Chaotix look on as Vector "experiments"
Crimson Cobra Strikes is a 3-part Chaotix Crew story, beginning in Issue 152. It was the last appearance of the Chaotix Crew and the last "3rd" comic before 2 reprints were brought in per issue.
Staff[]
- Nigel Kitching - script
- Nigel Dobbyn - art
- Tom Frame - lettering (parts 1 and 2)
- Ellie de Ville - lettering (part 3)
Story[]
In Chaotix Tower, the Chaotix Crew are concerned about Vector the Crocodile. He's locked himself inside his laboratory and an explosion has just occurred behind closed doors. The team go in to investigate, only to find a massive green arm burst out of a machine's wreckage. Vector has turned into a ferocious monster and he's not too happy, attacking his friends. Charmy Bee continues to irritate the others during the fight, wanting to ask Vector what to do next. Outside, the Crimson Cobra reveals to himself that he was the one that caused the explosion leading to Vector's mutation and nobody suspects him. Vector is about to climb out of the window, so Espio the Chameleon tells Mighty the Armadillo, the muscle of the group, to go and sort him out. Mighty objects, so Espio leaps out of the window to tackle Vector himself. The struggle doesn't go to plan and Espio plummets to the ground, wondering if this is all part of Espio's plan. As Vector grows to a giant and climbs another building, Cobra uses his brain scrambler on Mighty, causing to lose control of his emotions. After a harmless quip from Espio, Mighty decides to lash out and punch Espio. From the alleys, the Crimson Cobra is happy with his work, and so is his (much taller) assistant, Cribbins.
The fight continues, with Cobra declaring that he will soon be able to take over the city. Charmy tries to convince the others that they have to stop Vector but Mighty picks up Espio and throws him into a gameshow's dartboard, winning the contestant "the million", much to presenter Chris Tyrant's disappointment. With Espio's horn stuck in the dartboard, Cobra uses his scrambler again, causing the chameleon to lose control and pick a fight with Charmy. Mighty saves the bee, only to reveal he'd rather kill him. With Charmy the only sane member left, he needs to come up with a plan, but with Vector finally caught by the police and the army knocking Mighty and Espio out with stun gas, Charmy is all alone.
Charmy begins his time on the run from the soldiers. The bee is worried about what to do, but the army ceases the chase, knowing that Charmy is completely stupid and useless. Lurking behind street corners, Charmy is confronted by the "Crimson Cobra", who reveals that he was behind the previous attacks and that with Charmy out of the way, he can take over the city. The Cobra then uses his brain scrambler one more time, to drive Charmy insane. Later on, in Cobra's base of operations (his front room), the villain watches the news to hear about the demise of the Chaotix Crew. Unfortunately, he also hears that his whole company has been bought out by Charmy Bee! At that moment, baliffs break into the house to take all of Cobra's things, amazed that Charmy's mother was the Queen Bee. Still his employee, Cobra orders Cribbins to stop the baliffs, until he gets a phone call from Charmy, offering him double his salary to come and work for the new Crimson Cobra Inc.. Cribbins accepts, leaving Cobra alone with only his mechanical arms... until the baliffs take those too.
With the Chaotix Crew freed from prison and everyone back to normal, they return to their lives as crime-fighters, with Charmy now the head of a powerful corporation!
Trivia[]
- Charmy Bee is constantly referred to as Charmee Bee, despite Kitching having wrote for Chaotix several times. The sign on Vector's door also said "Charmee".
- Worse than that, in Part 2 he calls Espio an armadillo. Twice.
- There are a couple of references to turnips. Mighty calls Espio "turnip-breath" and, in the same part, Charmy reveals he once ate Espio's favourite turnip, which was the in the shape of an otter.
- Charmy continues to be head of Crimson Cobra Inc. in Sonic the Comic Online, despite the team relocating to Mobius.
- The Crimson Cobra was first mentioned back in "Roots", and was an old enemy of Blockhead Bill.
- Ellie de Ville's lettering in part 3 is misattributed to Tom Frame.
Timeline[]
The previous Chaotix Crew story was The Fundamental Four, although they had a prominent part in Roots. This is the last Chaotix story. Their first solo story in Sonic the Comic Online is Rage Inside the Machine.