Review and photos by Scott Rubin
Earlier this week we took an in-depth look at one of this year’s HeroClix Convention Exclusives, the Superman vs. Muhammad Ali set available for purchase only at National Championships starting April 1st and the World Championships at Origins Game Fair this summer (check it out HERE). Now we’re back to check out a few of the single figures including a brand new one hitting the same shows along with the Ali set. Prizes for WizKids events this year include the DC HeroClix Plastic Man and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cyber Shredder, while attendees at the big events starting in April is the juggernaut known as the DC HeroClix Doomsday! Keep reading for details on each one including reveals of the dials plus our usual photography so you can get a good look at the figures.
HeroClix special edition and promotional pieces share some general features when it comes to packaging. Their boxes are usually brightly colored affairs with lots of bold graphics, and the images alternate between renders or photos of the figures and comic book-style artwork. The three figures we’re looking at today come in the standard single-figure boxes, just big enough to hold the character and its card. Cyber Shredder has a green/yellow background with bright orange Nickelodeon logos and the same image of the digital villain on each side. Plastic Man has similar shared artwork with the 3D render on each side along with an orange and yellow starburst background. Notably, Doomsday’s box has both a render AND a shot of the character right out of the comics in his full armored and ferocious glory.
While the Shredder is often the archenemy of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the title has at times been given to various characters. In the 2003 animated series Shredder was actually Ch’rell, an alien Ultrom. A digital backup of the villain combined with Foot tech and with a newly created suit of exoskeleton armor became the adversary known as Cyber Shredder! That version of the character makes his HeroClix debut as a convention exclusive, and he looks fantastic. Cyber Shredder looks exactly like you’d imagine an early 2000s “digital” monster version of the classic character unleashed upon the real world, all sharp-edged armor and long spikes. The Ultrom backup takes a step toward his enemies while lifting up both fists as if daring the Turtles to attack. Shredder’s armor is shiny purple, black, and silver, and shows off the character’s thin limbs and midsection contrasting with his hefty upper torso and long pointed feet. Meanwhile, the spines and spikes erupting from his shoulders, gauntlets, and legs are translucent red plastic.
While most Shredder figures released thus far have cost under 100 points, this upgraded version clocks in at 125 with a trait giving him Energy Shield/Deflection and Giant Reach: 2. Cyber Shredder begins the game with his only click of Charge plus Blades/Claws/Fangs and a special power granting the use of Impervious and a mechanic that gives him Counterattack tokens when others miss him that he can trade in to boost his attack value later. Mid-dial the villain gets a nice run of Flurry and some Perplex, and late dial he combines Super Strength and Invulnerability with two more special powers. The first gives him Mind Control with three targets and a 6 range, and lets him swing for the fences by targeting multiple high-level enemies but choosing one to affect and the other prevents opposing figures from targeting anyone more than five squares away as he turns out the lights. Lastly, Cyber Shredder’s dial ends with one click of Regeneration to try to get back into the fight. As you might expect, the digital monster has the keywords Foot Clan, TMNT Villain, and Robot.
Patrick “Eel” O’Brien has appeared several times in HeroClix, but chances are good you know him better by his superhero name Plastic Man. With an unending supply of tricks up his sleeves, the Eel can shape his body into anything a situation might require and has fun doing it. Previous figures of the hero have captured him in forms like a mailbox and a kite, though the craziest feature Plastic Man with his body and limbs stretched in bizarre shapes. That’s the idea behind this new limited edition version as O’Brien stands with his hands on his hips… but with his arms swirled around in circles behind him he actually has his hands resting on the opposite hips! Of course Plastic Man wears his distinctive costume with the red singlet with built in black and yellow belt and the signature black sunglasses. Completing the image is the hero’s head with his huge smile and puffy hair.
Plastic Man is one of the more difficult characters to translate into a game because his powers are so crazy and all-encompassing, and in the past we’ve seen WizKids use various traits and special powers to explain them. This version is a lean 60 points with the Police team ability and two traits. The first gives him Plasticity and Giant Reach: 2, adding on that enemies within that reach and LOF count as adjacent to him (hugely boosting his Plasticity effect). The other provides O’Brien with lots of options, letting you switch him out for any other Plastic Man figure 75 points or less after he’s damaged by an attack; that includes all previous Plastic Man figures! Plas starts off with Sidestep and a special power featuring Shape Change that works fully on 4-6, takes maximum one damage on a 3, and takes maximum two damage on a 2. Mid-dial the hero adds Quake, and then on his last two clicks switches to Stealth, Super Senses, and Exploit Weakness. Plastic Man plays best with figures who share his two keywords: Justice League and Police.
The last figure we’re going to look at today is Doomsday, scourge of Metropolis and Superman! The villain was first introduced in 1992 and after breaking out of imprisonment tore through the Justice League and ultimately killed the Man of Steel, dying himself in the process. Doomsday would return time and time again in varying versions and throughout time, always threatening heroes and even planets in his rampages. The creature has his origins in an ancient Kryptonian science experiment designed to forge an organism that could overcome any obstacle or environment. And now he’s back again as an exclusive for sale at National Championships starting April 1st and Origins Game Fair. Most previous HeroClix versions of Doomsday have focused on the alien’s appearance as he fought Superman in that famous story (or notably encased in the green burial suit he wore when he crashed on Earth). This new one is a bit more slimmed down though still tall and hulking. Doomsday crouches slightly, legs tensed to spring into battle, and holds one clawed hand behind him and the other in front of him for protection. The alien wears only the shredded remains of his containment suit appearing as green and black banded shorts, revealing the rest of his gray-skinned body with its numerous bone-like protrusions. And his monstrous face features a gaping black maw with blood red eyes and what appears to be a “beard” of that same bony growth.
Doomsday has appeared in HeroClix several times before and always with powerful, brawler dials. This one takes the character into some new territory with multiple point value options, token mechanics, and a dial that steadily increases in power! Doomsday can be played at 100, 200, or 300 points, all of which start on the first click with Indomitable and Giant size and have varying dial depths (at 100 he has three clicks, 200 has five, 300 has seven), and the figure’s first trait explains that. The second gives Doomsday +1 to defense per Adapted token on the attacker (more on this later) and lets you place the alien one square closer to his attacker after he’s hit.
The final trait adds Plasticity, protects Doomsday from Perplex, and says that when he KO’s an enemy he heals 1 click AND clears action tokens! On to the dial, and remember that no matter the point value he starts on click #1. Doomsday begins the game with Charge, Quake, and Exploit Weakness… and then there’s the special defense power. “Hideous Evolution Experiment” is a STOP power giving Doomsday Invulnerability, and it places an Adapted token on an enemy who dealt the monster damage. Oh, and Doomsday has this power on EVERY SINGLE CLICK. His dial progresses from Charge to Sidestep, Quake to Super Strength and then Precision Strike, and Exploit Weakness to Battle Fury. And note that for 300 points Doomsday’s dial tops out at a massive 10/12/19/6 assuming you can STOP your way to the last couple clicks! Brute and Monster are completely expected keywords for the creature, but an added fun one is Kryptonian.
ISo there you have it folks, HeroClix convention exclusives available starting April 1st at National Championships and Origins Game Fair. Attendees can purchase Doomsday (along with the Superman vs. Muhammad Ali set and others), while the prizes for playing in events include Cyber Shredder and Plastic Man. Which LEs are you most excited about and looking to get?
Visit HeroClix.com for even more info as well as downloads of rules and maps, and check Figures.com regularly as we continue our reviews of new HeroClix!
Review and photos by Scott Rubin
Review samples courtesy of WizKids Games
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