Kobra Cult (DC)

Kobra is a criminal organization that features in DC Comics.

History

Origin

The Kobra Cult

In time, they were regarded as an old Indian legend that spoke of a cult of cobra-worshippers that sought a new leader every 44 years. (Kobra v1 #1)

At New Delhi, a pair of Siamese Twins were born to the Burr family when the hospital was attacked by agents of Kobra who were seeking their prophecised leader who was said to had been born at that moment. After subduing the doctors, they found the two children and believed that Jeffrey Franklin Burr would grow up to become the leader of their cult. (Kobra v1 #1) After the death of Natalie, Jeffrey Burr returned to the cult with the goal of taking control of them and transformed them from a purely religious order into a global crime syndicate. (Kobra v1 #3)

It was thought that the cult had abandoned their North American chapter but they were actually operating in secret when they came under attack from the Brotherhood of the Monkey Fist. The attack saw many of their agents being killed with their top martial artist Adder being eliminated. (Green Arrow v2 #134)

After the betrayal of his lover Eve during the Strike Force Kobra fiasco, she split Kobra in two and established her own splinter group. The Justice League rushed 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. (The Power Company: Sapphire v1 #1)

One of their schemes was capturing the Metahuman Air-Wave in order to forcibly harness his power into shutting down or hijacking any technology on the planet. They settled their base of operations on Blackhawk Island and blackmailed the world into surrendering to them or face destruction with the Justice Society responding to the threat. (JSA v1 #11)

Kobra shrugged off claims of terrorism, claiming to be an enlightened soul and a bodhisattva who was 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. (JSA v1 #45)

The main body of the Kobra Cult back Jeffrey Burr's efforts to take control of the world's telecommunications with the powers of the superhero Air Wave, but they were stopped by the Justice Society of America. Months later, when Burr escaped from court, rogue JSAer Black Adam led a team that killed Burr. (JSA v1 #51)

Kobra journeyed into the Rock of Eternity in order to take part of the power of the Wrath statue of the Seven Deadly Enemies of Man. (JSA vs. Kobra v1 #4)

After a few years, however, the ruling body of Kobra came to a conclusion - the initial prophecy was accurate, but they had kidnapped the wrong child. Unearthing Jason Burr's remains and reanimated him in a Lazarus Pit. (Faces of Evil: Kobra v1 #1)

Post-Flashpoint

Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. It was said that this ancient cabal had ruled from the shadows since the time of the Pharaohs. (Bane: Conquest v1 #6) The Cult of the Kobra God was looking to bring about the end of the world with the coming of the Kali Yuga. This changed when they abducted a baby named Jeffrey Burr who was a mad genius that organised the cult into a force to conquer the world. Initially, he was opposed by his twin brother Jason Burr who was ultimately killed thus allowing for Jeffrey to turn the cult into a force of terror. Ultimately, he was killed by Black Adam but this did not break the Kobra Cult which diversified as it sought to fulfil the prophecies of the Kali Yuga. (Detective Comics v1 #992) The Kobra Cult came into conflict with the Parliament of Owls and dispatched their newly acquired agent Nightwing along with the outlaw Raptor to combat them. (Nightwing v4 #1) Its power began to vane causing some of its members to defect to organizations such as Leviathan leading to it striking at Gotham City in an effort to show its power to the world. (Detective Comics v1 #991)

Overview

Kobra Cult recruits in JSA Vs. Kobra v1 #6.

It was claimed that they were an international crime cartel who were involved in almost every criminal enterprise. (Green Arrow v2 #134) Internationally, they were held as being a terrorist organization consisting of religious zealots and paramilitary mercenaries who murdered innocents at any given opportunity. (Checkmate v2 #4)

The ranks of the Kobra organization included:

• Lancehead : a lower ranking position in the organization. (Checkmate v2 #4)
• Naga : a higher ranking position in the cult. (Checkmate v2 #4)
• Bestowed : a sect of inquisitors that used blood magic and could discern the secrets of others. (Checkmate v2 #10)
• Naja-Naja : title held by the leader of the cult. (Kobra v1 #1) This infallible ruler and demigod ruled until their death whereupon a new one was found through a mystical rite of divination that took months as the cult believed that their Naja-Naja's essence transferred into a new born child after their demise. (Bane: Conquest v1 #6)

The cult was divided into a number of houses such as the House of Asp with its leaders consisting of Lords. (Bane: Conquest v1 #9)

Potential leaders were chosen based on prophecy where they were trained until they reached their 21st birthday. As a test, they were forced to drink cobra venom and should they survive the normally fatal process then they were seen as being worthy in leading the cult. These leaders were sometimes referred to as sahib by their followers. (Kobra v1 #1) Funerals of a Naja-Naja were known to be sacred ceremonies that took days to complete whereby no business transactions were made by the cult as they prepared their leaders remains to be encased in a vault prepared for him since birth. The period between the choosing of a new leader was rife with chaos as conflict emerged within the Kobra Cult as scores were settled and members maneuvered for higher positions of power whilst those in the lower tiers advanced by murdering those that blocked their chance to ascend the ranks. During this time, the cult utilised mystical approaches with prayer and trances as they sought out the next Naja-Naja. (Bane: Conquest v1 #7)

They worshipped a cobra deity that was referred to as the serpent god. (Kobra v1 #1) Nulla Pambu was the name of the snake god of the Kobra cult. (Kobra v1 #2)

Their genetic research division was always looking out for new biological material and often used forgotten people that would not be noticed if they went missing such as refugees. (Nightwing v4 #2) The cults knowledge in this field allowed them to field Kobra Converts that were genetically enhanced devout assassins that appeared human but used drugs to transform themselves into serpentine hybrids with great strength. (Nightwing v4 #7) Operatives could swallow pills that transformed them into large serpent monsters with superhuman strength along with increased endurance allowing them to fight against super-powered beings. (Trinity v2 #16) Their genetically engineered warriors were shown to have the ability to regenerate their bodies from near-death state allowing them to revive even after seemingly being killed. (Showcase '93 v1 #8)

Known artifacts held by the cult included:

• Ovoid : a meteor that was actually a container holding an artificial being created by an alien race with these entity being known as the Servitor who followed commands of its master and used its foot tall great strength to attack its enemies. (Kobra v1 #1)
• Saber of Farah : a scimitar blade held in their possession. (Kobra v1 #1)
• Serpent's Egg : an extraterrestrial artifact that was a virtually indestructible psycho-interactive capable of serving as armour, transport and a variety of other roles. Once bonded to a person, it came to serve as a second skin for the user and could shapeshift into a variety of forms. (The Power Company: Sapphire v1 #1)

Their warriors sometimes deployed the flying sabers that were sword blades that moved through the air under their own power and tracked their targets. (Kobra v1 #2) A floating craft was used by the Lord Kobra that was known as the Kobra Ark. (Kobra v1 #1) A type of giant submarine headquarters used by the cult was the Sea Serpent. (The Power Company: Sapphire v1 #1)

Members

• Jeffrey Franklin Burr :
• Jason Blur :
• Lady Eve :
• Gennifer Deveraux : a female red-haired woman with short hair where she received assassin training that was sent to eliminate Deathstroke and Peacemaker. (Showcase '93 v1 #8)
• Psykosis :
• Ariadne Persakis :
• Daniel Temple :

Notes

• Kobra was created by Martin Pasko, Steve Sherman, Jack Kirby and Pablo Marcos where they made their first appearance in Kobra v1 #1 (March, 1976).

In other media

Television

Kobra in Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

• In Batman Beyond, Kobra appeared in the setting of the animated television series in the episode "Plague". They develop a super-virus capable of complete biological devastation. After hiring False-Face to smuggle the virus into Neo-Gotham, Kobra operatives break into Gotham Plastics to expose millions of cred-cards with the virus and spread it throughout the city. As a back-up plan, they also turn False-Face into a carrier for the virus. Kobra planned to demand a ransom of 10 billion credits, but are intercepted and foiled by Stalker and Batman. In the two-part episode "Curse of the Kobra", Kobra is revealed to have been working on genetically-engineering the perfect leader for their organization, whom they named Zander, as they lacked cohesive leadership. Throughout his gestation, infancy, and adolescence, Kobra groomed Zander to lead them. After coming of age, he leads the organization in stealing dinosaur DNA to transform their operatives into dinosaur hybrids. As their new hybrids were cold-blooded, Kobra also steals a thermal bomb, intending to detonate it inside a volcano that leads to the Earth's core and raise the planet's temperature. However, they are foiled by Batman, Max Gibson, and Kairi Tanaga, and Zander is lost in the ensuing battle. In flashbacks depicted in the episode "Unmasked", Batman revealed his secret identity to a young boy and inadvertently made him a target of Kobra. While the terrorists captured the latter and used a memory machine in an attempt to learn Batman's identity, the boy was able to deceive them by replacing Batman's face with that of his favorite action figure.
• In Static Shock, Kobra appeared in the setting of the animated television series in the episode "Future Shock" where they had a new, unnamed leader voiced by actor Lance Henriksen. After their leader was arrested, Kobra captures Static to ostensibly negotiate a trade while secretly helping their leader escape. Once he is freed, the Kobra leader attempts to kill Static, only to be foiled by Batman and Static's time-traveling younger self, who frees the latter's older counterpart so he can defeat Kobra.
• In Batman: The Brave and the Bold, the Kobra Cult appeared in the setting of the animated television series in the episode "Requiem for the Scarlet Speedster!". Lord Kobra and the cult were responsible for capturing a sacrificial victim that they intended for use in a ritual to bring forth the Kali-Yuga. This ritual was disrupted by the arrival of Batman and the Outsiders who battled the cultists. Batman managed to rescue the captive and the Outsiders defeated the guards as well as the animated giant stone cobra. However, the Outsiders neglected to take out the bridge to the castle that was used by Kobra which allowed the cultists to arrive to assist their defeated leader.
• In Young Justice, Kobra and the Kobra Cult made an appearance in the first season of the animated television series in the episode "Drop Zone". They were shown to be allied with the Light when they took control of Santa Prisca from Bane. Their mission was merging the Blockbuster formula with the Venom drug to create a more powerful combination known as Kobra-Venom to produce enhanced soldiers. The mission was stopped by the arrival of the Team which saw Kobra's leader escaping into the shadows.
• In Justice League: God's and Monster Chronicles, Kobra made an appearance as villains in the animated episode "Big". Steve Trevor tracked down their Base where they were creating a superweapon but he was freed by Bekka of the New God's who was this world's version of Wonder Woman. She quickly made short work of her foes with the Kobra leader with his last dying act unleashed his weapon that was the large mechanical titan called Giganta.

Films

• In Batman: Soul of the Dragon, the Kobra Cult appeared in the setting of the animated film. They were shown as being worshippers of the great snake god Naga and long sought to free him from his dimension. The only means to do so was through 'the Gate' which was a doorway that was being kept at a monastery in Nanda Parbat. A member of the cult named Rip Jagger came to infiltrate the site by becoming a martial arts student of the O-Sensei who served as the protector of the Gate. He came to find the key in the Soul Breaker sword which he used to murder Jade Nyugen as a sacrifice to open the Gate allowing for serpentine demons to arrive where they killed Jagger. O-Sensei's students fought the monsters whilst he sacrificed himself by going through the Gate to close it before Naga could emerge onto Earth. Though thwarted, the Kobra Cult came to acquire the Gate whilst they came under the leadership of Jeffrey Burr who was groomed since childhood to take over the organization. He was later aided by Lady Eve, King Snake and Schlangenfaust as his lieutenants where they once again attempted to open the Gate after stealing the Soul Breaker from Lady Shiva.

Appearances

• Kobra v1: (1976)
• Green Arrow v2: #134
• Checkmate:
• Showcase '93 v1: (1993)
• The Power Company: Sapphire v1:
• Faces of Evil: Kobra v1:
• JSA v1:
• Nightwing:
• Detective Comics v1:

External Links

• DC Database Entry
• Comicvine Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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