Lead, and Mercury. Magnus is a brilliant scientist who created a device, the Responsometer, that gives the different metals unique personalities and abilities.
Gold, the de facto field leader, can stretch his body over long distances and flatten himself to the smallest percentage of an inch. He's a calm, but effective strategist. Similar to Gold, Platinum can also stretch and flatten itself, and she's effective when it comes to dealing with electricity and heat. Her Responsometer causes her to act like a human woman, which leads to her falling in love with Magnus, similar to The Bride (Indira Varma) and Victor Frankenstein (Peter Serafinowicz) in Creature Commandos.
Tin can stretch and reshape his body in any way. Even though he's timid and has low self-esteem, Tin is very caring and willing to step up for his team when they need him. Iron is the heavy hitter of the team with his immense strength and durability, which makes him fearless in battle — to the team's advantage and detriment. Lead is utilized for defense as he can morph his body into a shield and especially block out radiation. Like Dave Bautista's Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy, he has a slow-witted personality but is always ready for a fight. Lastly, Mercury can turn into liquid metal, which is helpful for reconnaissance and stealth missions. But he's the resident hothead and regularly gets into arguments with the team.
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How Can the Metal Men Be Integrated in the DCU?
The Metal Men's team dynamic and powers are a mixture of the Guardians of the Galaxy and The Fantastic Four, which would be exciting to see portrayed in the DCU. While they can seem very similar to Creature Commandos, Peacemaker, and The Suicide Squad, the Metal Men have always been heroes. It's fun to see James Gunn take Creature Commandos' morally gray characters and present them as anti-heroes, but it's also time to showcase the bright nature of the DCU. Superman will be a more family-friendly look into this franchise and open the door for more stories and characters for people of all ages, like the Metal Men.
In a video with Rotten Tomatoes, Gunn mentions the Metal Men were his favorite group when he was a child. Speaking about the Creature Commandos Episode 3 Easter eggs, he also teases "Dr. Magnus was definitely inspired and learned something from the automaton that is G.I. Robot that leads him to creating the Metal Men down the road." The writing is quite literally on the wall as Magnus' chalkboard has early designs of the Metal Men after studying G.I. Robot in Creature Commandos. As the co-head of DC Studios with Peter Safran, Gunn has the power to follow through on this scene with Magnus and help bring the Metal Men to life, whether it be in animation or their live-action debut. Considering the team was a favorite of his when he was young, there's a strong chance they can be worked into the DCU.
New episodes of Creature Commandos premiere on Thursdays on Max in the U.S.
In "Creature Commandos," Amanda Waller assembles a covert team of monstrous operatives, including a werewolf, vampire, and gorgon, to undertake high-risk missions deemed too perilous for human agents.
Release Date December 5, 2024
Seasons 1
English (US) ·