Who's This? A mechanical soldier.
The facts: A series of similar robots that served in World War II (and beyond), G.I. Robot was created by Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru for Star Spangled War Stories #101 (Feb-March 1962) and had three stories before being abandoned. The concept seemed perfect for Weird War Tales in the 80s, so Kanigher gave it a polish (with the iconic Pepe Morino Casaras redesign) and introduced a new G.I. Robot named J.A.K.E. 1 in the pages of WWT #101 (July 1981) who appeared consistently (also as his replacement J.A.K.E. 2 from #113) to the end of the series (#124), often teaming up with the Creature Commandos. He would show up in modern projects like The War That Time Forgot mini-series and as an off-beat guest star in superhero books. A very dissimilar-looking J.A.K.E. 6.1 was introduced in Greg Rucka's Checkmate (just a couple of appearances), but this version(ish) of the character would be a member of the continuity-dubious One-Star Squadron team after a reintroduction in Men of War #8. Since the New52, he's often been integrated in the Creature Commandos by way of S.H.A.D.E.
How you could have heard of him: Sean Gunn will voice him in the Creature Commandos television series James Gunn is working on.
Example story: Weird War Tales #120 (February 1983) "The Monster Was a Lady" by Robert Kanigher and Fred Carrillo
G.I. Robot on Dinosaur Island? I'm not made of stone! Oh and bonus! In this particular story, he's accompanied by his robot pets... but oh no, a Japanese Zero strafes C.A.P. while the trio is aquaplaning to an island!
C.AP. is a dog who kind of looks like a cat. The cat, with its bronze finish, was never named (whaaa?). Of course, the plane was quickly shot out of the sky by J.A.K.E.'s finger guns. A M.A.S.H. unit goes into action and fixes the tin dog (priorities), while G.I. Robot looks on silently and his human buddy tries to make him feel better. They really care about his mental health - right down to the service animals - but it's hard to know if it's worth it. J.A.K.E. isn't shellshocked. He just never SAYS anything, ever. Unless Sgt. Coker is right and the metal soldier was programmed with human stuff. Like, is he actually admiring Coker's Rita Hayworth pin-up, or just trying to parse data? Is he blowing through that attacking Japanese force with anger, or is it just reflex action? Was his face modelled on that of the Swamp Thing, or is the triangle just a naturally strong shape? And if these robots are just meat to be efficient, why does the dog need to "rest" from its injuries, and why do either of them have to be put in a kennel during missions?
Dinosaur Island is no place for pets, even of the metal kind, and that's where our two heroes are heading. If the dinosaurs will let their boat reach it.
They appear ot be no match for J.A.K.E.! I'm honestly more interested in whether or not G.I. Robot knows first aid to help his friend.
They turn around and King Kong is standing over them. G.I. Robot doesn't fire. She (Coker seems to recognize a female) is no threat, and that 'bot is super empathetic. I bet she'll be back. Their search for missing marines continues, and so does the dinosaur poaching.
And indeed, Mrs. King Kong does help out from time to time. Makes a change from Coker screaming "OPEN UP!!!!" at the top of his lungs (is it a necessary trigger word to control G.I. Robot, or what?) Sadly, Queen Kong (there, nailed it) dies in a fight with a T-Rex and whatever "romance" they were implying between her and Fay Jake is unresolved.
That can't be a tear, can it?! And if it is, is it for Kong or for C.A.P.? You will read stories about a non-verbal, expressionless murder machine and YOU IT WILL TOUCH YOUR HEART! Well, that's the effort anyway. Just this side of ridiculous, but that's how I like my Weird War Tales...
Who's Next? A short inventor.
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