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Kobra (comics)
Encyclopedia
Kobra is the name used by two fictional supervillain
s published by DC Comics
. The Jeffrey Burr Kobra first appeared in Kobra #1 (February 1976), and was created by Martin Pasko
, Steve Sherman, Jack Kirby
, and Pablo Marcos
. The Jason Burr Kobra debuted in Faces of Evil: Kobra #1 (March 2009), and was created by Ivan Brandon
and Julian Lopez.
, Steve Sherman, Jack Kirby
, and Pablo Marcos
.
Kobra is also featured in a January 2009 Faces of Evil
one-shot, written by Ivan Brandon.
and mad scientist who has crossed paths with the majority of Earth's costumed heroes during his attempts to usher in the Kali Yuga
(an age of chaos). His real name is Jeffrey Franklin Burr, and he was born part of a set of siamese twins, but was stolen at birth by the Cult of the Kobra god, since a prophecy claimed he would lead them to rule the world. Under their teaching, he became a dangerous warrior and a sadistic
criminal mastermind. He led the cult into using advanced technology to menace the world. Followers of Kobra would frequently address their master as "Naja-Naja", "naja naja" being the binomial
name for the Indian Cobra
. This later became "Nāga
-Naga", a meaningless title which translates from the Sanskrit
as "snake-snake". Whether this change was intentional or an error is not known.
However, unknown to the cult, he had a psychic
link to his twin brother, Jason, who knew nothing of Kobra. As a result, one felt what the other felt, including pain. Because of this, his brother was recruited by an international agency to help them combat Kobra. At first, Kobra was unable to even hurt or kill his brother; eventually, however, he used a device that "shut off" the psychic link, and gave him the chance to kill Jason. However, Kobra was subsequently haunted by visions of his brother. Whether it really was his ghost or just Kobra's imagination was never revealed.
In subsequent years, Kobra would clash with assorted superheroes, including Batman
, whom he first met over a Lazarus Pit
of his own creation. Kobra had learned to build modified Lazarus Pits, which allowed him to control the minds of those he killed and resurrected. Kobra is the only person in the DC universe ever to decipher the formula for the Lazarus Pits. Kobra had special concerns about Wonder Woman
and sought to ensure her death, first by hiring a cartel of international assassins led secretly by corrupted UN Crisis Bureau chief Morgan Tracy (also Diana Prince
's boss), then by kidnapping and irretrievably damaging environmental activist Deborah Domaine, forcibly transforming her into a new Cheetah, and ultimately, facing her in combat in Egypt, faking his own demise after being defeated by the Amazon Princess. A short while later his various Strike Force Kobra teams would fight two different incarnations of Batman's Outsiders
. Kobra also fought the third Flash
, the Suicide Squad
led by Amanda Waller, the original incarnation of Checkmate
, Captain Atom
, a Superman
whose personality had been swapped with Ambush Bug
's by exposure to red kryptonite
, and others. Kobra is one of a very small number of individuals that has the capability of defeating Batman in hand-to-hand combat, and actually did so on one occasion.
The only organization ever to rival Kobra in the old DC Universe
(Pre-Crisis I
) was SKULL
. There were frequent recorded clashes between the two groups, the last occurring in Outsiders Annual #1 story "The Skull...The Serpent...and The Outsiders".
After the betrayal of his lover Eve during the Strike Force Kobra fiasco, she split Kobra in two and established her own splinter group. In the Power Company
: Sapphire #1 the Justice League rushes to San Diego
to prevent disaster as two rival factions of the Kobra Cult prepared to go to war. One faction was led by Eve; the other was led by Kobra himself.
He kidnaps the former hero Air Wave
and uses him to seize control of the world's media and satellite resources, intending to destroy a number of major world cities. However, in a demonstration of his power, he incidentally kills Terri Rothstein, Atom Smasher's mother, ensuring the Justice Society of America
's involvement. (Mrs Rothstein's life would later be saved through time travel
; Atom Smasher replacing her with the villain Extant
).
He appeared again in JSA #45, which featured his trial. He shrugs off claims of terrorism, claiming to be an enlightened soul (a bodhisattva
) trying to free souls from their karmic debt by random acts of violence. Following this, his followers threatened to kill the media outside the courthouse with bioengineered suicide bomb
implants. Holding everyone hostage with this tactic, he was allowed by the JSA to escape, leading to an outraged Black Adam
and Atom Smasher, who both subsequently choose to leave the team. In JSA #51, Atom Smasher, Black Adam, Northwind
, and Brainwave
track Kobra down to his headquarters in the Himalaya Mountains
. After killing his guards, Black Adam rips his heart out and he is dead instantly.
s. This involves the death of an entire facility of Checkmate agents, including several of Burr's old friends. Within the one-shot Jason reveals that he is re-structuring the organization and killing off all the old members. Before revealing himself as the new Kobra, Jason spent some time undercover as a Checkmate agent learning their secrets.
, Jeffrey Burr is a part of the Mankind Liberation Front led by Luthor
.
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
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 Jeffrey Burr Kobra first appeared in Kobra #1 (February 1976), and was created by Martin Pasko
Martin Pasko
Martin Pasko is a writer and editor in a diverse array of media, including comic books and television.Pasko has worked for many comics publishers, but is best known for his work with DC Comics over three decades. He has written Superman in many media, including television animation, webisodes, and...
, Steve Sherman, Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
, and Pablo Marcos
Pablo Marcos
Pablo Marcos Ortega, known professionally as Pablo Marcos is a comic book artist and commercial illustrator best known as one of his home country's leading cartoonists and for his work on such popular American comics characters as Batman and Conan the Barbarian, particularly during the 1970s...
. The Jason Burr Kobra debuted in Faces of Evil: Kobra #1 (March 2009), and was created by Ivan Brandon
Ivan Brandon
Ivan Brandon is a writer/editor known for his work on titles such as DC Comics' Final Crisis Aftermath: Escape and Kobra and Marvel Comics' Secret Invasion...
and Julian Lopez.
Publication history
Both Jeffrey and Jason Burr were originally created by Martin PaskoMartin Pasko
Martin Pasko is a writer and editor in a diverse array of media, including comic books and television.Pasko has worked for many comics publishers, but is best known for his work with DC Comics over three decades. He has written Superman in many media, including television animation, webisodes, and...
, Steve Sherman, Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
, and Pablo Marcos
Pablo Marcos
Pablo Marcos Ortega, known professionally as Pablo Marcos is a comic book artist and commercial illustrator best known as one of his home country's leading cartoonists and for his work on such popular American comics characters as Batman and Conan the Barbarian, particularly during the 1970s...
.
Kobra is also featured in a January 2009 Faces of Evil
Faces of Evil
"Faces of Evil" is a DC Comics "event" in January 2009, that editor Dan DiDio described as "inspirationally tied to Final Crisis" as they aim to address the question the series raises: "What happens when evil wins?" Numerous monthly books will have villains displayed on their covers while four...
one-shot, written by Ivan Brandon.
Jeffrey Franklin Burr
Kobra is an international terroristTerrorism
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 mad scientist who has crossed paths with the majority of Earth's costumed heroes during his attempts to usher in the Kali Yuga
Kali Yuga
Kali Yuga is the last of the four stages that the world goes through as part of the cycle of yugas described in the Indian scriptures. The other ages are Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga and Dvapara Yuga...
(an age of chaos). His real name is Jeffrey Franklin Burr, and he was born part of a set of siamese twins, but was stolen at birth by the Cult of the Kobra god, since a prophecy claimed he would lead them to rule the world. Under their teaching, he became a dangerous warrior and a sadistic
Sadism and masochism
Sadomasochism broadly refers to the receiving of pleasure—often sexual—from acts involving the infliction or reception of pain or humiliation. The name originates from two authors on the subject, Marquis de Sade and Leopold von Sacher-Masoch...
criminal mastermind. He led the cult into using advanced technology to menace the world. Followers of Kobra would frequently address their master as "Naja-Naja", "naja naja" being the binomial
Binomial nomenclature
Binomial nomenclature is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, although they can be based on words from other languages...
name for the Indian Cobra
Indian Cobra
Indian Cobra or Spectacled Cobra is a species of the genus Naja found in the Indian subcontinent and a member of the "big four", the four species which inflict the most snakebites in India. This snake is revered in Indian mythology and culture, and is often seen with snake charmers...
. This later became "Nāga
Naga
Naga or NAGA may refer to:* Nāga, a group of serpent deities in Hindu and Buddhist mythology.-People:* Nayan / Nayar/Nair people of Kerala Society* Naga people, a diverse ethnic identity in Northeast India...
-Naga", a meaningless title which translates from the Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
as "snake-snake". Whether this change was intentional or an error is not known.
However, unknown to the cult, he had a psychic
Psychic
A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
link to his twin brother, Jason, who knew nothing of Kobra. As a result, one felt what the other felt, including pain. Because of this, his brother was recruited by an international agency to help them combat Kobra. At first, Kobra was unable to even hurt or kill his brother; eventually, however, he used a device that "shut off" the psychic link, and gave him the chance to kill Jason. However, Kobra was subsequently haunted by visions of his brother. Whether it really was his ghost or just Kobra's imagination was never revealed.
In subsequent years, Kobra would clash with assorted superheroes, including Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, whom he first met over a Lazarus Pit
Lazarus Pit
A Lazarus Pit is a fictional natural phenomenon in the . They are primarily found in the Batman titles and are commonly used by Ra's al Ghul for their restorative powers.-Fictional history:...
of his own creation. Kobra had learned to build modified Lazarus Pits, which allowed him to control the minds of those he killed and resurrected. Kobra is the only person in the DC universe ever to decipher the formula for the Lazarus Pits. Kobra had special concerns about Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
and sought to ensure her death, first by hiring a cartel of international assassins led secretly by corrupted UN Crisis Bureau chief Morgan Tracy (also Diana Prince
Diana Prince
Diana Prince is a fictional character created by Charles Moulton and Harry G. Peter. Appearing regularly in stories published by DC Comics, she debuted in Sensation Comics #1 and serves as the civilian and secret identity of the superhero Wonder Woman.-Overview:Through the popularity of her Wonder...
's boss), then by kidnapping and irretrievably damaging environmental activist Deborah Domaine, forcibly transforming her into a new Cheetah, and ultimately, facing her in combat in Egypt, faking his own demise after being defeated by the Amazon Princess. A short while later his various Strike Force Kobra teams would fight two different incarnations of Batman's Outsiders
Outsiders (comics)
The Outsiders are a fictional DC Comics superhero team. As its name suggests, the team consists of superheroes who allegedly do not fit the norms of the mainstream superhero community, namely the Justice League....
. Kobra also fought the third Flash
Flash (comics)
The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 ....
, the Suicide Squad
Suicide 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...
led by Amanda Waller, the original incarnation of 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!...
, Captain Atom
Captain Atom
Captain Atom is a fictional comic book superhero that has existed in three basic incarnations. Created by writer Joe Gill and artist/co-writer Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Space Adventures #33 . Captain Atom was created for Charlton Comics but was later acquired by DC Comics and revised for...
, a Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
whose personality had been swapped with Ambush Bug
Ambush Bug
Ambush Bug is a fictional character who has appeared in several comic books published by DC Comics.His real name is supposedly Irwin Schwab, but he has mental problems that prevent him from truly understanding reality around him, so even his true identity might be no more than a delusion on his part...
's by exposure to red kryptonite
Kryptonite
Kryptonite is a fictional material from the Superman mythos —the ore form of a radioactive element from Superman's home planet of Krypton. It is famous for being the ultimate physical weakness of Superman, and the word kryptonite has since become synonymous with an Achilles' heel —the one weakness...
, and others. Kobra is one of a very small number of individuals that has the capability of defeating Batman in hand-to-hand combat, and actually did so on one occasion.
The only organization ever to rival Kobra in the old DC Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
(Pre-Crisis I
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
) was SKULL
SKULL (DC Comics)
The SKULL group is a fictional DC Comics criminal organization, introduced in 1976's Superman issue #301. They were created by Gerry Conway and Curt Swan.-Bronze Age:...
. There were frequent recorded clashes between the two groups, the last occurring in Outsiders Annual #1 story "The Skull...The Serpent...and The Outsiders".
After the betrayal of his lover Eve during the Strike Force Kobra fiasco, she split Kobra in two and established her own splinter group. In the Power Company
Power Company
The Power Company was a team of professional superheroes-for-hire in the DC Comics universe. The team, created by Kurt Busiek and Tom Grummett, first appeared in JLA 61,...
: Sapphire #1 the Justice League rushes to San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
to prevent disaster as two rival factions of the Kobra Cult prepared to go to war. One faction was led by Eve; the other was led by Kobra himself.
He kidnaps the former hero Air Wave
Air Wave
Air Wave is the name of three fictional superheroes in the DC Comics universe. The first two were active in the Golden Age of Comic Books...
and uses him to seize control of the world's media and satellite resources, intending to destroy a number of major world cities. However, in a demonstration of his power, he incidentally kills Terri Rothstein, Atom Smasher's mother, ensuring the Justice Society of America
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
's involvement. (Mrs Rothstein's life would later be saved through time travel
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
; Atom Smasher replacing her with the villain Extant
Hank Hall
Hank Hall is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe who first appeared in Showcase #75 as Hawk of Hawk and Dove. He later became the supervillain Monarch in the crossover event limited series Armageddon 2001...
).
He appeared again in JSA #45, which featured his trial. He shrugs off claims of terrorism, claiming to be an enlightened soul (a bodhisattva
Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." The Pali term has sometimes been translated as "wisdom-being," although in modern publications, and...
) trying to free souls from their karmic debt by random acts of violence. Following this, his followers threatened to kill the media outside the courthouse with bioengineered suicide bomb
Suicide attack
A suicide attack is a type of attack in which the attacker expects or intends to die in the process.- Historical :...
implants. Holding everyone hostage with this tactic, he was allowed by the JSA to escape, leading to an outraged Black Adam
Black Adam
Black Adam is a fictional comic book character, created in 1945 by Otto Binder & C. C. Beck for Fawcett Comics. Originally created as a one-shot villain for Fawcett Comics' Marvel Family team of superheroes, Black Adam was revived as a recurring supervillain after DC Comics began publishing Captain...
and Atom Smasher, who both subsequently choose to leave the team. In JSA #51, Atom Smasher, Black Adam, Northwind
Northwind (comics)
Northwind is a fictional avian human hybrid published by DC Comics.Created by Roy Thomas, Jerry Ordway and Mike Machlan, Northwind first appeared in All-Star Squadron #25...
, and Brainwave
Brainwave (comics)
Brainwave is a name shared by two characters in the DC Comics Universe, who are father and son.-Henry King, Sr.:The Brain Wave was Henry King, a super-villain who used his psionic powers to battle the Justice Society of America in the 1940s, first appearing in All-Star Comics #15...
track Kobra down to his headquarters in the Himalaya Mountains
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
. After killing his guards, Black Adam rips his heart out and he is dead instantly.
Jason Burr
Jeffrey's twin brother Jason is re-animated by the Kobra Cult in Faces of Evil: Kobra #1 (March 2009), possibly through the use of Kobra's Lazarus PitLazarus Pit
A Lazarus Pit is a fictional natural phenomenon in the . They are primarily found in the Batman titles and are commonly used by Ra's al Ghul for their restorative powers.-Fictional history:...
s. This involves the death of an entire facility of Checkmate agents, including several of Burr's old friends. Within the one-shot Jason reveals that he is re-structuring the organization and killing off all the old members. Before revealing himself as the new Kobra, Jason spent some time undercover as a Checkmate agent learning their secrets.
Kobra Organization
- The Kobra organization survived Jeffrey Burr's death, and has been gaining converts. In Identity Crisis, it was revealed that DCU prisoners (such as SlipknotSlipknot (comics)Slipknot is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. His first appearance is in Fury of Firestorm #28.-Fictional character biography:Slipknot's real name is Christopher Weiss...
) sometimes convert to the cult of Kobra, to the general disgust of the DC's superheroes. - Like Ra's al GhulRa's al GhulRa's al Ghul is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Batman's greatest enemies. His name in Arabic has been translated in the comics as "The Demon's Head" and references the name of the star Algol. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's...
, Kobra owned a hidden network of very specialized Lazarus PitLazarus PitA Lazarus Pit is a fictional natural phenomenon in the . They are primarily found in the Batman titles and are commonly used by Ra's al Ghul for their restorative powers.-Fictional history:...
s. - Kobra apparently entertains many specialized sub-sections. One such section was the Blackadders, a group of ninja-like fanatics. In the past, Kobra operated an aggressive metahuman research and recruitment program. This program that gave birth to both known versions of Strikeforce Kobra.
- Kobra is currently active in the DCU as a terrorist organization with a religious bent. Upon the death of Jeffrey Burr, it underwent a power-struggle, with would-be leaders including King SnakeKing SnakeKing Snake is a fictional character who appears in books published by DC Comics universe, usually as an adversary of Tim Drake and Batman. Created by writer Chuck Dixon and artist Tom Lyle, King Snake first appeared in Robin #2...
, and (unwillingly) a schoolfriend of Tim Drake who apparently fitted the prophecy, but this has apparently settled: a new leader has emerged (possibly Eve who had split off with half of the old school Kobra). Under her, the organization now seeks to fulfill 'the prophecies of Kali Yuga'. It is actively being fought by the super-spy agency known as CheckmateCheckmate (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!...
. - The new Kobra seems to be ranked by serpent type, low level members are LanceheadsBothropsBothrops is a genus of venomous pitvipers found in Central and South America. The generic name is derived from the Greek words bothros and ops that mean "pit" and "eye" or "face"; an allusion to the heat-sensitive loreal pit organs. Members of this genus are responsible for more human deaths in the...
, higher level members are called NagasNagaNaga or NAGA may refer to:* Nāga, a group of serpent deities in Hindu and Buddhist mythology.-People:* Nayan / Nayar/Nair people of Kerala Society* Naga people, a diverse ethnic identity in Northeast India...
(Checkmate vol. 2 #4), the highest level shown are the Bestowed, mysticsMysticismMysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
who specialize in Blood Magic (Checkmate vol. 2 #24). - Following the resurrection of Jason Burr, he has seized control of the organization and is reorganizing it. (Faces of Evil: Kobra #1).
Other versions
In Kingdom ComeKingdom Come (comics)
Kingdom Come is a four-issue comic book mini-series published in 1996 by DC Comics. It was written by Alex Ross and Mark Waid and painted in gouache by Ross, who also developed the concept from an original idea...
, Jeffrey Burr is a part of the Mankind Liberation Front led by 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...
.
Television
- A future version of Kobra (or, at least, his organization) appeared in four episodes of Batman BeyondBatman BeyondBatman Beyond is an American animated television series created by Warner Bros. Animation in collaboration with DC Comics as a continuation of the Batman legacy...
. Its members appeared not to be warriors but scientists who have an obsession with reptiles. They also made virus tests on people who were kidnapped. They in turn became reptilian creatures that obey Kobra's every command. Little is known about the origins of Kobra, but they had long admired the power of the dinosaurs. They envisioned them as the only life form capable of ruling the world once again. So, for years Kobra sought a way to splice human genes with dinosaurs' DNA. Until they could achieve their main goal, Kobra used cutting edge technology for robberies, extortion and terrorism, which led them to clash with Batman (Terry McGinnisTerry McGinnisBatman is a fictional superhero in comics published by DC Comics as well as the main protagonist of the animated television series Batman Beyond , in which he has succeeded Bruce Wayne as the protector of Gotham City. He was voiced by Will Friedle...
) on a few occasions. Kobra was ruthless and unforgiving. Every member of Kobra was expected to have complete allegiance and devotion to the organization, and any protocol breach was punished with a gruesome death in a pit of vipers. Among their interrogation techniques, Kobra used a sensor that turned one's thoughts into pictures. This way they could weed out traitors among their ranks (however, this instrument was proved to be fallible, as a young kid deceived it by sheer force of will as seen in "Unmasked"). There were several Kobra branches around the world, and each cell seemed to have its own Main Operator. The hierarchy of Kobra was depicted by color and garments. The ones on the bottom were foot soldiers, identified by their green spandex uniforms. They responded to members who donned an orange variation of the same spandex uniform, with golden bracelets on their forearms and forelegs, and a green exomis or hooded cloak. There were also scientists, technicians, or assistants who wore these garments. However, Main Operators usually had a chin beard. Within the infantry there were assassins that ranked above the rest. They were trained in specific fighting techniques, or armed with special weaponry, such as electrical flail or edge weapons. Altogether, these combatants were more dangerous and deadlier than the average foot soldier. Kobra's appearance was in "Plague", where it continued executing fiendish schemes to gain an edge and thrive. At one point, they developed a deadly super virus capable of complete biological devastation. They hired a criminal named False-Face to smuggle the virus from Saint Denis to Gotham City, and then broke into Gotham Plastics, where they planned to coat millions of cred-cards with the virus, thus transmitting it by hand-to-hand contact. In case that plan failed or the government resisted their demands, Kobra secretly turned Falseface into a virus carrier. Kobra planned to demand a ransom of 10 billion credits. Their actions were eventually intercepted by the NSA that had enlisted Stalker to track down and retrieve the virus. Kobra's plans were foiled by an unlikely alliance between Stalker and Batman. In the "Curse of the Kobra," it's revealed that despite having a resolute goal, Kobra lacked cohesive leadership. Therefore, they decided to genetically engineer the perfect Kobra leader. In the long run, they created Zander (voiced by Alexis DenisofAlexis DenisofAlexis Denisof is an American actor who is known for playing Wesley Wyndam-Pryce in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel.-Early life:...
). They carefully monitored and controlled his gestation, striving to create a healthy and resilient makeup. Right from early infancy, Kobra started to groom Zander to become the perfect leader. They brainwashed and trained him in military strategies and tactics. When Zander finally reached adolescence and was ready to assume his leadership, Kobra could finally move on with their plan. They stole a vial from Dr. Padu Banjahri, a paleontologist who had been recovering dinosaur DNA, and spliced their lackeys into dinosaurs. However, there was still the problem of adaptability: Dinosaurs were cold-blooded, so they could only survive in a tropical environment. In order to raise the planet's temperature, Kobra had stolen the R12 thermal bomb from the Nova Research Center. They planned to plunge it into a dormant volcano standing on a rift that went down to the Earth's core. This would start a chain reaction that would raise the temperature of the whole planet. However, thanks to the combined efforts of Batman, Max and Kairi Tanaga (Zander's martial arts teacher and a former fellow student of Bruce Wayne's own sensei), Kobra's supreme goal was brought to naught, and in the process they lost their perfect leader.
- The version of Kobra seen in Batman Beyond appears in an episode of Static ShockStatic ShockStatic Shock is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered in September 2000 on the Kids' WB! block and ran for four seasons, with a total of 52 half-hour episodes....
. In "Future Shock," Kobra carried on with their tactics, and eventually acquired another leader. They also secretly moved in to Platform 247, and used it as their new headquarters. In an undocumented occurrence, the police arrested Kobra Leader. Thus, Kobra designed a plan to imprison Static and then negotiate a trade. They forged a holographic message from Gear so as to lure Static into Platform 247, where he was ambushed, subdued and imprisoned in a stasis field. The negotiation, however, was never in Kobra's plans, as they never truly intended to give up the captive hero. It was but a ruse to provide their leader with an escape opportunity, while he was being transported to the exchange. After breaking out, Kobra Leader headed off to Kobra's headquarters to kill Static. However, Batman and Static's younger self broke in and took on Kobra's Leader and his soldiers. Static released his older self from the stasis field, and saw him single-handedly defeat a battalion of Kobra worshipers with a single jolt. Kobra's fate afterward remains unknown.
- The Kobra organization appears 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 "Requiem for a Scarlet Speedster" with the Kobra Leader voiced by Robin Atkin DownesRobin Atkin DownesBorn in London, England, Robin Atkin Downes is an English actor who is one of the most prolific voice-over actors in Los Angeles. He is well known for his work in film, television and voice acting...
. They are shown as a cult where they planned to sacrifice a woman in order to prepare for their world domination only to run afoul of Batman and the OutsidersOutsiders (comics)The Outsiders are a fictional DC Comics superhero team. As its name suggests, the team consists of superheroes who allegedly do not fit the norms of the mainstream superhero community, namely the Justice League....
(consisting of Black LightningBlack LightningBlack Lightning was one of the first major African American superheroes to appear in DC Comics. He debuted in Black Lightning #1 , and was created by Tony Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden.- Publication history :...
, KatanaKatana (comics)Katana is a fictional character, a superheroine that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in a special insert in The Brave and the Bold #200 , and was created to be a member of the first Outsiders team by writer Mike W...
, MetamorphoMetamorphoMetamorpho is a fictional character, a superhero in the . He is a founding member of the Outsiders, and has also joined multiple incarnations of the Justice League.-Publication history:...
, Geo-ForceGeo-ForceGeo-Force is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Markov is Prince of Markovia and the half-brother of Terra. Geo-Force is one of the founding members of the superhero group the Outsiders. He first appeared in a special insert in The Brave and the...
, and HaloHalo (comics)Halo is a fictional superheroine that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in a special insert in The Brave and the Bold #200 , and was created by Mike W...
). Though they managed to defeat Kobra and save the woman, Batman learned that the Outsiders forgot to blow up the bridge that was to prevent other Kobra soldiers from arriving.
- Kobra (alongside his cult) appears in the Young JusticeYoung Justice (TV series)Young Justice is an American animated television series created by Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti for Cartoon Network. Despite its title, it is not an adaptation of Todd Dezago and Todd Nauck's Young Justice comic series, but rather an adaptation of the entire DC Universe with a focus on young...
episode "Drop Zone" voiced by Arnold VoslooArnold VoslooArnold Vosloo is a South African American actor, best-known for playing Imhotep in The Mummy and its 2001 sequel The Mummy Returns, as well as the role of the superhero Darkman in the sequel Darkman II: The Return of Durant and its 1996 sequel, Darkman III: Die Darkman Die...
. The cult is in conflict with BaneBane (comics)Bane is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 , and was created by Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, and Graham Nolan. Bane has been one of Batman's more physically and intellectually powerful foes...
over the production of the drug Venom and ultimately revealed to be combining it with the Blockbuster Formula to create a more powerful and permanent transformation for the LightSecret Society of Super VillainsThe Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
. With the inclusion of some unnamed members, Kobra is served by MammothMammoth (comics)Mammoth , a fictional character that is a comic book supervillain from DC Comics. The character was created by George Pérez and Marv Wolfman.-Fictional character biography:...
(who was created from the Venom/Blockbuster formula) and ShimmerShimmer (comics)Shimmer is a fictional character, a supervillain in the DC Comics universe. She was created by George Pérez and Marv Wolfman and first appeared in New Teen Titans #3 .-Fictional character biography:...
. He and his cult ended up fighting Bane and Young Justice at the time when the Light's operative SportsmasterSportsmasterThe Sportsmaster is the name used by two DC Comics villains who used their sports skills for criminal purposes. The original Sportsmaster first appeared in All-American Comics #85 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Irwin Hasen....
came to pick up the formulas. He does fight Robin in the climax of the episode but manages to get away.
External links
- Hyperborea: Kobra
- Kobra at the DCU Guide