While surfing the Public Domain Super Heroes site one day, I was pretty intrigued to read about this "heavily armed terrorist army" that took on the Green Mask back in 1946. Here they are...the Hooded Cobras:
It was hard for me not be struck by how much their battle flag...
...reminded me of another icon of my childhood:
G.I. Joe, along with superheroes, Star Wars, and maybe a few other properties here and there (MASK? He-Man?), was a crucial pillar holding up my imagination back in the day. The criminal organization that was the thorn in G.I. Joe's side always had a slick theme that I appreciated more and more as I looked back on it. That's probably one of the reasons I think Hydra's so stylish; they remind me of Cobra. (Yep, I know Hydra came first...)
Now, the Hooded Cobras aren't quite so slick...the resemblance in attire to a certain hate-based organization is a little weird...but it wouldn't take much of a stretch to see a similar influence going into the depiction of their leader, King Cobra...
...that you might see in the creation of this guy:
With that said, I think King Cobra and his minions seem like a fine menace for Dogwood City. After all (spoiler alert), justice is sure to win in the end...
Here is what seems to be the one appearance of the Hooded Cobras. For now. (Oh, and tomorrow...back to some good old-fashioned costumed crimefighters.)
King Cobra
Real name: Unknown
Level 4
4 Hit Dice
Defense 13
Attack +4 (by weapon)
Mastery: Coercion
Hooded Cobra (rookie agent)
Level 1
1 Hit Die
Defense 11
Attack +1 (by weapon)
I saw these guys looking through the wiki and had the same thought.
ReplyDeleteI guess Cobra...like Scorpion...just lends itself nicely to baddies. The more I've thought about it, the more I realize that these guys may even match more closely with DC's cult of Kobra (which Jack Kirby initially named King Kobra, apparently).
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