DEEP DISH THEMES:

ORIGIN: Franklin Richards was born in New York City. Franklin was born a mutant but since his mom was imbued with cosmic energy he started to exhibit his powers while still in the womb. Franklin was exhibiting powers in-utero, giving the Invisible Woman premonitions and even moving objects telekinetically. During Sue's pregnancy with Franklin, she began to weaken to the point where the remainder of the Fantastic Four, traveled to the Negative Zone in order to get the Cosmic Control Rod in order to save both mother and child. After a long struggle, Reed and the rest of the team managed to salvage some of the cosmic energy from the rod and went back to their own reality where Sue gave birth to a healthy baby boy. In remembrance of her father who had perished in an act of heroism where he saved the life of the team, she and Reed named the boy Franklin Benjamin Richards. It should be noted that Benjamin is the first name of Franklin's godfather, the Thing, who was also honored.



mmB004 Franklin Richards
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 0
Points: 2

5 5 12 1

KO KO KO KO

PROS: There really isn't much to say about bystanders in term of "Best Uses" or high level strategy. He's only two points so he's really easy to fit on a Fantastic Four or other theme teams. Reasons that you might reach for him instead of an ATA or a low point special object would be that he is able to act as REALLY disposable tie-up or as a (Sorry to say) human shield for your bigger and better pieces. I know quite a few players that would gladly pay two points if they could just get a piece of mobile blocking terrain, and in many cases, that's essentially what he is. There is one somewhat decent use for him that I can think of off the top of my head, though, and it's as a piece named "Franklin Richards" that can stand next to the Days of Future Past Rachel Summers to give her a +1 to attack. She'll give him that +1 as well, but it's only bringing that attack up to a six for him

CONS: There was a time...a BRIEF time when bystander figures had team abilities. This resulted in a tremendous amount of wild card abuse, though. Back in the day you could switch team abilities no matter whose turn it was with the declaration of any new action. Wild Card Mary Janes, Batman TA Alfreds, and Fantastic Four team ability Alicia Masters ruled the day and provided your wild cards with some AMAZING benefits for extremely low costs. This bystander could have and should have had the Fantastic Four team ability, but was shafted because of people that make it so we can't have nice things. (Though I can't say I REALLY blame them in this case).

Other Players' Comments/Reviews: http://www.hcrealms.com/forum/showth...14#post8891914




PROS: I literally JUST played with this figure for the first time this past weekend. I ran a NO (KEYWORD) THEME TEAM allowed game (I know...VERY against type for me). I played a Daydreamers "Theme" team. Check out the links below for what that all entailed. He did fairly well. That four range came in handy a couple of times and I don't think my opponents ever saw him being used as an attacker. It's not highly recommended, but it did come up with some support for him. Barrier is a nice semi-support power to have though I never used it personally. I might have done better had I opted to, though. I got no use of his trait as there was no Rachel Summers on my team, but it would make him even better to have a +1 to defense all game. For me, his money is in his damage special power. SENTINEL SURVIVOR says: Franklin Richards can use Empower, Enhancement and Support. When Franklin Richards has less than 2 action tokens, adjacent friendly characters' powers can't be countered and their combat values can't be modified by opposing characters. Not only do you get access to three PHENOMENAL support powers, you can also essentially give adjacent friendly characters PROTECTED: Outwit, Opposing characters' Perplex if he's not pushed out. He's not the most incredible support piece ever, but he sure was a lot better than I thought he was!

CONS: I really wish he had some kind of "God Power" click or something. He does have a little up-tick of effectiveness at the end as his damage spikes a bit with Penetrating/Psychic blast being an option at that point, but it's really kind of too little too late at that point. Maybe that's storyline accurate, but his damage dealing capability for a character of his power level is rather lethargic. I'm sure there were factors involved in the story that explains why he and Rachel weren't as powerful as they could potentially be, but without personally knowing what that is (If there is one) it kind of leaves me feeling a little cheated.

Other Players' Comments/Reviews: Using the Inline dial system, just click on the word bubble next to the character's name and it will take you to the units section comments!

KEYWORD THEMES: (Named Keywords are in bold)

Days of Future Past: The only time this keyword has ever been used was in the mini-set of the same name. The pool of characters to select from is pretty limited as a result. It would be nice to get a few more at some point, though, because currently there really isn't a great way to put the team together. I had to leave some stuff off to get to a decent number and had to add a few thugs to as "Nameless Mutants" to fill points. The team will physically look like it's trash day, but it should still do pretty well as these pieces aren't THAT old and still hold up fairly well.

Force Build 9012814 0
Set	#	Name	Team	Pts	Value
DOFP	007	Franklin Richards		64	SELL
DOFP	010	Rachel Summers		76	SELL
DOFP	017	Magneto		75	SELL
DOFP	012	Storm		89	SELL
DOFP	019	Wolverine		156	SELL
SFSM	005	Thug		10	SELL
SFSM	005	Thug		10	SELL
SFSM	005	Thug		10	SELL
SFSM	005	Thug		10	SELL
Force Total:				500	$0.00

Fantastic Four: Well, the sad (Current) fact about this team is that if you're going to use the regular roster, you're playing a golden age game. Hopefully that ends sooner than later, but until then, here is the Fantastic Four (Including Franklin). It's about as competent of a team as I can make with the figures that are available to us. Being older figures, you might be able to sneak something past players that weren't playing back then...I've seen the Thing that I used for this team recently causing some newer players fits, for example:

Force Build 9012814 1
Set	#	Name	Team	Pts	Value
DOFP	007	Franklin Richards		64	SELL
SI	101	Mr. Fantastic		100	$3.75
CW	102	Invisible Woman		80	$7.76
GG	038	Thing		140	$12.00
SI	113	Johnny Storm		100	$8.42
ATA	059	FF		3	SELL
ATA	059	FF		3	SELL
ATA	059	FF		3	SELL
ATA	059	FF		3	SELL
ATA	059	FF		3	SELL
Force Total:				499	$31.93

Future: For this team, I pictured Kang the Conqueror (Nathaniel Richards) as needing to protect Franklin and Rachel to preserve something in the timeline. He doesn't often act on others' behalf, so there must be something in it for HIM...but WHAT?!...and what does YOUNG Franklin have to do with it?! You can really go crazy with the future keyword a lot of times because it's a fairly often used one and it is a generic keyword so it can cross universes and realities. Kang/Immortus are almost always at the top of my list of characters to use on those teams because time traveling shenanigans are his THING. Maybe some day soon we'll get a Rama-Tut and complete the set!

Force Build 9012814 2
Set	#	Name	Team	Pts	Value
DOFP	007	Franklin Richards		64	SELL
DOFP	010	Rachel Summers		76	SELL
MM	B004	Franklin Richards		2	SELL
CW	050	Kang		151	$12.00
TMT	S006	Mirror of Mysolljh		7	SELL
Force Total:				300	$12.00

Scientist: With this theme team, There is a cosmic level threat on it's way to Earth and the only people that can help to stop it are the greatest minds yet the greatest enemies of the Fantastic Four...Doom knows what must be done, but it will require the efforts of all of the men as well as the untapped power of Franklin Richards. Will Doom do what must be done for the benefit of mankind, or is this just a scheme for Doom to siphon Franklin's power so Doom can gain ultimate power because only Doom alone can stop the impending threat?

Force Build 9012814 3
Set	#	Name	Team	Pts	Value
DOFP	007	Franklin Richards		64	SELL
SI	101	Mr. Fantastic		100	$3.75
FF	086	Mad Thinker		53	$1.89
SN	027	Wizard		93	$0.27
GG	019	Dr. Doom		169	$2.49
SV	086	Red Ghost		59	$0.99
GG	026	Mole Man		47	$1.50
Force Total:				585	$10.89

NON-KEYWORD THEMES:
Avengers
Daydreamers
Fantastic Five (MC2)
Fantastic Force
Future Foundation
Generation X
Power Pack
Xavier's Institute Students

DEEP DISH DO-IT-YOURSELF:

In this section, I share with you my own homemade dials for these poor characters that have only ever had one or two versions of themselves realized. I'll try not to get too fanboyish with them, but I'm not making any promises! I also invite any of you who like to make fan dials to please share your versions of these characters as well by using the DIAL GENERATOR in the units section on HCRealms.

DDT #071 Unique Franklin Richards
Real Name: Franklin Richards
Team: Fantastic Four
Range: 0
Points: 100
Keywords: Cosmic, Daydreamers, Fantastic Four, Power Pack

6 6 15 0

5 6 15 0

5 6 15 0

10 12 19 5

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

Psi-Lord: Flight, Phasing/Teleport, Force Blast, Penetrating/Psychic Blast, Pulse Wave, Power Cosmic Team Ability, and a 6 range
To Me, My Galactus!: Once per game generate a Galactus Bystander Token as described on this card. If this power is lost or countered for any reason, remove the Galactus Bystander from the battlefield
Untapped Cosmic Power: STOP. Invincible, Super Senses
Unofficial half member: When Franklin Richards is adjacent to a character with the Fantastic Four keyword, reduce that characters defense value by -1 and increase their attack value by +1 until the end of your next turn.

#B001 Galactus
Team: Power Cosmic
Range: 8
Points: 0

10 12 19 6

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

Herald of Franklin Richards: While Galactus bystander B001 is on the map, DDT Franklin Richards #071 may not be the target of opposing character's attacks

This wraps it up for this installment of Deep Dish Themes: By the Slice. Thank you very much for taking the time out of your day to read it! Feel free to post what you think about the article and just like regular Deep Dish Themes, feel free to nominate a character for an upcoming edition of Deep Dish Themes: By the Slice! Join me on 5/9 when I hunt down some Daemonites in Deep Dish Themes: By the Slice: Grifter!

while i like that franklin dial, i'd love a separate adult franklin dial.that story was too tight. he should make it so he can't be targeted until he attacks.

"Trash Day!" I now know the meta-theme behind all of my hopeful hopeless loser teams!

Franklin's got potential to be the most powerful psychic in the Marvel Universe...

Marvel really built him up as a mega-powerful psychic potential character in the 1970's and early 80's, then they backed off a bit on it.

WK should make a post-Onslaught version who has some kind of massive power towards the end of his dial, like a huge amount of damage, Defend, and the ability to teleport entire teams (like Franklin did with almost all the Marvel heroes to protect them against the destructive after affects of Onslaught's demise). Maybe some kind of ability to lower the damage Cosmic characters can cause or to outwit their defenses.

Hey if we got a whole Onslaught set we could get oddly costumed versions of almost everybody, including Wolverine with his blue rag on his head, Thing with his helmet (I am not kidding, he had to wear it because Wolverine clawed his face), teen Tony Stark, Thor with his overly leathery strap costume, and Joseph Magneto!!!!

Other things to note about the bystander...

While the article mentions why you would use Franklin instead of a non-bystander, why would someone use Franklin instead of another bystander? The reason is that he's basically the best 2 point bystander. He is the only 2 point bystander that can actually deal damage and you have to double his cost to find another bystander that can deal damage. In fact, Lucius Fox at 4 points has the exact same "dial" as Franklin, so there's no reason to ever use Lucius Fox.

However, there are also reasons to use other 2 point bystanders. Some (like Jeremiah Arkham) have better movement, and often that's more important than being able to attack with a 5 attack value. For example, trying to push a bystander to death to activate the Suicide Squad TA will work better with Jeremiah than with Franklin, since Jeremiah has an easier time getting into position. And these days, there are very few characters that, even when injured, can he hit by a 5 attack without requiring a critical hit (or maybe an 11).

However, I have KO'd a Lockjaw once with the 2 point Franklin bystander.

Also, if you were already planning to use bystanders on your team, there's only one bystander that costs less than Franklin, and that's Lian Harper.

i’m crossing my fingers that the DOFP summer SLOP has a new Franklin.

It does not. The only figure available (As I understand it) is the tri-sentinel grand prize. Everything else is ID cards.

I'm lost...did I say something that included the words trash day?

Certainly provides a way to re-use the Utility Belt pouches.

-J

Kid Franklin is so in need of a clix. Love that you put Power Pack on him. I would like to suggest Future Foundation Keyword which I know isn't a thing yet, but he should have it. At first I was like a 6 attack is too low, but he IS a kid. So that's probably accurate. The -1 to F4 defense makes a LOT of sense. They are busy looking out for him instead of themselves.

And yes Rama Tut needs a clix. But also Aimee Mann too.

Yes, in the DOFP team description.

It's a pity that he has that amazing choice between P/PB and PW without a range to use neither of 'em!

anyway great article and I'd love to see this piece.

Haha! I glubbed up... gonna go fix