King Cobra (Klaus Voorhees)
Real Full Name:Klaus Voorhees.
Other Known Aliases:Cobra, the Human Cobra, and “Cobey”.
Alignment: Bad.
Group Affiliation: Leader of the Serpent Society now known as the Serpent Solutions. Former partnership with Mister Hyde, Formerly the 1st Serpent Squad as leader, the 2nd Serpent Squad, and the Thunderbolts Army.
Known Relatives: Unknown Father; Unknown Mother; unidentified Sibling; Piet Voorhees (King Cobra) (nephew).
Status
Species: Mutated Human.
Citizenship:American citizen of the United States of America with a criminal record. Formerly Dutch as a citizen of Holland.
Identity: Both his identity as King Cobra and his dual identity as Klaus Voorhees are known throughout the general public or populace of Earth including various government organizations and multiple superhuman groups as well as local authorities and is not widely known throughout the general public or populace of Earth.
Marital Status:Single.
Occupation: Professional Criminal and Mercenary. Former Scientific Research Lab Assistant.
Place of Birth:Rotterdam, Holland, the Netherlands within the United States of America on the planet Earth.
Base of Operations: Mobile; Formerly Various Serpent Citadels, most were within New York within the United States of America on the planet Earth. The 1st was located near Pawling, New York, 2nd located at the Stuyesant Arms Hotel in the Bronx. 3rd was located at 1260 Camden Drive in Sandhaven, Arizona before being relocated back to New York.
First Appearance:Journey into Mystery, Volume 1, Issue 98 (November, 1963).
Number of Earth 616 Appearances: 101. Number of Total Issues Appeared In: 269.
Characteristics
Gender: Male.
Height: 5'10" (1.778 meters).
Weight: 160 lbs (72.5748 kg).
Eyes: Blue.
Hair: Bald.
Skin Colour and/or Ethnicity: Dutch Caucasian.
Unusual and/or Distinguishing Features: King Cobra has no major feature; however his swayback posture makes him appear shorter. Over time King Cobra’s body did start to change
as his teeth grew becoming pointed like fangs, with his skin appearing thicker with scales. He also started molting his skin on occasion; which left him with a serpentine appearance (scales, yellowed eyes), but his appearance gradually returned back to normal.
Known Powers:
King Cobra possesses certain unusual physical powers derived from a mixture of the irradiated cobra venom from a bite from radioactive cobra and an experimental anti-toxin antidote, which caused a mutagenic catalyst which gave him certain cobra-like powers. Over time, King Cobra’s body and some of his powers began to change as on at least one occasion, Cobra had shed his old snake like skin, leaving it behind with his skin appearing thick with scales for a time afterward. After gaining his powers; Cobra created his own costumed battle suit, gadgets and weapons in order to become more dangerous.
Among the 1st Serpent Squad group made up of himself, Eel, and Viper; Eel himself considered, Cobra the best of the three of them. [10]
Elasticity: King Cobra’s main power is his body’s elasticity as he possesses certain unusual physical powers derived from his altered mutagenically physiology allowing him simulate the movement of a snake. As such, all the bones within his body, including his skull became pliable and malleable, allowing them to bend, contract and compress without any injury, with his large organs including his brain being able to be deformed and compressed without any hindrance to him, as well as his muscle tissue being exceedingly resilient, causing his body to be very flexible and pliant, making it nearly impossible for Cobra to break a bone, tear muscles, or burst organs with most if not all his physical capabilities being greater to that of normal humans such as:
Superhuman Flexibility:Due to his elasticity; King Cobra possesses flexibility far greater than that of normal humans as well as has phenomenal mastery of his musculature as he has a great degree of independent control over every muscle in his body, enabling him to slither across the ground, without using his arms and legs, through simple muscle contraction alone. As a result
of his body’s far greater than normal flexibility, Cobra is double jointed, can dislocate and snap back into place his shoulders and hips at will, and can contort his body into almost any shape.
Because of this, Cobra can slither into and out of very tight and small places by compressing large areas of his body, letting him be able to break in, and escape from, buildings with Cobra being capable of fitting into any hole or slot down to less than 10 cm or 4 inches in diameter
as he has easily reached secure areas by squeezing through under doors, via drain pipes, through maintenance spaces and small holes in walls, through piping, and more with very few places are built not to have such small openings.
Enhanced Peak Human Strength: King Cobra possesses great physical strength which is
Could either higher than normal but still within the realm of what is humanly possible or is possibly superhuman as he can easily overpower normal humans in a number of physical ways such as physical lifting them up with one hand easily and send them flying or hurl them around as he has shown of being able to physically lift Thor (640 lbs) over his head, throwing him hard enough to go through a window, has thrown Thor (Dargo Ktor) (640 lbs) over a dozen feet by wrapping his legs around his neck and throwing him.[4]With his level of physical strength[1]; Cobra could also punch through glass without hurting himself, has snapped Daredevil’s billy club with his bare hands.
Superhuman Constriction: Due to his greater physical strength and his superhuman flexibility; King Cobra can wrap himself about a person’s body and then exerting his full strength, Cobra can trap said person within his "Cobra Grip" which is almost unbreakable as almost no normal human is able to break free of his grip unless he or she is extraordinarily well trained in fighting, and even many superhumanly strong beings would have difficulty freeing themselves as he was even able to hurt Captain America’s ribs when keeping him in a bear hug. [12]
Superhuman Leaping Ability: King Cobra’s greater physical strength also extends into the tissues of his legs muscles as well, enabling him to be able to jump and reach greater heights or cover longer distances that are greater than that of even the finest human athlete within a single leap.
Superhuman Stamina: King Cobra’s advanced musculatures are also more efficient than
that of the musculature of normal humans with Cobra’s body producing less fatigue toxins during physical activity granting him superhuman endurance and stamina in all his physical activities. As a result of that; Cobra can fight, run, and perform other physical activities that
will allow him to physically exert himself at peak capacity for a longer amount of time before
the build-up of any fatigue toxins in his bloodstream beginning to impair him and affect his overall capabilities causing him to need rest and/or relaxation.
Superhuman Speed: King Cobra possesses greater speed to that of normal humans as not
only can he run and move fast, but by using only his body’s muscle contraction, Cobra can
be extremely quick as he’s capable of moving at phenomenal blinding speeds of up to 50 miles per hour (80.4672 kilometres per hour or over 22 meters per second) which he could maintain for several seconds at a time with this method resembling the slithering of snakes with even those of superhuman reflexes, such as Spider-Man, having been surprised of how quickly and oddly King Cobra could move as he has claimed that his speed is twice as fast as Mr. Hyde.[8]
Superhuman Reflexes: King Cobra’s reflexes and reaction time are enhanced to a level that is greater than that of the natural physical limits of even the finest human athlete.
Superhuman Agility: King Cobra’s agility, balance, and bodily coordination are enhanced to levels that are beyond that of the natural physical limits of even the finest human athlete as his agility, speed, and his body’s superhuman flexibility make him very difficult to catch and hold onto.
Superhuman Durability: In addition to his greater physical strength as well as his body’s
far greater elasticity, King Cobra’s bodily tissue is harder, tougher, far more resistant and absorbent to all forms of physical injury than that of the bodily tissues of a normal human
being as his bones and organs are far more malleable with his muscles and skin tissues being considerably stronger to physical harm in comparison to that of the bodies of normal humans granting Cobra a higher degree of resistance to pain and physical injury than that of normal humans. As a result of that, Cobra can withstand and survive great physical impacts force and blunt force trauma such as falls from great heights or direct physical blows from super humans with mild to moderate discomfort and little physical injury to that of what a normal human would receive as a normal human being could be severely injured possibly permanently, if not killed.
Regenerative Healing Factor: Despite his body's greater degree of durability and his higher resistance to physical harm or injury; King Cobra could still be injured in. However, if injured, Cobra’s metabolism could enables him to recover from damaged bodily tissue at an accelerated rate, with greater speed and efficiency than that of what normal humans are capable of regardless of the cause. While the full extent of Cobra’s accelerated healing factor is still unknown, he has claimed that he doesn’t get hangovers.
Known Abilities and/or Skills
Type or Level of Education: King Cobra is a High school graduate with 2 years of vocational training while in prison. During his time with the Thunderbolts, he was trained by Swordsman (Andreas Strucker) for some time in combat.
Skilled Leader and Strategist: King Cobra is capable of above average strategy and tactics while possessing a good level of charisma and leadership skills having rose though the Serpent Society from one of its many founding members to being one of it’s top most trusted lieutenants within the Serpent Society towards it’s leader; Sidewinder and then upon Sidewinder retiring and resigning from the Serpent Society, Cobra becoming the Serpent Society’s longest lasting leader of the organization and prior to that being the leader of the first group to be called the Serpent Squad.
Experienced Hand-to-Hand Combatant: King Cobra is an experienced hand to hand fighter with some limited training and some relevant, but also moderate knowledge of street-fighting techniques. Due to the combined nature of his powers such as his body’s great flexible with his greater than normal physical capabilities, Cobra is a skilled and formidable wrestler as he is able to wrap his legs around an enemy’s neck, bend the top half of his body downward towards the ground and throw them well over a dozen feet even if his enemy weighed far more than Cobra himself having done this against Thor and Mr. Hyde at different time.[4][6] During his time with the Thunderbolts, he was trained by Swordsman (Andreas Strucker) for some time in combat.
Contortionist: Due to the nature of his power and his altered mutagenically physiology,
King Cobra is pliant and a lot more flexible than normal humans having independent control over every muscle within his body, Cobra can move his body without using his arms or legs as well as being double, possible even triple jointed as Cobra can dislocate and snap back into place his shoulders and hips at will while also being able to contort his body into almost any physical shape performing inhuman feats of contortionism which while painful for normal humans, he can do so with ease allowing Cobra to be a skilled escape artist, having broken in and out of prisons multiple times.[10]
Scientific Knowledge: King Cobra possesses some scientific knowledge in regards to
small-scale engineering, biology, toxicology, and chemistry as he was able to design and
build his own suit, gadgets, and weapons as well as also design the weapons that he and the
rest of the 1st Serpent Squad had used i.e. the Eel Cannon, the Venom Firer, and the Cobra Convulsion Pistol,[10] possessing some of this knowledge even prior to gaining his powers,
as he was a research lab assistant for one the renowned medical researcher and humanitarian Professor Ezekiel Shecktor where he had learned a great deal about chemistry, serpents and their venom. Cobra is also skilled in setting trips as he with Mr. Hyde when working together had set up a building with several mechanical booby traps of all kinds. Cobra also seems to have some knowledge of human anatomy as during a conflict with Daredevil, he grabbed on to the back of his neck, threatening to pinch a nerve that could paralyze Daredevil. [9]
Bilingual: King Cobra can speak English and Dutch fluently.
Weapons Proficiency: While King Cobra mainly uses his personal weapons for combat, he has been seen using fire-arms in the past.
Strength Level
King Cobra is extremely strong able to physical lift more than twice his own body weight, with him possessing upper physical human strength greater than that of most normal humans.
The Cobra possesses normal human strength of a man of his age, height, and build who engages in regular exercise.
These people have trained themselves to be extremely strong and are at the upper limits of human level strength. They are capable of lifting weight ranging from 300 to 650 lbs
Equipment
Costumed Battle Suit: King Cobra’scostumed battle bodysuit is made out of a reinforced synthetic stretch material with the torso section, helmet, and its tail being made of bendable plastoid which can provide some protection from both physical and energy based attacks and have a number of developed functions and special gadgets including even special weapons that complete his cobra likeness and enhance his cobra-like powers such as:
Slippery Coating: King Cobra’s entire costumed bodysuit is specially treated with a silicon
and graphite-dust compound, causing his suit to be extremely slippery to the touch, making it extremely difficult for opponents to get and maintain a firm grip on him, thus making it easier for Cobra to escape from wrestling holds, locks, pins, bear hugs, etc.
Wall Crawling: King Cobra’s costumed bodysuit has designed special chemical micro-suction cups devices on his fingertips and feet, enabling him to stick to and cling to walls and ceilings which he can climb up, down, or sideways, moving across a wall at a inhumanly fast pace as well as stand on the side of a wall as well and is capable of carrying someone with him as he moves along the side of a wall.
The Cobra-Cord: In the compartment behind the articulated chest armor of his costumed bodysuit lies a 50 foot (15.24 meters) long tightening coil of steel cable wire which can be
shot out by means of a powerful spring that can be used to tie up and entangle his enemies including those with superhuman strength which he could leave entangled or by grabbing one end of the steel cable, throw his enemy. Cobra can also use his Cobra-Cord as a means of aiding him in climbing tall structures such as buildings as well as using it as a swing line.
Cobra Darts: King Cobra’s costumed bodysuit is armed with two spring-loaded wrist-shooters devices which are called his "Cobra-Bite”, one upon each wrist from which Cobra could fire a number of deadly missile cartridges as fast moving projectiles called his “Cobra Darts" which he could fire either single shots up to 3 shots at once. Each of these missile cartridge projectiles contain enough cobra venom within each single missile cartridgeprojectileto be able to kill an average-size, normal human in six minutes with it taking more than just one venom-filled missile to cause the same effect on an above average human or some kind of physical superhuman opponent.
King Cobra has also used other cartridge projectiles that have been filled with various kinds
of substances such as acids, toxic smoke aiding him in both ambushes and escape as well as plastic explosives, and a special substance that induces temporary blindness via flashing vials
of light, vials of nerve gas potent enough to stun half-dozen men, a nerve gas grenade etc. Some of his missile cartridge projectiles may have more than one function such as one type of Cobra dart that flashes blinding bright lights of great intensity followed by a 2nd effect that causes its victims to lose their balance.[2] Cobra seems to carry extra darts on his costume, presumably stored on his belt.
Cobra Gas: King Cobra can also throw a mini-grenades from which spreads a fast spreading thick cloud of pale green cobra venom gas.
After changing his codename and his costumed bodysuit to King Cobra, his costumed bodysuit included a large green tail which he could use to batter at his opponents.
Cobra keeps a fake beard in a lining of his helmet, so he can quickly change his face, which is known to the police. Not great as a long term disguise, but is sufficient to avoid being recognised by a casual observer.
As a founding member of the Serpent society; Cobra had a "special homing device surgically implanted in their heads" (on order of his former leader Sidewinder to spring them from jail if they were ever apprehended). It’s unknown if that was ever removed.
Transportation
Formerly the Serpent Saucer.
Weapons
The Cobra Bite wrist blasters from the costume bodysuit he wears. Has used firearms in the past.
Known Weaknesses and/or Shortcomings
Power Grid
Intelligence: 2;Strength: 2; Speed: 3; Durability: 3; Energy Projection: 1; Fighting Skills: 4
From Marvel data base
Intelligence: 2;Strength: 2; Speed: 3; Durability: 3; Energy Projection: 0; Fighting Skills: 4
https://www.marvel.com/characters
Personality
King Cobra is very plainly a harden criminal as even before gaining his powers and calling himself Cobra, he had already been sent to prison for unknown reasons, and was fully willing
to plot Professor Ezekiel Shecktor’s death and steal credit for his researcher out of jealousy for Professor Shecktor’s fame, achievements and the respect he gathered from that of others despite his employer, Shecktor willing to give him work in the form of a second chance despite his ex-convict status. Upon gaining his new powers, Cobra restarted his criminal career with enormous confidence in his powers as he was certain that he could beat Thor, that nobody could oppose him, that he would conquer everything with his plan of an army of snake-men.
This would change fairly over time due to him measuring the bestiality and power of Hyde,
and the sheer might of his frequent opponent Thor, with his inflated ego gradually shrank away. While Cobra is very confident of his power including his cobra grip, assuming that nobody can break it barring those with massive superhuman strength; however strong, well-trained heroes can thus break out of his grip with extraordinary effort, leaving Cobra too surprised to adjust in time. Nevertheless, Cobra is fully willing to threaten, kidnap, or kill to achieve his goals which are usually money, to some extent after power, and to an extent after proving himself to be a real badass, leader and genius.
Cobra has a deep love of grandiose, haughty, creating some elaborate dialogue, presumably to cover up his emerging feelings of inadequacy as he often talks big, and putting effort, lacking only the fortitude. A lot of his patter relies on comparing himself to a real cobra and playing up the power and deadliness of these adorable reptiles. His confidence is great enough to the point where he has stated to criminal partners that they are lucky to work with or for him.
However; there are many times he has shown cowardice as he has tried to cut and run,
leaving partners when the possibility of prison or death was likely, but when he first worked
with Viper (Madame Hydra) when the likelihood of death was high, Cobra broke down saying that he wasn’t a terrorist, that he feared death and just wanted riches and power during which when he tried to cut and run due to feeling out of his element due to the resultant clash with
the authorities and Captain America. This has lead to Cobra eventually becoming a sort of coward and underhanded weasel as while he won’t outright betray others he has a good working relationship with, Cobra will abandoned and even outright betray those he doesn’t like as he has on two occasions with Viper (Madame Hydra).
After joining the Serpent Society, rising through its ranks as one of Sidewinder's; the Society’s leader, top lieutenants and taking over leadership upon Sidewinder retiring and resigning from the Serpent Society. This was a part of new period of Cobra’s life, as his recent successes lent him a determination to re-invent himself for his new position of leadership which after facing his greatest fear (Mr. Hyde) and beating him in combat left Cobra flushed with a much greater form confidence, as such Cobra renamed himself calling himself King Cobra.
Captain America has stated he believes King Cobra could be a potential threat if he could 'pull himself together mentally'.
Relationships
Mister Hyde (Calvin Zabo):
While initially an ally of Cobra, throughout working together many times, Cobra and Hyde
have hated each other since the very beginning as they routinely fought with each other over
who was more useful and superior, trading insults and, even getting physical with one another only working together due to both of them being enemies of Thor with the two not only trading insults to each other, but once physically fighting over who would defeat and kill Thor after the two having worked together and were able to corner Thor putting him at a disadvantage as well as having fought with each other while facing an enemy with both of them have abandoned each other multiple times when facing hero with the risk of losing although due to their partnership, the two have also helped and broken each other out of prison multiple times as well.
Thus they endured their alliance to get rich and remain out of prison. Presumably, they had
a number of successful but undocumented capers as a duo during that phase of their career.
Many of their fights stemmed from Hyde’s sadism, which led him to impose some unwise decisions for the sake of cruelty with Cobra acting as voice of common sense and pragmatism
in many of those spats, but Hyde could not be denied as many times when he and Hyde would have a hero at their mercy, Cobra would voice to kill their enemy while Hyde wanted to prolong the hero’s defeat to more of his likely and savor his victory.
However; for a long time, Cobra was afraid of his former partner in crime Mr. Hyde as after
he willing left Hyde in prison during his own escape believing that working with Hyde was slowing down his criminal career. Swearing vengeance on Cobra for leaving him, Hyde would many times stalk Cobra, causing him to greatly fear for his life. This fear stayed with Cobra for many years. After joining the Serpent Society, rising through its ranks as one of the Society’s, Sidewinder's top lieutenants and taking over leadership upon Sidewinder retiring and resigning from the Serpent Society. This was a part of new period of Cobra’s life, as his recent successes lent him a determination to re-invent himself for his new position of leadership. To do so; Cobra sought out Mister Hyde as he was the one person that he still feared most. Deciding to face his fear and face Hyde in order to be a better leader for the Serpent Society where upon beating Hyde in a fight, flushed with new confidence, Cobra renamed himself calling himself King Cobra.
Thor:
As the first hero he faced after he gaining his powers, Cobra had a clear dislike for Thor after he stopped his plans of crime, believing he was superior due to his speed and cunning. This hate and dislike was to the point where both he and Mr. Hyde once had a physical fight over who would end Thor after the two having worked together were able to put Thor at a disadvantage.
Daredevil:
Both Cobra and Hyde would try to kill Daredevil, believing that he would eventually try to stop them. However, after they were both were defeated by him, the two would encounter Daredevil multiple times both when working together as partners and when working solo.
Captain America:
First fighting him during Reed Richards and Susan Storm’s wedding. Captain America later
on became Cobra’s (who later called himself King Cobra) most common hero he would come to face, both long before and after he had joined the Serpent Society with very little if not anything changing between the two aside from growing resentment even after Cobra had nearly died by getting shot in the back by Viper (Madame Hydra) only surviving due to Captain America taking him to the hospital afterwords.
Eel:
Part of the First group to be known as the Serpent Squad alongside his brother Viper and Cobra who acted as leader. Eel upon meeting Cobra for the first time seemed to show him more respect than his brother to the point where Eel even considered Cobra to be the best of the three of them to which after he saw Captain America best Cobra in a fight, he quickly fled.
Viper (Madame Hydra)
Cobra had a clear dislike of Viper (Madame Hydra) since meeting her as after he was broken
out of prison and meeting her for the first time whereas she took the role of leadership of the Serpent Squad for herself, Cobra rejected her as leader leading to a fight where as Viper beat
and could have killed Cobra. During a conflict with Captain America while the Serpent Squad was being employed by the Atlantean Warlord, Krang. While trapped by the local police and
in conflict with Captain America, with the likelihood of death being high, Cobra broke down, saying that he wasn’t a terrorist, that he feared death and just wanted riches and power during which when he tried to cut and run out on Viper (Madame Hydra) out of pure cowardice, she shot him in the back, while the 2nd time he betrayed her, he outright tried to kill her as he was disillusioned with Viper’ and her plan to mutate everyone in Washington DC into serpent-like creatures and after knocking her out, he willing gave her up to Captain America so he could escape.
Comic Reference
[1] Journey into Mystery, Volume 1, Issue 98 (November, 1963)
[2] Journey into Mystery, Volume 1, Issue 105 (June, 1964)
[3] Journey into Mystery, Volume 1, Issue 106 (July, 1964)
[4] Thor, Volume 1, Issue 440 (December, 1991)
[5] Journey into Mystery, Volume 1, Issue 110 (November, 1964)
[6] Journey into Mystery, Volume 1, Issue 111 (December, 1964)
[7] Daredevil, Volume 1, Issue 30 (July, 1967)
[8] Daredevil, Volume 1, Issue 31 (August, 1967)
[9] Daredevil, Volume 1, Issue 32 (September, 1967)
[10] Captain America, Volume 1, Issue 163 (July, 1973)
[11] Captain America, Volume 1, Issue 180 (December, 1974)
[12] Captain America, Volume 1, Issue 181 (January, 1975)
[13] Captain America, Volume 1, Issue 182 (February, 1975)
[14] Daredevil, Volume 1, Issue 142 (February, 1977)
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