G.I. Robot
Encyclopedia
G.I. Robot is the name of a series of fictional robot
s that appeared in comic book
s published by DC Comics
. The very first G.I. Robot, nicknamed Joe, first appeared in Star Spangled War Stories #101 (February-March 1962), created by Robert Kanigher
and Ross Andru
, with a second one named Mac in Star Spangled War Stories #125 (February-March 1966), by Kanigher and Joe Kubert
.
The better known J.A.K.E. 1 first appeared in Weird War Tales
#101 (July 1981), created by Kanigher and Pepe Morino Casaras. J.A.K.E. 2 first appeared in Weird War Tales #113 (July 1982), by Kanigher and Fred Carrillo.
A newer model of 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.
, "Joe" the G.I. Robot is handed over to a Ranger
unit to be tested in the field. Humanoid, with smooth features, no mouth and a control panel on its chest, Joe is assigned a human "buddy", a Corporal named Mac. In three stories from Star Spangled War Stories #101—#103, Joe and Mac end up fighting "The War that Time Forgot
" against prehistoric creatures (and a giant German robot soldier) on Dinosaur Island
.
, a "top secret Ranger outfit" specially trained for missions no ordinary soldier was expected to survive. In this story, the first G.I. Robot and its human buddy are described as having also belonged to the Squad but are missing in action
. Mac sacrifices itself on its first mission to save Reed and another soldier from a Tyrannosaurus
.
. In Weird War Tales #101, it is deployed to a Pacific island alongside the Marines
to fight the Japanese military and placed under the control of Sergeant Coker. Although the robot is technically named "Jungle Automatic Killer - Experimental Number 1" (J.A.K.E. 1), Coker gives the robot the nickname of the G.I. Robot. Coker is skeptical of the robot's abilities, but it soon earns his trust.
. J.A.K.E. 2 and the Creature Commandos are presumed killed when the rocket they are riding to Berlin
misfires and heads into deep space (Weird War Tales #124). 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
. However, the Creature Commando later got in possession ofan entire army of mass-producted J.A.K.E.s. It's still unknown whetever one of them is the original J.A.K.E. 2
J.A.K.E. 2 appears in the current The War That Time Forgot miniseries, where it is known as "Lord Job". This version can speak, but has a similar appearance to the earlier models. It has not been established which time period it comes from.
during a time when his consciousness was contained in an android form.
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 both 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 and 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 caltrop
s 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 team-mates.
While J.A.K.E. 1 and 6.1. are unique beings, there currently exist a whole army of J.A.K.E.s 2, apparently sporting the same abilities and equipment of the original.
event, G.I. Robot replaces Frankenstein
and the Creature Commandos
after they were deemed obsolete by Robert Crane
's government services. In the modern era, era, Robert Crane revive G.I. Robot to eliminate Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown after they escape from the lab facility. During attacks the Creatures of the Unknown in Gotham City
forest, G.I. Robot sprung at Frankenstein to subdue him again, but Creatures of the Unknown member severed G.I. Robot's head.
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
s that appeared in comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. The very first G.I. Robot, nicknamed Joe, first appeared in Star Spangled War Stories #101 (February-March 1962), created by Robert Kanigher
Robert Kanigher
Robert Kanigher was a prolific comic book writer and editor whose career spanned five decades. He was involved with the Wonder Woman franchise for over twenty years, taking over the scripting from creator William Moulton Marston. In addition, Kanigher spent many years in charge of DC Comics' war...
and Ross Andru
Ross Andru
Ross Andru was an American comic book artist and editor. He is best known for his work on Amazing Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, Flash and Metal Men....
, with a second one named Mac in Star Spangled War Stories #125 (February-March 1966), by Kanigher and Joe Kubert
Joe Kubert
Joe Kubert is an American comic book artist who went on to found The Kubert School. He is best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Sgt. Rock and Hawkman...
.
The better known J.A.K.E. 1 first appeared in Weird War Tales
Weird War Tales
Weird War Tales was a war comic book title with supernatural overtones published by DC Comics which ran from September 1971 to June 1983.-Background:...
#101 (July 1981), created by Kanigher and Pepe Morino Casaras. J.A.K.E. 2 first appeared in Weird War Tales #113 (July 1982), by Kanigher and Fred Carrillo.
A newer model of G.I. Robot, designed by Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
for use by the United States military, was introduced in Batman Confidential
Batman Confidential
Batman Confidential was an American monthly comic book series from DC Comics which debuted on December 6, 2006 and concluded on March 2, 2011....
#4, by Andy Diggle
Andy Diggle
Andy Diggle is a British comic book writer and former editor of 2000 AD. He is best known for his work on The Losers, Swamp Thing, Hellblazer, Adam Strange and Silent Dragon at DC Comics and for his run on Thunderbolts and Daredevil after his move to Marvel.-Career:Diggle took over editing 2000 AD...
and Whilce Portacio
Whilce Portacio
William "Whilce" Portacio is a Filipino-American comic book writer and artist. Noted for his work on such titles as The Punisher, X-Factor, and the Uncanny X-Men. Portacio was also one of the seven co-founders of Image Comics, though he did not become a partner in the company.-Early life:Portacio...
. Subsequently J.A.K.E. #6.1 appeared in Checkmate
Checkmate (comics)
Checkmate, a division of Task Force X, is a fictional covert operations agency within the DC Comics universe. It first appeared in Action Comics #598 and proceeded to have its own ongoing title in Checkmate!...
Vol. 2 #24 (May 2008), created by Greg Rucka
Greg Rucka
Gregory "Greg" Rucka is an American comic book writer and novelist, known for his work on such comics as Action Comics, Batwoman: Detective Comics, and the miniseries Superman: World of New Krypton for DC Comics, and for novels such as his Queen & Country series.-Career:Rucka's writing career...
and Eric Trautmann.
Joe
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, "Joe" the G.I. Robot is handed over to a Ranger
United States Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
unit to be tested in the field. Humanoid, with smooth features, no mouth and a control panel on its chest, Joe is assigned a human "buddy", a Corporal named Mac. In three stories from Star Spangled War Stories #101—#103, Joe and Mac end up fighting "The War that Time Forgot
The War that Time Forgot
The War that Time Forgot was a comic book feature published by DC Comics beginning in 1960 in the title Star Spangled War Stories, created by Robert Kanigher, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito...
" against prehistoric creatures (and a giant German robot soldier) on Dinosaur Island
Dinosaur Island
Dinosaur Island is an island that has appeared in various comic book series published by DC Comics. The island is not the same "Dinosaur Island" that appeared in Batman #35...
.
Mac
Star Spangled War Stories #125 introduced another G.I. Robot (this one with a visible mouth) nicknamed "Mac" and his human partner Reed as part of the war-era Suicide SquadSuicide Squad
The Suicide Squad, also known as Task Force X , is a name for two fictional organizations in the DC Comics Universe. The first version debuted in The Brave and the Bold #25 , and the second in Legends #3...
, a "top secret Ranger outfit" specially trained for missions no ordinary soldier was expected to survive. In this story, the first G.I. Robot and its human buddy are described as having also belonged to the Squad but are missing in action
Missing in action
Missing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
. Mac sacrifices itself on its first mission to save Reed and another soldier from a Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus meaning "tyrant," and sauros meaning "lizard") is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur. The species Tyrannosaurus rex , commonly abbreviated to T. rex, is a fixture in popular culture. It lived throughout what is now western North America, with a much wider range than other...
.
J.A.K.E. 1
The next G.I. Robot is designed by Professor Thompson of MITMassachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
. In Weird War Tales #101, it is deployed to a Pacific island alongside the Marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
to fight the Japanese military and placed under the control of Sergeant Coker. Although the robot is technically named "Jungle Automatic Killer - Experimental Number 1" (J.A.K.E. 1), Coker gives the robot the nickname of the G.I. Robot. Coker is skeptical of the robot's abilities, but it soon earns his trust.
J.A.K.E. 2
J.A.K.E. 1 is destroyed in Weird War Tales #111 but is replaced by J.A.K.E. 2, which continues to fight on various Pacific islands, including Dinosaur Island. It later teams with the Creature CommandosCreature Commandos
The Creature Commandos are a fictional DC Comics team of military superhumans originally set in World War II. The original team, created by J. M...
. J.A.K.E. 2 and the Creature Commandos are presumed killed when the rocket they are riding to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
misfires and heads into deep space (Weird War Tales #124). 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
31st century
The 31st century AD will span from January 1, 3001–December 31, 3100 of the Gregorian calendar. It will be the first century of the 4th millennium.-Astronomical events:...
. However, the Creature Commando later got in possession ofan entire army of mass-producted J.A.K.E.s. It's still unknown whetever one of them is the original J.A.K.E. 2
J.A.K.E. 2 appears in the current The War That Time Forgot miniseries, where it is known as "Lord Job". This version can speak, but has a similar appearance to the earlier models. It has not been established which time period it comes from.
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 LordMaxwell Lord
Maxwell Lord IV is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is a shrewd and powerful businessman who was very influential in the formation of the Justice League International in DC Comics.-Before the League:...
during a time when his consciousness was contained in an android form.
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 both 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 and appears to have a sophisticated artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
system, and is equipped with various weapons, including a minigun
Minigun
The Minigun is a 7.62 mm, multi-barrel heavy machine gun with a high rate of fire , employing Gatling-style rotating barrels with an external power source...
as its left arm, an automatic grenade launcher
Grenade launcher
A grenade launcher or grenade discharger is a weapon that launches a grenade with more accuracy, higher velocity, and to greater distances than a soldier could throw it by hand....
mounted on its right shoulder and magnetically accelerated anti-personnel caltrop
Caltrop
A caltrop is an antipersonnel weapon made up of two or more sharp nails or spines arranged in such a manner that one of them always points upward from a stable base...
s deployed from its chest cavity. Its role during missions is to monitor its fellow Rooks, who are telepathically
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
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 team-mates.
While J.A.K.E. 1 and 6.1. are unique beings, there currently exist a whole army of J.A.K.E.s 2, apparently sporting the same abilities and equipment of the original.
Flashpoint
In the alternate timeline of the FlashpointFlashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
event, G.I. Robot replaces Frankenstein
Frankenstein (DC Comics)
Frankenstein is a DC Comics character who is based on Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's original Frankenstein's monster, but is physically and mentally more reminiscent of the classic Universal representation of the character...
and the Creature Commandos
Creature Commandos
The Creature Commandos are a fictional DC Comics team of military superhumans originally set in World War II. The original team, created by J. M...
after they were deemed obsolete by Robert Crane
Robotman (Robert Crane)
Robotman is a Golden Age DC Comics superhero. He first appeared in Star-Spangled Comics #7 and was created by Jerry Siegel, the co-creator of Superman. Despite his name, Robotman is actually not a robot; he is a cyborg.-History:...
's government services. In the modern era, era, Robert Crane revive G.I. Robot to eliminate Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown after they escape from the lab facility. During attacks the Creatures of the Unknown in Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
forest, G.I. Robot sprung at Frankenstein to subdue him again, but Creatures of the Unknown member severed G.I. Robot's head.
Television
- G.I. Robot appeared in the Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
episode "The Plague of the Prototypes!" voiced by James Arnold TaylorJames Arnold TaylorJames Arnold Taylor is an American voice actor, Impressionist, and Announcer. He is the current voice provider for Fred Flintstone as well as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and also the movie Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Johnny Test in Johnny Test...
. He and Sgt. Rock team up with Batman to stop Nazi soldiers. The character sacrifices his life to save Sgt. Rock from a landmine. He is given a full funeral.
Miscellaneous
- G.I. Robot appears in issue 6 of the Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold (comics)Batman: The Brave and the Bold is an American comic book series published by DC Comics. It is based on the TV series of the same name.-UK Title:The UK version is published by Titan Magazines and the first issue was released on 11 March 2010...
comics.