Cobra Island
Cobra Island is a fictional country located in the Gulf of Mexico. It is the main base of operations for the fictional Cobra Organization featured in the G.I. Joe toyline from the 1980s. It is featured in the G.I. Joe cartoon and the comic book series created by Marvel Comics and Devil's Due Publishing. It is also a fictional island in the Caribbean in the Burt Lancaster film The Crimson Pirate, made in 1957.
In the comics, Cobra Island is in the Gulf of Mexico. The island is artificially created as the result of a plan by Crimson Guard scientist Professor Appel. False information in Appel's home led the Joes to target an underwater bunker with a massive drop of non-nuclear bombs. The explosion triggered a faultline releasing volcanic stresses forcing an area of the ocean floor containing a sunken freighter Cobra base to rise above sea level.
Realizing the strategic value of the new territory, G.I. Joe attempts to dislodge Cobra from the island via a pitched assault. The G.I. Joe team had nearly won when they were called off by the United States, as lawyers in Cobra's employ had successfully maneuvered to get the island sovereign nation status and recognition by the U.N..
Many important facilities are established on the island, such as the Terror Drome fortress, a dedicated surgical hospital, an airfield and luxury hotel for visiting dignitaries (usually third-world dictators looking to buy weapons). One of the main features is the now "land-locked freighter", a seemingly mundane sunken cargo ship raised up with the island which hides a storehouse of advanced technology (including the Cobra space shuttle and launch facility) and is frequently used as an operations center. After Cobra is forced to retreat from Springfield the island gains a significant civilian population.
Geographically the island is very small, barely 5 square miles (10 km2) in area. Its most prominent feature is its central active volcanic peak, created by the same forces which originally raised the island. The G.I. Joe team mountaineering expert Alpine commented that the volcano is unusually rough, jagged and steep, whereas most volcanic mountains are characterized by smooth regular slopes. Other terrains include tropical jungle (which grew quickly on the new island) and a swamp in which Croc Master maintained security with his trained crocodiles.
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