A while back, I listed my favorite clix of the 2010s after annually doing a top ten-or-so for each year since Heroclixin’s founding in 2009, and retroactively posted my picks for the years 2006, 2007 and 2008: my first full years as an active HeroClix player.

Now, to help mark HeroClix’s 20th anniversary, I thought I’d pick my faves of the figures released in the years before I started collecting but later quickly grew to be liked.

Here we go! (In alphabetical order.)

2002

LE Arthur Curry (Hypertime 138) (experienced Aquaman pictured)

This could have been Vet Aquaman, the first single I bought. (It was during a trip out of town to celebrate my cousin’s graduation.) But I liked the slightly more subtle gameplay of this LE version of my favorite DC hero.

 

experienced Black Panther (Infinity Challenge 086) (vet pictured)

The Rookie was the meta favorite (thanks to his ability back then to autonomously move into Stealth position and Outwit from 10 squares out — neither possible today), but this Experienced version with Blades/Claws/Fangs to fight with along with the Stealth and Outwit (no TA though) reflected the character best of the REV set.

 

veteran Blizzard (Infinity Challenge 090)

11 AV was rare at this price (53 points), and so was Pulse Wave.

 

veteran Dr. Doom (Clobberin’ Time 075)

With a sky-high 12 AV, Perplex to aid his printed 3 damage, his old Minions of Doom wild card status and two clicks of Mastermind, he was my first power piece, part of the lot that got me in the game.

 

unique Elektra (Infinity Challenge 144)

I liked her more for the sculpt than anything. Also was my first Unique.

 

unique Flash (Hypertime 128)

i’ve always liked Jay Garrick. 20 Speed Hypersonic! Who cared if he only dealt 1 damage?

 

veteran Hawk (Hypertime 087)  (experienced pictured)

Once activated, he got you 12 AV with Super Strength. I struggled to play him on teams in those days before keywords.

 

rookie Invisible Girl (Clobberin’ Time 043)

18 Defend was really high in 2002.

 

veteran Logan (Clobberin’ Time 069) (rookie pictured)

Great pose, long dial.

 

rookie Mandroid Armor (Clobberin’ Time 007) (experienced pictured)

Cheap TK and an early “Black box” fill-in. Pretty sure Rhodey spent time in this suit between his Iron Man and War Machine years.

 

 

2003

 

 experienced Fatality (Cosmic Justice 053)  (rookie pictured)

A “Black box” fig, she offered Telekinesis and offense alike. The Experienced version I preferred was a flier as well.

There was an event where she was intended to be the mainstay of my team, but the judge secretly had a scenario where we had to swap our team with our opponent … and she wrecked my face.

“Thanks for building such a good team,” my young opponent told me after he’d won … the little snot!

 

veteran Hand Ninja (Xplosion 009) (rookie pictured)

This generic has a surprising 8 range, making it the first I’d reach for in any ninja-themed force.

 

LE Jane Foster (Xplosion 206)  (experienced Paramedic pictured)

Medics were a staple at this time (thanks to possible 6 healing and crater-low defense values to make the Support roll) and she was the best. It took me years to actually get her.

 

veteran Johnny Alpha (Indy 021)

There’s that TK again. But he also had an uncommon 11 AV, making him a solid fighter.

 

LE Little Sure Shot (Cosmic Justice 201)

10 range for 15 points? Yes, please. He was also a provisional member of my Black figure collection back before I realized he was actually a Native American character.

 

rookie Lobster Johnson (Indy 034)

Stealth Outwit AND wildcard status gave him a place on many of my teams in those early days, when all three of those abilities were VERY powerful.

 

veteran Magdalena (Indy 030)

Like a lot of characters from this set, she was a dull Stealth+Blades  piece, so she made my list more for her sculpt than anything.

 

 experienced Major Maxim (Indy 053)

Cheap Stealthy Super Strength. And a great sculpt.

 

 experienced Moon Knight (Critical Mass 026)

Stealth was much better then. So was Super Strength. And with his Willpower and Avengers team ability (which qualified him for the Thunderbolts feat a few years later), he was a good pick.

 

 experienced Taskmaster (Xplosion 065)

High, high AV. And Stealth. And Wildcard status. All for an economical cost under 60 points! The only thing wrong with him was the non-iconic costume.

 

2004

LE Cameron Chase (Unleashed 201)

I really liked this sneaky-good LE. On top dial, she was just a Stealthy Police TA ally, but a couple of pushes later (or if an enemy tried to beat her up) and suddenly she’s also got Impervious and/or Outwit. Pretty good for the 36 points back then.

 

LE Catwoman (Unleashed 222)

Possibly the only good thing to come out of the wretched Halle Berry film is this tiny mini of her.

 

 experienced Doctor Fate (Unleashed 071)

He squeaks onto the list by being a key part of my first-ever tournament win in Heroclix. I’d built a team based on the lineup from the JLA/JSA: Virtue And Vice graphic novel and piloted it to victory, partly on the strength of his long-range Probability Control and Energy Shield/Deflection. He was a key part of my then-JSA completion streak.

 

veteran Havok (Mutant Mayhem 039)

At 44 points, this old vet version of Alex Summers was just a TK away from dealing a massive 4 damage, making him one of the giant-killers of his day. Hence his spot in this Top 10.

 

unique Hulk (Ultimates 095)

Hulk SMASH! This sculpt is still one of the most beautiful things in HeroClix. And he was one of the first non-colossal figs to have a natural 6 damage on dial.

 

unique Longshot (Mutant Mayhem 085)

With him being one of my favorite characters, I was really happy to get the lucky one into my collection.

LE Manticore (City of Heroes 002)

This 10-ranged wildcard archer swiftly found a place in my heart, if not my competitive teams.

 

unique Shazam (Unleashed 088)

Like Doctor Fate, he was part of the Virtue And Vice squad. Others preferred the more straight-up powerful Kingdom Come-based LE version of the Big Red Cheese, but this activation-clicked one was my jam.

 

veteran Spider-Man (Ultimates 042)

This piece was all about the Pounce feat, which, for an extra 15 points, gave him a pretty staggering 10-square reach to bash someone with Super Strength (then among the game’s best powers) and land on his Super Senses clicks to stay a tie up piece the rest of the game.

 

unique Superman (Unleashed 095)

Boy, did I used to fear seeing this across the table from me. He was fearsome from 10 range with 5 natural damage, but hitting him only turned him into a Hypersonic beast that was very difficult to deal with. Still one of the best Superman sculpts ever made!

 

 

 

2005

 

LE Captain Mako (City of Villains 004)

Being an Aquaman fan, I always had a liking for the swimming characters. This shark-inspired baddie grew into a favorite.

 

LE Ghost Widow (City of Villains 002)

A flying medic with then-way above average 18 DV, Poison and equivalent of Mystics TA, this City of Villains citizen found her way into my all-time hall of infamy.

 

One of my favorite figs ever, I fielded him to great effect using the Protected feat (which gave the ability to completely negate a hit once per game — fitting for a character who uses holograms to fool attackers). He was key to my first tournament victory as well.

 

unique Orphan (Fantastic Forces 091)

Was this the first Unique (the then-equivalent of Super Rare) I ever pulled? I think so. Mr. Sensitive here is a prime example of why I love HeroClix: D-listers like him get as much a slot in the character selection as the A-listers like Batman.

 

veteran Spoiler (Legacy 003) 

Although her low cost (22 points) and contribution of Batman Ally TA for wildcard teams were the meta reasons for her being on such teams, it’s always been the sculpt for me.

 

veteran Superman (Icons 048)

My first REAL power piece. I pulled him in my very first sealed event and … chose not to play him. Even at that early date, I’d become leery of tentpole figures. Later, this incredibly un-F.U.N. figure — one that began a long series of changes to the Hypersonic Speed power — would factor greatly into defining my F.U.N. focus for how I approach the game. But that year, at least, this was definitely a big favorite of mine.

 experienced War Machine (Armor Wars 068)

This was the first kinda really OK piece for my Black team. Worked well with the old Thunderbolts feat that allowed Avengers symbol to pick any non-wildcard team ability for the duration of the game.

 experienced Wonder Woman (Icons 032)

Like so much in the Icons set, Experienced WW here functioned as a budget powerhouse. Love the pose!