- "A.R.G.U.S. has been monitoring Peacemaker ever since Rick Flag, Sr. was named director."
- ―Langston Fleury[src]
The Advanced Research Group United Support, commonly abbreviated as A.R.G.U.S., is a United States government organization that acts as support to superhuman individuals or to apprehend and detain superhuman criminals in prisons such as Belle Reve Correctional Center, assembling covert groups of superhuman or talented individuals such as Task Force X and Task Force M.
History[]
Project Starfish[]
- "Technically, Congress said A.R.G.U.S. can't use incarcerated human beings as mission operatives any longer."
- ―Amanda Waller to Rick Flag, Sr.[src]
Under the codename Project Starfish, A.R.G.U.S. Director Amanda Waller sent Task Force X led by Rick Flag, Jr. to conduct an operation on the island nation of Corto Maltese. During the course of the mission, Weasel, one of the operatives, was presumed dead after drowning, only to be found and recaptured later, and Flag Jr. confronted his fellow operative Peacemaker, who managed to kill him.[1]
Invasion of Pokolistan[]
Assembling the Task Force M[]
Amanda Waller and Rick Flag, Sr. head to Belle Reve's non-human division
- "This is your new task force, Flag. Lets call it Task Force M. M for monster. Also known as... Creature Commandos."
- ―Amanda Waller to Rick Flag, Sr.[src]
In 2023, A.R.G.U.S. Director Amanda Waller and Rick Flag, Sr. learned of the incidents in Pokolistan caused by Circe and the Sons of Themyscira, who were threatening to overthrow the Pokolistan royal family. Waller called for urgent action in the nation, as it was a major supplier of oil to the United States. Waller led Flag to the non-human division of Belle Reve to introduce him to the special force he was to command, confusing Flag, who believed that Congress had halted Task Force X's activities, before she explained how she managed to bypass Congressional regulations by working with monsters.
Amanda Waller introduces Rick Flag, Sr. to his task force
Once inside, Waller introduced Flag to all the members: The Bride, Doctor Phosphorus, Weasel, G.I. Robot, and Nina Mazursky. Waller opened the entrance and Phosphorus, the Bride, and Weasel rushed to attack her; however, she used the Nano-Bomb Remote Detonator to shock them and knock them to the ground. After handing the detonator to Flag, Waller informed him that they were his task force, which she called Task Force M, also known as the Creature Commandos. As they left the hallway, Waller informed him that an Osprey was already waiting to take them directly to the castle and protect Rostovic.[1]
Meanwhile, to prevent Weasel's lawyer, Elizabeth Bates, from learning that her client had been sent on the mission, John Economos lied to her, telling her he was sick.[2]
Circe's Interrogation[]
Amanda Waller and her team interrogate Circe
- "John, contact the Pokolistani Embassy. Tell them we have information of another credible threat against the Princess."
- ―Amanda Waller to John Economos[src]
Following the Battle at Poko Castle, Task Force M defeated Circe and was sent back to Belle Reve, where Waller ordered Circe locked in the interrogation room, accompanied by John Economos and Rick Flag, Sr.. After she was forced into a chair, Circe claimed she was trying to prevent a catastrophe, while Waller only saw charges for murder and assault in her files. Circe confessed to her that she was a clairvoyant, which was supported by Economos, who read Circe's files and said that, even though she was bound, she could penetrate her mind, but Flag warned Waller not to do so.
Waller is shocked by Circe's vision
However, Waller entered the chamber with Circe, where she used her powers to show her a grim future where Rostovic and her guards conquered Earth, transforming it into an apocalyptic wasteland and massacring numerous superheroes, leaving Waller horrified. After returning to Flag and Economos, Waller claimed the vision was legitimate and called Dr. Aisla MacPherson, who analyzed Circe and determined she was legitimately clairvoyant, prompting Waller to order Flag to assemble Task Force M to kill Rostovic, but he steadfastly refused to believe the vision.
John Economos reassembles Task Force M
Waller then asked John Economos to contact the Pokolistan embassy to make them believe there was another threat, while Flag claimed to know Rostovic. However, Waller was willing to save the world at any cost, so Flag backed out of the mission and left the room, and Waller then installed the Bride as the new leader. Economos visited the food court to inform Task Force M that they had a new mission: to return to Pokolistan to kill Rostovic and inform the Bride of her leadership, and then followed Waller's orders by contacting the Embassy, receiving permission for the team to return to Pokolistan.[2]
Prevention of the Pokolistani Conquest[]
Flag's Warning[]
John Economos and Amanda Waller deduce Eric Frankenstein's intentions
- "We made a mistake."
- ―Amanda Waller to the Bride of Frankenstein[src]
Amanda Waller and John Economos were informed that Rick Flag, Sr., had been found critically injured, so they rushed to the hospital, and Waller explained to the nurses that Flag worked for her at A.R.G.U.S. and inquired about his condition. The doctor reported that a monster had left him at the front desk and Economos immediately recognized him as Eric Frankenstein when the nurse described him, but they were instructed to wait outside the room. They both deduced that Flag motivated him to stop Task Force M, so Waller ordered Economos to deploy A.R.G.U.S. agents to all local airports.[3]
Rick Flag, Sr. warns Amanda Waller
Waller sat in front of Flag's gurney waiting for him to recover, until he briefly awoke from his coma, gasping to warn her that she was wrong about Rostovic and uttering Aisla MacPherson's name, before fainting again. A bewildered Waller called Economos to go with her to MacPherson's address, where Economos expressed concern that Circe's vision made them start a war for no reason. Upon breaking into the house, they found MacPherson's corpse, and Waller assumed Circe had lied to them, quickly calling the Pokolistan Embassy to apologize and asked to speak with Bride and the team, who were about to kill her. Waller warned her she had made a mistake, but Bride destroyed the communicator.[4]
New Task Force M[]
John Economos introduces the new Creature Commandos lineup to Bride
- "I know Waller has a reputation as hard ass, but I think she knows how to express gratitude when it's deserved. And you really saved the day, so we converted one of the abandoned wings for you and your team."
- ―John Economos to the Bride of Frankenstein[src]
Due to Bride's performance in preventing the disaster, Amanda Waller ordered John Economos to put her in charge of leading a new lineup of Creature Commandos, restructuring the non-human division to the team's gratitude. After selecting the team members, Economos accompanied Bride into the elevator and informed her that Waller thanked her for her service, introducing her to the new team she would be leading, which delighted her.[4]
Staff[]
Executive[]
Employees[]
Former[]
Facilities[]
- Belle Reve Correctional Center: A maximum security federal prison located in Louisiana for incarcerated criminals, where A.R.G.U.S. Director Amanda Waller made up the majority of the members of Task Force X. The facility features a non-human division for incarcerating metahumans, which Waller used to form Task Force M after Congress imposed restrictions against human activities.
Relationships[]
Allies[]
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Enemies[]
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Logos[]
Appearances[]
| Appearances for A.R.G.U.S. |
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| In chronological order: |
Trivia[]
- In the comics, A.R.G.U.S. is the Advanced Research Group Uniting Super-Humans, a U.S. Government agency led by Steve Trevor. They act as government support and liaison to the world's foremost heroes in the Justice League.
Behind the Scenes[]
To be added
