The Iron Age vs The Golden Age...The Authority vs The JSA

[Vigil]

We'll here's the third possible permutation in our series of Authority vs ? polls. And I think this should be a good one.

You know the drill so here's the line ups:

Returning once again, the grimest, most cynical and mean spirited team ever assembled in the grimest, most cynical and mean spirited age of comics, the iron age. Here they are, The Authority: The Doctor, Jenny Quantum or Sparks (you pick), The Engineer, Midnighter, Apollo, Jack Hawksmoor and Swift.

vs

The grandaddy of all superteams, those paragons of justice, The JSA. Roll call: The Golden Age Superman, Dr. Fate , Green Lantern (Alan Scott), The Flash (Jay Garrick), Wildcat, Atom, Hourman, Starman, and The Golden Age Batman (I know it's a kooky pre-Crisis line up but damn they were the coolest. I thought about adding The Spectre but realized that then you don't need anyone else in the team. As to the time period, I'm thinking of this line up as they appeared in the mid seventies relaunch of All Star Squadron)

Let the slugfest begin!

Vigil

[Twilight]

Slugfest? This is possibly the only lineup that could stomp the Authority worse then the Big 7 JLA could. They still have the speed advantage with Golden Age Supes and Jay Garrick. The difference is, this team also has Dr. Fate who can most likely easily counter any magic that the doctor could attempt.

Heck, if they piss him off it could be the Authority that get turned into turnips.

Golden Age Supes and Flash zoom in and stomp most of the Authority before they even know what's happening. Meanwhile Dr. Fate neutralizes the doctor's magic and possibly teleports him to the Betty Ford Clinic. Green Lantern bats cleanup if it's needed and the rest of the JLA wonder why they had to show up at all.

Once again Jenny Quantum gets taken from the Authority and raised by people who aren't psychos.

[Chuckg]

The Doctor throws the turnip spell...

*boink*

Dr. Fate -- "Whew, you're stronger than you look, friend. But I've actually survived Kulak's best for a short while, and you're not /quite/ as bad as he was."

The Doctor -- "Yeah, but your magic can't get through to me eith..."

*zip* *WHAP*

Dr. Fate -- "Thanks, Jay."

Flash -- "No problem!"

Dr. Fate (to the unconcsious Doctor) -- "it's called 'teamwork'. You people seem to be a little short on it."

[Twilight]

Atom grins as he watches the Authority getting stomped by Dr. Fate, Golden Age Supes, Jay and Alan.

Atom: "Pay up, told ya they wouldn't need us!"

Wildcat: *grumbles as he starts forking over twenty dollar bills*

[Champsguy]

Oh hell no, I disagree.

Twenty dollar bills? This is the '40s. 5 dollar bills is more like it.

What, you didn't think I'd disagree with the outcome of the fight, did you?

Also, this is the 4th poll. The Order already had their turn.

This fight is over so fast it's not even funny. Remember, the JSA are used to killing nazis. The Authority won't seem any different. This time, the Image punks don't even get to go to jail.

Too bad the Spectre isn't on the team. He'd swell up to the size of a mountain and eat the Authority. Literally.

Dr. Fate would boot-stomp the Doctor. Not only is he far more powerful, but he can take Apollo's best shot right on the chin (not that way, you sick perverts).

Superman is running around with Pre-Crisis mojo now. He'll blow out the sun with his superbreath if he feels like it.

Umm... there's more, but I don't really need to go on.

[Southern Cross]

It's funny,but of all the major superhero game systems,I always thought that Hero System gamers would be the most sympathetic towards the Authority.Instead everyone seems to want to stomp them into the dirt.(Well,maybe not ALL Hero System gamers.But certainly the vast majority).
(Not that the Authority don't NEED being beaten by a truly heroic team.At the moment, I have FAR more respect for Black Adam's crew than I have for the Authority).

[assault]

Yeah. The JSA would slap the Authority like nobody's business. And they'd walk over them in the coolness and good taste sections of the competition too. Humour too, for that matter. And bodycount, come to think of it... although most of that would be the Spectre's work.

Let's face it, the JSA fought the real fascists. Second rate fascists like the Authority just don't rate.

Southern Cross wondered about Hero Gamers not being particularly sympathetic to the Authority. My explanation would be good taste.

[Hermit]

Actually, I got to read a trade paper back with the first few issues of the Authority. They weren't as bad as I thought they'd be....
but the only one I found truly likable was Jenny Sparks (Engineer had potiential).

What glancing I've done at other issues later on, and what those more read than I tell me is that it went down hill when the team behind it changed and Jenny Sparks was lost.

All that aside, Teamwork continued to be their big flaw when I Peeked. Compared to the Authority, the Defenders (The Non Team Team) were organized, the New Mutants (back when they were new) had better grasps of tactics many times.

The Authority is powerful, but it's so used to that power that it comes across as lazy in cordination...

and frankly, without Jenny Sparks, it seems to have lost what little moral and ethical compass it had.

[Metaphysician]

Only worse curbstomp: the *modern* JSA. All the same powerhouses of the Golden Age, plus such joyous people as Captain Marvel, Black Adam, and the android Hourman.

[farik]

Originally posted by Southern Cross
It's funny,but of all the major superhero game systems,I always thought that Hero System gamers would be the most sympathetic towards the Authority.Instead everyone seems to want to stomp them into the dirt.(Well,maybe not ALL Hero System gamers.But certainly the vast majority).
(Not that the Authority don't NEED being beaten by a truly heroic team.At the moment, I have FAR more respect for Black Adam's crew than I have for the Authority).

In my experience Champions gamers prefer the comic reality of the golden age and/or silver age over the dark realities rampant in the 90's. I mean "The Watchmen" is a great story to read but how many groups would be willing to play a game where some the biggest villains are Heroes willing to slay millions of people. It's simply a matter of which is more popular tragedy or adventure.

[winterhawk]

Originally posted by Metaphysician
Only worse curbstomp: the *modern* JSA...

The Authority vs. The Modern JSA (as of most recent issue, #57) might go a little something like this(If I got to write it)...

Hawkman & Hawkgirl vs. Swift
Hawkgirl chases Swift. As Swift glances back to spout off some witty repartee, she flies right into Hawkman's mace blow.

Jack Hawksmoor vs. Alan Scott
Alan: "Your the city elemental, right?"
Jack: "What are you going to do about it, Gramps"
Alan picks up Jack in a bubble and deposits him on a volcanic island in the middle of the Pacific, hundred of miles away from any urban area.

Dr, Fate & Wildcat vs. The Doctor
The Doctor: "Cute magic...but you'll have to do better if you want to defeat me."
Dr. Fate: "Actually, I'm only a distraction..."
(Wildcat has snuck up behind the Doctor)
Wildcat: "Jeeze, you should eat something...you look like Hell"
*RIGHT HOOK!*

Mr. Terrific vs. The Engineer
Mr. Terrific: "Nice nanite matrix"
Mr. T has T-Spheres transmit virus to neutralize the nanites abilities (This one's a bit of a stretch, but I like Mr. T)

The rest of the JSA vs. Apollo
Dr. Midnight: "You must be the sun god"
Apollo: "And your just a regular guy..." *Smirks*
Dr. M: "Yes, I am" *throws blackout bomb*
Captain Marvel, Power Girl and Hourman swoop in and sh@thammer the weakened Apollo.

Star-Spangled Kid vs. Jenny Quantum
SSK: "Look a baby, can we keep it?"

Granted I am way biased, but I am a fan of the Warren Ellis run of Authority. Just like the old guys better

[Southern Cross]

Anybody else want to see a battle between Black Adam's crew & the Authority?
After all,these guys beat the JSA.....
Though if the next issue blurb is accurate,that was only an initial victory,and the JSA will manage to defeat those misguided former heroes.

[Metaphysician]

Hell, from what I've heard, the Black Reign arc is "Authority in DC" done right.

[proditor]

Black Reign is good stuff.

And yes, I agree totally that the JSA in either modern or Golden Age configuration is gonna stomp the Authority so bad it will be painful to watch.

[Vigil]

I have to admit to being kinda surprised by the JSA landslide here. Like a lot of people I despise The Authority and it makes my heart glad that others love The JSA but the lineup that I included in here for the JSA includes some very mortal types like Wildcat, Atom and even Hourman...so I thought The Authority would have a fighting chance (that's also why i left our The Spectre and Johnny Thunder). I was also thinking of the mid seventies versions of Superman and Batman who aren't as all powerful as their Earth One counterparts.

Vigil