DC Studios may not be known for its festive tone, but the company is certainly saying season's greetings with the recent release of Creature Commandos. The latest team-up story to be penned by James Gunn and the first installment in the newly-minted DCU, Max's newest superhero show is filled with Easter eggs and new revelations about Gunn and Peter Safran' rebooted continuity. Not only that, but Creature Commandos is just as much fun as fans would expect, quickly introducing a team of obscure villains who waste no time committing a plethora of entertaining crimes. Moreover, the appearance of one villain in particular, Dr. Phosphorus (Alan Tudyk), should be especially cathartic for longtime Gothamites, as the character's inclusion in the series offers a subtle nod to another classic DC series, Batman Beyond.
Who Is 'Creature Commandos' Dr. Phosphorus in ‘Batman Beyond’?
Viewers eagerly searching for their favorite irradiated antagonist to show up in Neo-Gotham are destined for disappointment, as Dr. Phosphorus never officially appears in the late-90s DC animated series. Or, at least not under that name. Instead, Batman Beyond features a similar villain under a different alias, Blight (Sherman Howard). Formerly the prominent business tycoon Derek Powers, Blight is created during the second part of the show's 2-episode premiere, "Rebirth Part 2," after Terry McGinnis (Will Friedle) dons the Batman costume and exposes Powers to an unstable chemical gas during an illegal business deal gone wrong. As a result, Powers spends most of the show's first season hiding his toxic form underneath a false skin suit, providing Batman fans with one of the most unsettling villains of the series.
The strongest connection between Blight and Dr. Phosphorus is their appearance, with Batman Beyond's depiction of the corrupted Powers reminiscent of the skeletal, yellowish-green Dr. Phosphorus who appears in the comics and Creature Commandos. Imbued with the fiery temper of both iterations, Blight retains the basic qualities of Dr. Phosphorus but possesses an outsized influence over the direction of the series. During the first part of the show's premiere, Powers is the one who orders the death of Terry's father (Michael Gross) after Warren McGinnis steals evidence of Powers' illegal activity. This murder is what jettisons Terry into his own life of crime-fighting, providing Batman Beyond with the inciting incident to tell its unique superhero origin story.
Throughout subsequent episodes of the iconic series, Blight fills the role of both schemer and radioactive adversary to Terry's young Batman, attempting to permanently revive a cryogenically preserved Mr. Freeze (Michael Ansara) and creating the recurring villain Shriek (Chris Mulkey). Since Batman Beyond continues Batman: The Animated Series' tradition of foregoing long-running plot arcs in favor of more episodic storytelling featuring various villains, Blight doesn't survive past Season 1, but the character is still notable for his formative impact on Terry and particular brand of corporate cruelty. The image of the suave CEO succumbing to his own internal poison is particularly poignant for a series that follows its predecessor's business-centric, mid-90s aesthetic.
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‘Creature Commandos’ Offers a Nostalgic Acknowledgment of ‘Batman Beyond’ With Its Depiction of Dr. Phosphorus
With only two episodes of the series released thus far, it's hard to tell if Creature Commandos' Dr. Phosphorus will take on such a vital role in Gunn's series, but regardless, seeing the character design of an old villain return is sure to make Batman Beyond fans nostalgic for one of DC's darkest stints in film and on television. If anything, Creature Commandos' decision to use the name Dr. Phosphorus was likely made in order to take advantage of the character's existing connections to DC Comics, with the liberties Batman Beyond takes with the character making more sense for the series' less mainstream focus. That said, Creature Commandos should still be a refreshing change of pace for fans who only know Blight from Batman Beyond, as Powers' Blight is very different from the Dr. Phosphorus sent to fight the Sons of Themyscira.
Not only does Alan Tudyk's version of the character crack jokes about Rick Flag Sr.'s (Frank Grillo) sexual escapades instead of mocking his underpaid underlings, but Creature Commandos' Dr. Phosphorus has also already been set up to receive more character development than Blight. After his attempts to steal Flag's phone in Episode 1, Dr. Phosphorus actually acts regretful about the situation, hinting that the two could go from reluctant allies to trustworthy teammates in the future. This is a far cry from Blight's descent into self-destructive rage in Batman Beyond, so in addition to following up on the mixed legacy of the recent DCEU, Creature Commandos' Dr. Phosphorus also demonstrates how the show treats fans of the past and future DC Universe alike.
Creature Commandos is available to stream on Max. New episodes air on Thursdays.
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) ·