DC Horror Presents: Creature Commandos #1
Written by: David Dastmalchian
Illustrated by: Jesús Hervás
DC Comics
2024
*No major spoilers.
A VAMPIRE, A WEREWOLF, A GORGON, AND AN UNDEAD SOLDIER WALK INTO A GROCERY STORE…AND ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE! This is the Creature Unit, a team of misfits assembled by a mad…ly talented scientist for a dangerous military mission. In this brand-new era of Creature Commandos penned by Count Crowley creator David Dastmalchian (The Suicide Squad and Late Night with the Devil), the claws are out, fangs are bared, and blood is spilled–lots of it!
As someone who’s both a longtime fan of horror and comic books, the oddball teams are usually what draw me in the most. And Creature Commandos? They’ve been one of my favorite groups for a while now. So, even though I missed reviewing DC Horror Presents: Creature Commandos #1 last week, I had to make sure I didn’t let it slip by entirely—especially with Halloween around the corner!
If you’re ready for Halloween then I have a vampire, a werewolf, a gorgon, and an undead soldier here for you… This is the Creature Unit, a ragtag group put together by a wildly creative scientist and sent on a dangerous military mission. David Dastmalchian, who already has a great handle on horror, pens this new era for the team, and it’s packed with claws, fangs, and, of course, blood.
This issue kicks off by reintroducing the original squad from Weird War Tales #93: Lt. Matthew Shrieve (the “normal” human), Warren Griffith (the werewolf), Sgt. Vincent Velcro (the vampire), Pvt. Elliot “Lucky” Taylor (the Frankenstein-esque soldier), and Dr. Myrna Rhodes (the gorgon). The premise is fun, the team is a blast, and the story feels like it’s laying the groundwork for what’s to come.
That said, the pacing felt a little disjointed at times. It’s clear they’re setting up several things without diving too deeply into any one part just yet. But, since it’s the first issue, I’m okay with them giving the story room to breathe. I do wish we got more details on how a couple of the members were recruited though, since the issue’s main goal seemed to be gathering the full team. Hopefully, we’ll see that filled in down the road.
Now, the art? Jesús Hervás did an awesome job here. His work really captures the vibe, making it a great experience visually, and I have to give a shoutout to Tirso Cons’ cover art, which immediately grabbed my attention.
While this issue didn’t blow me away plot-wise, and even though it’s noted under the DC Horror imprint, their is nothing really scary going on yet, it’s your pretty standard “getting the team together” story—As a fan though, I’m hooked enough to stick around. The surprise at the end was definitely a fun touch, and as someone who loves monsters, I think it’s a solid start to what could be a wild series. I’ll be following this one for sure!
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