Lizard Johnny is a young meta-human who was part of Project Rutabaga. He later went to Markovia in hopes of a peaceful life, but decided to join the Infinity Cadets.
Johnny was trafficked to an abandoned factory in Cuba as part of Project Rutabaga, where Klarion activated his Meta-Gene and applied a mystic control brand to him. Johnny was then incorporated into the Flesh Monster made from multiple metas who were not deemed useful enough on their own.[1]
The Outsiders and Zatanna arrived to deal with the meta-trafficking situation. Zatanna separated the Flesh Monster back into its constituent metas and removed Klarion's brand, but could not undo their meta-activation. The Outsiders took Johnny and the others not from Cuba away.[1]
Geo-Force took Lizard Johnny to the Royal Palace, remembering him from the mission to Cuba. Brion promised to protect Johnny, and Johnny told Brion he only wanted to be left alone. Zviad Baazovi later took Johnny aside. As Zviad spoke about the traumatic experience, he influenced Johnny to anger.
Later, Johnny watched a promotional film at the Markov Family Meta-Human Youth Center, espousing the virtues of the Infinity Cadets and Infinitors. Johnny told a passing Brion that he wanted to become a Cadet and then an Infinitor, before Helga Jace took him away, much to Brion's confusion.[2]
Geo-Force assigned two of his best cadets, Lizard Johnny and Jet, to guard Perdita Vladek while she was at the Royal Palace. She disappeared while they were stood outside her door.[3]
Lizard Johnny was a member of the first team known as the Outsiders—unrelated to Batman's team that debuted seven years later. They were young "freaks" who formed a team to save other freaks from persecution.
