Of all the characters in the seemingly endless DC multiverse, a tiny fraction of a percentage have ever been seen on the big screen. Everyone has their favorite cinematic Batman or Superman, but every comic book character is somebody’s favorite. That simple axiom has motivated creators like James Gunn to finally give a chance to lovable weirdos like G.I. Robot.
The upcoming HBO animated seriesCreature Commandosis set to be the introduction of the new DCU. It’ll take a band of unique monsters from the deep catalogs of DC Comics.Some are minor villains, while others are just the company’s take on classic sci-fi figures. G.I. Robot is neither.
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Who is G.I. Robot?
Six DC characters have used the name G.I. Robot. The one that appears in the limited imagery ofCreature Commandosdoesn’t exactly resemble any of them, but it does have a prominent “2” on its helmet. This strongly implies that it’ll be a new version of J.A.K.E. 2. J.A.K.E. 1 is the first G.I. Robot to join the Creature Commandos in the comics. The first two G.I. Robots are called Joe and Mac. Mac was introduced as an early alternativeto the Suicide Squad. Both Joe and Mac were destroyed in combat. During their limited runs, their fellow soldiers began to wonder whether they were developing humanity.
J.A.K.E. (the Jungle Automatic Killer Experiment) was an experiment of the mysterious Project M. M was created by Professor Mazursky, a scientist who decided that making soldiers who looked like monsters would intimidate their foes into submission. Project M is responsible for almost every memberof the Creature Commandos. J.A.K.E. was created during World War II, in which he completed several missions on behalf of the US government. J.A.K.E. is considerably stronger, faster, and more durable than any human. His left arm is a functional machine gun that fires torpedoes and anti-aircraft missiles. His senses can be tuned to detect almost any input. His boots conceal rockets that allow him to fly for brief periods. J.A.K.E. 1 sacrificed his life to save a ship full of American sailors in 1943, but he was swiftly replaced by J.A.K.E. 2.
J.A.K.E. 2 was airdropped into the Pacific Theater immediately after J.A.K.E. 1’s destruction. He launched into action against a Japanese military robot and proved his usefulness immediately. J.A.K.E. 2 served throughout theremainder of World War II, then followed Project M to join the Creature Commandos. J.A.K.E. 2 later fought on Dinosaur Island. While he worked with the Commandos, he acquired a robot dog called C.A.P. Every J.A.K.E. 2 enjoys most of the same weaponry as his predecessor, with some notable advantages. The first J.A.K.E. was unable to speak, but the sequel can mimic any sound. He can also communicate telepathically, thanks to an encounter with Starro. J.A.K.E. 2 is regularlydepicted experiencing human emotions, like loyalty and loneliness. It is unknown whether the machine truly feels or whether he’s simply mimicking the actions of his cohorts.
When did G.I. Robot First Appear in DC Comics?
Joe, the first G.I. Robot, was designed by Ross Andru forStar Spangled War Stories #101, which premiered in 1962. Mac replaced him 24 issues later in 1966. J.A.K.E. was created by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert forWeird War Tales #101,which premiered in 1981. His replacement hit the page 12 issues and one year later. Both J.A.K.E.s were introduced as superheroes inthe World War II setting.Weird War Taleswas an iconic series that featured classic war stories with a supernatural twist. The idea of mechanical soldiers came up very frequently in the anthology, but the G.I. Robot was the most iconic US military machine.
Who is Playing G.I. Robot inCreature Commandos?
The first J.A.K.E. was incapable of speech, left to get his messages across through actions and furtive hand gestures. This G.I. Robot has a voice, and it’ll befamiliar to any James Gunn fan. G.I. Robot will be portrayed by Sean Gunn. Gunn will actually be pulling double-duty in the series, as he also portrays the Weasel. G.I. Robot will be the third official DC character that Gunn portrays. He previously took on the role of Weasel inThe Suicide Squad, in which he also appeared as Calendar Man. Gunn is better known for his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He can be seen as Kraglin in theGuardians of the Galaxyfilms.
G.I. Robot seems prepared to provide an old-fashioned edge to the team. There are alot of G.I. Robotsto pull from, but the version the series seems to be taking is probably the most engaging. G.I. Robot has only appeared on-screen once before the upcoming series. It’s finally time for everyone’s favorite Push-Button Hero to get his chance in the spotlight whenCreature Commandospremieres sometime next year.
