Clixocopia!

It's the 10th Anniversary of the superhero-themed Heroclix game this year, and their producer, Wizkids, is pulling out all the stops to produce a bumper crop of new DCU figures.

What with the additional "Fast Forces" versions of some of these sets, we're looking at around 150 new DCU figures for the Heroclix gameboard. Now, of course, 9 or 10 of those will be Batman, but, hey, it's good to have bat-options, you know?

There's never been a better time to try out the game, if any of my posts about it have ever interested you.  Here's some of what's coming (info stolen from THE source for such things, HCRealms.com):

• DARK KNIGHT MOVIE SET (More than 30 figures, including)
• Alfred Pennyworth:  (Preview)
• Bane:
• Batman, The:  (Preview)
• Bruce Wayne:  (Preview)
• Catwoman:
• Dark Knight, The: . (Preview)
• GCPD Riot Officer: . (Preview)
• Harvey Two-Face:
• Henri Ducard: (Preview)
• Joker as Sgt., The:  (Preview)
• Joker, The:
• Joker Thugs:
• Lt. Gordon:  (Preview)
• Lucius Fox: . (Preview)
• Ra's al Ghul:
• Scarecrow:  (Preview) 

All these figures are designed to look like the versions in the current Batman film trilogy. For most of them (Batman, the Joker, Two-Face, Gordon) that's okay, because they look a lot like the comic book version anyway.  I will, however, be prying the sculpt of mush-mouthed cockney hacktor Michael Caine off the Alfred dial and putting one of the decent comic-book Alfred sculpts on it instead.  Because the movies aren't spilling over with lots of costumed types, the set should have many cool "civilian" support pieces.  Players are already jazzed about the innovative dials for Alfred, Lucius Fox, Gordn, and the GCPD Riot Officer.  Having these figures will make it much easier to play larger scale games where Batman is the heavyweight. 

I expect Vibe in this set because, I mean, who else could Gordon-Levitt really be playing...?

 

• THE JUSTICE LEAGUE SET (22 figures including...)
• Aquaman:
• Batman:
• Cyborg:
• Deadman:
• Enchantress:
• Firestorm:
• Flash:
• Green Arrow:
• Green Lantern:
• Hawkman:
• John Constantine:
• Madame Xanadu:
• Superman: (Preview)
• Wonder Woman:
• Zatanna: 

This set should be crackerjack, with versions of all the New52 Justice League.  Having them all issued in the same set should allow you to compose a much more balance Justice League team (rather than having to use versions of those characters drawn from several different sets). I anticipate a kick-ass Aquaman.
I expect Vibe in this set, because--hello, Justice League?!

• THE BATMAN SET (50 figures! Including...)
• Alfred:
• Batgirl: Stephanie Brown.
• Batman:
• Big Barda:
• Catwoman:
• Grifter:
• Harley Quinn:
• The Batmobile
 

Like the previous "Superman" set, this set will be themed around Batman but will have other non-Gotham characters, too.  This is the only "full-sized" DC set this year, so it'll be fun to watch the many figures be previewed one by one and it will be the many opportunity to get some new villain pieces for the gameboard..  With the Batmobile, this set will introduce the "Vehicle" as a game mechanic, a prospects whose possibilities excites many players. Maybe they will finally make Killer Moth now that they can make a Mothmobile for him to motor around in?

I expect Vibe in this set, probably one of the later simplified versions of his costume (kind of like his JLU costume), because nothing would provide better ballast for the grim and gritty Gothamites than poppin'&lockin' Paco Ramone.

• HEROCLIX 10 ANNIVERSARY MINISET (24 figures, 2 for each of 12 characters, including:)
• Batman:
• Catwoman:
• Lex Luthor:
• Superman:
• Wonder Woman:

The neat thing about this set is: each character will have a "Classic" figure and a "Modern" figure.  For example, Classic Catwoman will be wearing her purple dress with the green cape outfit.as she did through most of the Gold and Silver Ages and Modern Catwoman will be in her black cat-burglar suit.  PLUS, the "field promotion" mechanic will apply, so there will times in the game when you can "update" the Classic version of character by replacing them with the Modern version.  So you can actually have prison-suit Luthor "invent" his battlesuit and start using it right in the middle of your game.  Since only a handful of truly classic characters of substantial long-lasting impact on the DCU with high public recognition and appreciation will be in this set, I expect Vibe to be in this set (Classic with yellow harem pents, Modern with his New52 look).