When image is everything in politics, it was a bit shocking for some to see Springfield’s Mayor J. Michael Houston posing for pictures with the head of a terrorist organization—fictional or not—this week.
Mayor Houston handed over the keys to Springfield to a sinister masked villain who has driven fear into the hearts of cartoon-watching children for decades.
Some have rumored that Houston only met with Cobra Commander, the head of the infamous COBRA outlaw military organization, to promote the "G.I. Joe" Collector’s Convention which comes to the state's capitol on April 9.
But if that was the case, why not pose with real American hero?
It’s unclear whether or not Houston and Springfield have been caught in an unknowing public relations gaffe, or if the Mayor of Illinois’ capital is attempting to send a strong message about his allegiances.
Perhaps Springfield’s mayor was simply intimidated by one of Cobra Commander’s infamous and Rahm Emanuel-like tirades?
This isn’t the first time these two worlds have come together, as the city has been featured in many G.I. Joe cartoons and comics, with even one episode titled, "The Battle of Springfield." In the comic, a town named Springfield was even home to where COBRA secretly operated as a base.
