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REVIEW: WizKids Marvel HeroClix Fear Itself Month 2 Prize Kit
Fear In July Features Hela And Mokk’s Hammer...
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The HeroClix world is all aflutter with Asgardians, monstrous versions of iconic heroes and villains, and souped-up Avengers. If that sounds familiar to you it probably means that you took part in a Month 1 Marvel HeroClix Fear Itself tournament in June. With its own set of unique booster figures plus great prizes, this event series is already a huge hit with players and collectors, and it’s only just begun! Month 2 continues to commemorate the 2011 Marvel Comics crossover event with a participation prize of Mokk’s Hammer, the Hela Limited Edition prize figure, and the all-new map featuring locations right out of the event: Antarctica and Paris! Read on to find out what you’ll be playing for when you go to your local comic book or game store this month.
Last month all Fear Itself participants received Kuurth’s Hammer, the second such weapon after Skadi’s (from the Blitzkrieg U.S.A. scenario pack). Asgardian weapons of tremendous power, the “Mighty” hammers transform those who pick them up into mystically-charged warriors serving the Serpent. Upon that villain’s call, Mokk’s Hammer landed in Paris, France, where it was found by the disgraced supervillain Grey Gargoyle. Imbued with untold magicks, the Gargoyle became Mokk: Breaker of Faith and subsequently turned nearly every human in Paris into stone!
In the Fear Itself Month 2 prize kit you’ll find the Mokk’s Hammer 3D Object, physically represented by a sledgehammer-like weapon and its corresponding map square-sized base. Another 8 point relic, this hammer is all silver with a detailed multi-faceted head that fits perfectly into the shattered remains of a Paris street complete with bits of sculpted and painted debris. A HeroClix character can pick up Mokk’s Hammer on a roll of 5-6 and when it does gets Plasticity, Running Shot (with a minimum range of 4), and a +2 to its attack! Like all of the hammers, Mokk’s can be placed on the Book of the Skull resource dial as well.
The limited edition prize figure for Fear Itself Month 2 is the Asgardian goddess of death, Hela. A very powerful entity with plots and schemes rivalling those of Loki, Hela watches the goings on in Asgard and Midgard from her fortress, occasionally coming into conflict with heroes there. Just so it was during Fear Itself that the goddess participated in a side story involving the New Mutants. Confronted with the growing power of the Serpent, Loki mediates a deal between fellow “Hel/Hell” rulers Hela and Mephisto to blunt his advances. Without this crucial event the final outcome could have been much different.
The new Hela figure is a very cool, artistic look at the character. Often pictured in comics with a larger than life presence in her iconic green and black outfits, the death goddess presents a fearsome visage as she stands ready to do battle. Hela turns to her left, her long dress flowing around her legs, raising a wicked sword into the air with her left hand as she stares down her opponents. Meanwhile, her right arm ends in a stump (she lost it to the Disir) and behind her is a tall swirling portal. The detail on this figure is quite good, from the lifelike creases in her clothing to the goddess’ intricately sculpted headdress and long hair. While she’s very green, there’s a nice layering effect from the use of matte and gloss on different parts of her outfit. Her only exposed flesh is on the lower part of her face, and her lips and eyes are black and white respectively. Both the blade of Hela’s sword and the portal are comprised of translucent green plastic and look really nice.
Hela has appeared in HeroClix form once before, a Super Rare in the highly coveted Hammer of Thor expansion set. While that figure was a 200 point monster, this new prize figure version comes in at a more team-friendly 160. That comes with the Mystics team ability, a long 8 range with two targets, and a ghoulish Trait called “Each Passing Empowers Me” that heals Hela whenever another character 50 or more points is KO’d! Looking at her dial, the goddess has a crazy unchanging 10 movement for her entire dial, bracketed on the ends with Phasing/Teleport and featuring a special power giving her Mind Control (with a situational bonus to attack) on clicks 2-4. Attack, Defense, and Damage all start strong, dip in the middle, and then rise to their highest levels at the very end of her clicks. Mid-dial Hela erupts with Pulse Wave before finishing strong with Penetrating/Psychic Blast. For defense she starts with Impervious and has mid-dial Super Senses, while three perfectly placed Regeneration clicks potentially let her heal from her last to her first click in two successive turns. Finally in damage she has half a dial of Probability Control and then a crazy special power that gives opposing figures within 4 squares two tokens whenever they’d be assigned one! All of that adds up to a very fun and deadly figure, and one who can be teamed up with other figures who share her keywords Asgardian, Deity, Mystical, and Ruler.
The first of two maps that you’ll be playing on in Month 2 is Antarctica, and more specifically the fortress the Red Skull built around the hammer he summoned to Earth but could not lift. Similar to some other indoor maps with multiple levels we’ve seen before, this one has its own charms. Players begin on opposite short ends with starting area bracketed by walls and facing some machinery hindering terrain and a small wall in front of them. The outer ring of the map features symmetrical sections of blocking terrain and some more hindering. Meanwhile, the center of the map is surrounded by walls, accessible only by narrow two-square walkways leading in from each cardinal direction. Inside the center is an-arena style area with elevated terrain looking down and providing characters great sniping positions. At the very middle of the map is a four-square section of orange, the “Skadi’s Hammer Impact Zone.” Here either player can place the Skadi’s Hammer 3D object, and while it’s there characters within six squares of the zone can’t use Leadership! [Note: on my copy this map is labeled “The Book of the Skull Fortress.”]
If you’re unfamiliar with the Fear Itself story, you might be confused upon hearing that the other map this month portrays Paris. Take a close look and you’ll see that it’s no regular city street... those hindering squares are petrified people! The map depicts a busy traffic circle with a fountain at its center and streets extending toward each edge. After that, things get a bit chaotic. There’s a delightful asymmetry here, with four differently shaped buildings at the map’s corners and a hodgepodge of blocking terrain cars and hindering Parisians. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Fear Itself map without something special. At A12-B13 is a four square section of orange terrain called “Mokk’s Hammer Impact Zone.” Either player can put a Mokk’s Hammer 3D object there, and while it is no figure within six squares of the zone can use team abilities!
To get Mokk’s Hammer all you need to do is play in a Fear Itself tournament this month, and while you’re there you’ll be competing for the elusive Hela limited edition figure! Remember, each event is a “Sealed” tournament utilizing a Fear Itself set booster, so you’re guaranteed to get some exclusive figures even if you don’t win the day. Playing in this series is the only way to get these figures and the events are filling up fast, so don’t wait to sign up for the one(s) nearest you. If you’re not sure where to play, head over to WizKids’ Store Locator, and for more info visit their Fear Itself portal.
Stay tuned to Figures.com for more HeroClix reviews coming soon!
Review and Photos by Scott Rubin
Review Samples Courtesy of WizKids Games
