February 1990 Pt.3 Manga

COBRA.

Written and illustrated by Buichi Terasawa. Viz Comics with translation by Marv Wolfman published 12 issues in a monthly format, form February 1990 to January 1991. Originally published and serialised in Shueisha Inc.'s Weekly Youth Comic Magazine “Shōnen Jump” from 1978 to 1984 .

The story is set in a far flung future with a 70's art style that would fit in to any of the Worlds of '2000AD'. Cobra a very likeable tough-guy with his iconic big cigar, often seen ridding his hover motorbike, is as charismatic as James Coburn's portrayal of 'Derek Flint' (1966).

His adventurous run-ins with the Galactic Patrol and the Pirate Guild who are hunting him lead him to take drastic action and retire from that lifestyle. Cobra assumes a new identity having his memories blocked\wiped and altering his face though plastic surgery and taking the name Johnson.  When his subconscious is triggered giving him access to the memories of his former life, he is soon helped by his former partner 'Lady Armaroid', she is fitted with a very sexy blue android body and has her own spaceship.

As events unfold our adventurer is after a treasure map tattooed on the backs of identical triplets the daughters of Captain Nelson, these encounters are not always conducive to the sister's love-lives or their health!

A grand space romp in a Galaxy filled with aliens and danger, I only wish there was more!

[Note: The published 12 issues by Viz ,only covered the chapters of the origin story and that of the Royal Sisters.]

[Note: In the 80's Hajime Sorayama's artworks of erotic chrome Andriod women ('Sexy Robot ' collection published in 1983), and in 1984 a tinted version of the film Metropolis (1927) with a pop soundtrack depickting Maria's evil twin, the gynoid (a female android) and her transformation, may have helped with the popualrity of COBRA and its 'Lady Armariod'.]

[Note: as of April 2014 I only have issues #5, and #6 of COBRA.]

[Note: All publication dates are taken from published Comic-books and cross referencing their adverts of the time from my own collection, as well as doing the maths for the issues that I'm missing, as not all comic-book publishers printed the month of issue for each comic-book.]