Cobra Organization
Encyclopedia
Cobra Command, commonly referred to as Cobra, is the fictional nemesis of the G.I. Joe team in the Hasbro
action figure
toylines G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
and G.I. Joe: Sigma 6
, as well as their related media.
Cobra was introduced when G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
line was launched in 1982. The toyline was accompanied by a Marvel Comic series written by Larry Hama
, and an animated television series by Sunbow
and Marvel Productions
. Each medium to feature G.I. Joe has had its own continuity and as such, the origin and portrayal of Cobra has differed in each of them.
It was Marvel Comics who invented Cobra, with the concept and name coming from Archie Goodwin
: when they were brought in, Hasbro
hadn't thought of doing a villain for the toyline, and were reluctant to make villain toys as they believed villains didn't sell. As Jim Shooter
put it, "later, by the way, villains became 40% of their volume."
. In the Marvel Comics series, Cobra is said to have bases, underground cells and even whole communities scattered across the globe. Following are several specific locations with names:
of the word "cobra".
s and other semi-legitimate business plans initiated by Cobra Commander. A soap-selling pyramid scheme is what got Cobra Command started in Springfield, allowing a gradual and intense takeover.
In a very short time, Cobra evolved from a business into a paramilitary
movement. Motivated by greed and power, the group soon expanded all over the country, operating in secret, engaging in terrorism to achieve their objectives. By the time the U.S. government recognized Cobra as a threat, the organization had already gained footholds as a powerful private army and terrorist organization around the world.
Many of its members (especially those in the elite Crimson Guard
units) lead seemingly normal lives, supporting Cobra covertly. Cobra attracted members with the promise of fast financial rewards and power for those willing to be ruthless enough. It also offered a world of order and strength, with its 'model community' of Springfield being one example of the Cobra ideal.
Cobra would eventually achieve a temporary legitimacy by the artificial creation of Cobra Island, which was recognized as an independent nation by the international community, much to the dismay of G.I. Joe. This allowed Cobra to have diplomatic facilities in the United States
via the Cobra consulate.
During Serpentor's tenure Cobra's primary source of income came from arms sales to Third World
nations. This led to a clash with Destro's M.A.R.S. Organization, which provided Cobra with much of its arms.
For a comic series predominantly aimed at children, Cobra was a relatively realistic depiction of a highly successful terrorist organization. With its strong symbolic imagery, charismatic and ruthless leader, and fanatical hierarchy, the fictional group is similar to other fictional terrorist
and fascist
organizations such as SPECTRE
of James Bond
fame and the similar Marvel Universe
organization HYDRA
.
Larry Hama
depicted Cobra troops as being motivated by money, power, and a sense of brotherhood. However, they are not fanatical to the point where they would fight to the last man and to the last breath. If all is lost, they would willingly surrender or run away had they the chance, something their leaders rarely let them do. The brutal training depicted in the file cards of the troopers are very much characteristic of ritualistic hazing
.
The only instance that has shown Cobra as a suicidal fanatical organization was in issue #8 where the troopers willingly let themselves blow up on a boat after their loss.
. The original antagonists in the Action Force series were the Red Shadows
. The Red Shadows were a terrorist organization led by Baron Ironblood
and his lieutenant the Black Major. Prominent members included artillery expert Red Laser
and tank commander Red Jackal
. The latter disguised his scarred visage with a steel mask.
The Action Force series was eventually written to more closely match the American G.I. Joe universe; the 'World Enemy No. 1' storyline in the Battle Action Force comic had Ironblood betraying the Red Shadows, abandoning them to die pointlessly, and going into hiding. When he emerged once more, he had organized a new group and renamed himself as Cobra Commander. The Red Jackal tracked down Cobra Commander after an arduous journey with the intention of killing him to avenge the treachery Cobra Commander performed. On the brink of throttling the Commander, Jackal succumbed to stun gas and passed out, not quite completing his sentence declaring his intention to destroy the former Baron Ironblood. Admiring his tenacity and resourcefulness, Cobra Commander elected not to kill the man, instead allowing him to continue to serve. To remind Jackal that, in the end, he failed to eliminate Cobra Commander, the leader renamed him 'Destro
'—the last word he spoke as his former self.
purchased the rights to G.I. Joe in 2008 one of the three books they announced was the G.I. Joe: Cobra
mini-series. Starting in March 2009, and written by Christos Gage
and Mike Costa with art by Antonio Fuso, it stars Chuckles
going undercover into the organization.
Cobra is a shadowy, rumored organization at the start of the series, led by a man only known as "the Commander"; however, there have been other Commanders in the past, elected into 'office' by the faceless body known as the Cobra Council. The Baroness refers to it as " an old organization... ensconced in its own traditions" and the next issue would show Cobra has existed for centuries. The Council's identities are unknown.
Other high ranking agents include Xamot and Tomax (corporate leaders), Crystal Ball (psychological tactics master and internal affairs), Major Bludd, Captain Vicuna (submarine commander), and the chief scientists Dr Mindbender and Copperback.
It has its own secret communications network, the Cobranet, unconnected to the regular Internet. Terrorist groups across the planet are somewhat aware of Cobra, and scared of it. Cobra Special #1 reveals that Cobra convinced Tamox and Xamot to merge their Extensive Enterprises organisation with them; G.I. Joe Origins #20 reveals they also have an aid company that's a front, and they use a psychological test to identify potential, loyal recruits. Cobra #5-8 also reveal that a large cult, the Coil, is also part of Cobra's organization. As per #16 and #17 of the ongoing, they have a prison called Section Ten and later issues reveal a base on the Moon.
The first Cobra mini-series reveals in #4 that Cobra's standard method is to (covertly) further destabilize an already unstable nation, using both terrorism and shell companies to hit the economy; they then (openly) hire out their Crimson Guard soldiers to that country, and slowly make the population trust Cobra more than their government. One operation involved manipulating a small war in Africa, forcing the attacked nation to sell off its national assets.
Mainframe first stumbles across the global Cobra conspiracy by accident, and was believed to be crazy by General Hawk. Determined to reveal the organization, he went AWOL. Later, Snake-Eyes goes AWOL looking for Cobra too.
The Joes later hear the word "Cobra" mentioned after busting one of Destro's arm shipments in #0 of the regular series, but are unaware of what it truly is or that Destro was shipping to the organization. Duke believes the organization is just a myth and Hawk now believes it is the codename for an operation, but by this point Scarlett believes Cobra is a real, large-scale threat. As a result, she kept unauthorized contact with Snake-Eyes about it. Meanwhile, Chuckles is sent to infiltrate an organization which is soon found to be Cobra (Cobra #1-4).
In order to avoid being executed for the information leak, Destro both captured the Baroness (Cobra's assassin) and intended to bribe them with data stolen from the Joes and the M.A.S.S. Device, a teleporter engine. Cobra simply stormed Castle Destro, took it all, and captured him, enslaving him as a researcher for them. When he failed to be of enough use, he was sent to Section 10 but was able to seize command of it from Major Bludd. As a result, he was given a command position in Cobra.
Thanks to Mainframe and Snake-Eyes, Cobra is revealed to the Joes. At the same time (chronologically, but printed earlier in #4 of the first Cobra mini-series), Xamot and Tamox reveal they knew Chuckles was a spy all along, and they've been using him to feed selective information to the Joes in order to intimidate them. Chuckles goes rogue in order to bring the organization down.
Now aware of Cobra, the Joes begin targeting its cells and operations, gain a Cobra defector named Erika la Tene, and attempt to prevent the completion of the M.A.S.S. Device. However, Cobra is also aware of the general location of the Joe base, the Pit and, with the abduction of scientist Gerry Orizama, they complete the MASS in #15. By #16, Cobra had established a moon base, Sabine Base, and sent an investigatory team to the Pit's location in #18 (which was killed). G.I. Joe retaliated with a raid on the island Manatua, which was the source of money-laundering activity on the CobraNet, but failed to stop a nuclear bomb being detonated on a nearby faultline; all the data on the island was destroyed, though the Joes did manage to capture Cobra's sub Dreadnaught and kill Captain Vicuna.
In #26-28 and Cobra #12-3, Cobra is hideously damaged in two separate conflicts with the Joes. In the former case, their enemy use the M.A.S.S. Device to reach Section Zero itself, and agents Snake-Eyes and Helix cause the loss of the base, many technicians and Vipers, and the Device; Sabine Base is left isolated and helpless with the loss of teleportation. Worse still, Joe infiltrator Chuckles - whom Cobra Commander believed was being successfully 'turned' into a Cobra - shot the Commander through the head and caused the nuclear obliteration of another base.
The Cobra Council responded by creating a contest to determine who'd be the next Commander - whoever murdered the most Joes. A slaughter was kicked off, including the death of almost the entire Ninja Force. Baroness, despite being in the running, doesn't believe the Council would make her the Commander as she's a woman and Cobra would never accept a female leader.
cartoon did not explore how Cobra began. It was only in G.I. Joe: The Movie
that it is revealed that the organization was a front runner for a 40,000 year-old underground civilization called Cobra-La
, whose snake-like inhabitants were driven underground by the advent of humankind. Cobra Commander was, in actuality, a member of this underground race. He was tasked with creating an organization that would overrun the world at large. This revelation, though, contradicts what was established in the first season of the series. Also revealed is that the creation of Serpentor was an initiative by Cobra-La; through the use of a biological mind controlling device, they implanted the idea into Dr. Mindbender's mind as an act of discipline against Cobra Commander.
The creation of Cobra-La was an unintentional side effect of Hasbro's demand that the heretofore unintroduced Cobra Emperor Serpentor
be inserted into the series, despite the fact that Cobra Commander had long been established as the one-and-only head of Cobra. Series story editor and writer Buzz Dixon offered two possible storylines to make it work: One had the senior Cobra leadership, fed up with Cobra Commander's constant failures, deciding to literally build a better leader. The other presented Cobra as being a front
for a vast, secretive, and far more sinister organization whose leadership finds Cobra Commander lacking and sends Serpentor as a replacement. Hasbro, liking both ideas, had the series writers combine both concepts.
The writers despised the name "Cobra-La" and had only originally intended to use it as a working name to be replaced by a "real" name in the finished product, but were overruled by Hasbro
. Buzz Dixon originally had a much different idea for the origin of Cobra. In a story entitled "The Most Dangerous Man in the World", it was to be revealed that Cobra was originally organized around the political theories of a Karl Marx
/Friedrich Nietzsche
-type figure, whom Cobra Commander locked away when the Commander began corrupting the Cobra philosophies away from its original principles.
between Blitz and Cobra Commander.
, but has no evidence. The Joes, here framed as criminals for their attempt to discover the truth, attempt to find evidence of Cobra's plans of world domination. Cobra Commander, Baroness, Destro, Doctor Mindbender, Major Bludd, Storm Shadow, Zartan, and Firefly all appear.
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
action figure
Action figure
An action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
toylines G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a military-themed line of action figures and toys in Hasbro's G.I. Joe franchise. The toyline lasted from 1982 to 1994, producing well over 500 figures and 250 vehicles and playsets. The line reappeared in 1997 and has continued in one form or another to the...
and G.I. Joe: Sigma 6
G.I. Joe: Sigma 6
G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 is a line of military-themed action figures and toys produced by Hasbro, re-imagining the characters of the 1980s toyline, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.The Sigma 6 toy line served several purposes for Hasbro...
, as well as their related media.
Cobra was introduced when G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a military-themed line of action figures and toys in Hasbro's G.I. Joe franchise. The toyline lasted from 1982 to 1994, producing well over 500 figures and 250 vehicles and playsets. The line reappeared in 1997 and has continued in one form or another to the...
line was launched in 1982. The toyline was accompanied by a Marvel Comic series written by Larry Hama
Larry Hama
Larry Hama is an American comic book writer, artist, actor and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s....
, and an animated television series by Sunbow
Sunbow Productions
Sunbow Entertainment was an animation studio, founded in 1980 and owned up until 1998 by Griffin-Bacal Advertising in New York. The first animation efforts by Griffin-Bacal were producing the animated commercials for Hasbro's G.I...
and Marvel Productions
Marvel Productions
Marvel Productions Ltd. , last called New World Animation, was a television and film studio subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment Group , based in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, then New World Entertainment and News Corporation/Fox...
. Each medium to feature G.I. Joe has had its own continuity and as such, the origin and portrayal of Cobra has differed in each of them.
It was Marvel Comics who invented Cobra, with the concept and name coming from Archie Goodwin
Archie Goodwin (comics)
Archie Goodwin was an American comic book writer, editor, and artist. He worked on a number of comic strips in addition to comic books, and is best known for his Warren and Marvel Comics work...
: when they were brought in, Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
hadn't thought of doing a villain for the toyline, and were reluctant to make villain toys as they believed villains didn't sell. As Jim Shooter
Jim Shooter
James Shooter is an American writer, occasional fill-in artist, editor, and publisher for various comic books. Although he started professionally in the medium at the extraordinarily young age of 14, he is most notable for his successful and controversial run as Marvel Comics' ninth...
put it, "later, by the way, villains became 40% of their volume."
High Command
Though the members of the Cobra organization are all fighting against G.I. Joe, there are many internal power struggles.- Cobra CommanderCobra CommanderCobra Commander is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe franchise. He appears in the toyline, animated series , comic books, video games, and movie as the usual principal antagonist. He is the supreme leader of the terrorist organization Cobra, and archnemesis of the Joes...
- The leader and founder of Cobra. His face is almost always obscured either by a hood with only his eyes visible or by a featureless, high tech battle helmet with various security features integrated into it. In the Sunbow cartoon, this concealment was to hide inhuman disfigurement, as well as the later retcon that he was an advance agent from a race of reptilian serpent people known as Cobra-La. In the comic it is merely to maintain the secret of his civilian identity. He is regarded as the most dangerous man on Earth, because he can draw followers to him. Only Baroness and Destro have seen his face. - SerpentorSerpentorSerpentor is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys created by Hasbro. The character was introduced in 1986 as a toy with an air chariot and included in the animated series that same year.-Toys:...
- The Cobra EmperorEmperorAn emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
, created through a breakthrough in cloningCloningCloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
research by Doctor Mindbender from the DNADNADeoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
extracted from the remains of the most ruthless and effective military leaders in history, including Julius CaesarJulius CaesarGaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, Napoleon Bonaparte, Attila the Hun, Vlad Tepes (cartoon only), Alexander the Great, Hannibal, and Genghis KhanGenghis KhanGenghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
as well as Sgt. SlaughterSgt. Slaughter (G.I. Joe)Sgt. Slaughter is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline series based on the professional wrestler of the same name. Though the original G.I. Joe was based on the real life Sgt. Alvin York, Sgt. Slaughter was the first G.I. Joe figure accurately based on a real person...
(in the comics, Storm ShadowStorm Shadow (G.I. Joe)Storm Shadow is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic book series and television shows. The character is best known for his history with fellow ninja Snake Eyes...
is the tenth and only live source of DNA instead of Sgt. Slaughter). In addition to his genetic disposition to greatness, an early experiment also gave him access to the brain patterns of G.I. JoeG.I. JoeG.I. Joe is a line of action figures produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier , Action Sailor , Action Pilot , Action Marine and later on, the Action Nurse...
HALO jumper RipcordRip Cord (G.I. Joe)Rip Cord, also called Ripcord, is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. The character is first featured in the series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and G.I. Joe: Sigma 6. He is the G.I...
, allowing him to use their strategies against them. He was seemingly killed by ZartanZartanZartan is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, by Hasbro. He is a mercenary who often worked directly for Cobra Commander, and is one of the main villains in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic and animated series. His character was voiced by Zack Hoffman in the 1985 TV...
only to be revived later by a splinter group known as "The Coil" and later killed by Cobra Commander. - DestroDestroLaird James McCullen Destro XXIV, usually referred to simply as Destro, is a fictional villain from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys from Hasbro. He is portrayed by Christopher Eccleston in the 2009 live-action film, G.I...
or James McCullen Destro XXIV - A ScotsmanScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
who always wears a metal mask (in the cartoon the mouth of his mask moves, explained by a form of nanotech/liquid metal in later comics). He has often tried to take over leadership of Cobra. Destro is an arms dealer and his number one client is Cobra. He is the hereditary leader of M.A.R.S. (Military Armaments Research Syndicate) and uses his personal army the "Iron GrenadiersIron GrenadiersThe Iron Grenadiers are a faction from the military-themed line of action figures and toys known as G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.-History:They are a private army owned and maintained by the arms dealer Destro. The Grenadiers are composed of Destro's castle guards, personal bodyguards, and...
" to start conflicts in order to sell weapons to all of the combatants' parties. Destro has a warped sense of honor and a grudging respect for his G.I. Joe foes. - The BaronessBaroness (G.I. Joe)The Baroness is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline by Hasbro, originally appearing in the first issue of the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic series by Marvel Comics in June, 1982. The Baroness is a villain, usually associated with G.I. Joe's enemy, Cobra.Baroness...
or Baroness Anastasia DeCobray - The daughter of European aristocrats, who in most continuities turned to terrorism after the murder of her brother, a relief aid worker that had been taken hostage and died when a group of Army Rangers attempted to rescue him. She serves as Cobra's Director of Intelligence and is romantically involved with Destro. - Doctor MindbenderDoctor MindbenderDr. Mindbender is a fictional character from the 1980s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comics, and animated series. He is a scientist who works for the fictional terrorist organization Cobra.-Profile:...
- A mad scientistMad scientistA mad scientist is a stock character of popular fiction, specifically science fiction. The mad scientist may be villainous or antagonistic, benign or neutral, and whether insane, eccentric, or simply bumbling, mad scientists often work with fictional technology in order to forward their schemes, if...
and former dentistDentistA dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
. He has several mind-control devices. He is also quite accomplished with geneticGeneticsGenetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
manipulation. He is responsible for the creation of Serpentor, the Cobra B.A.T. as well as responsible for perfecting the Brainwave ScannerBrainwave ScannerThe Brainwave Scanner is a fictional device found in Marvel's G.I. Joe comic series used by Cobra for interrogation and brainwashing. It was invented by Doctor Venom and later refined by Dr. Mindbender.-Marvel Comics:...
. Though he is quite muscular, Mindbender is somewhat cowardly, preferring to avoid physical confrontations. - Tomax and XamotTomax and XamotTomax and Xamot, also called the Crimson Twins or Crimson Guard Commanders, are the code names of identical mirror twin brothers in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero universe...
- TwinTwinA twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic , meaning that they develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm.In contrast, a fetus...
brothers that lead the Crimson Guard and are the respectable corporate face of Cobra. When not engaged in dangerous field missions, Tomax and Xamot are in shirt and tie managing Cobra's business affairs. The brothers share an empathicEmpathyEmpathy is the capacity to recognize and, to some extent, share feelings that are being experienced by another sapient or semi-sapient being. Someone may need to have a certain amount of empathy before they are able to feel compassion. The English word was coined in 1909 by E.B...
connection. While this is often useful, as it allows them to communicate wordlessly and finish each others sentences, it is also a liability, as they feel each other's pain during fights. Tomax and Xamot are mirror images of each other, except Xamot has a scar on the right side (cartoon) of his face (left side in the 1985 figure). The twins run a corporation called Extensive Enterprises and are known more for their skills in the boardroom than on the battlefield. - Storm ShadowStorm Shadow (G.I. Joe)Storm Shadow is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic book series and television shows. The character is best known for his history with fellow ninja Snake Eyes...
or Thomas "Tommy" Arashikage - A ninjaNinjaA or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
trained in martial arts who serves as both an assassin and bodyguard for Cobra. His origin varies depending on the source material: in the various cartoons, he is a cold-blooded villain and unrepentant killer while in the Marvel comic (which reveals that he served in the US Military in Vietnam with Snake-Eyes and StalkerStalker (G.I. Joe)Stalker is the code name of Army Sergeant Lonzo R. Wilkinson, a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series. He is one of very few characters from the first line of the toys to have a distinct appearance from the other action figures, as he is African-American. Stalker was a major...
), he only joined Cobra in order to gather evidence to clear his name after he was framed for murder by Cobra. Storm Shadow ultimately left Cobra and became a member of G.I. Joe, leading to Cobra Commander capturing him and brainwashing him to once again serve Cobra, before he ultimately breaks free and rejoins G.I. Joe. In the Sunbow/Marvel cartoon, instead of Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow was reassigned SpiritSpirit (G.I. Joe)Spirit, sometimes called Spirit Iron-Knife, is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys. He appears in the animated series, comic books published by Marvel Comics and Devil's Due Productions, toy line and movie....
and later Quick Kick as his rival. - ZartanZartanZartan is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, by Hasbro. He is a mercenary who often worked directly for Cobra Commander, and is one of the main villains in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic and animated series. His character was voiced by Zack Hoffman in the 1985 TV...
- The leader of the DreadnoksDreadnoksThe Dreadnoks are a fictional biker gang who act as villains in the G.I. Joe saga, which have been represented in several types of media, including toylines , comic books series , and television cartoons .All Dreadnoks are uncouth and violent, and usually engage their enemies with...
as well as a master spy and assassin. He is a master of disguise able to be anyone anytime he wishes, often literally morphing into the exact physical form of the person he seeks to impersonate (an ability attributed to a series of mysterious genetic experimentation Zartan endured). In most continuities, Zartan is also capable of changing his skin color to blend in with his background. This special ability is disrupted by sunlight.
Recurring characters
- Major BluddMajor BluddMajor Bludd , is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series of the 1980s. Appearing in both the comic books and the cartoons, Major Bludd is one of the series villains, a mercenary working for the Cobra Organization.-Toy:Major Bludd first appeared in 1983, he has had 6...
- Major Sebastian Bludd is an Australian mercenaryMercenaryA mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
with extensive combat experience who worked for Cobra from time to time. He is a master tactician, expert in all known weapons. He is usually portrayed as Cobra's infantry commander. Major Bludd is best known for the assassination of General FlaggGeneral FlaggGeneral Flagg is the code name as well as the rank and surname of two fictional characters from the toyline, cartoon and comic series, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero....
, the original leader of the G.I. Joe team and for the running gag that Bludd writes very bad poetry. - FireflyFirefly (G.I. Joe)Firefly is a fictional character in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero universe. He is a mercenary who works for the Cobra Organization as a saboteur.-Profile:...
- The world's greatest saboteurSabotageSabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
, Firefly's background is a mystery. A mercenary and assassin, Firefly offers no guarantees or refunds. He is an expert in all types of explosive ordnance and demolition materials. He is the Faceless Master of the Koga ninja clan. - Doctor Venom - A Cobra scientistScientistA scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
who played an important role in the first two years of the comic book. He was killed in actionKilled in actionKilled in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
and eventually replaced by Dr. Mindbender. - Kwinn - An InuitInuitThe Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
mercenary who only appeared in the first year of the comic book. A mercenary with a strong code of honor, he had previously worked for the CIA, MossadMossadThe Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel....
, MI6, and the KGBKGBThe KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
, and worked with Cobra in Sierra Gordo. He would later renounce his life as a mercenary, only to be betrayed and killed by Dr. Venom. A hidden grenade then slays Venom. - Fred VIIFred VIIFred VII is a fictional character in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic book, a member of the Crimson Guard, the elite Cobra combat and covert operations/infiltration force...
- A soldier in the Crimson GuardCrimson GuardThe Crimson Guard is an elite organization within the fictional G.I. Joe universe. They are members of Cobra Command, the nemesis of the G.I. Joe team. They are often referred to by a phonetic spelling of their organization's initials, "Siegies". Tomax and Xamot are the commanders of the Crimson...
who temporarily impersonated Cobra Commander after fatally shooting him (or so he believed). He was killed when the real Cobra Commander made his triumphant return. - Blackout - Sniper Thomas J. Stall was rejected by G.I. Joe for failing his psychological examPsychological evaluationA psychological evaluation or mental examination is an examination into a person's mental health by a mental health professional such as a psychologist. A psychological evaluation may result in a diagnosis of a mental illness...
and was suspected of being involved with the disappearance of his sister. After being imprisoned, Thomas broke out of a brig at Fort HuachucaFort HuachucaFort Huachuca is a United States Army installation under the command of the United States Army Installation Management Command. It is located in Cochise County, in southeast Arizona, about north of the border with Mexico. Beginning in 1913, for 20 years the fort was the base for the "Buffalo...
during an attack by Cobra, to whom he surrendered willingly and subsequently joined. - DreadnoksDreadnoksThe Dreadnoks are a fictional biker gang who act as villains in the G.I. Joe saga, which have been represented in several types of media, including toylines , comic books series , and television cartoons .All Dreadnoks are uncouth and violent, and usually engage their enemies with...
- Led by ZartanZartanZartan is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, by Hasbro. He is a mercenary who often worked directly for Cobra Commander, and is one of the main villains in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic and animated series. His character was voiced by Zack Hoffman in the 1985 TV...
and his siblings Zandar and Zarana, the Dreadnoks are a gang of militarized bikers who pull jobs for Cobra when finesse is not required and brute force is needed. Zartan used them for backup and brought them with him when he joined Cobra, with Zarana in particular becoming a top ranking agent of Cobra under Fred VII.
Rank and file
The vast majority of Cobra is made up of legions of uniformed soldiers, nearly all of them masked to appear anonymous and widely diversified according to specialties and functions. Some of the more prominent include:- Cobra Soldiers/OfficersViper (G.I. Joe)A Viper is the code-name given to a large majority of the soldiers/troops in the Cobra Organization, which are found in the G.I. Joe A Real American Hero universe. For the most part the code name Viper is followed or preceded by their area of expertise....
- These are the original "blueshirt" common grunts introduced in 1982, basic infantry soldiers equipped with conventional military gear (as opposed to the more hi-tech accouterments of the later Vipers). They are prominently featured on both the cartoon and comic series. - Crimson GuardCrimson GuardThe Crimson Guard is an elite organization within the fictional G.I. Joe universe. They are members of Cobra Command, the nemesis of the G.I. Joe team. They are often referred to by a phonetic spelling of their organization's initials, "Siegies". Tomax and Xamot are the commanders of the Crimson...
- Led by Tomax and Xamot, these elite soldiers were introduced in 1985. Their filecard indicates that in addition to intense military training, they are required to have a degree in either accounting or law (later filecards say they are required to have a non-specific college degree), and are often used in deep cover operations, posing as civilians and politicians. Later toys expanded on the Crimson Guard concept with the release of figures such as the Crimson Guard Immortals and Commanders, as well as group-specific vehicles. As another part of their deep cover operations, many Crimson Guardsmen undergo plastic surgery in order to adopt identical features in case one "Seigie" (the photnetic pronuciation of "C.G") is required to replace another in a public cover. The Crimson Guard also maintain Cobra's legal business fronts. - Cobra VipersViper (G.I. Joe)A Viper is the code-name given to a large majority of the soldiers/troops in the Cobra Organization, which are found in the G.I. Joe A Real American Hero universe. For the most part the code name Viper is followed or preceded by their area of expertise....
- Introduced in 1986 as a replacement for the Cobra Soldiers, these infantry soldiers complement the Cobra Soldiers in both the cartoon and comic series. The concept, originally introduced in 1985 with the introduction of "Tele-Vipers" (communication experts) quickly evolved into a catch-all suffix for all future Cobra troops (such as Air-Viper, Ice-Vipers, Desert-Vipers, Techno-Vipers, etc.). With regards to the original adjectiveless Vipers, Hasbro has often alternated between establishing the Vipers as the entry level position into Cobra's legion or for them to be the elite of Cobra's ground troops as far as them being equal to or above the regular blue shirt troops. - B.A.T.s - The Battle Android Troopers were introduced in 1986 and are used extensively in the cartoon series, since they could present an army that the heroes could gun down without killing living beings. Intended as an alternative to living soldiers, the androids are hazardous to both friend and foe according to their filecard due to poor eye sensors.
- Python PatrolPython PatrolThe Python Patrol is an elite unit within the fictional Cobra Organization. They have special uniforms that masks their presence to electronic detection systems...
- Although their origin differs from cartoon to comic, the Python Patrol is an elite unit of Cobra units hand-selected by Cobra Commander (or in the comic, his imposter). What makes this group stand out is their use of revolutionary stealth coating technology, masking their vehicles and uniforms from most forms of electronic detection.
Bases
Cobra maintains a number of bases around the world. In several media incarnations, Cobra’s primary base is Cobra IslandCobra Island
Cobra Island is a fictional country located in the Gulf of Mexico. It is the main base of operations for the fictional Cobra Organization featured in the G.I. Joe toyline from the 1980s. It is featured in the G.I. Joe cartoon and the comic book series created by Marvel Comics and Devil's Due...
. In the Marvel Comics series, Cobra is said to have bases, underground cells and even whole communities scattered across the globe. Following are several specific locations with names:
- Broca Beach - After the destruction of Springfield, Cobra created another town as their secret base of operations in America. This one was transformed from an abandoned seaside town. Former residents of the destroyed Springfield town were relocated here.
- Castle Destro - Destro's fortress in ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Training ground for the Iron Grenadiers. It was destroyed by Cobra Commander, and a new castle was presumably reconstructed some years later. - Cobra Citadel also known as the Silent Castle - Cobra's base of operations in Eastern Europe, located in Trans-Carpathia. Owned primarily by Destro, he incorporated many secret passageways and features into the castle's design including the ability to shift its configuration (through a complex series of levels, pulleys, and gears) into a near-exact likeness of Castle Destro - both internally and externally. Although he initially gave up the rights to the castle to Destro, Cobra Commander later decided he wanted it back as it was rather close to his operations in Darklonia. Its design was first featured in "The MASS Device" TV miniseries.
- Cobra Consulate - A high-rise in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
used by Cobra as an embassy and base of operations after Cobra Island was declared a sovereign nation. Its upper levels were destroyed in a battle with G.I. Joe, and the building was abandoned by Cobra for some time (save for a few late-night top-secret meetings). In the Devil's Due comics it was rebuilt and used once again. - Cobra IslandCobra IslandCobra Island is a fictional country located in the Gulf of Mexico. It is the main base of operations for the fictional Cobra Organization featured in the G.I. Joe toyline from the 1980s. It is featured in the G.I. Joe cartoon and the comic book series created by Marvel Comics and Devil's Due...
- The primary base of Cobra operations. It was created after a massive man-made earthquake. Cobra lawyers, well-prepared, moved in and had it declared a sovereign nation. It was the battlefield for the Cobra civil war, and the battle against 'the Coil'. After Cobra disappeared for several years, the island was seized by the U.N. It then came under the control of the Coil, then Cobra, and was finally destroyed by a nuclear warhead, which also killed every member of the Coil. - Helicarrier - also known as the Cobra Air Ship - A flying aircraft carrier from the Sunbow cartoon series. It served as a mobile base for Cobra until it was lost in a battle over a matter-antimatter device, in which it rammed G.I. Joe's conventional aircraft carrier. Both carriers sank to the bottom of the sea. Another helicarrier was commissioned, but was also destroyed over the skies of Liberty Island in New York City.
- Millville - A steel town that fell into economic ruin after the closing of the local plant. When Cobra descends literally en masse on them one day, the residents are swayed by Cobra Commander's promise of quick wealth and prosperity to submit to his rule. However, Cobra immediately subjugates the town via a brainwashing device, leading to the formation of a local resistance. Combat with numerous Autobots and Decepticons result in Cobra ultimately abandoning the townbase and its citizens.
- Monolith Base - A massive mountain complex located in Badhikistan. It served as Cobra's main base but was taken over by an all out assault from G.I. Joe.
- Springfield - A small anonymous town in the U.S., which Cobra secretly operated as a base. The town was poor and desperate when the man who would become Cobra Commander arrived. He became the town's savior and it was there he started Cobra. Many covert operations were held there, including the creation of Serpentor, which in turn directly led to the town's population being evacuated to Cobra Island when the Joes confronted Cobra there. In the 2-part Sunbow-produced episode "There's No Place Like Springfield", the town existed on an island and was known as "Temple Alpha". Springfield was actually a facade for an underground Cobra training facility. However, unlike the comics, the town above ground was populated primarily by synthoids.
Fronts
To hide certain aspects of its operation, Cobra maintains a number of legitimate business fronts (in addition to the town of Springfield itself and its encompassing businesses) nearly all of which appear to be anagramsAnagrams
Anagrams, Pirate Scrabble, Anagram, Snatch, or Grabscrab is a board-free word game that involves rearranging letter tiles to form words....
of the word "cobra".
- Naja Trading Corp and its likely subsidiary, "Naja Hanna Video Corp", is the first of these fronts to appear in the comics. It has offices in both San Francisco as well as Rio Lindo in the Republic of Sierra Gordo. Cobra used it to smuggle MX missile guidance chips out of the country inside video games. Dr. Venom was in charge of the Rio Lindo office. "Naja Hanna" is Hindi for "King Cobra".
- Arbco (AKA ARBco Regional) is the largest and most prominent Cobra front in the Marvel RAH comics. Although it apparently started in Springfield, it grew to have offices in at least 10 major U.S. cities including Denver.
- Arbco Furniture Company: Cobra maintained a secret testing lab within for a deadly plague toxin in Springfield, Vermont.
- Arbco Moving & Storage (AKA Arbco Moving): Cobra uses moving trucks with "Arbco" stamped on the sides to transport H.I.S.S. tanks covertly into Washington D.C. for an attack on the U.S. Treasury. They were also used to transport sensitive spy equipment for reassigned undercover Crimson Guardsmen. Cobra Commander maintains a mobile office in an Arbco Moving truck.
- Arbco Bros. Circus: BillyBilly KesslerBilly Kessler is a fictional character in the comic book series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. He is the son of the main villain of the series, Cobra Commander, but fights against his father and the forces of Cobra Command, learning martial arts under the tutelage of Storm Shadow, who helps him...
learned that Cobra uses the circus as a cover to transport HISS tanks and FANG copters (mistakenly referred to as "SNAP copters") around the country.
- Carbo Plumbing: A surveillance team of Tele-Vipers eavesdrop on a military inquest from a plumbing van outside the Pentagon.
- Robca Realty
- Broca Bros. Carnival
- Orbac - Cobra troops were moved into the Safeco Field Stadium in Seattle using trucks with this name on the side. Zartan used an Orbac truck as a mobile HQ as well.
- Extensive Enterprises - This global company based out of the twin Enterprise Towers in Enterprise City existed primarily to serve Cobra's administrative needs with Tomax and Xamot as the corporation's CEOs. Its first appearance was in the third G.I. Joe miniseries and then in the regular TV series in the episide "Red Rocket's Glare". Although the company existed primarily in the TV universe, it would later be adapted by Devil's Due for use in the comics continuity as well. In the IDW comic continuity, it is a pre-existing, corrupt multinational firm that is absorbed into Cobra.
- M.A.R.S.- Military Armaments Research Systems/Syndicate - a legitimate weapons manufacturing firm headquartered in Callender, Scotland. James McCullen Destro XXIV is the current owner and CEO.
Marvel Comics
Cobra Command had its beginnings when the financially ruined man who would become Cobra Commander settled in an American town called Springfield. Blaming the federal government and big business for his misfortunes, he conceived a plan of forming a secret organization to acquire wealth and power and thereby wreak his revenge on the world. Springfield was a perfect place to start the organization as the town itself had fallen on hard times and the population was disillusioned. Soon, the organization was growing with the entry of like-minded individuals from all over the country. Much of Cobra’s early funding came from pyramid schemePyramid scheme
A pyramid scheme is a non-sustainable business model that involves promising participants payment or services, primarily for enrolling other people into the scheme, rather than supplying any real investment or sale of products or services to the public...
s and other semi-legitimate business plans initiated by Cobra Commander. A soap-selling pyramid scheme is what got Cobra Command started in Springfield, allowing a gradual and intense takeover.
In a very short time, Cobra evolved from a business into a paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
movement. Motivated by greed and power, the group soon expanded all over the country, operating in secret, engaging in terrorism to achieve their objectives. By the time the U.S. government recognized Cobra as a threat, the organization had already gained footholds as a powerful private army and terrorist organization around the world.
Many of its members (especially those in the elite Crimson Guard
Crimson Guard
The Crimson Guard is an elite organization within the fictional G.I. Joe universe. They are members of Cobra Command, the nemesis of the G.I. Joe team. They are often referred to by a phonetic spelling of their organization's initials, "Siegies". Tomax and Xamot are the commanders of the Crimson...
units) lead seemingly normal lives, supporting Cobra covertly. Cobra attracted members with the promise of fast financial rewards and power for those willing to be ruthless enough. It also offered a world of order and strength, with its 'model community' of Springfield being one example of the Cobra ideal.
Cobra would eventually achieve a temporary legitimacy by the artificial creation of Cobra Island, which was recognized as an independent nation by the international community, much to the dismay of G.I. Joe. This allowed Cobra to have diplomatic facilities in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
via the Cobra consulate.
During Serpentor's tenure Cobra's primary source of income came from arms sales to Third World
Third World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
nations. This led to a clash with Destro's M.A.R.S. Organization, which provided Cobra with much of its arms.
For a comic series predominantly aimed at children, Cobra was a relatively realistic depiction of a highly successful terrorist organization. With its strong symbolic imagery, charismatic and ruthless leader, and fanatical hierarchy, the fictional group is similar to other fictional terrorist
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
and fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
organizations such as SPECTRE
SPECTRE
SPECTRE is a fictional global terrorist organisation featured in the James Bond novels by Ian Fleming, the films based on those novels, and James Bond video games...
of James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
fame and the similar Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
organization HYDRA
HYDRA
HYDRA is a fictional terrorist organization in the Marvel Universe.Despite the name's capitalization per Marvel's official spelling, the name is not an acronym but rather a reference to the mythical Lernaean Hydra...
.
Larry Hama
Larry Hama
Larry Hama is an American comic book writer, artist, actor and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s....
depicted Cobra troops as being motivated by money, power, and a sense of brotherhood. However, they are not fanatical to the point where they would fight to the last man and to the last breath. If all is lost, they would willingly surrender or run away had they the chance, something their leaders rarely let them do. The brutal training depicted in the file cards of the troopers are very much characteristic of ritualistic hazing
Hazing
Hazing is a term used to describe various ritual and other activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group....
.
The only instance that has shown Cobra as a suicidal fanatical organization was in issue #8 where the troopers willingly let themselves blow up on a boat after their loss.
Action Force
In the United Kingdom, G.I. Joe was marketed under the name Action ForceAction Force
Action Force was a 1980s range of European action figures initially based on Action Man, and later used to introduce G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toys to European markets...
. The original antagonists in the Action Force series were the Red Shadows
Red Shadows
The Red Shadows are the fictional fighting force opposed to Action Force and depicted in the UK Battle Action Force comic books. They were also portrayed in action figures by Palitoy as a European version of the G.I. Joe range. Later US G.I. Joe storylines have revived the Red Shadows as an...
. The Red Shadows were a terrorist organization led by Baron Ironblood
Baron Ironblood
Baron Ironblood is a fictional character from Action Force, the British equivalent to the G. I. Joe Franchise. He appeared in the Battle Action Force comic books and annuals of the 1980s and was cast as an action figure by toy-makers Palitoy and distributed around Europe.In West Germany, he was...
and his lieutenant the Black Major. Prominent members included artillery expert Red Laser
Red Laser
Red Laser is an Action Force action figure and comic book character. He is a Red Shadow and the gunner of the Laser Exterminator.Red Laser was known in West Germany as Roter Laser.-Characterisation:...
and tank commander Red Jackal
Red Jackal
Red Jackal is an Action Force action figure and comic book character. He is a Red Shadow and the driver of the Hyena battle tank.-Characterisation:...
. The latter disguised his scarred visage with a steel mask.
The Action Force series was eventually written to more closely match the American G.I. Joe universe; the 'World Enemy No. 1' storyline in the Battle Action Force comic had Ironblood betraying the Red Shadows, abandoning them to die pointlessly, and going into hiding. When he emerged once more, he had organized a new group and renamed himself as Cobra Commander. The Red Jackal tracked down Cobra Commander after an arduous journey with the intention of killing him to avenge the treachery Cobra Commander performed. On the brink of throttling the Commander, Jackal succumbed to stun gas and passed out, not quite completing his sentence declaring his intention to destroy the former Baron Ironblood. Admiring his tenacity and resourcefulness, Cobra Commander elected not to kill the man, instead allowing him to continue to serve. To remind Jackal that, in the end, he failed to eliminate Cobra Commander, the leader renamed him 'Destro
Destro
Laird James McCullen Destro XXIV, usually referred to simply as Destro, is a fictional villain from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys from Hasbro. He is portrayed by Christopher Eccleston in the 2009 live-action film, G.I...
'—the last word he spoke as his former self.
IDW
When IDW PublishingIDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
purchased the rights to G.I. Joe in 2008 one of the three books they announced was the G.I. Joe: Cobra
G.I. Joe: Cobra
G.I. Joe: Cobra is a four-issue G.I. Joe comic book miniseries written by Christos Gage and Mike Costa, drawn by Antonio Fuso and published by IDW Publishing.-Publication history:...
mini-series. Starting in March 2009, and written by Christos Gage
Christos Gage
Christos N. "Chris" Gage is an American comic book writer and screenwriter.-Early life:Gage is the son of author and journalist Nicholas Gage. He was born in New York, and grew up in Athens, Greece, and then North Grafton, Massachusetts...
and Mike Costa with art by Antonio Fuso, it stars Chuckles
Chuckles (G.I. Joe)
Chuckles is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's undercover specialist and debuted in 1987.-Profile:...
going undercover into the organization.
Cobra is a shadowy, rumored organization at the start of the series, led by a man only known as "the Commander"; however, there have been other Commanders in the past, elected into 'office' by the faceless body known as the Cobra Council. The Baroness refers to it as " an old organization... ensconced in its own traditions" and the next issue would show Cobra has existed for centuries. The Council's identities are unknown.
Other high ranking agents include Xamot and Tomax (corporate leaders), Crystal Ball (psychological tactics master and internal affairs), Major Bludd, Captain Vicuna (submarine commander), and the chief scientists Dr Mindbender and Copperback.
It has its own secret communications network, the Cobranet, unconnected to the regular Internet. Terrorist groups across the planet are somewhat aware of Cobra, and scared of it. Cobra Special #1 reveals that Cobra convinced Tamox and Xamot to merge their Extensive Enterprises organisation with them; G.I. Joe Origins #20 reveals they also have an aid company that's a front, and they use a psychological test to identify potential, loyal recruits. Cobra #5-8 also reveal that a large cult, the Coil, is also part of Cobra's organization. As per #16 and #17 of the ongoing, they have a prison called Section Ten and later issues reveal a base on the Moon.
The first Cobra mini-series reveals in #4 that Cobra's standard method is to (covertly) further destabilize an already unstable nation, using both terrorism and shell companies to hit the economy; they then (openly) hire out their Crimson Guard soldiers to that country, and slowly make the population trust Cobra more than their government. One operation involved manipulating a small war in Africa, forcing the attacked nation to sell off its national assets.
Mainframe first stumbles across the global Cobra conspiracy by accident, and was believed to be crazy by General Hawk. Determined to reveal the organization, he went AWOL. Later, Snake-Eyes goes AWOL looking for Cobra too.
The Joes later hear the word "Cobra" mentioned after busting one of Destro's arm shipments in #0 of the regular series, but are unaware of what it truly is or that Destro was shipping to the organization. Duke believes the organization is just a myth and Hawk now believes it is the codename for an operation, but by this point Scarlett believes Cobra is a real, large-scale threat. As a result, she kept unauthorized contact with Snake-Eyes about it. Meanwhile, Chuckles is sent to infiltrate an organization which is soon found to be Cobra (Cobra #1-4).
In order to avoid being executed for the information leak, Destro both captured the Baroness (Cobra's assassin) and intended to bribe them with data stolen from the Joes and the M.A.S.S. Device, a teleporter engine. Cobra simply stormed Castle Destro, took it all, and captured him, enslaving him as a researcher for them. When he failed to be of enough use, he was sent to Section 10 but was able to seize command of it from Major Bludd. As a result, he was given a command position in Cobra.
Thanks to Mainframe and Snake-Eyes, Cobra is revealed to the Joes. At the same time (chronologically, but printed earlier in #4 of the first Cobra mini-series), Xamot and Tamox reveal they knew Chuckles was a spy all along, and they've been using him to feed selective information to the Joes in order to intimidate them. Chuckles goes rogue in order to bring the organization down.
Now aware of Cobra, the Joes begin targeting its cells and operations, gain a Cobra defector named Erika la Tene, and attempt to prevent the completion of the M.A.S.S. Device. However, Cobra is also aware of the general location of the Joe base, the Pit and, with the abduction of scientist Gerry Orizama, they complete the MASS in #15. By #16, Cobra had established a moon base, Sabine Base, and sent an investigatory team to the Pit's location in #18 (which was killed). G.I. Joe retaliated with a raid on the island Manatua, which was the source of money-laundering activity on the CobraNet, but failed to stop a nuclear bomb being detonated on a nearby faultline; all the data on the island was destroyed, though the Joes did manage to capture Cobra's sub Dreadnaught and kill Captain Vicuna.
In #26-28 and Cobra #12-3, Cobra is hideously damaged in two separate conflicts with the Joes. In the former case, their enemy use the M.A.S.S. Device to reach Section Zero itself, and agents Snake-Eyes and Helix cause the loss of the base, many technicians and Vipers, and the Device; Sabine Base is left isolated and helpless with the loss of teleportation. Worse still, Joe infiltrator Chuckles - whom Cobra Commander believed was being successfully 'turned' into a Cobra - shot the Commander through the head and caused the nuclear obliteration of another base.
The Cobra Council responded by creating a contest to determine who'd be the next Commander - whoever murdered the most Joes. A slaughter was kicked off, including the death of almost the entire Ninja Force. Baroness, despite being in the running, doesn't believe the Council would make her the Commander as she's a woman and Cobra would never accept a female leader.
Sunbow
The SunbowSunbow Productions
Sunbow Entertainment was an animation studio, founded in 1980 and owned up until 1998 by Griffin-Bacal Advertising in New York. The first animation efforts by Griffin-Bacal were producing the animated commercials for Hasbro's G.I...
cartoon did not explore how Cobra began. It was only in G.I. Joe: The Movie
G.I. Joe: The Movie
G.I. Joe: The Movie is a 1987 animated film spun off from the animated series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, based on the original Hasbro toyline. It was produced by Sunbow Productions and Marvel Productions and was animated in Japan by Toei Animation.Created at the height of the G.I. Joe craze in...
that it is revealed that the organization was a front runner for a 40,000 year-old underground civilization called Cobra-La
Cobra-La
Cobra-La is a fictional civilization created by Hasbro for the military-themed toyline and TV series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. Introduced to the public in G.I. Joe: The Movie and the 1987 series of action figures, Cobra-La was created as a reference to James Hilton's Lost Horizon, and the...
, whose snake-like inhabitants were driven underground by the advent of humankind. Cobra Commander was, in actuality, a member of this underground race. He was tasked with creating an organization that would overrun the world at large. This revelation, though, contradicts what was established in the first season of the series. Also revealed is that the creation of Serpentor was an initiative by Cobra-La; through the use of a biological mind controlling device, they implanted the idea into Dr. Mindbender's mind as an act of discipline against Cobra Commander.
The creation of Cobra-La was an unintentional side effect of Hasbro's demand that the heretofore unintroduced Cobra Emperor Serpentor
Serpentor
Serpentor is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys created by Hasbro. The character was introduced in 1986 as a toy with an air chariot and included in the animated series that same year.-Toys:...
be inserted into the series, despite the fact that Cobra Commander had long been established as the one-and-only head of Cobra. Series story editor and writer Buzz Dixon offered two possible storylines to make it work: One had the senior Cobra leadership, fed up with Cobra Commander's constant failures, deciding to literally build a better leader. The other presented Cobra as being a front
Front organization
A front organization is any entity set up by and controlled by another organization, such as intelligence agencies, organized crime groups, banned organizations, religious or political groups, advocacy groups, or corporations...
for a vast, secretive, and far more sinister organization whose leadership finds Cobra Commander lacking and sends Serpentor as a replacement. Hasbro, liking both ideas, had the series writers combine both concepts.
The writers despised the name "Cobra-La" and had only originally intended to use it as a working name to be replaced by a "real" name in the finished product, but were overruled by Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
. Buzz Dixon originally had a much different idea for the origin of Cobra. In a story entitled "The Most Dangerous Man in the World", it was to be revealed that Cobra was originally organized around the political theories of a Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
/Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a 19th-century German philosopher, poet, composer and classical philologist...
-type figure, whom Cobra Commander locked away when the Commander began corrupting the Cobra philosophies away from its original principles.
Sgt. Savage and the Screaming Eagles
In the pilot episode of Sgt. Savage and his Screaming Eagles, General Blitz states that he helped create Cobra, during a teleconferenceTeleconference
A teleconference or teleseminar is the live exchange and mass articulation of information among several persons and machines remote from one another but linked by a telecommunications system...
between Blitz and Cobra Commander.
Sigma 6
Several of the prominent members stated above, such as Cobra Commander, Destro, the Baroness and Zartan are featured prominently in the series. Many of these members are given some form of cybernetic enhancements. The Sigma 6 version of Cobra maintains B.A.Ts as the primary bulk of their army with human personnel acting mostly as technicians.Renegades
Here Cobra is presented as Cobra Industries, a company involved in communications, pharmaceuticals, and military technologies. The government has long suspected them of criminal activityEvil corporation
An evil corporation is a staple of science fiction , usually a big multinational company which values profits over ethics....
, but has no evidence. The Joes, here framed as criminals for their attempt to discover the truth, attempt to find evidence of Cobra's plans of world domination. Cobra Commander, Baroness, Destro, Doctor Mindbender, Major Bludd, Storm Shadow, Zartan, and Firefly all appear.
In popular culture
- An international terrorist organization called "Cobra" guest-starred in the "Island of Doom" episode of the Hanna-BarberaHanna-BarberaHanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
GodzillaThe Godzilla Power HourGodzilla is a 30-minute animated series co-produced between Hanna-Barbera Productions and Toho in 1978 and aired on NBC in the US and TV Tokyo in Japan.The series is an animated adaptation of the Japanese Godzilla films produced by Toho...
animated series on December 1, 1979. The Hanna-Barbera Cobras also had blue uniformed troops, tanks, artillery, and its own air force. A few of the characters were similar to ones in Cobra Command. This episode appeared three years prior to the 1982 launch of the G.I. Joe: A Real American HeroG.I. Joe: A Real American HeroG.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a military-themed line of action figures and toys in Hasbro's G.I. Joe franchise. The toyline lasted from 1982 to 1994, producing well over 500 figures and 250 vehicles and playsets. The line reappeared in 1997 and has continued in one form or another to the...
toyline. - In season 3 of the Transformers animated series, a character known as 'Old Snake' who wears a silver mask with a single eyehole over his face (similar to Cobra Commander's mask) and sounds like Cobra Commander, appears in the episode "Only Human". At the end of the episode he says "they simply don't make terrorists like they used to" and shouts "Cobra!" in the manner of Cobra Commander. He appears to be a much older, semi-retired version of himself, as his shout of "CO-BRAAA!" is followed by harsh coughing and wheezing.
- Pro Wrestler CM PunkCM PunkPhillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion....
has a tattoo of Cobra's logo on his right shoulder. - On Hey Arnold, a bully named Wolfgang has a Cobra Organization logo on his shirt.
- The Cobra Organization appears in the Robot ChickenRobot ChickenRobot Chicken is an American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. Green provides many voices for the show...
episode "Joint Point." In a documentary segment in the style of The Office, each certain member explains their job in the Terrordrome ranging from Major Bludd serving as a bridge between the "blokes at the top of the ladder" (like Cobra Commander and Serpentor) and the "peons at the bottom," a Cobra Cloning Machine operator, Cobra logos placed on their products, a reference to the Weather Dominator exploding, Baroness explaining why inter-office romances are forbidden, and Doctor Mindbender running a class to train the Cobra Organization's New Recruits. - At the end of the I'm In The BandI'm in the BandI'm in the Band, is a live-action sitcom airing on Disney XD in the United States and on Family Channel in Canada. The pilot episode was taped on July 14, 2009, with a "sneak preview" airing on November 27, 2009; the show subsequently joined Disney XD's regular schedule on February 20, 2010, with...
episode "Izzy Gonna Sing?", Burger is wearing a red t-shirt with a blue Cobra logo. - A fictional team in All Pro Football 2k8 called the Carolina Cobras play in Extensive Enterprises Stadium.
External links
- Cobra Command at JMM's G.I. Joe Comics Home Page
- Cobra Hierarchy at The Inner Sanctum fansite