Real Name: Klaus Voorhees
Occupation: Former scientific research assistant, now professional criminals
Legal Status: Former member of Holland, now citizen of United States with a criminal record
Other Aliases: None
Identity: Publicly known
Place of Birth: Rotterdam, Holland
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: Former partner of Mister Hyde, member of the Serpent Squad I & II, member of the Serpent Society
Base of Operations: Serpent Society Citadel, location unrevealed
First Appearance: JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #98

History: Klaus Voorhees was an ex-convict working with the humanitarian medical researcher Professor Ezekiel Shecktor in India on a universal anti-toxin for snake venom. Jealous of Shecktor's success, Voorhees plotted to kill him but to make the murder look like an accident. Hence, Voorhees induced one of the cobras kept in the laboratory to bite both Shecktor and himself. Voorhees planned to use the universal anti-toxin to save himself from death. Unknown to Voorhees, the cobra had been irradiated. The combination of the radioactive venom in his bloodstream and the experimental anti-toxin which he used created a mutagenic catalyst which gave Voorhees certain cobra-like powers.

Assuming the costume guise of the Cobra Voohees used his new found superhuman ability for crime, but was eventually thwarted by the Asgardian thunder god Thor. Soon thereafter the Cobra began his longtime partnership with another of Thor's adversaries, Mister Hyde. But the team of the Cobra and Mister Hyde were defeated repeatedly, first by Thor and later by the costumed crimefighter Daredevil.

Acting independently of Hyde, the Cobra served as a member of the first and second Serpent Squads. The Cobra came to believe that his criminal career would fare more successfully if he no longer acted in partnership with Hyde. Hence, when the Cobra made an escape from prison on Ryker's Island in New York, he refused to free Hyde, who was also imprisoned there, despite Hyde's pleas. Infuriated, Hyde vowed vengeance and has since made attempts on the Cobra's life.

After operating independently for a time, The Cobra accepted an invitation to join the newly organized Serpent Society and is now a member in good standing of that criminal organization.

Height: 5 ft. 10 in.
Weight: 160 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Bald

Strength Level: The Cobra possesses normal human strength of a man of his age, height, and build who engages in regular exercise.

Known Super Human Powers: The Cobra possesses certain unusual physical powers derived from his mutagenically altered physiology which among other things help him simulate the movement of a snake. All of the bones in his body, including his skull, are malleable and his muscle tissue is exceedingly resilient, making his body very flexible and pliant. It is nearly impossible for him to break a bone or tear a muscle. Hence, the Cobra can survive impacts that would kill or inflict major injury upon a normal human being with little or no injury to himself. (A severe enough impact would greatly injure or kill the Cobra, however; he is not invulnerable.)

The Cobra's flexibility enables him to slither into and out of very tight and small places. Through compressing his body, the Cobra can fit into any hole or slot down to four inches in diameter.

By using his flexibility to wrap himself about a victim's body and then exerting his full strength, the Cobra traps that victim within his "Cobra Grip." No normal human being can break free of his grip unless he is extraordinarily well trained in fighting, and even many superhumanly strong beings would have difficulty freeing themselves.

The Cobra 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, simply by muscle contraction. He is extremely quick, capable of moving up to 50 miles per hour for several seconds by this method. His agility and speed make him very difficult to catch and hold onto.

Weapons: The Cobra has developed a number of special weapons to enhance his cobra-like powers. His costume is specially treated with a silicon and graphite-dust compound, making it extremely slippery. He has also designed special chemical suction devices for his fingers and feel, enabling him to stick to walls and ceilings. In the compartment behind his articulated chest armor is a fifty-foot long coil of steel cable that can be shot by means of a powerful spring.

From his spring-loaded device the Cobra can shoot a number of deadly projectiles. His "cobra-bite" missiles contain cobra venom. The venom from a single such missile can kill average-size, normal human being in six minutes. It takes more than one venom-filled missile to have the same effect on a superhumanly strong human being. The Cobra has also used projectiles carrying smoke, nerve gas, and a special substance that induces temporary blindness.