For a long time, I had a tendency to play MM Blade a lot. I can't tell how many times I regenerated back up to full with that figure, or stabbed someone for 5 or 6 damage. Good times.

R MM Skullbuster
E MM Skullbuster
V MM Skullbuster

OK, I need to throw in my $.10 here. First off, could recognition of Black History Month and a fine article I might add. Secondly, I have to agree with some of the comments on the TOP 3 Heroclix. I realize I'm saying something that has been said, but repetition can be good in some aspects. My picks for TOP 3 would have to go to the following (primarily since they are the ones I own).
#1. DR Storm: Considering that she was the only DR figure I own, and she is one of my favorite Marvel characters, this piece really excited me. This Storm takes the decent stats of the older Storm and makes them a whole lot better, and under 50pts too. She starts of with that sweet RCE and Stealth and yet later on down the dial she winds up being a great support/secondary attacker, she's the best ranged character I own.
#2. (Avengers) Black Panther: This guy has it all. Leap/Climb, Outwit, Perplex, B/C/F, and he's a Wild Card. 92pts isn't to bad for what you get, and plus he has that starting 11 Attack.
#3. (V) Steel: This guy is a brute. He possesses some awesome stats, a good combination of powers, and he is well worth the price tag of 164pts. John Henry Irons can stomp a mud hole in peoples butt while being able to soak up a lot of damage.

So, that's my take on it, great job on this one The 'Le

A professional Hell Week for me (happily with a 180 degree turn at the end, so I'm feeling terrific) I didn't have time to look in here much until today.

It's a good, themed, ice-breaking piece on a slice of comics, race and clix. I appreciate the effort, and don't see why any of that should set anyone's nose out of joint. As some of the posts pointed out, there are too many applicable pieces out there to reasonably (including maintaining interest) do a comprehensive piece on the subject. It should be a starting point for some pleasant discussions, not a ##### session.

Not indicative of anything much more than a mix of chance and the attractive power of a Jack Kirby (at his prime) cover, Fantastic Four #52 (T'Challa's first appearance) was the first comic I owned.

First, thanks for an insightful article. A couple of 'color' comments will precede some clix comments.

I consider 'African-American' to be a useless term for many reasons. The main reason being that 99% of the black folk in my life haven't come from Africa(*)! Conversely, less than half of the Africans in my life were what anybody would describe as Black. I had a buddy from Mauritius who became a citizen and he was insulted when I told him he should be proudly using 'African American' to describe himself.

(*) I also think it's robbing American folk of their personal & family history to describe somebody whose entire family for the last seven generations is from Georgia to imply that 'Africa' is a more important Patria to them!

And let's not even get started on the differences between African nations, tribes...even considering immediate Sub-Saharan nations. And even if we were talking about immediate immigrants, historically there were precious few "European" immigrants that would have been comfortable mixing Germans, Irish, Italians, Poles into a single category. I grew up on the East Coast, so I know how that went...I'm sure west coasters have seen similar 'Asian' differences between Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Phillipino, etc.

My last 'racial' comment is that I wish that clixers would avoid describing the pink plastic (a la Origins) as "flesh colored". It's "pink".

As for the clix characters:

My favorite 'black' Heroclix piece is LE Sam Wilson. He's been slightly hurt by the -2 carry rule change, but he's everything I ever wanted for my SHIELD teams...plus at a very reasonable cost.

I understand the disappointment directed at my man (Sinister) Nick Fury...but he cannot front a team. He's a BIGGEST threat when there are other pieces seen as more threatening. My last great success was using him as a stand-in for the white Nick Fury on a "Secret War" team. My opponent was so worried about FF Luke Cage and Ultimate Cap he didn't realize the solid attack/damage potential from ol' Nick.

The sister that never disappoints me in large point games: SR Storm. In my experience, she has one of the few dials (flier, move+attack, multi-target ranged options, can force opponents to base her) that works perfectly as the 'second wave' of an assault. She's definitely not 'point and shoot' (like the DR version) nor is she simply a first-strike piece.

Here's a bonus feat to try with (vet) Black Lightning: Opportunist. He qualifies for it on every click but one (that he is likely to be hit past anyway) and he can use the attack boost.

You missed Milestone. They created a lot of African-American superheroes, and actually made them pretty realistic to boot. It was a bit of a revolution back in the early 90s.

I feel like I ought to point out, that while there is, indeed, a black Mister Miracle, the REV from Origin is pretty clearly Scott Free, the white New God. Shiloh Norman would most likely not have the New Gods keyword (he was an apprentice of Scott's, but from Earth), and would have Seven Soldiers. That being said, I've strongly considered using the Rookie to represent Shiloh.

I am in total disbelief that someone would call Ultimate Nick Fury underrated!!!!

That piece is awesome! You really missed the mark on this one...

Maybe you have something against Samuel L. Jackson. Did he steal your girlfriend or something?

Personally, I feel Vet Black Lightning is a "wussy with six clicks of life"

But thanks anyway for the interesting article, LE