Comic Title: Outsiders Annual #1
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: 1986
On Sale Date: September 25, 1986 Newsstand Date September 25, 1986
Source: DC Releases, #31

Newsstand Date September 25, 1986
Source: House Ad, Fury of Firestorm #54, Page IBC

Shipping Date September 2, 1986
Source: Amazing Heroes, #100

Shipping Date September 2, 1986
Source: DC Releases, #31

Shipping Date September 2, 1986
Source: Comics Journal, #110

Cover Price: $2.50
Page Count: 48
Editor: Mike W. Barr

Title: "The Skull... the Serpent... and the Outsiders"
Pages: 44

Feature(s):
Outsiders (Post-Crisis)

Writer: Mike W. Barr
Artist: Kevin C. Nowlan
Letterer: Todd Klein
Colorist: Kevin C. Nowlan

Feature Character(s)

• Outsiders (earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Outsiders #23)
• Geo-Force (earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Outsiders #23)
• Halo (earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Outsiders #23)
• Katana (earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Outsiders #23)
• Metamorpho (earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Outsiders #23)
• Black Lightning (last appearance in Secret Origins #26; next appearance in Outsiders #23)
• Looker (earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Outsiders #23)

Guest Star(s)

• Batman (last appearance in Detective Comics #568; next appearance in Batman #402)

Villain(s)

• Kobra (first post-Crisis appearance; next appearance in Outsiders #21)
• Eve (Kobra's girlfriend; next appearance in Outsiders #21)
• Simon Pons (next appearance in Outsiders #25)
• Skull (Simon's organization; next appearance in Outsiders #25)
• Members of the Kobra Cult (Sarwan named; no further appearances)
• Milton (a burglar; dies in this story; no further appearances)
• George (a small-time criminal; dies in this story; no further appearances)
• Dr. Blair and Dr. Chaysten (agents of Skull; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Joe and three models (no further appearances)
• Several military officers (General Morgan named; no further appearances)

Comments:
Halo is still wearing her old costume in this story, which means it takes place before Outsiders #14. It is therefore the earliest chronological post-Crisis Outsiders story.

Synopsis:
Simon Pons of Skull engineers a transplant on a small-time criminal named George and turns his nervous system into a duplicate of Jason Burr, Kobra's deceased twin. Pons then uses George as leverage to force Kobra to work for him, since injury to George now injures Kobra.

As ordered, Kobra attacks a military installation and steals several nuclear warheads. First he intentionally alerts the Outsiders, so they are on the scene to stop him. Despite their efforts, Kobra blackmails the Outsiders into helping him against Skull. They are forced to concede or Kobra will detonate the nukes.

Kobra then delivers the nukes to Simon Pons. The Outsiders infiltrate Skull's lair and gas the villains. Batman has also been conducting an investigation which has led him there. The Outsiders and Batman then team up to battle Kobra and Skull. George is killed, but Halo's statis aura keeps Kobra alive. After the battle, Kobra keeps his bargain and helps the Outsiders deactivate the nukes before escaping.