I was digging through a longbox of comics and found a gem of a story from 1984. It is a Marvel Team-Up annual, and it features Spider-Man and a wounded Alpha Flight team trying to escape the kleptomaniac clutches of the Collector! To see a 500-point force from this comic, follow the link.

Synopsis: The Collector has set his sights on some unique specimens: He wants Spider-Man (and his nifty new black suit) and Alpha Flight's Marrina (who is identified as an alien Plodex) in his collection. What remains of Alpha Flight after the loss of their leader (Guardian) in issue 12 of their own series, comes to the rescue:

125 (AVX 004) Veteran Spider-Man
+ 1 x 3 Additional Team Ability Avengers Response Unit
95 (IIM 019A) Sasquatch
75 (IIM 013) Northstar
75 (IIM 012) Aurora
55 (Armor Wars 036) Veteran Marrina
40 (IIM 207) Puck
32 (Clobberin' Time 023) Experienced Black Cat

= 500 Points




I've chosen the latest Spider-Man from the AVX Avengers starter to represent the Black-Suited Spidey from this issue. This figure is newer and (in certain ways) better than any of the black-suited options, plus the point values were not working the way I wanted them to. This Spider-Man (at his full point total) runs either hot or cold for me: I've been very lucky or very unlucky with the figure, which feels like Peter Parker to me.

V Spider-Man Points: 125 Range: 5
Team: Avengers and Spider-Man
Keywords: Avengers, Scientist, Spider-Man Family

11 11 17 3

10 10 16 3

| | |

9 10 18 3

9 10 17 2

9 9 17 2

9 9 16 3

9 9 16 3

KO KO KO KO

Webs Get Me Anywhere: Improved Movement: Ignores Elevated Terrain, Ignores Hindering Terrain, Ignores Outdoor Blocking Terrain, Ignores Characters

Whatever a Spider Can: When Spider-Man is the target of a ranged combat attack, he can use Super Senses, but evades the attack on a result of 4 - 6.

Strength and Speed of a Spider: Spider-Man can use Incapacitate and the Move and Attack ability. When he uses the Move and Attack ability, he modifies his attack value by -1 instead of -2.

As I wrote above, I was having trouble making the points work out the way I wanted, so an Additional Team Ability like Alpha Flight was not available. Instead, I opt to use the Avenger's Response Unit, which slightly mimic the trait of the just lost Guardian. Spider-Man is very mobile, which helps to get the ATA into use.

Avengers Response Unit Cost: 3 per character
Prerequisite Keyword(s): Avengers

When one or more characters using this team ability is adjacent to a friendly character
making a close combat attack, modify the characters attack value by +1.

I've played this force, and there is something I want to make very clear: I know that the force I'm presenting here is far from the most effective HeroClix force that can be made with the Alpha Flight keyword! This is the Alpha Flight team that has just lost Guardian, and is dealing with having the wild card Marrina in their ranks, a teammate with comic-book-multiple-personality-disorder, Shaman, Heather and Snowbird staying behind, etc. The dysfunction of the team from the comics translates pretty well into how these five Alphans play, IMO.

First up is Walter Langowski, a.k.a. Sasquatch. The Invincible Iron Man set made a bold choice in opting for a throw-back 'activation' click on this dial. Like many players I feel them to be a waste, especially when there is a very real chance the character will be hit off of it and past many good clicks. The key to making this figure work is to take a cue from the panel that has Walter being flown around in his underwear by Aurora.


Sasquatch is not very mobile, so use one of the fliers to move him around, and if he gets 'activated' by something like Pulse Wave, that isn't so bad. Sasquatch is a close-combat monster, so the figure has to be positioned where it can make attacks. I'm especially peeved by the character's inability to ignore hindering terrain. I rate this figure pretty low on the utility pole, and I think the only way to get the most out of the figure is to play it aggressively to keep the heat off of the other figures. Unfortunately, this is one of the few characters with reliable 2+ damage, which is just more dysfunction to work around.

E Sasquatch Points: 95 Range: 0
Team: No Affiliation
Keywords: Alpha Flight, Animal, Deity, Scientist

6 9 16 1

8 10 18 3

8 10 17 3

8 9 17 2

7 11 16 2

7 10 16 2

7 9 16 3

KO KO KO KO

For this force, I opted to use the 5-figure booster versions of Northstar and Aurora from Invincible Iron Man, but I would not fault anyone from using the versions from the single-figure sets instead. The main set figures offer special power shenanigans, whereas the single-figure versions offer better stats, especially when together. The mobility and twin connection of these two figures may appear to be the biggest threat to certain opposing figures, I recommend using these two to draw out opponents to where Spider-Man and Sasquatch can attack.

E Northstar Points: 75 Range: 0
Team: No Affiliation
Keywords: Alpha Flight, The Hand, X-Men

13 10 17 3

13 9 16 2

12 10 16 2

12 9 17 2

11 9 15 2

11 8 15 2

KO KO KO KO

Twin Connection: When Northstar is adjacent to a friendly character named Aurora, they modify their attack values by +1 and can both use Pulse Wave as if they had a range value of 8. This use of Pulse Wave does not affect friendly characters named Northstar or Aurora.

E Aurora Points: 75 Range: 5
Team: No Affiliation
Keywords: Alpha Flight, Weapon X

12 10 17 2

12 9 17 2

11 9 16 2

11 9 16 2

10 9 15 1

10 8 15 1

KO KO KO KO

Blinding Flash: When Aurora hits with a ranged combat attack, a hit character modifies its attack value by -2 until your next turn.

Marrina has a long, sad history in the Marvel-616 universe and her history in HeroClix isn't much better. She has only appeared as one of the hated REV commons from the 2005 Armor Wars set. For this force, I've chosen the most savage of the three dials, the veteran, although that isn't saying much. It is a dial that can chew through support characters rather well, if only there was a way to actually get her past the front lines of opposing characters. Still, this is a deep dial with it's own sort of 'activation' thing going on, so go ahead and push her.

V Marrina Points: 55 Range: 0
Team: No Affiliation
Keywords: Monster

6 6 13 2

6 10 15 2

7 9 17 2

8 9 18 2

7 8 17 2

7 8 16 2

7 8 15 3

6 7 14 3

6 6 13 3

KO KO KO KO

The final member of Alpha Flight on this force is Puck. Because of this force's mobility issues, I've selected the single-figure version of the character with Improved Movement. I don't think there is a bad version of Puck from among the existing five dials, but I think this force needs the and to cover some other flaws.

R Puck Points: 40 Range: 0
Team: No Affiliation
Keywords: Alpha Flight, Soldier

6 10 16 2

6 9 17 2

6 10 16 2

5 9 15 2

4 7 16 2

KO KO KO KO

Exceptional Training: Improved Movement: Ignores Hindering Terrain

At this point in the comics, the Black Cat was Spider-Man's 'girlfriend'. She only appears in the bookends of the conflict with the Collector, but I think she would have pursued him if she could have, so a well-regarded older, low-point version makes the force. The Experienced version from Clobberin' Time was a staple on many teams back in the day; she still is useful for her mobility and Probability Control.

E Black Cat Points: 32 Range: 4
Team: Spider-Man
Keywords: Heroes for Hire, Marvel Knights

8 8 15 2

7 8 15 2

7 7 14 1

6 6 13 1

5 5 12 1

KO KO KO KO

This HeroClix force is one of those that I was really hoping would play better for me, but just did not come together. Having played this set of figures, I definitely see what is needed to make an Alpha Flight force work. On the plus side, playing a set of figures that didn't work well together definitely reminded me of one of Marvel Comic's top dysfunctional teams of the 1980s!

thanks for the article and the excuse to field my new fav spidey and my beloved canadans. marrina always surprises people with those 9(!) clicks of life.



I know that sasquatch isn't very popular, but I've had success with him. granted it was in a 1000pt match, so I could afford to let him hang back a bit, but that top-click outwit enabled me to decimate worldbreaker. he charged in with a tank turret and missed wxm001 wolverine by 1 (needed a 5, rolled a 4). next turn, sasquatch outwitted his impervious, shaman perplexed down his defense, and box, with a heavy charged in adjacent to puck on his empower. 6 dmg. after that, walter pushed up next to him & guardian's leadership let him flurry empower all over what was left of the green giant

which I found fitting as sasquatch is canada's hulk

I have been thinking about this issue since they spoiled that classic Alpha Flight was going to be in IIM! It was one of my favorite one shots and my introduction to Alpha Flight. I probably re-read it a couple hundred times on long car rides and lazy afternoons as a lad Thanks for the write up, too bad we don't have a giant snake to play with the collector to write up the opposition too. At least we have the collector, a Pacific Rim Kaiju would probably fill in nicely.

The Collector uses Ali Baba's Genie to make his captures, so the spoiled La Jinn from YuGiOh can team up with him. Does anyone know of any HeroClix dial giant clams that could assist?

This is hilarious! I JUST finished reading this marvel team up issue 30 minutes ago! Then I see this long box topic! I like your team...that spiderman is a weird choice as he is clearly using the black symbiote suit in the referenced issue. But its still a great spiderman piece!

It was a very embarrassing cameo for Alpha Flight in this comic. Spiderman even claims that they aren't worth saving because they are SOOO dysfunctional. But it is understandable that they weren't performing at their best....their Leader JUST passed away. Their numbers were dwindled (snowbirds powers could not reach as far and shaman stayed behind to comport the recently widowed heather Hudson) and both north star and sasquatch were grudging against each other, both competing for auroras attention. Oddly enough the only functional members during the fight with the collector were puck and marrina.

That marrina vet is an absolute monster. I don't know what your quoting when you claim that her rev set is "hated" but its quite the opposite in my experience. Multiple clicks where she is dealing a potential 6 damage, an 18 defense, willpower and an extremely long dial (9 clicks!) For 55 points! With mole man on the side line she is multi attacking with her "monster" keyword.

Seeing this team makes me wonder how the 220 point Collector figure would fair against this team. He can double incap dealing FOUR action tokens a turn, 3 clicks of impervious, two clicks of stealth, two clicks of regeneration, duel target energy explosion, double target mind control and permanent probability control! I don't know ...if he can stay away from sasquatch I think he could take this team or at least offer a nice boss fight!

This was a GREAT article. Please consider doing another elder appearance in a marvel team up with spiderman. I forget which issue it is but it includes The Gardener, spider-man and Warlock vs Stranger. Keep up the good work!