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Thread
:
Real life inspiration for Cobra?
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07-12-2018, 07:07 PM
Cobra Agent 66
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Houston
Posts: 2,449
I don't see any particular nation inspiring, although Nazi Germany probably played a little part (see also: Galactic Empire). Of course, being our enemies, they were familiar with Warsaw Pact weapons, and some like the Snow Serpent and Scrap Iron had a Soviet feel to them, even though others had M-16s and the like.
But yeah, HYDRA is definitely the main inspiration, maybe a little AIM or SPECTRE. And once the ninja stuff got going full-swing, I'd say The Hand had a little inspiration for the hordes of faceless red ninja used as cannon fodder.
Plus, when ARAH was created, people still strongly associated terrorism with subversive Communist movements in Western Europe and Latin America, along with Islam-inspired movements in the Middle East. So, there may have been some Communist inspiration; Baroness' file card definitely reads more like the resume of a young Leftist rather than a Nazi.
But when you look at hooded Cobra Commander and Destro, it's easy to see some sort of Fascist inspiration.
Then you have the guys that are strictly mercenary, like Firefly and Zartan, and Major Bludd wreaks of the "soldier of fortune" African bush wars stereotype from the 70's and early 80's.
And, finally, Storm Shadow, clearly inspired by Eric Van Lustbader books, Golan-Globus movies, and some of the Stephen Hayes popularity at the time. There was also still that "Yellow Peril" in many people's minds, since the last century revolved mostly around wars in Asia.
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