The character was portrayed by Mahershala Ali in the first season of the Marvel Cinematic Universe television series Luke Cage.

The character first appeared in Luke Cage, Power Man #18 (June 1974) in a story written by Len Wein and drawn by George Tuska.

Cottonmouth then began to test Cage's loyalty by sending him to steal a shipment of heroin from the rival crime boss, Morgan.

[7] During the 2011 "Spider-Island" storyline, Cottonmouth alongside Nightshade and Flashmob (consisting of Chemistro, Cheshire Cat, Commanche, Dontrell "Cockroach" Hamilton, Mr.

Fish, and Spear) tried to leave a spider-infested Manhattan by crossing a bridge only to be stopped by Misty Knight and her Heroes for Hire (consisting of Black Cat, Falcon, Gargoyle, Paladin, and Silver Sable).

[citation needed] Cottonmouth appears in the Marvel Comics 2 series The Amazing Spider-Girl as the head of The Bronx branch of Black Tarantula's criminal empire.

When a new villain called the Crime lord acquires and attempts to sell the Kingpin's files, Cottonmouth attends the auction for them in Black Tarantula's stead.

[12] Cornell Bertram "Cottonmouth" Stokes appears in Luke Cage, portrayed by Mahershala Ali as an adult[13] and Elijah Boothe as a teenager.

This version despises his nickname, which was derived from a childhood incident wherein several of his teeth were knocked out, is capable of killing people bare-handed, the grandson of Harlem crime lord Maybelline "Mama Mabel" Stokes, cousin of city councilwoman Mariah Dillard, and was part of a gang in his youth alongside barbershop owner, Robert "Pop" Hunter.

[14] In the present, Stokes publicly operates as the owner of the Harlem's Paradise nightclub while secretly working as a private arms dealer alongside Dillard, his assistant Shades,[15] and several corrupt police officers on his payroll.

[14] While addressing the fallout, Stokes gets into an argument with Dillard over their upbringing, during which he invokes memories of their uncle raping her as a child, leading to her killing him and framing Cage for it.