lizhardus-manbeastsnewmen-ih176-fullprof LIZHARDUS

Real Name: Presumably Lizhardus

Identity/Class: Terrestrial fauna (iguana) mutate (New Men)

Occupation: Agent of the Man-Beast; apparent torturer

Group Membership: New Men; specifically the Man-Beast's New Men (Barachuudar, Cobrah, Haukk, Kohbra, Monck, Phrogg, Pih-Junn, Rhodan, Snakar, Triax the Terrible, Weezhil, others)

Affiliations: Man-Beast,

Enemies: High Evolutionary (Herbert Edgar Wyndham), Hulk (Bruce Banner), Porcunius and his New Men opposing the Man-Beast's agenda (Eaglus, others unidentified), Sir Ram, Rigellian Recorder #211, US Air Force of the High-Evolutionary's Counter-Earth (notably including General Ross), Adam Warlock;
|   presumably Count Tagar, Knights of Wundagore (notably Sir Lepard, Sir Lyan, Sir Ossilot, and other unidentified Knights), Thor Odinson;
    possibly the Beyonders, Prime Movers of Tarkus, Sphinxor, Thanos

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Lizardus

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
    formerly active within underground laboratory base;
    at least formerly various hidden base on the High Evolutionary's Counter-Earth;
    presumably formerly Wundagore-3;
    formerly somewhere in the galaxy Dromisana;
    presumably created in the High Evolutionary's Citadel of Science atop Mount Wundagore, Transia;

First Appearance: (Possible first appearance, behind-the-scenes) Thor I#135 (December, 1966);
    (identified, but mostly off-panel and covered in armor) Marvel Premiere#1 (April, 1972);
    (pictured without armor) Marvel Premiere#2 (May, 1972)

Powers/Abilities: An iguana evolved into humanoid form, Lizhardus possesses scales and a reptilian face, with sharp teeth.

    He is likely poikilothermic ("cold-blooded"), making his body temperature and metabolism somewhat dependent on the ambient temperature.

    Given his job position, he apparently had some experience with technology, notably using means in an effort to break the will of a captive.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'10")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 210 lbs.)
Eyes: Unrevealed (likely brown or black)
Hair: None
Skin: Green (scaled)

History:
(Thor I#135 - BTS / Quicksilver I#9 (fb)) - Locking himself within the Evolutionary's genetic laboratory in his Citadel of Science atop Mount Wundagore, the Man-Beast used his evolutionary ray (presumably still powered by Isotope C) to create a number of his own New Men.

(All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z#8) - Lizhardus was evolved from an iguana.

(Thor I#135 - BTS) - The Man-Beast and his New Men engaged Thor and the Evolutionary and his Knights of Wundagore.

    Thor subdued the Man-Beast, and Count Tagar and the Knights forced the rest of the New Men into the Evolutionary's Star Chamber, which then transported them to the "galaxy Dromisana" (see comments).

(Marvel Premiere#1 (fb) - BTS / (Marvel Premiere#2 (fb) - BTS) - The Man-Beast and his New Men (presumably including Lizhardus) secretly returned to Earth's solar system from Dromisana to which the High Evolutionary had banished them. The Man-Beast covertly monitored the High Evolutionary's activities.

(Marvel Premiere I#1) - After the High Evolutionary became exhausted by the process of creating his Counter-Earth, the Man-Beast led a group of armored New Men (presumably including Lizhardus) to invade the Evolutionary's asteroid base, apparently slaying Sir Ram in the process.

     The Man-Beast then using the High Evolutionary's machinery to guide the newly developed humanity on Counter-Earth to commit the violent crimes the High Evolutionary had sought to prevent. The High Evolutionary revived and attacked the Man-Beast, who summoned his New Men (apparently including Lizhardus) to aid him. Though the High Evolutionary stopped them as well, the distraction allowed the Man-Beast to strike down the Evolutionary with a psychic blast. Before the Man-Beast could slay the Evolutionary, however, Him -- the creation of the Enclave whom the Evolutionary had rescued from space --  rushed to attack the New Men. The Man-Beast teleported himself and his followers down to Counter-Earth, and the Evolutionary considered destroying his now-tainted world, but Him convinced the Evolutionary to allow him to track down the Man-Beast and to save humanity. The Evolutionary gave Him the Soul Gem and sent him to Counter-Earth with the new name of Adam Warlock.lizhardus-manbeastsnewmen-ih176-face

(Marvel Premiere#2 (fb) - BTS) - The Man-Beast and his New Men established the base of Wundagore-3.

(Warlock I#1 - BTS) - The High Evolutionary altered Counter-Earth so that it vibrated on a different plane, a mere micro-second out of sync with the rest of the dimension, so that a rocket from Earth approaching Counter-Earth could neither see nor be seen by Counter-Earth.

(Incredible Hulk II#158 (fb) - BTS) - After the Man-Beast dissolved into mist to escape de-evolution by Adam Warlock (although he secretly possessed Rex Carpenter), Kohbra assumed leadership of the New Men and plotted to conquer Counter-Earth.

    Porcunius led a rebel group of New Men who sought only acceptance, not dominance.

(Incredible Hulk II#158 - BTS) - Lizhardus was presumably present with Kohbra's forces in assaulting Porcunius' forces, drawing the attention of the US military, and allying with the Rhino against Porcunius' forces' ally, the Hulk. After the two aliens were sent back to their own world, both groups of New Men fled to escape the US military.

(Incredible Hulk I#176 (fb) - BTS) - Adam Warlock was defeated and taken captive by the Man-Beast who had him brought to an underground base where his agent Lizhardus tortured him to break his spirit. However, Warlock shrugged off each of Lizhardus' tests as if they did not exist.

(Incredible Hulk I#176) - Two weeks later, after the Hulk had returned to Counter-Earth, the Man-Beast checked in with Lizhardus, who regrettably confirmed that he had been unsuccessful in breaking Warlock's spirit. Noting Warlock's will to be stronger than any creature he had ever encountered, Lizhardus suggested to his master that it was time for Operation Smear.

    Concerned over his master's impatience and Warlock's almost god-like willpower, Lizhardus was ambushed by a Rigellian Recorder (presumably #211) who compressed his carotid artery, rendering him unconscious. The Recorder subsequently freed Adam Warlock.

(Incredible Hulk I#177) - Lizhardus reported Warlock's escape to Man-Beast, enraging him.

(Incredible Hulk II#177 - BTS) - Via implanting a micro-transmitter into the Hulk, who was befriended by Warlock and his New Men, Man-Beast ambushed and captured Warlock and the Hulk, at least.

    In the following days, the Man-Beast manipulated the people of Counter-Earth's America into choosing death for Warlock, and the Man-Beast executed him, leaving behind only a cocoon.

(Incredible Hulk II#178) - A resurrected Adam Warlock transformed the Man-Beast back into their original animal forms. Warlock then departed Counter-Earth to seek his destiny in the stars.

(Incredible Hulk II#179 (fb) - BTS) - The Hulk was sent back to Earth in a re-programmed lunar exploration rocket.

Comments: Created by Roy Thomas, Gil Kane, and Dan Adkins.

    As far as I know, Lizhardus was first identified as being evolved from an iguana in the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z#8.

    As far as I know, there is not anything that indicates that the Man-Beast was able to create additional New Men on his own without the High Evolutionary's evolutionary ray, Lizhardus was likely created and present in Thor I#135.
    I am listing Lizhardus as behind-the-scenes in Thor I#135.

    To the best of my knowledge, Lizhardus did not appear after reporting Adam Warlock's escape to Man-Beast in Incredible Hulk I#177.

    Assuming Lizhardusdid not perish at some point earlier (for example, if the Man-Beast did not have him executed for allowing Warlock's escape), he was presumably present on Counter-Earth when Sphinxor and the Prime Movers took the world for the Beyonders' museum circa Marvel Two-In-One I#61-64 (1980)...and when Counter-Earth was apparently destroyed by the Infinity Gauntlet-possessing Thanos (as revealed circa Warlock and the Infinity Watch#4 (1992).
    I am not really certain what the deal is with the Counter-Earth that appeared circa Uncanny Avengers II#1 (2015), but I do not believe Lizhardus was seen with them.

    This profile was completed 11/01/2024, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25th anniversary 's celebratory event.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Lizhardus should be distinguished from:


images: (without ads)
Incredible Hulk II#176, pg. 12, panel 5 (face);
        pg. 18, panel 1 (full profile);

Appearances:
Thor I#135 (December, 1966) - Stan "The Man" Lee (writer/editor), Jack "King" Kirby (penciler), Vince "The Prince" Colletta (inker) - BTS; presumed
 Marvel Premiere#1-2 (April-May, 1972) - Roy Thomas (writer), Gil Kane (pencils), Dan Adkins (inks), Stan Lee (editor) - BTS; presumed
Warlock I#1 (August, 1972) - Roy Thomas (plot), Mike Friedrich (script), Gil Kane (pencils), Tom Sutton (inker), Stan Lee (editor) - BTS; presumed
Warlock I#2 (October, 1972) - Roy Thomas (plot), Mike Friedrich (script), John Buscema, Tom Sutton & Gil Kane (pencils), Tom Sutton (inker), Stan Lee (editor) - BTS; presumed
Incredible Hulk II#158 (December, 1972) - Roy Thomas (plot/editor), Steve Gerber (writer), Herb Trimpe (penciler), Sal Trapani (inker) - BTS; presumed
Incredible Hulk II#176-177 (June-July, 1974) - Gery Conway (writer), Herb Trimpe (penciler), Jack Abel (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#178 (August, 1974) - Gery Conway (plotter), Tony Isabella (script), Steve Gerber (writer), Herb Trimpe (penciler), Jack Abel (inker), Roy Thomas (editor; also conceived story)

All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z#8 (August, 2006) - Jeff Christiansen (head writer/coordinator), Sean McQuaid, Stuart Vandal, Ronald Byrd, Michael Hoskin, Mark O'English, Chris Biggs, Eric J. Moreels, Mike Fichera, Al Sjoerdsma, Barry Reese, Chad Anderson, Madison Carter, Anthony Flamini & Rich Green (writers), Michael Short (assistant editor), Jeff Youngquist & Jennifer Grunwald (editors)

First posted: 09/02/2026
Last updated: 11/01/2024

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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