ADVANCE LOOK: WizKids Games DC HeroClix Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman is one of the greatest superheroes ever invented, and this is going to be a big year for her as well as us fans.  Of course this summer is going to see the debut of the Warner Bros. feature film, but HeroClix players can get a fun dose of the Amazonian warrior princess sooner with the DC HeroClix Wonder Woman gravity feed set!  This new set of single-figure blind boosters celebrates several versions of Wonder Woman from the comics as well as some of her traditional and recent allies and enemies.

There is also a sub-theme of Teen Titans characters bringing you updated versions of longtime fan-favorites as they’ve appeared in comics over the last few years.  As we often see with HeroClix gravity feeds, the Wonder Woman set is split up between figures available in comic book/game stores and at mass market (Target around here) with 8 shared commons and each channel getting 3 rares and 1 chase exclusively.  You can get your hands on the Wonder Woman gravity feed at your local comic book or game shop later this month on May 24^th.  Today we’ll be taking a look at one of those boxes, so let’s check out some Wonder Woman!

We first saw the Wonder Woman gravity feed display box at GAMA 2017 last month, but it’s no less impressive in person.  The big box is emblazoned with Wonder Woman graphics and images, starting with the color scheme in red, light blue, and yellow.  The front panel has the set’s name and info in fun, retro fonts along with a small image of the heroine while the back is just the iconic Wonder Woman logo on a blue field with white stars.  Each side of the big box repeats the headshot of Wonder Woman and has 3D renders of some of the figures in the set: Steve Trevor, Queen Hippolyta/Amazon, Etta Candy, and the Flash on one and Wonder Woman, Starfire, Raven, and Cheetah on the other.  The foil packs repeat the artwork from the big box and 3D renders along with another Wonder Woman figure.

Alright, as always your results will vary but here’s what we pulled in this gravity feed display:

Commons

• 001 Wonder Woman (Rebirth)
• 002 Starfire (2015 solo comic)
• 003 Queen Hippolyta (New 52)
• 004 Cheetah (1987)
• 005 The Flash (Wally West – Rebirth)
• 006 Amazon (New 52)
• 007 Cheetah (New 52)
• 008 The Flash (Wally West – Rebirth)

 Rares (exclusive)

• 012 Raven (Teen Titans – 2014)
• 013 Steve Trevor (The Legend of Wonder Woman – 2016)
• 014 Etta Candy (The Legend of Wonder Woman – 2016)

 Chase (exclusive)

• 016 Wonder Woman (1987)

As with the previous Guardians of the Galaxy gravity feed the collation in this box is spot on.  First off, there were at least two of EVERY figure except for the single copy of the chase.  Yes, that means two copies each of the exclusive rares so even those aren’t hard to find in this feed.  The one chase is standard as well, so if you’re really looking to get a hold of that ’87 Wonder Woman then your best bet is to buy a whole feed or at least make sure you’re splitting one with a friend who’ll let you have her.  Anyway, let’s look at the figures.

You may be surprised to see in the photos or the list what appears to be a couple repetitions in the set.  Well, that’s both true and untrue.  Yes, there are sculpt reuses within this set: Queen Hippolyta/Amazon, The Flash/The Flash, and Cheetah/Cheetah.  The first is straightforward, the same sculpt of a powerful armored woman wielding a wicked axe being used for the Queen as well as her loyal minions (not to mention offering a potential distraction to your opponent when you’re playing an Amazonian team).  Then there are the Flashes; both represent the newly returned Wally West, and that’s awesome!  Wally was conspicuously missing from DC’s New 52 era but he returned triumphantly during the Rebirth event and appears in the current books.  Both figures replicate his new red and white costume as he stops for a split second to scope out his enemies, but have different dials with different point totals, powers, keywords, and team abilities.  Just like DC giving the Wally fans something to cheer about when West returned, so too is WizKids giving them two different versions of the character to choose from when team building right out of the gate.  On the other hand, while the two Cheetahs share the same prowling sculpt they represent two very different characters.  004 is the classic archaeologist turned Wonder Woman villain Barbara Ann Minerva while 007 is the New 52 version of the character; they also have different point costs, dials, and keywords.

Looking at the unique sculpts in this gravity feed we start with the common 001 Wonder Woman standing tall with her sword raised above her head and her cloak whipping past her.  This figure is directly based on the cover to Wonder Woman: Rebirth #1, art by Liam Sharp.  Starfire likewise is ripped from a cover, in this case 2015’s Starfire #1, art by Emanuela Lupacchino.  Here the Tamaranean stands in a determined pose, reaching up to blast starbolts at her enemies with a serious expression on her face.  This is famously the updated incarnation of the character’s costume after the controversial first New 52 version seen in the Red Hood and the Outlaws book.  The last Teen Titan is Raven, and she brings to the game her unique New 52 look with an avian costume complete with a beautiful feather cape, claws, and a weird but cool eyeless cowl.

While Steve Trevor has appeared in Wonder Woman comics since 1941, but this is only the second HeroClix figure of him!  It’s a welcome addition too since the first was a specific A.R.G.U.S. armored look and this one captures Trevor in his US Army Air Corps uniform.  Brand new to HeroClix is another longtime friend of Wonder Woman, Etta Candy!  This figure is based on artwork from 2016’s The Legend of Wonder Woman with Candy in her Holliday College for Women outfit.  Last but certainly not least is the chase, a classic 80s Wonder Woman who not coincidentally also resembles TV’s Lynda Carter in the role.  This version of Diana wears her retro costume with the white star-studded blue bodysuit, red and gold top, red boots, silver bracelets, and the tiara just peeking out from under her hair.  Meanwhile, her pose captures her twirling her magical lasso above her head with her left hand as she holds the rest looped in her right!

Let’s check out a few dials, shall we?  The first of the commons and the anchor of the set is 001 Wonder Woman leaping right out of 2016’s Wonder Woman #1.  Fitting into the recent trend of lower costed but more effective figures this version of Diana is a lean 70 points with the Justice League team ability, Flight, Indomitable, and the debut of the shared “Amazon Sisterhood” trait (Hint: expect to see this on some other Amazonian figures in this set).  It gives the heroine permanent Super Senses and when a friendly Amazon-keyworded character makes an attack that figure gets an “Amazonian” token.  What do those tokens do?  Well, that’s where each figure differs.  This one starts the game with three clicks of a special power that provides her with Toughness and says that allies within 1 square (don’t have to be adjacent) who have an Amazonian token can use Shape Change, but a successful use of the power removes a token.  Wonder Woman also starts with Flurry and Blades/Claws/Fangs, then mid-dial gets some Sidestep and Close Combat Expert before finishing out her dial on Charge, Quake, and regular Toughness.  For only 70 points this Amazonian is a tough and persistent attacker who also helps out her friends via tokens and Shape Change.

Next up in the commons is 2015’s revamp of Starfire!  No longer an Outlaw, this version of Koriand’r returns to her Teen Titans roots but retains the ranged combat power set you expect from the character.  She’s 75 points with the Titans team ability, Flight, Improved Targeting ignoring characters, a powerful 8 range with two targets, and the “Titans Together” trait that buffs her attack by +1 for a turn after another friendly character was healed by the Titans team ability!  Starfire is a great mobile attacker with starting Running Shot and Energy Explosion, and mid-dial she trades in move-and-attack capability for more reliable numbers thanks to Ranged Combat Expert.  The Tamaranean’s entire dial is protected by a special defensive power giving the Titan Energy Shield/Deflection and Toughness.  Moving from cover to cover Starfire is a strong blaster who’s absolutely deadly against swarms.

As noted above, this set includes not one but (at least) two different incarnations of the Cheetah.  007 Cheetah is the character from 2011’s Wonder Woman run and represents a truly feral side to the Amazonian’s nemesis.  The feline villain is only 40 points but definitely has claws.  First off, her “Amazon Hatred” trait gives her Exploit Weakness when attacking figures with the Amazon keyword, so right off the bat she’s going to be a threat against Wonder Woman and Amazon swarm teams.  Cheetah begins play with Toughness and both Charge and Leap/Climb via a special power so she can get into position or run into melee and attack depending on the situation.  On click #3 her damage drops to 2 but she gets Blades/Claws/Fangs, and defensively her Combat Reflexes keep her safe from punches while her late dial Stealth protect from energy blasts or bullets.

For our last dial reveal we’re going to look at one of the rares with the New 52 era 012 Raven!  Rachel Roth has appeared in HeroClix several times before, but this is the highest point version of her to date.  At 125 points she comes with the Mystics team ability, Flight, a 6 range, and Improved Movement ignoring blocking terrain and characters.  Her dial starts off deceptively sedate with a support click of Telekinesis, Enhancement and Support (thanks to a special power), and Energy Shield/Deflection for defense.  Clicks #2-3 get more offensive with Penetrating/Psychic Blast and spiking attack and defense values… but on click #4 things get really interesting.  Here Raven embraces her “Daughter of Trigon” heritage and unleashes her full power!  Her last three clicks all have Running Shot paired with a STOP special power granting Impervious, Ranged Combat Expert, Willpower, and the Giant size (though she can’t be healed on these clicks).  It’s going to be an interesting dance for Raven’s player and opponent as she shifts from support to attack and finally a ranged combat monster, all the while punishing enemies who hit her via Mystics.

So that’s a look through one gravity feed box of DC HeroClix Wonder Woman, coming to stores on May 24^th.  This one’s an interesting crossover set that’s going to resonate well with fans of the title character, people looking for more Wonder Woman collectibles in the wake of the upcoming film (even though this set is based on the comics), and those who like Teen Titans and want to get more modern versions of those characters.  There are some fun new mechanics with shared traits and the like, and power levels are varied with inexpensive generics and bystander-type characters ranging all the way up to 100+ point powerhouses like Raven who turns into the Daughter of Trigon.  Good luck with your pulls and unleash the Amazons!

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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