Deadly Competition: Iron Man vs. Green Lantern

Welcome, Hypertransitory readers! This is a first here for Hypertransitory.com, a honest-to-goodness guest post. Not like that other guest post I had on here a while back. Let’s hope this one doesn’t turn out the same way…

Anyway, this is some real full-on comic action here. One of the staples of being a comic fan is the endless debates over which superhero can beat the other. Many times I’d be reading a comic, see a completely implausible victory by some minor character who really shouldn’t have had a chance in hell -then I’d be forced to throw the comic over my shoulder in disgust. After that I’d calmly walk out of the comic store…

So please welcome Ryan from buysuperherocostumes.com as he imagines a battle between fan favorites Iron Man and Green Lantern!

Iron Man vs. Green Lantern

A flash of emerald green bursts through the dark, skyscraper-filled horizon. White eyes behind a green mask scan the Earth, taking in the beauty of the city lights, when, suddenly, one of the lights grows into a thunderous maelstrom of force hurtling straight at him. Green Lantern’s body writhes, while the beam grazes across his shoulder. The dazed superhero struggles to regain control during his violent plunge to Earth. His body shatters through a pane of glass, slamming through a row of computer cubicles.

The hero staggers to his feet, papers whipping around in the air from the draft of the destroyed window, sparks scattering across the floor from the wreckage of electronic equipment. Right outside the demolished window, an opponent of a caliber that Green Lantern has never faced before hovers 40 stories above the busy streets. Garbed in a red and gold metallic suit, the new challenger opens his palms, charging up a second helping of that destructive light. A scowl creeps onto Green Lantern’s face as he prepares to face this… Iron Man.

Ready to Rumble

Two titans of comics rarely get pitted against each other like this epic matchup of classic DC and Marvel characters. In the red corner, we have Tony Stark, a founding member of Marvel’s most powerful superhero group The Avengers. In the blue corner we have DC Comics’ Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern and founding member of the illustrious Justice League. Both of these flyboys thrive in bravado and playing the hero, but who has the gear, the moves, and the guts to take the other out in a brawl?

Suit vs. Ring

Both superheroes pack a major arsenal of moves for a skirmish, but which superhero packs the hottest heat? It all comes down to which one has the better equipment. Is Green Lantern’s power ring enough to trump Iron Man’s array of technological wonders? Or does Iron Man’s suit give him the edge to put the Green Lantern’s unbreakable willpower to the test?

Offense

Green Lantern Ring: Green Lantern only needs one piece of equipment in a fight: the power ring. It may look small, but this tiny piece of jewelry has been described as the most powerful weapon in the universe, capable of harnessing Oan energy through the wearer’s willpower. With enough focus, Green Lantern can create powerful blasts of energy that carry enough wallop to knock the sense out of even Superman. The user can also construct tangible objects to battle foes just by willing them into existence. Need a giant hand to smack your opponent? How about an Oan-powered Gatling gun? Green Lantern has only to imagine them for the objects to appear.

Iron Man Suit: Iron Man has certainly never believed in the less-is-more mantra. The Iron Man suit is outfitted with a myriad of offensive systems, the favored weapon being the repulsors housed in the palms of the suit. These versatile weapons create a particle beam that repels and burns anything in its path. Iron Man can adjust the power level on these to fit any situation, but he usually has them set to a non-lethal level. The Unibeam in Iron Man’s chest can also be charged for massive destruction if need be. Beyond that, the suit grants super strength, capable of lifting almost 100 tons. (Unlike Frank Kramden classic threat, an uppercut from Iron Man might really send you to the moon.)

Advantage: Green Lantern. The sheer strength of the power ring is limited only by the user’s willpower, meaning that Green Lantern has unlimited options in combat. Super strength and a plethora of technological weapons is great, but against a guy who can conjure up anything he wants out of thin air, Iron Man’s bag of tricks seem to be beat.

Support

Green Lantern Ring: Green Lantern’s ring also boasts amazing defensive and supportive capabilities. The power ring allows flight for added mobility, as well as the ability to generate life supporting force fields. The Green Lantern can take the fight to anywhere with these useful perks, as well as deflect many types of attacks. The ring does need to be charged, or it will be ineffective, but each Lantern is given a battery that recharges the ring for use.

Iron Man Suit: The suit also harbors plenty of defensive and utility capabilities. Flight, as well as a full array of radars and sensors to keep Iron Man up to date on all his opponent’s vitals, round out Iron Man’s utility, while the outer layer of the suit can take some hefty impact. The Iron Man costume can create a 360 degree energy shield and hits from rockets and lasers leave Iron Man unscathed, even when not using the shield. Iron Man also utilizes solar convertors, energy absorption, as well as an in-house reactor to keep the suit charged.

Advantage: Draw. Both seem to have iron clad defenses and support, but the power ring needs to be charged daily (or in more recent comics, whenever it runs out of juice) with the Green Lantern battery. Even though Iron Man’s suit features multiple options to keep him charged, both have the weakness of the necessity to leave a fight to recharge.

Men Behind the Equipment

Equipment and techniques are great, but weapons are only as effective as the man using them, so what does that say about these two superheroes?

Hal Jordan: Defined by an unbreakable will, Hal Jordan wears the Green Lantern suit like no other agent in the Green Lantern Corps. As far as Hal is concerned, a fight is never over until he is dead, putting a whole new meaning to the phrase “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” On the negative side, this makes Hal brash. He won’t admit defeat and tends to jump into any situation, regardless of the odds, relying solely on his willpower to carry him through danger.

Tony Stark: Matched only by Mr. Fantastic and Doctor Doom, Tony Stark is one of the smartest men alive. With expert knowledge of pretty much anything he sets his mind to, Tony can devise a solution to any problem with science. Tony tends to be a bit of a narcissist, though, and also suffers from an arrogant attitude; however, his ability as a pragmatist often makes up for this.

Advantage: Iron Man. Willpower and intellect can both be essential in battle, but willpower contains a disadvantage that intellect does not. Hal often tries to barrel through any problem with sheer force of will, even if force makes a poor solution to the problem. Intellect allows the ability to reassess a situation for a better solution, a quality which Tony often displays in the course of combat.

Fight it Out!

In a flash, Green Lantern’s power ring emits faint green light that forms into a giant fist, ramming Iron Man into the sky. Rocket boots stabilize Iron Man’s flight, but not before blast of Oan energy slaps into Iron Man’s chest, knocking him into a water tower on a nearby skyscraper. Green Lantern takes to the sky, to continue the assault. Landing on an adjacent rooftop, green energy forms a giant sledge hammer plummeting down on dazed Iron Man. A shield erupts around Iron Man, protecting him from the devastating blow.

As Iron Man shuffles to his feet, Green Lantern soars toward his enemy, glowing energy surrounding his arm. Iron Man’s thrusters burst into action while Green Lantern’s diving assault crumbles into the concrete where Iron Man’s body once was. Before Green Lantern can regain his balance, Iron Man’s fist pummels him with a vicious uppercut that hurls Green Lantern through the sky. Iron Man charges up his Unibeam, aiming at his airborne foe as a recovering Green Lantern slips out of consciousness.

As the lights grow dim, a surge of emotion flows through Hal. No. This is not how it will end. He WILL not lose here! Responding to Hal’s will to live and finish this fight, a deluge of Oan energy constructs a barrier around Green Lantern’s body as the Unibeam buffets him with energy. Fully charged, the power ring hammers a giant mace constructed of Oan at Iron Man as the Unibeam fizzles. With his energy depleted, the crushing force of Oan energy smashes down upon Iron Man with no resistance. Stunned, with little ability to defend himself, a giant green chain wraps around Iron Man’s body, binding him into place.

Winner: Green Lantern

Iron Man and Green Lantern are a close match, save for one factor that seems to outshine all the others. The fact that Green Lantern’s abilities are limitless while the ring has power seems to overshadow the tactical advantage of Tony’s incredible mental and support abilities. In the comics, no maximum limit has ever been depicted for the power of the Green Lantern ring, giving Hal a needed boost when his will is strong. Limitless power leaves even the most cunning mind without options in battle.

This epic match-up was imagined by Ryan Heuer. Ryan writes for a company that has awesome superhero costumes, which may not actually give you superhuman powers, but it’s worth a shot.