Creature Commandos just debuted its first two episodes on MAX, officially kicking off James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU. As expected, fans will analyze each frame of the animated show to find the secrets of the storylines yet to come — we will, too! Still, one of the most interesting aspects of Creature Commandos can be found in the DC Studios animated logo, which pays homage to an iconic Superman image.
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Superman Breaking Chain Is a Piece of Comic Book History
In the early 1930s, comic books were primarily collections of newspaper strip reprints. However, publishers had such success with these reprints that they eventually ran out of material and began commissioning new content that mimicked the newspaper strip. The media slowly evolved, nearing the format we now know as a comic book. Still, the true revolution only came in June 1938 with Superman’s debut in Action Comics #1. Once Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster’s Son of Krypton showed up, leaping tall buildings and running faster than a bullet, comics went from a novelty into an industry.
Following Superman’s explosive debut in Action Comics #1, DC Comics launched Superman #1 in 1939. The issue was not just the Man of Steel’s first solo title but for featuring what would become one of the most iconic images in comic history: Superman breaking chains across his chest. This back cover illustration represented a revolutionary aspect of comic book publishing, as its “pin-up” style quickly led to a new medium tradition. Furthermore, the breaking chains became so fundamental to Superman’s identity that DC Comics eventually trademarked it.
After DC Comics registered the trademark in 1941, the chain-breaking imagery turned into a recurring motif throughout Superman’s publication history. During the 1950s and 1960s, the image appeared frequently on Superman comic covers, often used to demonstrate his incredible strength against various threats. So, why is this history lesson relevant? Because, by choosing the chain-breaking image for their animated logo, DC Studios underlined their commitment to Superman and DC’s rich comic book tradition.
DC Studios’ Historical Homage Is a Reason For Optimism
There are no questions about it. The Superman breaking chains on DC Studios’ new animated logo is the exact same as that first appeared on the back cover of Superman #1. That immediately tells us two things about DC Studios.Â
First, DC Studios is building its brand over Superman’s shoulders. That should be obvious already, considering their first theatrical release will be Superman, starring David Corenswet as the son of Krypton. Still, it’s refreshing that even in a standalone animated project, DC Studios hammered this point down. To be clear, Batman is great, and we all want more of the Dark Knight. However, plenty of projects have focused on Gotham for the past decades, and not as much in Metropolis. As essential as Batman is for the DC Universe, so is Superman, and he should take a more prominent role in the DCU. If for nothing else, at least to keep things fresh.
Second, DC Studios is overseen by absolute nerds (cue in the “one of us” meme!). Using this specific version of the Superman breaking chains image is a deep cut that most of us won’t notice at first. But when we do, we realize DC Studios is trying to make things right for DC Comics characters, so they show their reverence to the superhero and the artists that started it all. Without Superman #1, there would be no DC Universe. It’s as simple as that.
We are all curious about the DCU, and Creature Commandos can only do so much to answer our questions. After all, this is a niche production that bridges the gap between The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker and the upcoming Superman. Even so, it feels good to see how, even in the fine details, DC Studios is already committed to surpassing our expectations.
Creature Commandos is DC Studios’ first animated series, consisting of seven episodes written by James Gunn. The show follows a black ops team of monsters assembled by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) after Congress prevents her from using human prisoners for her missions. The team includes Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo), The Bride (Indira Varma), Doctor Phosphorus (Alan Tudyk), G.I. Robot (Sean Gunn), Weasel (also Sean Gunn), and Nina Mazursky (Zoe Chao), with David Harbour voicing Eric Frankenstein.
New episodes of Creature Commandos hit MAX every Thursday until January 9, 2025.
