G.I. Robot

The G.I. Robot is the name of a series of six fictional robots that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics. The first four G.I. Robot characters were all created by writer Robert Kanigher, though each was designed by a different artist. Each incarnation of the G.I. Robot is an android of advanced, experimental technology designed to carry out combat and rescue missions. Multiple versions of the G.I. Robot seem to develop their own free will, as well as loyalty and a sense of friendship towards human soldiers they work alongside.

The first G.I. Robot, nicknamed Joe and designed by Ross Andru, first appeared in Star Spangled War Stories (volume 1) #101 (published in late 1961, with a cover date of February–March 1962). Joe appeared in three stories before being dropped from the comic. A second G.I. Robot named Mac the Second appeared in one story in Star Spangled War Stories #125 (February–March 1966), written by Robert Kanigher and with art by Joe Kubert. The third G.I. Robot J.A.K.E. 1, created by Kanigher and artist Pepe Morino Casaras, debuted in Weird War Tales (vol. 1) #101 (July 1981). This model was followed a year later by J.A.K.E. 2 in Weird War Tales #113 (July 1982), by Kanigher and Fred Carrillo.

A newer model of the G.I. Robot, designed by Lex Luthor for use by the United States military, was introduced in Batman Confidential #4, by Andy Diggle and Whilce Portacio. Subsequently, J.A.K.E. #6.1 appeared in Checkmate (vol. 2) #24 (May 2008), created by Greg Rucka and Eric Trautmann.

G.I. Robot has made limited appearances in media outside comics, with James Arnold Taylor and Sean Gunn voicing him in Batman: The Brave and the Bold and the DC Universe animated series Creature Commandos respectively.

Fictional character biographies

Joe

The first G.I. Robot, named Joe in reference to the slang "G.I. Joe", is an artificial soldier created by Professor Zurin during World War II to U.S. military troops. Joe is a humanoid, mannequin-like robot with a visible control panel, as well as eyes and an indication of facial features but no mouth.

For his first field experience, Joe is assigned to the act as assistant to Ranger unit Corporal named Mac. The next day, Mac and Joe are assigned to investigate an island. While parachuting, high winds cause them to go off course and land on another island nearby that is inhabited by extinct creatures, a place that comes to later be called simply Dinosaur Island. Despite Joe misunderstanding Mac's commands, he provides invaluable assistance to the Ranger and they are able to escape the island.

After Prof. Zurin upgrades the robot to respond to light signals as well, Joe and Mac engage on several more adventures on or near Dinosaur Island. These missions become collectively known as "The War that Time Forgot". During one mission, Joe and Mac encounter a giant "TNT Robot" developed by the military of Japan. During this battle, Mac is confused when the giant robot and Joe pause their combat and seem to stare at each other, followed by Joe destroying the enemy robot with great ferocity. Afterward, Mac tries to ask Joe if he is becoming more than simply a machine and a robot, but Joe does not respond.

Mac

Mac is the second incarnation of G.I. Robot, who solely appears in Star-Spangled War Stories #125. He serves as a member of a covert special operations team before sacrificing himself to kill a Tyrannosaurus.

J.A.K.E. 1

Some time after the destruction of Mac, Professor Thompson leads a think tank at MIT that develops a new version of the G.I. Robot with built-in weaponry, more advanced technology, and a more obviously robotic appearance. Thompson's team names this new G.I. Robot "J.A.K.E. #1" (Jungle Automatic Killer - Experimental). For its first mission, J.A.K.E. 1 is deployed to a Pacific island alongside the Marines to fight the Japanese military and placed under the control of Sergeant Coker. Coker initially does not trust J.A.K.E., but comes to respect him. J.A.K.E. later joins the Creature Commandos and sacrifices himself to save them from certain death.

J.A.K.E. 2

Weeks after the destruction of J.A.K.E. 1, his successor J.A.K.E. Number 2 is sent to the Pacific islands to join the marines there. On activation, J.A.K.E. 2 seems unresponsive at first but then acts to defend the marine camp from a samurai robot built by the Japanese military. After defeating the robot, J.A.K.E. 2 engages in several missions in the Pacific Theater, as well as on Dinosaur Island. Eventually, he also meets the Creature Commandos and is accepted into their ranks. Later on, J.A.K.E. 2 and the Creature Commandos are aboard a rocket that misfires and heads into deep space. The Creature Commandos are known to have survived, but J.A.K.E. 2's fate is unknown. The DC Comics Encyclopedia describes J.A.K.E. 2 as having survived into the 31st century.

J.A.K.E. #6.1

In Checkmate (vol. 2) #24, a new G.I. Robot is revealed, with the designation J.A.K.E. #6.1. It is one of the organization's Rooks, a team of four elite operatives of last resort. Apparently constructed using the original World War II era programming, it has a new body made of components formerly used by the industrialist/murderer Maxwell Lord during a time when his consciousness was contained in an android form.

Lord Job

A new G.I. Robot of unknown origin appears in the 2008-2009 The War That Time Forgot miniseries written by Bruce Jones, where it is known as "Lord Job", but calls himself "Joe". This version can speak and has bright red eyes, but is otherwise of a similar appearance to the earlier models, particularly Joe. It has not been established from which time period it comes.

Powers and abilities

The G.I. Robots are all fully autonomous mechanical soldiers, capable of making decisions and adapting to changes in their environment. Joe responds to spoken commands as well as the sound of weapons fire and machines, and in situations where voice commands are impractical, to light signals flashed on its control panel. Mac responds similarly, but appears to be smarter, and has no control panel. No built-in weapons are apparent, but both are capable of using firearms like an ordinary soldier and can withstand direct fire from small arms.

J.A.K.E.s 1 and 2 are also armor-plated models. Their left arms consist of a fully functional machine gun, which can fire bullets, mini-torpedoes, and small anti-aircraft missiles. They can also fly for short distances, thanks to small rockets in their boots.

J.A.K.E. #6.1, unlike its predecessors, can communicate verbally, appears to have a sophisticated artificial intelligence system, and is equipped with various weapons, including a minigun as its left arm, an automatic grenade launcher mounted on its right shoulder and magnetically accelerated anti-personnel caltrops deployed from its chest cavity. Its role during missions is to monitor its fellow Rooks, who are telepathically linked thanks to an alien DNA infusion derived from Starro the Conqueror. If J.A.K.E. determines the DNA is gaining control, it will terminate the link by killing its teammates.

Lord Job is also capable of speech and has some degree of superhuman strength and resilience. He does however seem to be completely artificial, with no sign of a human will or even a facsimile of same, unlike most of his predecessors. He has shown some tactical analysis and personal combat skills. He has suffered some damage before ever being seen. He has not demonstrated built-in weapons of any kind.

While J.A.K.E. 1 and #6.1 are unique beings, there currently exist a whole army of J.A.K.E. 2s, apparently sporting the same abilities and equipment of the original.

Other versions

An alternate universe incarnation of G.I. Robot appears in Flashpoint.

In other media

Television

• The G.I. Robot appears in the teaser for the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "The Plague of the Prototypes!", voiced by an uncredited James Arnold Taylor. He works with Batman and Sgt. Rock to stop Nazi soldiers before sacrificing himself to save Sgt. Rock from a landmine.
• The G.I. Robot appears in Creature Commandos, voiced by Sean Gunn. This version previously served with the Easy Company during WWII before he was eventually arrested and incarcerated in Belle Reve Penitentiary for killing Neo-Nazis in the 1990s. After being recruited into the eponymous team, he befriends teammate Nina Mazursky before he is destroyed by Circe.

Video games

The G.I. Robot appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.

Miscellaneous

The G.I. Robot appears in issue #6 of the Batman: The Brave and the Bold tie-in comic.

External links

• Creature Commandos at Cosmic Teams Template:Webarchive