I think what some people are saying is that since the number is printed black instead of white, they are playing it as printed by calling it L/C, since if it were HSS, the number would be white. Both sides are looking at the color on the dial, they're just looking at different colors...

But you still can't really compare Atom to the Whizzer because Atom only starts with 1 damage. That makes a big difference in his usefulness, and when you factor that in with his low speed, HS doesn't seem out of the question anymore. That's all I'm saying.

Now if he had 8 speed and 2 damage, and was still 24 points, THEN I would say that there's no possibility that he has HS. But right now, I could see reasons for either way, even though I'm still leaning towards L/C.

/agree on all things in the review, including the Atom having L/C.
Sorry, but those wanting to see HSS there are really getting wishfull thinking off of a bad batch of ink. There's a slew of orange powers that didn't come out clean (V Halo was mentioned, and WizKids has already released that to be orange EE).
The first strike against it being a brown power is that it has black text, the standard for an orange power. Since so many of us have clix in the 1000s, yes, some of us are going to have examples where this wasn't the case. For that matter, I have a Riddler with support and barrier.
The second strike against it being brown is that all the confirmed brown spots of ink are in different tints - that's not the WizKids brown on Atom.
The third strike will come when the gallery finally updates. In other words, maybe two weeks before Avengers comes out.

Speaking back as a fellow former Judge for multiple years, I can safely say that there is a difference between obvious misprints that make a character unplayable (like missing numbers) and something that many people are just assuming is a misprint.


Actually, since I'm not a child, I'll play Heroclix how I want, thanks. If I'm playing at a venue and the judge made the houserule on Atom that you folks are suggesting, I'd swap him out for another character. If that wasn't allowed for some reason, I'd leave and play somewhere else. The judge at my venue is a pretty reasonable fellow though (not likely to make a change to a character's dial without an official ruling telling him to do so), so I don't really expect it would be a problem.


That argument might carry a whole lot more weight if we didn't already have figures that violate the number colors listed in the PAC.

I never said "you know what they mean"...in fact I assume you DON'T know what they mean...and I even went so far as to say that I don't know what they mean (my "you may be right" comment earlier). But in my experience as a former judge for this game (as well as a current tournament organizer for other games), the best course if you are unsure about a rule is to play it as printed (and rule it as printed, if you are the judge).

And IMO the most reasonable "as printed" ruling is HSS in this case. Look at it this way - if you are attempting to go by the number color, there are 7 different movement powers that have black numbering...which means that EVEN IF the number color is the determinant for power type, any movement power you pick because of black lettering only has a 1/7 chance of being correct. OTOH there's only one movement type with a brown background. So if background is the determinant for power type, then you're 100% likely to be picking the right power by sticking with HSS.

To rule that the movement power should be Leap/Climb, a judge has to decide both that there is an error and then decide which of the black lettered powers "fits the character best" (or make assumptions about possible flaws in the production process, which most of us know nothing about). To rule that the movement power should be HSS, a judge just has to decide that there is a number color issue (as has happened before with at least one other HSS-er). It's a safer call. And as a judge, my responsibility should be to make the best call possible.

But hey, that's just my opinion...y'all play it however you want to. You may get lucky and be right. I don't much care which it is (I've just been arguing for what IMO is the most reasonable approach to making a ruling...I have no personal invenstment in HSS or L/C for Atom), and I'll be happy when WK makes a ruling. But for now I'll be playing it as HSS. And when WK makes a ruling, that's how I'll play it, whichever way they go.

I agree that some misprints are less playable that others (my example was the extreme), but it is clear that there is a printing error here regardless of how "bad" it might be. In that case a judgement is required either way. You feel the correct judgement for now is HSS. I feel that it is L/C. As long as an individual venue is consistent with its ruling it doesn't matter which they choose. This entire discussion is over what we as individuals think is the proper interpretation of the misprinted dial. It's a case where we can decide in opposite ways and both be correct until official errata is released to lay it to rest.


I'm not sure what being a child or not has to do with anything. If you play in a Wizkids sanctioned event you play by the rules and rulings set by the Judge at the venue. Plain and simple. You may agree with the rulings otr not, but you follow them if you want to play in that event. If you choose to not field a character based on the ruling you are still playing by the ruling. And like I said, how you play in casual games is definitely up to you (and your opponent of course). My point was just that regardless of how we may individually feel on the issue it will be up to the local Judge to rule it. Should you be a Judge you are free to rule it how you see fit (although you won't be playing in your own event). *shrug*

I maintain that each of those is a misprint in their own right and should have appropriate errata.

My apologies if you felt I was trying to put words in your mouth. That was not my intention. Upon reading your explanation of why you feel HSS is the safest ruling I can see where you are coming from. I most likely would not use it, but I understand where it came from.

On this I think we can both fully agree. I understand your position and fully agree with the fact that it is a valid interpretation. It happens to not be the interpretation I would use personally, but that doesn't diminish it in any way. I respectfully to agree to disagree on this.

Now we just need Wizkids to come out and rule that it is actually Mind Control and we can all start scratching our heads again.

Sweet article! I hope I pull a V Supergirl!

But it probably won't happen.

But anyway, I agree with almost everything....except on V Booster Gold. His damage is good in the begining, but his AV drops to fast, and the PC is cool, but he's 85 points, so I'm not sure.

Anyway, great review! Makes me sad I can't make the marquee.

Sure. But I never said I would try to do otherwise. The statement "Actually you will..." seemed like it should have been followed with "...and like it!", or at least "Rawr!" I'm not a kid. I'm not trying to butt heads with my local judge (I actually like the judge that took over the venue I used to run WK events at ), and I realize what playing in a venue means.


I fully expect something like that to happen.

And if they rule it that way, that's the way I'll play him. Where'd I put my magic markers...

From my games at the prerelease, I would defiantly say that the Vet Atom is one of the best figures in the set. After my Vet Green Lantern died in one turn, that 20 D with 3 damage in close combat was critical (to prolong the game a few more turns...)

Besides, at our pre-release we had the Rules Arb assisting with the event!
So here's a big fat humor intended raspberry to chew on! :-pppppppp

makes me regret not playing some of the pieces from the prerelease.

I ask this somewhat facetiously, but here goes.

Where on the PAC does it mention the color the numbers are printed in?

I need two R All-New Atom's... One for me, one to give to Gail at Emerald City Comic Con

I gotta tell you, you're way off on your rating for V Hawkman, I think he should be ranked:

(Massive bad mamma-jamma!)

It is amazing as I read the forward before the information I thought to my self "Self why would you need such a disclaimer" I forgot this is HC Realms and if any forum can complain after being given a gift of a strategy guide it is this one. I apreciate your work AZS and look forwar to each intallment.

Thanks a lot Scott!
But clearly nobody reads the lead-in, or else someone would have pointed out that when I copied the intro over from the Supernova primer I forgot to update the team abilities to DC.