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RED POPPY

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Normal human (Korean citizen) (1950s era)

Occupation: Opium grower and distributor

Group Membership: Leader of her group of female poppy farmers

Affiliations: North Korean forces (loose)

Enemies: US forces, notably Henry "Combat" Casey, Penny Pennington

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Korea

First Appearance: Combat Casey#17/1 (August, 1954)

Powers/Abilities: Small and slim, the fearsome Red Poppy has knowledge of opium cultivation and has very accurate aim with a handgun. She is a devoted Communist follower.

Height: 4'11" (by approximation)
Weight: 90 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black

History:

(Combat Casey#17/1 (fb) - BTS) - Red Poppy established a massive farm using female labor, cultivating white poppies for opium that she would smuggle to Communist guerrillas in South Korea for distribution among locals to break the spirits of North Korea's southern enemies by making them influenced and addicted to drugs. However, some North Korean soldiers were also keen on her opium and sometimes stole from her.

(Combat Casey#17/1) - Scouting north of the 38th Parallel, US soldiers Combat Casey and Penny discovered Red Poppy's white poppy fields and were puzzled, but were suddenly set upon by knife-wielding females. Red Poppy had plans for the soldiers and stopped the women from killing them, but the soldiers tried to escape. She sent scores of women to overwhelm the men and ordered them to follow her orders or die. She showed them her cultivation of poppies into opium. Casey refused to transport her opium south but Penny saw the opportunity to return with location information and agreed. With opium hidden in a hay-laden cart, the soldiers and Red Poppy eliminated a troublesome North Korean patrol and passed the checkpoint to the south. She contacted Communist guerrillas, who instead double-crossed her and refused to pay. Penny grabbed the horse reins and they fled but Communist tracer bullets set fire to the hay cart. Penny steered the flaming cart through the Communist base, burning huts and soldiers before dumping in the river. Casey and Penny intended to tell their commanding officer to destroy the poppy crops, but Red Poppy wanted to be freed and told the soldiers to join her in embracing Communism. The smiling soldiers pushed her head underwater.

 

Comments: Created by uncredited writer & Robert Q. Sale.

Her final fate is unrevealed. Casey and Penny were ruthless in killing Communist North Koreans but lenient toward women. So did they drown her or just shut her up before taking her for imprisonment?

It seems this story was set immediately after the uneasy truce ending the Korean War in 1953 with the 38th Parallel partition.

A curious tale for the era in that it shows on panel how poppies can be cultivated into opium.

This profile was completed 7/07/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
Red Poppy has no known connections to:


images: (without ads)
Combat Casey#17/1, p2, pan2 (main image)
   p3, pan7 (headshot)


Appearances:
Combat Casey#17/1 (August, 1954) - uncredited writer, Robert Q. Sale (pencils & inks), Stan Lee (editor)


First posted: 09/13/2021
Last updated: 09/11/2021

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
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