Jonny Prophet and I like the collectible figurine strategy
game Heroclix by Wizkids. For those who don’t know, the game is like chess if
all the pieces had super powers. These pieces are based on characters from
various sources, mostly Marvel and DC comics. However, as of late Heroclix has
expanded to include licenses from Street Fighter, Star Trek and Lord of the
Rings. The game has come a long way in the decade it has been around, but I
still think there are some major missed opportunities of which Wizkids failed
to take advantage. Here is my highly
opinionated list of missed Heroclix opportunities…
1. Image Comics Clix: Years ago Wizkids came out with Indy
Clix as an attempt to appease fans of comic book characters outside of the “big
two.” The problem? (Aside from the mostly crappy dials) There were very few characters
from Image Comics. While the series represented franchises like Hellboy and
Judge Dredd, there was a glaring omission called Spawn. Now, I have heard that
a deal could not be reached with Todd McFarlane. Okay then, but what about
other Image characters like Savage Dragon, Shadowhawk, Super Patriot,
Firebreather, or the rest of Cyberforce (as Cyblade was the only one of that
team made in Indy Clix)? Hell, even Youngblood is back in the fold! Combine
those Image properties with updated dials of Hellboy and Judge Dredd characters
and I bet you would have a hit!
1.5 Kirkman-verse Clix: No, I am not talking about Walking
Dead Heroclix, though they might be awesome. I am referring to the numerous
characters and titles that over-achieving comic writer Robert Kirkman has created
from Image… titles like Invincible, Astonishing Wolf-Man, Super Dinosaur and
the Guardians of the Globe. A few years ago a mini-set of Invincible was
released featuring the title character, Atom Eve, Robot, Omni-Man, Titan,
Angstrom Levy and Allen the Alien. However, those seven are just scratching the
surface. Not only would I love them to be redone in the newer “carded” format
but add to them Immortal, Dupli-Kate, Rex Plode, Bulletproof, Darkwing, Doc
Seismic, Powerplex, Kid Omni-man… the list goes on and on! Wizkids could easily
fill a smaller set or even a full set using just Kirkman’s characters!
2. Wildstorm Clix: This was a missed opportunity that I
still don’t get. During the entire life of Heroclix, Wildstorm was under the DC
umbrella. I would have thought those characters would be free to be used.
(Maybe I’m wrong.) I know I would have loved Heroclix based on Wild C.A.T.s,
Gen 13, Stormwatch and the Authority. That could have easily been a mini-set.
But now, Wildstorm seems to have been absorbed into the main DC universe,
except now the characters are a lot different. While it will be cool to get
Grifter, Fairchild and DC’s Stormwatch (which might as well be the Authority
given the line-up) it will always make me wonder what might have been.
3. Smallville Clix: With Heroclix currently making so many
movie based sets (Avengers, Dark Knight Rises) it stands to wonder why in the
entire span of the long running WB/CW series that there were never a set of
Smallville Clix. The show had a decent enough following, enough to have comic
book tie-ins and action figures. Why was there never a mini-set based off the
“Justice” episode featuring Clark Kent, Green Arrow, Impulse, Aquaman
and Cyborg? What about one of Lex or the Callum Blue version of Zod? It’s
really suprising to me since I’m sure any Smallville Clix would have sold well.
4. Missing Iron Man Movie Characters: In speaking of movie
based Heroclix, why in the recent Avengers movie tie-in line were there not
characters from the Iron Man movies? Sure we got Tony Stark and Iron Man, but
where were his villains or supporting cast? Other characters from Captain
America and Thor were represented, so where were my movie Heroclix versions of
Iron Monger, Whiplash, “armored” Whiplash, Justin Hammer, all three Hammer
Drone models or even Rhodey and the War Machine armor? I’m especially mad about
Whiplash as we have never in the decade that Heroclix has been around gotten
any form of that character. Who knows, maybe there will be a micro-set released
for next year’s Iron Man III that will atone for these sins. We will wait and
see. (For note, I could make the same complaint about Hulk movie figures but
the recent comic version Hulk series gave us everyone from the movie I would
have wanted… except maybe a Tim Roth.)
5. Age of Apocalypse Collector’s Set: A couple of years ago
we got a pretty good (but not perfect) Watchmen set of Heroclix. Now fans are
clamoring for more collector sets, ones that will give a complete set without
buying tons of boosters. Among the biggest of these wants is for an Age of
Apocalypse set comprising a 25 figure set of characters representing the
alternate reality where Xavier never founded the X-men and super villain
Apocalypse conquered much of the world. While we have gotten a handful of
characters from the storyline, fans like me would love a more comprehensive set
featuring AoA versions of Weapon X, a Sabretooth and Wildchild duo, Sunfire,
Magneto, Blink and Nate Grey. Just so long as Wizkids stops at the original
series and skips the bad sequels.
6. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Clix: Why? Because Alan
Moore’s works haven’t been raped enough… okay, I’m really just trying to piss
of Jonny Prophet.
7A. Red Son Superman Micro-Set: Everyone was shocked that
Red Son Superman failed to show up in the Superman Heroclix set from last year…
especially considering the addition of various alternate reality “chase”
Superman pieces. I was so bummed I painted up on of my extra Supes into his
commie outfit. Seriously, this was one of the most popular Elseworld stories
ever… why no Clix? In addition to Superman, you could have that world’s Lex
Luthor, Batman, Wonder Woman, Bizarro, Hal Jordan and Brainiac. Maybe even
include the bottled city of Stalingrad
as a special object! It would sell like hotcakes I guarantee!
7B. Elseworlds Clix: Aside from Red Son Superman, DC has many
other great alternate reality stories under the Elseworlds moniker. Some of
these have received Clix in the past, but it would be awesome to have a whole
set of them. In addition to updating the Kingdom Come line, imagine Clix from
Liberty Files, Thrillkiller, Speeding Bullets, Son of Superman, the Batman –
Vampire collection… the list goes on and on. There’s a lot of potential for
some really cool Clix.
8. What If/Alternate Marvel Realities: In the same vein as a
DC Elseworlds set, Marvel has its fair share of alternate reality stories and
series that could be made into an entire set of Heroclix. Besides the
aforementioned Age of Apocalypse, there could be characters representing 1602,
Mutant X (remember that one?), House of M, the X-men storyline “Here Comes
Tomorrow,” Age of X, Heroes Reborn, Exiles, MC2, 2099 and more. Plus imagine
“What If” Clix like a Russian Fantastic Four, the White Skull, Galactus herald
Thor, and a Deadpool possessed by Venom!
It would be unbelievably cool.
9. Astro
City Clix: This one is
just for Jonny Prophet… not that I wouldn’t be interested in the series myself.
Kurt Busiek’s ode to classic comics was a breath of non-extreme fresh air in
the “dark” 90’s world of comic books. Throughout the book’s sporadic history
(it seems only when the planets align that an issue comes out) it has featured
numerous creative, unique and outright fascinating characters such as
Samaritan, the Confessor, Winged Victory, Crackerjack and the Hanged Man. While
I doubt a set would sell very well given that the series was never super
popular, I will say that a micro-set or collector’s set could be enough of a
hit to warrant production. It would certainly brighten Jonny Prophet’s day.
10. Amalgam Clix: I can honestly see why this one was never
made. How hard would it be to get DC and Marvel to work together again to make
plastic their amalgamated characters from that 90’s crossover event? I imagine
pretty damn difficult. Still, who wouldn’t love an entire Amalgam Heroclix set
featuring Spider-Boy, Darkclaw, Thanoseid, Dr. Doomsday, Iron Lantern, Super
Soldier, JLX and so on? It would be awesome… I just wonder who would buy the
set. How many players today even remember the Amalgam age of comics? Sigh.
So there you have it Wizkids. Sure, some of these are far
fetched or just plain past it’s time, but several of these are still do-able.
Make it happen! Don’t make me Critical Hit you!
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