Hal Kant was a soldier in the United States military during World War II. He learned that when Nazi Germany began to lose the war, Adolf Hitler attempted to smuggle his riches out of Germany in the form of diamonds, hidden in small inconspicuous items such as a pen or a cane. Kant's company came into possession of many of these items, not knowing what they were, and brought them back to the United States as souvenirs. Kant donned the identity of the Cobra in order to throw off the police as he kill each of his former comrades to obtain the souvenirs they took. He was nearly successful, but was eventually brought to justice by Manhunter, after he nearly killed the hero and his companion, Thor.