YASHONKA

Official Name: Yashonka

Continent: Asia (see comments)

Population: Unrevealed

Capital City: Unrevealed

Government: Presumably a military/dictatorship

Major Languages: English (see comments)

Monetary Unit: Unrevealed

Major Resources: Unrevealed

National Defense: Unrevealed

International Relations: Strained and apparently mostly non-existent

Extraterrestrial Relations: None

Places of Interest: Yashonka Arms Research Center, somewhere "in the heart of Yashonka"

Domestic Super Humans: None

Non-Human Population: None

Prominent Citizens: General Li Chou, Colonel Koru Chin, unidentified Major, various unidentified officers and soldiers

Superhuman Residents: Captain America (Steve Rogers) (temporarily there on a S.H.I.E.L.D. mission)

Domestic Crime: Unrevealed

International Crime: Unrevealed

First Appearance: Tales of Suspense I#86/2 (February, 1967);
    {prima apparizione in Italia: Capitan America#10 Editoriale Corno (29 agosto 1973)}

History:
(Tales of Suspense I#86/2 (fb) - BTS) - The past of Yashonka is largely unrevealed, but located somewhere in the heart of the Asian nation was a secret research center, which was built with the purpose of creating technologically advanced and destructive weapons to use against the "decadent democracies" of the world.

   The facility's organization was militaristic, with General Li Chou commanding an army of soldiers and officers quartered within the citadel .The soldiers were equipped with conventional guns and rifles, but also had access to many destructive weapons and special devices, including: armed carts, monstrous robots, thermal bombs, Beeper Dogs, Solar Guns, Air-Cars, atomic missiles, and Phosgene Gas capsules.

   The most destructive weapon that the center had produced was the Z-Ray.

   When S.H.I.E.L.D. heard rumors about the Z-Ray's existence, one of their best agents--Agent 60, Kuro Chin--infiltrated Yashonka's ranks and became a Colonel. But the Z-Ray was too well-guarded, and Kuro Chin did not succeed in reaching it. Months later, S.H.I.E.L.D. sent in Captain America to assist Chin on the mission to destroy the Z-Ray.

(Tales of Suspense I#86/2) - Captain America sneaked into Yashonka, but was soon discovered by the alarm sensors. The base's soldiers attacked Cap with their advanced weaponry, but they were defeated and lost him when he crawled inside an electrical conduit, then made his way to Colonel Chin's quarters.

   After he reached Chin's room, Cap discovered that the agent was suffering the effects of combat fatigue--the many months of living in fear of being caught had caused Colonel Chin to crack from the pressure, so Cap decided he would have to complete the mission on his own.

   Shortly after he reached the corridor outside Chin's room, a Beeper Dog located Cap again--he fought his way past the soldiers, but was then attacked by two soldiers in an Air-Car; but before the aircraft could fire upon him, Captain America was saved by Colonel Chin, who shot the two soldiers and Cap commandeered the Air-Car.

   Captain America then flew the aircraft to the Z-Ray, and the soldiers fired a Phosgene gas capsule in his path, but Cap increased the Air-Car's speed and flew through the deadly cloud so fast that it didn't affect him.

   General Chou ordered the launch of interceptor missiles to destroy the intruder, but Captain America used the Air-Car's twin atomic missiles--the resulting explosion not only destroyed the Z-Ray, but also the missiles launched by Chou.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Frank Giacoia.

Apparently Yashonka was completely destroyed. To me it seemed like an oriental version of AIM.

In only 10 pages, Lee and Kirby created a whole terrorist organization, with its own purpose, its soldiers, its special weapons...and destroyed it!

Yashonka's crest was a red 'Y' over a black triangle. The red is a reference to the communist block, the triangle probably simply is an 'A', the last letter of Yashonka, or the "Triad", or had one among many mystic meanings linked to the triangle symbol.

A caption on the first page mentioned that Yashonka was "somewhere in the orient" Both the Marvel Index and the appendix of the Marvel Atlas identify Yashonka as an Asian nation; so where was it located? Well, since that red star on the epaulets of the soldiers' uniforms suggests communism, my guess is that Yashanka is an island off the coast of China.

Nothing of Yashonka beyond the research center was depicted, so no information about the nation itself was revealed--this profile covers only the arms research center.

And all the base personnel were depicted as speaking English--of course, that could have just been artistic license for the benefit of American readers.
--Ron Fredricks

Comments by Loki:
   First, I'm really not sure Yashonka was intended to be a nation, and not just the name of the research center. The first time it is namedropped, in the opening panel text box, it is definitely the name of the Arms Research Center - it's not "An arms research center in Yashonka" nor even "A Yashonka Arms Research Center" but "The Yashonka Arms Research Center." If Yashonka is a country, and a militaristic, warlike one at that, would it really only have a single research center? And every time it gets namechecked in the rest of the story, the context could simply still be that of a high security facility. When Cap is clambering through the shafts inside the facility, he wonders if "Anyone at Yashonka" suspects the presence of a SHIELD agent - "at" works if it is the name of the facility, but it should be "in" if it is referring to a country.

   All that said, the 2007 Atlas did include Yashonka in the Appendix of other nations, and the Index followed suit. So that's either errata or the debate decider I guess. If it is a nation, there may be a few more clues in the story. The Appendix entry says we only know it is "somewhere in the Orient" and that the soldiers have red stars on their uniforms. However, there is also a map on the wall of Colonel Kuro Chin's office. We get three partial views of it. Assuming that a military office would only be decorated with maps of the nation it is in, then Yashonka is presumably somewhere that matches that geography. The map isn't consistent (or there are two maps), and doesn't entirely match any part of the Asian coastline I can see, but there's a bay in the Yellow Sea between China and the two Koreas that I think comes closest to the map by the Colonel's door.

      Personally, from the text, I'd go with Yashonka as a town or somesuch IN a country. As for the map, that's excellent; it could also be locally focused maps too I guess. The 2 names Chin & Chou also sound very Chinese, but I guess this could be coincidence (altho the base's secret nature also suggests a nationalist element). While Yashonka doesn't sound Chinese itself, as a younger reader, I'd assume it took place somewhere IN China.
--Grendel Prime

New and additional images by Ron Fredricks.

Profile by Spidermay. Expansion by Ron Fredricks.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Yashonka has no known connections with:

• Leyu Yoshida - aka Sunpyre, Japanese mutant, could generate fiery plasma--Uncanny X-Men I#392
• Mariko Yoshida - former fiancee of Wolverine--Uncanny X-Men I#118
• Shiro Yoshida - aka Sunfire, Japanese mutant, could generate heat and flame--X-Men I#64
• any other characters or nations with similar names

Kuro Chin has no known connections to:

• Cleft Chin - marathon runner, sabotaged by Jackpot--Howard the Duck II#1/2
• Eric Chin - of Earth-148611/New Universe, Troubleshooters member--Spitfire and the Troubleshooters#1
• Janie Chin - of Earth-Warlock Scenario, fictional character used in scenario of Adam Warlock--Warlock IV#1
• Lo Chin - agent of Silent Ones--Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu I#10
• C'hin - of The Ruined--Fantastic Four III#1
• or any other characters with similar names

General Chou has no known connections to:

• Dr. Chu - sought cure for exposure to red mist--Avengers III#66
• Soo Lin Chu - Stark International Hong Kong, ex-fiance summoned the All-Devourer--Iron Man I#130
• Wong-Chu - Vietnamese tyrant, agent of Mandarin, enslaved Prof. Ho Yinsen and Tony Stark--Tales of Suspense I#39
• or any characters with similar names

The Z-Ray has no known connections to:

• Z-Rays - Cedric Rawling's radiation, caused people and objects to shrink--Tales of Suspense I#69
• or any other items or characters with similar names

Colonel Koru Chin Colonel Kuro Chin was actually S.H.I.E.L.D. operative Agent 60; he was acquainted with Nick Fury and Sharon Carter, Agent 13. He infiltrated the Yashonka Arms Research Center and was a double-agent at the military base, where he became a Colonel. Despite strict surveillance, he sent various reports to S.H.I.E.L.D. for months, but he could not reach the Z-Ray, which was the weapon that worried Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. the most. When Fury didn't receive confirmation of the Z-Ray's destruction, he sent in Captain America to help. Kuro Chin lived in the officers section of the facility, Building 19, Room7, and it was there that Captain America found him after he invaded the Yashonka base. Kuro Chin had just taken the papers describing the location of the Z-Ray. A squad of soldiers, in search of Captain America, came to search his room; but Kuro Chin hid his fear of them well and sent them away. However, immediately afterward, his mask of courage crumbled and he was yielding to the strain. They had to destroy the Z-Ray, but Captain America realized that the stress of the mission had given Kuro Chin a case of combat fatigue, so he left him in his room. But Kuro Chin found his last ounce of courage and intervened in the following battle between Captain America and Yashonka's forces. Chin shot at an Air-Car, saving Captain America, but Chin was then spotted and killed by another soldier. His sacrifice gave Captain America the opportunity to destroy the Z-Ray. --Tales of Suspense I#86/2

General Li Chou General Li Chou commanded the military forces in the Yashonka Arms Research Center. He was only seen when Captain America was flying in the commandeered Air-Car to destroy the Z-Ray. General Chou ordered for interceptor missiles to be launched at the hero; but the attack failed because the missiles did not reach Captain America and instead added to the explosion triggered by the hero to destroy the Z-Ray. --Tales of Suspense I#86/2

Armed carts Transporting a single operator, the armed carts were four-wheeled vehicles with a machine gun mounted on the top. They were used by guards at the Yashonka Arms Research Center to patrol the facility, and were a very useful accessory because of the size of the complex. --Tales of Suspense I#86/2

Monstrous robot Basically performing like a giant exoskeleton, this large humanoid robot was controlled by a single human operator seated within the top of its body (where the head would normally be located). Standing about 10 feet tall, it had great strength. It was also very resistant to intense heat. It punched Captain America, but the hero was able to use his shield to protect himself from the blow. Cap then threw a thermal bomb at the robot--although the robot itself was undamaged by the fiery blast, the human operator was forced to abandon it because of the intense heat. (Comment: No official name was ever mentioned for it, and Captain America just referred to it as a "monstrous robot".) --Tales of Suspense I#86/2

Thermal bombs These were metallic cylinders about the size of Captain America's shield. They were very dangerous, containing an inflammable substance. If broken, they exploded and released the substance, immediately setting the area around it ablaze. The heat released by the bombs could kill a man. When Captain America was attacked by the human-operated monstrous robot, he threw one of the thermal bombs at it--although the fiery explosion didn't damage the robot, the intense heat forced the operator to abandon the robot. --Tales of Suspense I#86/2

Beeper Dog Used by the soldiers at the Yashonka Arms Research Center, this "mechanical bloodhound" was a robot that very vaguely resembled a dog. Propelled by small wheels at the bottom of its four "legs," it seemed to have a small cannon for a head which projected a destructive beam. It was used as a mobile tracking device that always found its prey. It was used to find Captain America, but it was easily destroyed when Cap hurled his shield at it. The damaged Beeper Dog then released a deadly electrical discharge, which the soldiers had to avoid--the distraction gave Cap the time to retrieve his shield and get away. --Tales of Suspense I#86/2

Solar Guns The Solar Gun was a sort of flamethrower, and it produced heat so intense that it could melt steel within a fraction of a second--the soldiers wielding it had to wear special suits for protection from the heat. Captain America managed to dodge a blast from the weapon, but while the soldiers paused to adjust its intensity, Cap performed a fast cartwheel that bowled them over. --Tales of Suspense I#86/2

Air-Cars The armored Air-Car could fly, and it was very resistant to ordinary projectiles. It was equipped with some sort of front cannon, and also had twin atomic missiles stored within the hull. One was used to attack Captain America, but Colonel Kuro Chin shot the two soldiers aboard it, and Cap commandeered the aircraft to reach the Z-Ray. Flying at high speed, Cap managed to pass through a cloud of poisonous gas, then used the Air-Car's two atomic missiles to destroy the Z-Ray. --Tales of Suspense I#86/2

Phosgene gas capsules A green poisonous gas, it was contained in capsules. It was one of the last defenses around the Z-Ray. The military forces of Yashonka used the gas on Captain America, but it had no effect of him because he flew the Air-Car too fast through it and did not inhale. --Tales of Suspense I#86/2

Z-Ray The Z-Ray was the most dangerous weapon among those built at Yashonka; it was probably a weapon of mass destruction, and its power was supposedly "continent-shattering" (as per Kuro Chin). Captain America flew to the Z-Ray in an Air-Can and destroyed it with a pair of atomic missiles. --Tales of Suspense I#86/2

images:
Tales of Suspense I#86, cover (Yashonka military forces battle Captain America)
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p1, pan1 (two Yashonka soldiers)
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p8, pan3 (Captain America battles other Yashonka soldiers)
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p5, pan4 (Yashonka crest on Koru Chin's left arm)
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p5, pan4 (map 1)
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p6, pan1 (map 2)
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p5, pan3 (Colonel Koru Chin; Captain America [background])
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p9, pan2 (mortally wounded Koru Chin)
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p10, pan1 (General Li Chou orders missile launch)
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p2, pan5 (soldier patrolling in Armed Cart)
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p3, pan3 (monstrous robot punches Captain America)
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p4, pan3 (monstrous robot engulfed in flames of thermal bomb [background]; Captain America)
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p4, pan2 (Captain America throws thermal bomb at monstrous robot)
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p7, pan1 (Beeper Dog finds Captain America)
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p7, pan2 (Beeper Dog gets destroyed by Captain America's hurled shield)
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p7, pan5 (two soldiers using Solar Gun)
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p8, pan4 (two soldiers flying in Air-Car)
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p9, pan3 (Captain America commandeers Air-Car)
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p9, pan6 (Phosgene gas cloud in path of Air-Car)
Tales of Suspense I#86/2, p10, pan3 (Z-Ray; Captain America flying above in Air-Car)

Appearances:
Tales of Suspense I#86 (February, 1967) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (pencils), Frank Giacoia (inks), Artie Simek (letters)