Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Redefining the Vile Menagerie Poll Results

Click To Enlarge


Late last month, I ran a lengthy post discussing how I came to coin the term "Vile Menagerie" with regard to the Martian Manhunter's rogues gallery, what I meant for it to be a decade back, and how that definition has changed over the years. I also asked readers to respond to a poll to help redefine the collective as they would like to see it. The results:

What is the Vile Menagerie?
  • 5 votes (27%): Everybody the Martian Manhunter has ever fought as a featured combatant. (Asmodel)
  • 3 votes (16%): Everybody the Martian Manhunter has ever fought, even as part of a team. (All in.)
  • 3 votes (16%):Only the villains J'onn J'onzz physically fights in his solo stories, like B'rett.
  • 3 votes (16%):Only his most dangerous common foes, like Despero.
  • 2 votes (11%): Only villains that are most closely associated with J'onn J'onzz, like Professor Hugo.
  • 2 votes (11%):Only his most dangerous solo foes, like Malefic.
  • 0 votes (0%): Only the adversaries J'onn J'onzz must face in his solo stories, like Mister V.
While the top vote getter got nearly twice the votes of any other option, five against a lot of threes hardly qualifies as a mandate. Let's see if I can play with these results to find more of a consensus:
  • 44%: All prominent Martian Manhunter combatants, whether solo or in a team scenario.
  • 28%: Exclusively villains from J'onn J'onzz's solo stories, such as B'rett and Professor Hugo.
  • 28%: Only the most dangerous foes of the Manhunter from Mars, like Despero and Malefic.

Revised under these terms, it looks like the Vile Menagerie is basically already doing what folks want it to, with perhaps the minor tweak of adding in a tiered showcase to separate the heavy-hitters from the bench warmers. Folks interested in such a construct should tell me so in the comments, because it would be pretty easy for me to blow that off indefinitely.

Finally, to make a pass at lighting a fire under the comments, which current or potential inclusion in the Vile Menagerie would you most like to have thrown out entirely?

7 comments:

mathematicscore said...

I've been a fan of these posts and the idea of the Vile Menagerie in general. I do support the idea of a tiered set up. Despero and Mr Moth don't eat at the same table...

LissBirds said...

But Mr. Moth embodies the campiness of Martian Manhunter villains so well!

Though I do see your point.

mathematicscore said...

@LissBirds
Oh totally! He will always have a place in my Vile Menagerie, I just would separate him from the likes of Despero and Malefic; as much for their safety as for his... :D

Diabolu Frank said...

I'm working on another Vile Menagerie Colorforms mural that I hope will finally and fully reflect the major players. Must I find room for Mr. Moth, or will Professor Hugo do?

Tom Hartley said...

You have people from that 2006 conehead comic, but you don't have the Human Squirrel. I repeat: Vile MEHnagerie.

Diabolu Frank said...

Tom, you zero in on my maximum point of guilt like a failure seeking missile.

LissBirds said...

BAHAHA.