An episode that commands your attention (pun intended).
Here’s what’s in store for today’s episode:
In today's episode, Matt and Angela explore the show Creature Commandos and discuss why sympathetic monsters can resonate with autistic individuals.
We delve into the history of the DC Cinematic Universe and examine the autistic coding in James Gunn's other projects, most notably Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad.
Creature Commandos, the first project of the DCU, follows a black ops team of monsters and sets the stage for Suicide Squad.
James Gunn is known for his intricate world-building—an aspect that closely aligns with the importance of world-building in autistic culture.
We explore the autistic coding of characters from The Suicide Squad, beginning with GI Robot—an autistic-coded machine with a monotropic focus on one thing: killing Nazis.
Our hosts dive into the history of the eccentric and iconic Bride of Frankenstein character, exploring her autistic-coded quirks.
Each monster in the show carries a notoriously tragic backstory, and none exhibit neurotypical social skills. They are shunned by society and dehumanized—just as autistic people often are in real life.
We discuss the autistic-coded traits of the show's villains—for example, Clayface, whose directness and behavior can be interpreted (or misinterpreted) as manipulation.
Matt and Angela talk about the future of the DC Universe and how Superman, with his strong sense of justice, is inherently autistic-coded.
James Gunn's work is profoundly autistic-coded, often emphasizing themes of belonging, justice, and the complexities of social interaction. His characters—many of whom are outsiders or misfits—reflect autistic traits like strong focus on specific values, difficulty navigating social norms, and being misunderstood by society. Gunn's storytelling unites these "outsiders," celebrating their differences and showing how their unique qualities make them crucial to the narrative.
“That’s the thing - we are often judged. We are often blamed. We are often criticized by people who don’t understand us. And therefore, when we find an appealing monster, we really, really latch onto that.” - Matt
“We [autistic people] are so dehumanized that we’re robbed of basic human traits. People think that we don’t have empathy. People don’t think that we have theory of mind. People don’t think that we are capable of making eye contact. And if we do have any of those, there’s lots of people who believe that we can’t be autistic because they believe that we have to be subhuman in some way. So this is a big reason why we relate to monsters, because we are treated as monsters. We are treated as something less.” - Matt
Did you catch all the Autistic-coded traits in Creature Commandos? In the comments, tell us which characters or themes stood out to you, and use #AutisticCultureCatch to share your thoughts on social media and connect with other listeners!
Show Notes:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creature_Commandos_(TV_series)
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