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My DC Cinematic Universe - Creature Commandos: Part VII

Chapter Seven: False Smiles

Before I say anything else, let me preface this by noting that I really like Gunn's interpretation of Batman villain Doctor Phosphorus AKA Alexander Sartorius. This is one of those fairly obscure DC characters that's always deserved more attention, as the gravitas of his origins has real potential for adaptation. This is a character that should be Firefly or even Two-Face level prominent in some ways, and deserves much more focus. And it's funny, because the character has gotten some usage, indirectly. I'll explain that in a little bit, but let's just say that Gunn does an excellent job with this character, and justifies his inclusion in this show.

Does he justify his inclusion in the Creature Commandos team? I mean...kinda?

I mean, OK, he's a spooky scary skeleton that sends shivers down your spine (and then radiation and melty death), sure, and that's a bit of a "monster" in the traditional sense. Plus, Gunn wanted to include a less-traditional monster, and used Phosphorus to do so. I think Gunn justifies the character's usage, but I question if the usage was necessary in the first place. Who is this character replacing? Well, in the original Creature Commandos...nobody? The Frankensteins replace Patchwork, Weasel replaces the Werewolf, Nina replaces Medusa, so Doctor Phosphorus replaces...Vincent Velcoro? I mean...OK? Not sure that fits, for a number of reasons, but yeah, I guess he replaces the vampire. But is this the best way to do that?

OK, let's start with Sartorius in the comic books, because Gunn does a pretty-damn straight adaptation of the character, to be fair. In the source material, Sartorius is a nuclear engineer, rather than an oncologist and radiologist. That was a big thing in the '70s for understandable reasons, so Gunn leaning away from this trend makes sense. Anyway, Sartorius gets backing from corrupt Gotham millionaire and mob boss, Rupert Thorne. Protests caused him to move the plant to an unsafe location, causing a meltdown that covered him in radioactive phosphorus, which was sandblasted into his skin. As a result, he mutated into a metahuman that was constantly on fire, as phosphorus does in air. Wanting revenge on Gotham, he became Doctor Phosphorus, and planned to...poison the water supply, because that's just what you do when you're a supervillain in Gotham, apparently.

Over the years, Phosphorus continues his ties with Rupert Thorne, and his ire for Batman. However, he also proceeds to lose his goddamn mind in the process, and is portrayed over the years with various degrees of sanity. He even changes color over the years, from the yellow flames as seen above to the green flames you're probably all familiar with by now. We'll get to the reasons for that in a few paragraphs here, but the takeaway is that, frankly, Gunn improved the character and made him a much more tragic Batman villain. By giving him a family to lose, he became a lot more fleshed out and sympathetic, and his episode (1.06, Priyatel Skelet) is genuinely my favorite character highlight in the series. Not that it's a perfect adaptation, and I have my issues with it, but it's an actual adaptation of the character, rather than the two indirect versions we've gotten before.

Now, I adore the take that Batman Beyond took on this idea, in the form of billionaire Warren Powers AKA Blight (sick-ass name). This is a character obviously visually inspired by Doctor Phosphorus, and arguably the actual reason for the color change from yellow to neon-acid green. After Blight's creation in 2000, nearly every appearance of Phosphorus is that bright radioactive green, and it really work for the design. God, how I love Blight. But outside of being a radioactive spooky skeleton man, he's...not Alex Sartorius. At all. If anything, it fuses the Phosphorus concept with Rupert Thorne, and very well, might I add. Watch Batman Beyond if you haven't already.

And hell, at least this version gets the skeleton part right. The Batman does not give the character that courtesy and tries...something unique.

Yeah, NObody on Tumblr seems to care about this version of the character, but The Batman adapted Phosphorus by transforming a completely different character: Firefly AKA Garfield Lynns. And I'm not gonna lie, it isn't the worst idea or execution. Called Phosphorus, dropping the six years of doctorate work from the character, Garfield Lynns was a recurring villain in the series until the last season episode White Heat, where he and his new girlfriend Blaze (why, yes, there are a stupid amount of cringe-worthy fire puns in this episode) steal a large amount of white phosphorus, which explodes in his face and turns him slowly into the lava-crack-man you see in the above video.

Like most versions of Sartorius, Phosphorus sees his sanity slip, and eventually is stopped when he tries to destroy and absorb a nuclear power plant. So, yeah, this is an interesting version of this villain, even if it eradicates Firefly from this universe and precludes the existence of Phosphorus at the same time. Not the first time the series did something like this, frankly, but I think it works! Is it an adaptation of Alex Sartorius, though? Well, no, obviously. Gunn mostly nails it with the actual character. Mostly.

Mostly.

Gunn, being Gunn, can't quite resist throwing the goofy into that episode, and camps up Phosphorus for a sequence in his flashback episode. Which, to be fair, actually isn't my problem with this sequence. Sure, I kinda see it as a desperate attempt for a viral moment that only kinda worked, and I'm not a huge fan of that. But no, it's actually the really weird choice to make him a crime boss using Thorne's fortune? Not only does that not fit the original character, but it also doesn't fit the character in the show? Like, why does Phosphorus suddenly channel his newfound insanity into running a criminal empire? HOW DOES HE EVEN DO THAT? It's an odd choice, is all I'm saying, and it doesn't seem authentic outside of needing to justify him being a criminal that faces Batman. And I just don't think that was necessary.

Then again, there are a few unnecessary things about Sartorius' portrayal in this series, even if I do like what Gunn did with the character. First of all, we didn't really need to kill his family to give him a motivation. It turns both his wife and son into people-in-refrigerators, which honestly sucks, and is a lazy trend in fiction in general, especially comic books. You should have that storyline sometimes, sure, but I'm not sure you actually needed it for Phosphorus, even if it did give us the very sweet-and-harrowing scenes with him and the family in Pokolistan. And alongside that...did we really need to kill Rupert Thorne? If this was a one-off series in its own setting, I'd be more OK with it, but we've now permanently killed off Rupert Thorne in any DCU media, and that's a waste of a class Gotham mob boss. In a Batman series or film, we had the opportunity to show the turnover in Gotham from traditional crime families to the crazier ones, and...that opportunity is now gone. Kill Lew Moxon or a new dude, not Rupert Thorne! Feels like a waste.

But again, that's not to say that Gunn doesn't have a HELL of a lot of fun with the character. Upping the power and control his has, both mentally and physiologically, as well as making him a LOT more sadistic and creative, makes for some gory fun with this guy. That GIF above is one of the funniest dark deaths I've ever seen in superhero media, or even horror media. Phosphorus is responsible for a lot of the more enjoyable moments in the series, so I can forgive some of the choices I disagree with here.

Now, as for whether or not he should be in the Creature Commandos at all...to be fair, there is some precedence for the choice. Having appeared in a government-run version of the organization in an alternate timeline (Flashpoint), this is sort of a canonical member of the group, justifying his inclusion somewhat. Again, though, I'm not...entirely sure he's the best choice, especially because there's one I can think of that's better, in my opinion, and even one that has a reason to be used in this series. So, as usual, I'll present a traditional choice and a more creative choice. But I'll also address something in the middle here, so hang on tight.

The Purist Choice: Vincent Velcoro

Gunn noted that he considered using Vincent Velcoro at one point, but abandoned him in favor of other monsters. And...yeah, that's actually 100% fair. See, I could argue that this is a blank slate character that Gunn could do a lot with. I could argue that a vampire seems like a no-brainer when it comes to making a team of monsters, or that Velcoro is one of the original members and deserves recognition for that, but...I'm gonna be honest, not really. Fact of the matter is, Velcoro is kind of a boring character that even DC doesn't know what to do with. Originally, he's an insubordinate soldier who volunteers to be artificially turned into a vampire, but that's...Morbius. It's just Morbius the Living Vampire, but kinda worse? Fact is, it's not the best character. Recently, he's been reinvented into an actual vampire, and it's better, but I can't call him the most inspired character all the same.

I know, I know, the whole point of this section is to promote the best choices from a traditionalist sense, but...I think Gunn called it here. Velcoro just isn't a very interesting character, and if you're going to reinvent the character entirely, then...why even use him in the first place? Kinda like how I disagree with using Weasel for that exact reason. Velcoro just isn't the best choice. But, uh...if you were going to use a vampire, or even a kinda vampire, there is another option.

The Other Purist Choice: Nocturna (Natalia Knight)

The character of Nocturna has an interesting adaptation history. Introduced in the 1980s in Detective Comics, Natalia Knight was adopted by Gotham City gangster Charles Knight, and raised alongside her brother Anton. As an adult, she became an astronomer at Gotham City Observatory, and was one night hit with a radioactive laser (stop asking questions). This granted her both limited umbrakinesis and teleportation (using shadows as a medium), but also made her extremely photophobic and sensitive to light. She also obtained enhanced strength, depending on the writer and continuity. Unable to be an astronomer (for some goddamn reason), she joined her criminal foster brother in a life of crime, adopting the name Nocturna as a result. And yes, in case you're wondering, this is kind of a stupid origin story for an interesting character with potential.

Look, Nocturna's storyline is somewhat complicated, and involves her trying to adopt the Robin at the time, Jason Todd (yes, actually), as well as finding out Batman's secret identity (YES, ACTUALLY), and falling in love with Batman in the process (which is to be expected). She was sort of a new Catwoman, spiritually, acting as a love interest for Bruce and a criminal in the night for some reason. But then, Rebirth took her and made her an actual vampire, and I think that's a little bit better an idea, frankly. But there's more. Like I said, Nocturna's had an interesting history in adaptation, as Bruce Timm and the team behind Batman: The Animated Series REALLY wanted to use her...as a vampire. And that was a no-go for '90s kids TV, who really hated vampires and blood as a part of censorship (look up what Spider-Man: The Animated Series did to Morbius and his stupid-ass need for "PLASMAAAAAA"). So, Timm has ALWAYS wanted to use Nocturna. Enter the 2024 series Batman: Caped Crusader.

Caped Crusader, if you haven't seen it, is an incredibly unique series, and an excellent entry into the Batverse of animated adaptations. With a lot of unique takes and ideas, it also happens to adapt a lot of characters in unique ways, Natalia Knight being included. Ironically, this version of the character also isn't a vampire in the traditional sense, and is instead a young teenaged metahuman with the weakness to sunlight and enhanced strength, as well as the ability to drain the lifeforce from other human beings. So, an energy vampire like Colin Robinson, rather than a blood-drainer. Honestly, a smart way to approach this idea, and probably what Timm and co. should've done in the '90s. But she is an interesting character, and proves that you can adapt this character.

Now, would Nocturna be an actual vampire in my theoretical Creature Commandos series? I like Caped Crusader's approach in making her a non-traditional vampire, honestly, but I also like the idea of giving her that umbrakinesis and teleportation. Plus, her presence requires that missions for the team take place at night, which is a lot scarier for a team of monsters than acting in the broad daylight as they do in the series. I think Nocturna is a character with potential, and I also think you could reinvent the character a little bit to make her work. Sure, there are other actual vampires like the Mad Monk or Dala that you could use (I considered Andrew Bennett for a while there), but I think this is a character that could get some focus, and not overwhelm the other characters in order to make her work. Plus, why not throw another female character on this team?

But, uh...I'll be honest. She's not my primary choice. And you can see the GIF below, so you know exactly who I think the right choice is. And so, without further ado...

The Creative Choice: Clayface (???)

It is, quite frankly, ABSOLUTELY GODDAMN INSANE that Gunn used Clayface in this series, and didn't include him in the Creature Commandos as an actual member. I mean, he is literally in this series, as a villain, but Gunn doesn't use this character for the team. In fact, he seemingly kills this character, WHICH I'M GETTING REALLY SICK OF TYPING!!! It baffles me, because this character is an incredibly versatile choice, with both proven capability as a tragic character, if that's actually where you wanted to go, AND with recent popularity in multiple different avenues! Hell, in a move that will DEFINITELY NOT WORK I AM CALLING IT NOW, they're currently developing a movie centered around the character! It's not getting through pre-production, I swear this to you.

But OK, why use Clayface instead of Phosphorus? First of all, on basic blush, the two have a lot of similarities. They're Batman villains centered in Gotham City; they're both non-traditional monsters of some form; they both have the potential for a tragic backstory (if you try hard enough, but I'll get to that); you can get really creative with their powers; and hilariously, they're both voiced by Alan Tudyk. Yeah. They're basically the same character. But there's the more prominent question of which Clayface to use. Because, in case you didn't know, there's a whole Mud Pack of these guys, with something like 8 Clayfaces in comic book history, and a few more extras to accompany them with slightly different names, but similar abilities. If would be, frankly, A LOT to go into every Clayface in this post, I'll just say that, like Weasel, Clayface's identity is initially unknown in my approach, but will be revealed in the middle of the series as "Matt".

Matt Hagen is, of course, the most famous animated version of the character, thanks to Batman: The Animated Series. But his story was not terribly well-adapted from the comics, and he was actually combined with a separate character...but more on that later. The point is, Hagen is the identity provided to Clayface in this approach to the Creature Commandos, and that's revealed before his character-focused episode (an approach of Gunn's I do quite like). In his character-focused episode, we see his backstory as an explorer and diver, who is in debt and desperate for money, maybe even owing money as a salvager to a gangster like Rupert Thorne, or maybe even Roland Daggett from the animated series.

On a mission, he is somehow exposed to the protoplasm that will turn him into Clayface, and he will use his new abilities to gain the money to pay his debts, only to be embroiled in a life of crime. And throughout, you should feel pretty sorry for Matt, who eventually will get tired of his condition and seek a cure for it. And eventually...he gets it. Yeah. He gets cured of his condition...and then gets murdered by escaped serial killer and disgraced actor Basil Karlo, who wants his original name of Clayface back, as well as the powers Hagen gained from the protoplasm. I'm obviously obfuscating details here, but I desperately want this to be a twist that the series conceals. Additionally, I want Karlo to be the Clayface of this universe, and of this series. After all, Karlo is recently the most famous of Clayfaces, even if he's not been named in his most prominent appearance, in which he is voiced by none other...than Alan Tudyk.

Look, again, it is crazy that Clayface was in this series as a patsy, and also maybe killed off in the process. And that, unsurprisingly, is a problem I have with the story and villains of the show, which I'll get to in more detail in a few posts. Because, yeah...that's a whole conversation to be had. But in my opinion, not using Clayface as a member of the team is a wasted opportunity. The character even recently was included in Suicide Squad: Isekai, a series that I fundamentally disagree with one a whole different level, but that is another story (and post) entirely. He was also included (as Basil Karlo) in Batman: Caped Crusader, proving that the character still has potential for use. It's just...frustrating.

With all of that said, it's time to look at the final character in Gunn's Creature Commandos, and one of the most irritating story choices in the entire series. Next time: Nina Mazursky AKA Mermaid AKA Fishwoman in Refrigerator. Yeah. What the hell, Gunn.

See you next time (maybe, no pressure)!

Part One: Introduction and Adaptation Part Two: The Original Creature Commandos Part Three: Amanda Waller and Rick Flag, Sr. Part Four: The Frankensteins Part Five: G.I. Robot Part Six: Weasel Part Seven: Doctor Phosphorus Part Eight: Mermaid Part Nine: Circe Part Ten: The Princess Part Eleven: An Alternate Story: Purist Team (next) Part Twelve: An Alternate Story: Creative Team (soon)

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