SNAKE FORCE

A serpent-themed team of heroes, Snake Force first appeared in Ace Superheroes #1 (June 1, 1995), published by Adventures Illustrated Magazines, Inc.  The series was written by Joe Dalde and illustrated by Mar T. Santana.

ORIGIN

Although the first Snake Force story established the team's alter egos as adults, the origin story in the 4th issue (June 22, 1995) shows them as children, and they are depicted as such thereafter for the rest of the series.

Four boy scouts find themselves lost in the wilderness, encountering four different kinds of snakes along the way.  They seek refuge in a cave where they meet a mysterious old man.

The old man claims that he had commanded the snakes to lure the boys to the cave, revealing that he had chosen them to receive a great power.  He offers them four magic stones which once swallowed would endow them with power over the snakes.  Apparently not having learned not to take strange things from strange old men, the boys indeed swallow the stones, transforming them into a quartet of costumed heroes each named after one of the four snake species they had earlier encountered: Cobra, Python, Rattlesnake and Dahong Palay ("Rice Leaf," a type of Philippine viper).

POWERS

Upon swallowing the magic stones, the boys transform into four fully-grown adult heroes.  In this form, they possess enhanced strength and agility, as well as the ability to command and communicate with snakes.  Each member has dominion over the particular type of snake he is named for.

ENEMIES

THE POLAR MONSTER
An iceberg that mysteriously appears on the Philippine seas turns out to be a massive creature made entirely of living ice.

No $#!+, it's a damn monster!

DEVILIEN

A body-snatching, fire-breathing alien creature.

DR.MARX

Yep, a mad scientist.

 

MARGA
An alien villainess who can fire destructive lasers from her eyes.

The perfect example of the term "Butterface."

THE THORXIANS
A race of six-armed alien conquerors.

COVERS