James Gunn just made Pat Broderick’s Creature Commandos the #1 superhero project at Warner Bros & DC Films, but Broderick’s werewolf comic is his main priority
With the San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) kicking off next week, comicbooks are trending again. Artist Pat Broderick first began professionally drawing comic book superheroes in the early 1970s, including Batman, Green Lantern, Captain Marvel, Firestorm, Alpha Flight, the Micronauts, and more. But his real claim to fame is his artistic obsession with exploring horror archetypes, exemplified in his work on Swamp Thing and Weird War Tales. With the recent ascension of director James Gunn to the role of DC Studios co-head, one of Pat’s monster creations just became the number one project for DC and Warner Bros.
The Creature Commandos, created by Broderick and J.M. DeMatteis, debuted in Weird War Tales #93 (November 1980) and focused on Frankenstein’s monster joining forces with a werewolf, a vampire, and a gorgon to battle the Nazis. Now an animated version of the comic has become the first DC Universe project that James Gunn & Peter Safran now only approved, but will be the first from DC Studios to be released. The comics were some of Gunn’s favorite titles and he’s currently writing an animated series, planned as the first installment in DC’s upcoming “Chapter 1 – Gods & Monsters.”
Now four decades after creating the Creature Commandos, Pat Broderick is still making comics and creatures of his own in a new ‘weird Western’ called BRONZE STAR. His crowdfunding campaign for the book already raised over $35,000 in the first month through Kickstarter and other platforms, a testament to the cross-generational appeal of Broderick’s work.
BRONZE STAR is a return to form for Pat, with bullets, bandits, a werewolf, and something even more terrifying. Written by Eisner-winning writer Mike Baron (The Punisher, The Flash, Nexus), it’s a suspenseful Western that explores redemption and revenge, while offering a fresh take on the werewolf mythos and delivering heart-pounding scares. Perhaps best described as “Sergio Leone meets H.P. Lovecraft,” the book is filled with unexpected twists designed to grab readers by the throat and not let go until the final page.
BRONZE STAR is the first collaboration between these two acclaimed comic creators. They’re so thrilled with how it all came together they say they’re eager to do more. With both the story and the artwork completed, and the financial backing they’ve collected, the book has gone into production with colors and lettering already underway, along with exciting extras we aren’t allowed to reveal. The team plans to begin fulfilling orders in late September, just in time for Halloween.
They’re currently accepting pre-orders on Indiegogo.com, and are offering BRONZE STAR in both print and digital. They also recently announced a limited edition, oversized and autographed, black and white hardcover for only $75. When you look at Pat’s black and white pages, it’s easy to see why they decided to offer the artist’s edition.
This might just become James Gunn’s new favorite comic. Learn more at BronzeStarComic.com.
Watch the Trailer:
About Author
