View source for Crystal Ball (RAH)

{{Chardisambig|Crystal Ball}}

:''Crystal Ball is a [[Cobra]] character from the [[A Real American Hero]] series.''
{{Cobra character_infobox
|BG1=
|BG2=
|imageBG=
|image=[[File:Marvel-CrystalBall.jpg|250px]]
|name=Crystal Ball
|hidep=
|realname=Unknown
|gender=Male
|birthplace=Unknown
|alias=
|hidem=
|branch=
|graderank=
|specialty=Hypnotism; Mind control; Interrogation
|training=
|weapon=
|hideo=
|factions=*[[Cobra]]
|subteams=
|1stcomic=[[Ladies' Day|G.I. Joe Special Missions #24]]
|1sttoon=}}
Bizarre, strange and uncomfortable to be around with. These are what best describes '''Crystal Ball'''. He may not be genetically or surgically enhanced but he has managed to unsettle his Cobra cohorts by his mad behavior and tales of European mysticism. He has also many claims that seem to give credence to his "mystical" powers of hypnotizing with a minimum of effort and even appears to be able to read minds. He is reputed to be the love child of a Romanian man with psychic powers and an American woman from Bangor, Maine. The man was said to be the seventh son of his family and when Crystal Ball was born to the woman, he was the seventh son she bore in her lifetime. Coincidence or bizarre fate?

==Fiction==
===Comics===
====A Real American Hero continuity====
=====Marvel Comics continuity=====
Crystal Ball assists [[Cobra]] in a failed attempt to kidnap the [[President of United States]] from a baseball game. His skills allow them to pass through the Joe-provided security with minimal violence. His hypnosis of various people is undone by [[Cover Girl (RAH)|Cover Girl]]. ([[Ladies' Day]])

=====Impel trading cards=====
Crystal Ball was a native of Cobra-La. Possessed of mind reading abilities due to his being the seventh son of a seventh son, he became adept at interrogation. Returning to his homeland to investigate rumors of revolution, he was caught in the avalanche that buried the hidden city. His fate is unknown.{{Storylink|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (Impel)|Impel cards}}

=====Devil's Due Comics continuity=====

[[File:DDP-CrystalBall.jpg|thumb|left]]In the Devil's Due G.I. Joe series, Crystal Ball spends some time masquerading as '''Dr. Scott Stevens''', who is a therapist working with `[[General Philip Rey]]. He eventually reveals that General Rey is a clone of [[Serpentor (RAH)|Serpentor]], and is part of a larger conspiracy to interject General Rey into the G.I. Joe team. Crystal Ball uses post-hypnotic phrases to unlock Rey's mind and turn him into a fully functioning Cobra agent. But the plan backfires, and with [[Duke (RAH)|Duke]]'s help, General Rey is able to combat his initial programming and break free from Crystal Ball's control. Crystal Ball is then taken into G.I. Joe custody. ([[...All the King's Men]])

He later appears working with the [[Night Creeper Leader]], whose business conflicts with the ninja's efforts.([[Storm Shadow 1]])

Crystal Ball also appears in a dream sequence where he has captured [[Shipwreck (RAH)|Shipwreck]], who he wants to force to reveal all of G.I. Joe's secrets, but the sailor is saved by [[Polly]] leading the P.E.T.S. (Primal Emergency Tactical Squad).([[Special Missions: Manhattan]])


====Action Force (British) Comics continuity====

 Write up

===Ballantine books continuity===


==Toys==
{| class="wikitable" style="border-collapse:collapse;"
!style="border:1px solid black" colspan=2|Generation 1
|-
|style="border:1px solid black" align=center|[[File:Crystal_Ball_1987.jpg|Crystal Ball]]
|style="border:1px solid black" valign=top|'''A Real American Hero (1987)'''
Crystal Ball was among the number of single-pack carded action figures for the [[1987]] series of [[A Real American Hero (toyline)|A Real American Hero toys]].
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'''Appearance''': black mustache and hair with white locks; red eyes; brown short-sleeved shirt with fur collar and gold bat design on chest; brown wristbands; dark grey pants with brown belt and holster; black boots

'''Accessories''': black hypno shield with multi-colored reflective surface and arm clip.
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[http://www.yojoe.com/action/87/crystalball.shtml YoJoe.com page]/[http://www.yojoe.com/filecard/87/crystalball.shtml Filecard]
|}

==Trivia==
*Crystal Ball is almost universally considered the most disliked figure. Fans '''hate''' this guy.
*Was the "pegwarmer" of the [[1987]] assortment, to the extent that he was still on some store shelves as late as [[1990]].
*Developed at the suggestion of [[Sneak Peek (King)|Stephen King's son]], who was a ''G.I. Joe'' fan and wanted a magician on the team. Depending on how the story is told, either King or his son, Owen, created Crystal Ball and wrote the filecard.<ref>In reality, the character was created the usual way: Hasbro gave Larry Hama a sketch of the character and had him create a biography. However, Hama's version was not used, so it's possible the story is true.</ref>
**Crystal Ball's biographical information is a parody of Owen King's own history.
*His facial features and hair vaguely resemble horror actor Vincent Price.
*Working names for the character included Trance-Master, Prof. Id, Mesmeron and The Gazer.<ref>''ToyFare'' #145</ref>
*Before the figure was released as "Crystal Ball," there was another filecard for the character:
{{Quote|A one-time theatrical hypnotist and encyclopedia salesman, Trance Master had traveled to India to find new inspiration to spice up his act. In a remote mountain village, he was taken in by an evil band of occult priests who taught him ancient and terrible forms of hypnosis and mind control! Returning to the West, he used his new powers to subvert and take over corporations until his activities conflicted with similar Cobra operations. Realizing that Cobra was too big for him to tackle alone, Trance-Master decided to join them rather than fight them.}}

{{Seealso}}
==External links==

 Write up

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

{{charstub}}
{{Wikipedia}}
[[Category:1987/Introductions]]
[[Category:Cobra]]
[[Category:A Real American Hero characters]]