The DC Comics History of CREATURE COMMANDOS’ G.I. Robot

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As a seasoned gamer and comic enthusiast with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that the saga of G.I. Robot is one for the books. This artificial warrior has seen more iterations than most beloved characters, which makes him a true testament to DC’s creative ingenuity.

In the Silver Age of DC Comics, a multitude of eccentric heroes made their debut. These included Metamorpho, the Doom Patrol, and even Krypto the Superdog. However, among these peculiar characters, one of the most unusual was the artificial soldier, G.I. Robot. Now, G.I. Robot is a significant character in the DCU Max animated series Creature Commandos. Despite being relatively unknown, there are surprisingly six distinct versions of this character.

G.I. Robot #1, “Joe”

In 1962, during the Silver Age of DC Comics, the first G.I. Robot made its appearance. Originating from the Pentagon during World War II, this robot was named “Joe” (similar to the popular action figure G.I. Joe). His first appearance was in Star Spangled War Stories #101, but his tenure lasted only until issue #103. Essentially a prototype, Joe primarily battled creatures on Dinosaur Island and giant Japanese robots, often alongside a soldier named Mac in the South Pacific – a popular DC setting for their WWII narratives. The details about Joe’s fate after that were left vague by DC; later stories suggested he went missing in action. However, within a few short years, a more advanced model took his place.

G.I. Robot #2, “Mac”

In the same series a few years down the line, another G.I. Robot model popped up, this one called Mac, presumably named after my old human buddy from the first model. Sadly, he only made an appearance in Star Spangled War Stories #125 and lived for just a single issue. In that story, they call him “Mac the Second,” reminding us of how the original G.I. Robot and his soldier pal Mac went MIA. This new robot had quite a different look from the first one. He met his end on Dinosaur Island, saving my comrade Reed. It seems DC’s WWII heroes spent more time battling dinosaurs than Nazis sometimes.

G.I. Robot #3, “J.A.K.E. 1”

The next appearance of the G.I. Robot would occur fifteen years later. G.I. Robot 3.0 made its debut in Weird War Tales #101 in 1981, marking an attempt to rejuvenate DC Comics’ dwindling war titles. With WWII comics losing popularity by the early ’80s, featuring G.I. Robot prominently in Weird War Tales was an effort to revitalize the series. The lead scientists of Project M created this third robot and named it Jungle Assault Killer Experiment (J.A.K.E.). Equipped for jungle combat in the Pacific Theater, they also gave J.A.K.E. a small robot dog called Cap. His tenure lasted only a year in the comics, ultimately sacrificing himself to protect his Marine companions. This tragic event occurred in Weird War Tales #111, in 1982. However, another model was destined to follow.

G.I. Robot #4, “J.A.K.E. II”

In the comic book series “Creature Commandos,” the fourth iteration of the G.I. Robot, known as J.A.K.E. II, became highly renowned and served as a significant inspiration for the character. Just two issues following the deactivation of the original J.A.K.E. in “Weird War Tales” #113, J.A.K.E. II took over his role. This new version not only led the series but also faced off against a samurai robot and eventually joined the Creature Commandos. Remarkably, J.A.K.E. II endured the events of World War II in 1945. Despite being presumed to have been deactivated after the Axis’ defeat, he made an appearance during a fight scene in the 2008 event series “Final Crisis.” It’s speculated that someone reactivated old J.A.K.E. II at some point in time, and there are even theories suggesting his survival into the 31st-century era of the Legion of Super-Heroes.

G.I. Robot #5, “J.A.K.E. 6.1”

In the 2008 series “Checkmate,” a hidden government agency within the DC Universe, introduced the latest model of the G.I. Robot, known as J.A.K.E. 6.1. This implies that there were earlier models, J.A.K.E. 3-5, at some point. Characters in Checkmate are designated like chess pieces, similar to Marvel’s Hellfire Club. J.A.K.E. 6.1 was given the codename “Rook Delta.” His programming was based on the original WWII-era G.I. Robot, and his body was constructed using parts from the former android form of Checkmate leader, Maxwell Lord. He made only two appearances, and his subsequent fate remains a mystery in this version of the G.I. Robot.

In the TV series “The War that Time Forgot” (2008-2009), there was a fleeting appearance of another G.I. Robot character, paying tribute to the old “Weird War Tales” comics. This robot, too, was named Joe, similar to the original one, but he only appeared once. Whether this appearance fits into the official storyline is uncertain, so we’ll count him, but just barely. Could the G.I. Robot character gain more prominence due to “Creature Commandos”? It’s certainly possible. If DC Comics decides to reintroduce G.I. Robot in future publications, they have multiple models of G.I. Robot to choose from.

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2024-11-22 20:32