The Lizard Men
Debut: 1992
Nemesis: Martian Manhunter
Other Major Foes: JSA
Appearances: 3 comics.
Powers: Super-strength, durability, invulnerability to fire and mild chameleonic shapeshifting. Wear body armor, carry specialized flame throwers, and handle powerful saurian "lizard-dogs."
Bio: The Lizard Men were the soldiers of the Master Gardener, and conquered Earth for several years in the 1950s thanks to a fungus they introduced to infect most of the global population. They were routed by the Martian Manhunter, with the help of Dr. Mid-Nite, Bill Gaines, Fidel Castro, Elvis Presley, Che Guevara and/or reasonably facsimiles of same.
Win: Thythen (10-4), The Martian Marauders (5-4)
Lose: VULTURE (8-10); B'enn B'urnzz (?), Thantos (?)
Draw: 0
The Gordanians
Debut: 1980
Nemesis: The Titans
Other Major Foes: The Omega Men
Appearances: 25+ comics and appearances in animated series.
Powers: Enhanced strength and durability. Wear body armor, carry energy batons, and possess advanced alien technology.
Bio: The Gordanians were the soldiers of the Citadel, and conquered worlds through their warrior culture and slavery. They were routed at various points by heroic super-teams, with the Tamaranean ex-slave Starfire being something of a constant.
Win: 0
Lose: 0
Draw: 0
Idol Speculation:
Both of these guys are scaly thug armies-- the space opera equivalent of the nameless muscle behind Kobra/Hydra/etc. The Gordanians are more Jem'Hadar to the Lizard Men's Cardassians, and if you got those references, congratulations on being a total nerd. I never liked the Gordanians, both because they're scummy and because Marv Wolfman wasn't good enough at sci-fi to overcome my hatred of Starfire the way he excelled at horror that overcame my dislike of Raven. The Lizard Men seem to be out-gunned as a whole in a big way, but they came across as more sly individually. If you took a party of Lizard Men with their "dogs" and sicced them on a given group of Gordanians, I'd say it's a toss-up.
I know nothing of the Lizard Men. But they got my vote because the Gordanians were little more than cannon fodder in Titans.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure why I can't see the poll, as I have worked with my ad block plus. However, I vote for the Lizard Men as cunning helps make up for weaknesses. Also, the Lizard Men were part of a highly regarded book.
ReplyDeleteI don't know, the Lizard Men strike me as a bit more "brains over brawn." Or maybe they're nothing without The Master Gardener...
ReplyDeleteI don't have a large frame of reference on the Gordanians, and wasn't sure if they had made an impression in books like Omega Men that they hadn't in New Teen Titans. Apparently not, because the sly and accomplished Lizard Men murderized them with 6 of 7 votes (85.71%.)
ReplyDelete