The Creature Commandos are back with a new crew and a nice mix of monsters. Headed by writer and actor David Dastmalchian (listen to our interview on the AIPT Comics podcast!), the first issue offers a look at the messy monster madness. In the latest issue, it’s made very clear that this team is a hot mess, but it’s nothing science can’t solve!
Titled “Soldiers of the Damned,” the second issue opens with Dr. West trying to keep things together. Lucky, the Frankenstein’s monster, is strapped down and shut down, while the vampire is all drama, and the werewolf is freaking out. Before we get too far into what’s going on now, Dr. West sets up the events of what happened two months prior.
The meatiest part of this issue focuses on an altercation in Marin County, CA, where Zatanna is investigating some bad stuff in a mansion basement. Just after she releases a chained person, the previous Creature Commandos enter, warning her of great danger. So begins an intense battle to stay alive while monsters, the good kind, get killed. The scene shows keeping the Creature Commandos in line has already failed once.
They definitely don’t look like the good guys.
Credit: DC Comics
If you like monster vs. monster action, this issue offers up a heaping dose of werewolf versus vampire fighting. It feels like a distraction from the bigger picture, but Jesús Hervás does a good job of keeping it interesting. It also reinforces how this team is not on the same page, even between teammates.
The science element is strong in this issue as well. Dastmalchian reveals interesting tech ideas for powering up monsters. It’s a clever angle since werewolves typically can’t fight unless there’s a full moon, or vampires aren’t as strong without the right blood. These things add a logical element to the chaos that is a monster.
Juxtaposed with the mayhem of the team is the main villain, who gets a few pages to close out the issue. At this point, it’s fairly clear Dastmalchian and Hervás are setting up an underdog monster team that can barely manage not to kill each other facing off against an S-tier supervillain. Bring it on.
DC Horror Presents: Creature Commandos #2 is a good, albeit a bit distracted, second issue. The attention to detail as far as science meeting monster needs is interesting, while the animosity amongst the team is fun to keep tabs on. This second issue falls prey to spinning wheels, preventing the main story from getting into gear, though.
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