The only one I like is Anaconda. Everyone else are F-list villains.
Sidewinder
Cobra
Anaconda
Black Mamba
Death Adder
Asp
Cottonmouth
Rattler
Diamondback
Bushmaster
Puff Adder
Princess Python
Rock Python
Copperhead/Boomslang
Fer-de-Lance/Coachwhip/Black Racer
The only one I like is Anaconda. Everyone else are F-list villains.
How competent are they? Because Japan loves making recurring villains that are frequently in small groups and are largely idiots which the heroes pound on every week, a tradition represented by such "illustrious" names like the Doronbo Gang of Yatterman and the Team Rocket Trio of Pokemon.
Last edited by Myetche; 12-24-2014 at 12:34 PM.
She is Kamala Khan... The Magnificent Ms. Marvel!
They weren't very competent. Probably because they chose the weakest members of the group (realistically, Cottonmouth and Diamondback aren't that deadly). I don't think Death Adder ever actually appeared besides in merchandise for it.
I wouldn't say they were Team Rocket levels of incompetent, though.
Has anyone picked up the amazing Society of Serpents tpb yet? Gruenwald's Cap was my favorite ever.
Yeah, the Society does not get nearly the respect that they should. Although most of the team are not exactly heavy-hitters, none of them are a joke (jokes can be MADE about their names, or appearances, sure--but in terms of threat level, all of them have something to offer), and when combined their diversity of powers and sheer numbers should make them a respectable threat.
Sadly, no one since Gruenwald has really wanted to spend the time with them that is necessary to really use them well.
My favourite members of the Society are two of the ones who have split off from the group though--Diamondback and Black Mamba!
Black Mamba's latest appearance had her back with the Serpent Society (or, at least, the Serpent Squad with her old pals Sidewinder and Anaconda).
The Serpent Squad is going to be appearing in Captain America, Sam Wilson soon, which is pretty neat.
Sadly, it seems it's the Serpent Squad that is led by Viper (the much less interesting male version), who was never part of the Serpent Society so it makes little sense that the leader of the organization, King Cobra, would be part of the group. Puff Adder is also there, so hopefully we'll see other members show up (preferably some females... the SS has some amazing female characters).
Also, look at this bitchin' Cottonmouth action figure:
I'm surprised it took them that long to make a Serpent Society member as an action figure (and a little surprised they chose Cottonmouth).
Cool, I guess this is basically the Serpent Society appreciation thread? Because I came across a pretty kickass Diamondback the other day:
The Serpent Society appeared in two different comics this week. Secret Wars Too #1 and Sam Wilson, Captain America #3. The first featured only Cobra, Puff Adder, and Bushmaster, while the second had Cobra, Puff Adder, and the male Viper as part of "Serpent Solutions."
I don't really understand why Cobra continues to take orders from Viper, since Cobra has been the leader of the Serpent Society for quite some time now. Unless Sidewinder usurped leadership again, and that's why he was leading Anaconda, Black Mamba, and Death Adder in the Elektra issue not that long ago. That would explain why Puff Adder is constantly being seen with the group, too.
An update to "Where Are They Now?":
Sidewinder -- at large, last seen trying to assassinate Elektra's allies with the Serpent Squad in Elektra #6 (Nov 2014).
Cobra -- at large, last seen with the new Viper-led Serpent Solutions group in Sam Wilson, Captain America #3 (Jan 2016).
Diamondback -- no longer a villain, last seen fighting alongside Songbird in Fearless Defenders #6 (Sept 2013).
Anaconda -- at large, last seen trying to assassinate Elektra's allies with the Serpent Squad in Elektra #6 (Nov 2014).
Black Mamba -- at large, last seen trying to assassinate Elektra's allies with the Serpent Squad in Elektra #6 (Nov 2014).
Cottonmouth -- incarcerated, last seen with the Serpent Society in Avengers vs. X-Men #0 (May 2012).
Rattler -- dead; neck snapped by Demolition Man in Captain America #12 (July 2012).
Asp -- at large, last seen lusting after Gambit in Gambit #9 (Apr 2013).
Bushmaster -- presumably incarcerated, last seen getting slapped by Demolition Man in Secret Wars Too #1 (Jan 2016).
Death Adder -- dead again, had his neck snapped by Venom in Venom #20 (2012). A new Death Adder was seen with the Serpent Squad in Elektra #6 (Nov 2014).
Princess Python -- presumably incarcerated, last seen battling Spider-Man with the Circus of Crime in Amazing Spider-Man #19.1 (Sept 2015).
Puff Adder -- at large, last seen with the new Viper-led Serpent Solutions group in Sam Wilson, Captain America #3 (Jan 2016).
Rock Python -- retired from villainy, as seen in Thunderbolts: From the Marvel Vault (June 2011).
Coachwhip -- at large, last seen in Secret Avengers #29 (Sept 2012).
Fer-de-Lance -- presumably incarcerated, last seen in Nova #19 (Jan 2009).
Black Racer -- presumably incarcerated, last seen in Captain America #31 (Nov 2004).
Copperhead -- incarcerated, last seen in Avenging Spider-Man #11 (Oct 2012).
Boomslang -- presumably retired, last seen in Captain America #413 (Mar 1993).
The Serpent Society-- er, Serpent Solutions, appears again this week in Sam Wilson, Captain America #5.
spoilers:end of spoilers
Asp and Bushmaster are, in fact, on the team, even though they weren't seen sitting at the table last issue. Not a huge fan of Diamondback resorting to being a stripper to pay the bills, and not a fan of Constrictor dying like that, but whatevs. I'm sure Diamondback will turn over a new leaf (again). My only gripe about it is that it turns the rest of the Society into mindless cronies working for Viper, since none of them get any lines in this issue besides Asp's taunts to Cap. Next month will be the final battle between the Serpents and Cap & Falcon.
Yeah spoilers:end of spoilers dying like that is a somber minor note (I'm into music as well), but I knew that Marvel was going to "Monkey's Paw" that one, I figured Nick Spencer would remember all of the Serpent Society for Serpent Solutions (he does wear his love for Mark Gruenwald's Cap run on his sleeve), hopefully Marvel gets on doing a ANAD Thunderbolts with Diamondback, Songbird (if we have to wait because Al Ewing is using her for the brilliant ANAD New Avengers, so be it It's not The Thunderbolts without Songbird), Moonstone (Ditto), Abe Jenkins,(Ditto) Satanna, Ghost, (Those two characters worked rather well in Jeff Parker's Thunderbols, {Ghost with Andy Diggle when he was writing} if it's not broken don't fix it) and what the hell lets add MODOK ,Task Master and Citizen V to ANAD Thunderbolts with Paul Renaud on art.
Constrictor
Last edited by Blu_Spyder; 01-13-2016 at 01:39 PM.
Meet the new Blu_Spyder,
same as the old Arachne_Azure
"If Life doesn't give you some sugar to go with the lemons
your lemonade is gonna suck"
SS.jpg
Serpent Solution
Random, but the September solicits feature some reprinted Serpent goodness:
CAPTAIN AMERICA: SERPENTS UNITE! #1
MARK GRUENWALD & STEVE ENGLEHART (W)
PAUL NEARY & SAL BUSCEMA (A)
Cover by SAL BUSCEMA
• Slithering super villains, it's a syndicate of snake-themed sinners!
• The sinister Sidewinder amasses an army of ophidian offenders -- including Cottonmouth, Diamondback and Princess Python -- for his mercenary Serpent Society!
• In Captain America's first brush with the team, he'll land in the arms of Anaconda! But whose side will he take when the Society targets M.O.D.O.K. for death?
• Look back at the Society's original incarnation as Cap and the Falcon contend with the Serpent Squad!
• Collecting CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #163, #310, #313 and #315.
104 PGS./Rated T ...$7.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90316-9
Pat Shand is writing a novel called Avengers: Serpent Society, as per SDCC.
The Serpent Society is also a sub-theme in the new set of Heroclix, The Superior Foes of Spider-Man. The only un-Clixed original member now is Bushmaster (which is a shame, since he's visually one of the coolest members).
Does anyone else think the SS will be featured in one of the Netflix shows? It just seems odd to have all these around the same time. Luke Cage has Cornell Cottonmouth and Diamondback (who are both unrelated to the SS members, but they could be merging the Cottonmouths together), and Iron Fist is said to have more supervillains in it than any other Netflix series (and thematically they sort of go along with Steel Serpent and Fat Cobra). Maybe Defenders, even?