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I continue my photographic journal of the Super-Strong characters that can hold their object tokens, this time with characters I (mostly) don’t own yet:

First, Ch’od, the most recently clix’d of the Starjammers:

He holds it easily in his massive reptilian arms.

Next is one of those D-list characters that pretty much only get made in HeroClix, Gatecrasher:

Stick the token between her head and her pet whose name I can't recall.

 

Armor, who’s almost undoubtedly going to be the cheap SR of GSX, has no problem pulling her weight:

Another one who not only holds it, but holds it COOL.

 

Colossus / Wolverine juggles a feral Canadian mutant and a Fantasti-Car at once:

It fits neatly between Wolvie's left claw and Colossus' head.

 

Finally…you know who the HECK this IS?!?
It’s the Juggernaut…um…you probably know the rest.

The space between his armpit and his dial fits an object token PERFECTLY.

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I build this blog on a Mac and Safari. I’m just now noticing that this:

…does NOT show up on Internet Explorer. Huh. Need to fix that next week!

Anyway, on to this special, brand-new-set-released edition of the usually-semiweekly Token Totin’ feature: a photojournal of how Super Strength characters can hold their object tokens.

Instead of spreading these out, I just decided to show all the candidates I pulled in the brick I bought.

First in line is Omega Prime Sentinel:

It's a little bit hard to see from this angle. But she holds it gingerly in her left armpit mostly from the front.

And this of course also works for her LE sculptmate, Karima.

Next is the whole-lot-uglier Mindless One:

It barely holds the token in a mirror image of OPS: right pit, from behind.

Then, Pretty Boy (who isn’t really one. Not really):

Even though his armpit's holding less of the token than the previous two figs do, the grip seems better somehow.

The next Super Strong fig would be Aaron Stack. But I could find no secure way for him to hold his object tokens at all. NEXTwave!!!

Caliban.

Many figures in this pose can hold tokens wedged in the stat slot and under the chin. He just does it less well than many.

Gideon (who doesn’t actually have Super Strength but can gain it via his Special Power):

Wedges securely under the ponytail!

Rogue:

Also uses the ponytail. Mine was painted to her shoulder, but it was easy --and non-damaging to separate them.

 Blob is Super Strong.

Wedges securely from behind between his head and fists!

And, finally, The Captain (HIS NAME IS THE CAPTAIN!!!) holds his pretty awesomely:

The jagged edge of the giant finger works great as token holder.

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That’s it for now; I didn’t pull Ch’od, Gatecrasher, Juggernaut or other Super Strength characters. But expect that I’ll get pix of them, hook or crook! And have a great time this weekend!

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Sorry for no Custom Mod yesterday, but my attention has been wrapped up in the new Heroclix set due out this week: GIANT-SIZE X-MEN.

Every full set, I build a pocket checklist. But this go-’round, information has been slower in coming.

Since I know some out there are attending midnight releases, I am in turn releasing a not-quite-complete beta of the Giant-Size X-Men (GSX or GX) pocket checklist. Known issues include:

  • Mystique’s actual point cost unconfirmed
  • Blob’s rarity is questionable. He’s marked as an Uncommon, but this could be an error
  • Cyclops / Jean Grey duo name and cost unknown
  • Second Special Object name and cost unknown
  • Possible chase figures unrevealed

On that last point: GSX was announced as a 67-figure set, but we’ve only seen 65 to date. There could very well be two more ultra-rare pieces.

Anyway, here’s the 95% complete checklist.

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Latest object-holding figure:

Donna Troy can do it in Anniversary, wedged between her pit and stat slot.

Or she can do it as Wonder Girl in Crisis, held by her Rookie’s ponytail…

…or by the Vet’s fat yarn lasso. :)

And even though I don’t have her anymore, a little Photoshop shows how even the Cosmic Justice Troia/Donna Troy can get into the token action:

 

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A buddy of mine and I periodically have what we call “grudge matches.” These are pre-determined battles (usually high-point) between one of his favorite theme-y builds and one of mine.

For example, the first one we tried was this: Asgard vs. Asgard’s Enemies. This time, it was Hulk vs. Iron Man!

This is how these matches usually end in the comics.

His team:

Green Scar 230 + Fortitude 25 + Contingency Plan 12 + Unstoppable 5
Red She-Hulk 139
Rampaging Hulk 128 + Fortitude 25
Hulk (2099) 123
Jennifer Walters, Esq. 107
+ Kinetic Accelerator
+ Meteorite

= 794 points.

My team:


Iron Man (Web of Spider-Man) 202
Iron Man (Secret Invasion) 188
Hulkbuster 165 + Unstoppable 5
Iron Man (Mutations and Monsters) 100
War Machine (Hammer of Thor) 137 + Not So Special 3
+ Eleha’al Vine
+ Dynamostat
+ Kinetic Accelerator
= 800 points. My strategy ?  To leverage my massive range advantage to soften the Hulks up before they ever get to me.

My plan was immediately frustrated by losing the map roll. He picked the Prison. I was ready for this.

Lenny set up slowly and carefully, using Ramp.Hulk as his lead man hidden safely behind a wall. But he failed to see my secret weapon in Hulkbuster equipped with Unstoppable, leading to the first of many…

TURNING POINTS

  • The feat allowed Hulkbuster to destroy the wall, pick up the Dynamostat I’d used to lull Lenny into a false sense of security, and then light into Ramp.Hulk with multiple Running Shots.
  • Frustrated by my inability to miss those opening attacks, Lenny moved a bit too recklessly his next turn. I couldn’t believe he forgot to hide the giant 2099 Hulk behind one of the remaining walls, at least. I got at least two too many shots at the big guy.
  • In an effort to take out WS Iron Man, Lenny’d plugged up the narrow corridor and prevented Green Scar from getting to him with the deadly Meteorite. That gave me an opportunity to shoot Scar off his Super Strength and Leadership with SI Iron Man, making it even more unlikely for Lenny to hit me with his poor die rolls. It cost me those 188 points, though, as he was KO’d in short order.
  • No matter. Once free of Jennifer, Hulkbuster Charged in, picked up Lenny’s lost Meteorite, and destroyed Scar with it, along with Lenny’s hopes for a comeback.

In the end, I took out the whole team, losing only SI Tony.

MVPs

  • Hulkbuster, definitely. Not only did he land the deciding blow, but his use of Unstoppable to break walls for free instantly negated the terrain advantage against my range-conscious team.
  • But some praise must be given to WS Iron Man, too. Being Indomitable helped him to keep the offensive pressure on, giving the Hulks no chance to avoid fire.
  • Finally, it’s got to be said: in all but one of the eight or so of these matches Lenny and I have played, his die rolls have gone ice cold while mine ranged from average to, in this case, blazing like repulsor rays.

So far, Lenny has gotten 2nd place in all our non-tournament Heroclix duels. I don’t know how much more of this he can take.

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Continuing the series that SHOWS how Super Strength figs hold object tokens on the sculpt:

He actually doesn’t hold it as neatly as he appears to. The token’s just leaning on the flight stand and between the (spread apart) legs. Still…he holds it, barely.

Note: Amazo from Cosmic Justice holds his the same way, only even less effectively.

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Veteran ATOM (Origin)

Nice to finally get an Atom figure, as opposed to the “puck” version from Cosmic Justice. But it’s of the wrong guy!

This is Ryan Choi, the All-New Atom, represented by the Rookie version.

Ryan was a graduate student under Professor Ray Palmer, the REAL Atom:

Note the simpler uniform and belt.

I wanted a classic Atom. So here’s what I did:

  • Filed down details, especially on his back.
  • Repainted with acrylics.

Completed mid-2010.

NEXT WEEK: The worst figure in Hammer of Thor gets a comic-accurate makeover.

 

 

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Sorry for getting this up so late. Technical and scheduling difficulties.

Vet MOCKINGBIRD

She was never a great favorite of mine, even though I’m a big fan of married characters in comics. (Hmmm. Maybe there’s a subject for another blog.) Her HeroClix version seemed overpowered and she was dead, anyway.

But then she came back in the wake of Secret Invasion, and I happened upon the miniseries “New Avengers: The Reunion” in which Hawkeye and Mockingbird come to terms with the state of their relationship. Wonderful series, and one that shows that the Veteran Mockingbird absolutely could deserve her HeroClix dial, especially in this scene:


She’s also wearing a sweet new outfit that matches her trademark billowy sleeves with a long coat.

I wanted to update my Mockingbird to match. Here’s how I did it:

  • Cut away LexCorp Security’s overcoat.
  • Tried to glue it to V Mockingbird.
  • Simply didn’t work.
  • Fortunately, I had a GAMBIT figure left over from an earlier Black Widow project.
  • Dismantled GAMBIT, removing his head, arms and legs, leaving only his coat.
  • Cut away excess coat to fit Mockingbird’s back.
  • Filed down Mockingbird’s mask and boot tops.
  • Glued coat to back.
  • Repainted entire figure in blue and white and yellow acrylic paint.
  • Used thick glue to build knee pads.
  • Painted knees and forearms in silver enamel.
I never uploaded a finished photo of this mod until now. Yay for improved digital camera phone technology!

I never uploaded a finished photo of this mod until now. Yay for improved digital camera phone technology!

Completed early 2011.

NEXT WEEK: A small hero’s biggest version gets into big-boy clothes.