The release of DC’s Origin brought with it a great surprise; that of four more highly elusive chase figures to pursue. While the Wizard Shazam is the only real new entrant to the game, Queen Hippolyta represents a different take on the character, and Alfred Pennyworth and Lois Lane make the long awaited jump from cardboard to clix. While I would have loved for these figures to occupy Unique slots, instead they are some of the most rare pieces in the game. Are they worth the chase? Click on “Read More” and let’s investigate!

LOIS LANE
When last we saw Lois Lane she looked like this:

#002 Bystander Lois Lane
Team: No Affiliation
Range: 0 /
Points: 3

6 7 14 0

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

Not very exciting. She was three points of mobile blocking terrain. Mastermind fodder. Basically her function was to get in the way, at best annoy someone, and then die. Outside of those wholly unattractive and undesirable roles, the only time she saw much use was as the focal point of many a half-baked “Protect the Innocent”/”Save the Hostages” type scenarios. During which she mostly got in the way, annoyed people, and then died. Hooray.

Now, thanks to Origin we have an all new Lois Lane who puts the old one to shame on many levels.

#215 LE Lois Lane
Team: Superman Ally
Range: 0 /
Points: 17

7 8 15 1

6 9 14 1

6 8 14 1

6 7 15 1

5 6 15 1

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

For five more points than Amanda Waller, Lois has loads to offer. For starters, and most obviously, her potential on Wildcard teams is phenomenal. 17 points is a small price to pay to loan out the ability to ignore hindering terrain and Stealth. At five clicks of life, she’s no easy one shot and done KO either. Lois is going to take a couple of hits from most mid-ranged characters to put down. And look out, this lady has been hitting the Pilates and Karate classes pretty hard. With some eights (8s) and even a nine (9) attack and a dial full of one (1) damage, this hard-nosed reporter may bloody a few noses herself before she goes down.

What could potentially help Lois? For three more points she could Vault and move to another square adjacent to her target after a close combat attack. This may be a great way to let her contribute to the fight and stay away from other ranged attacks as much as possible. For a much larger investment of 10 points, Heightened Reflexes serves as an insurance policy against drive-bys, giving her a 33% chance to dodge Running Shot, Hypersonic and other such mobile attacks. While it may seem to be a substantial investment for such a low cost figure, it may make the difference in keeping her on the map long enough for Wildcards to fully utilize her TA to the greatest advantage.

If ol_Dut had to choose between flat, chewy, cardboard Lois Lane, and swanky 3D khaki suit Lois Lane, I’ll take the gal with the bronze ring every single time. Like Sue Storm before her, she’s a game changer, and it must say something pretty interesting about me that two of my favorite figures in the game are cheap women. She’s easily the most powerful of the four Origin chase figures for what she offers relative to her laughable cost. Other than not having one, there is no reason for her not to show up on most every team. Dr. Doom looking to take over the world? He’s bringing Lois. Spidey and the gang looking to roll up on some baddies? To heck with the Bugle, they’ll be calling the this lady from the Daily Planet to come along and take notes. Wherever wildcards go, Lois Lane must surely follow. I just wish she had dressed a little snappier for her coming out party, but given her dial I’m willing to let it slide.

ol_Dut’s Rating: 10/10 – Supremely playable not only on Wildcard teams and theme teams alike. With a very low point cost she should have no trouble finding finding her way onto any team.



ALFRED PENNYWORTH
Lois isn’t the only one making the jump from 2D to 3D. Alfred also thankfully receives this treatment, and let me say on behalf of clix players near and far, young and old, man and woman, it’s about time! Here’s the Alfred that most of use are used to seeing.

#001 Bystander Alfred Pennyworth
Team: batman Ally
Range: 4 /
Points: 6

7 8 15 1

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

He’s flat, he’s round, he’s Stealth for six (6) points and Wildcarders everywhere have probably worn out their first three Alfred pogs and have been buying up the remaing DC Map Packs to get a fresh one with readable stats and picture that looks like a human. Now DC’s favorite butler, that gentlemen’s gentleman, has finally received the treatment he so richly deserves and has been translated into the following clix.

LE Alfred Pennyworth
Team: Batman Ally
Range: 4 /
Points: 34

7 8 15 1

7 8 15 1

6 7 14 1

6 6 14 1

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

A quick look at the first click of these to depicts the fact that much has remained the same. Numerically, they’re identical. The powers add more flavor, however, and 3D Alfred’s four clicks of life ensure that it will take more than a Thug’s pistol whip to knock him out. The Energy Explosion on clicks one through three do a great job representing Alfred’s penchant to pull out a shotgun when things get dicey. No mere butler, the Perplex on his first and second click speaks to his ability to assist Batman with his cases as he has done so many times, while the late-dial support proves his worth as a medic whose skills Batman has put to use in almost every single issue of Batman, Detective Comics, Gotham Adventures, etc., ever written. The Willpower, especially on the first Support click gives him usefulness beyond his short four click dial, allowing him to more effectively and efficiently deal with the wounded and get them back into the fray.

There isn’t much out there that will make Alfred a better contributor than he already is. In fact, tacking feats onto him is almost dangerous, as one runs the risk of elevating his point cost beyond his utility. 34 points is already a big price to pay for some Support and Perplex. The EE offers some promise, but with a tiny four (4) range it’s largely a false hope. Any player worth his/her salt will keep Alfred in hindering, and as a result anyone intending him harm will have to base him thereby effectively negating EE. Unless Alfred has a death wish. With a four (4) click dial, Alfred should do his best to overcome those suicidal tendencies.

When it comes down to a choice, things aren’t nearly as clear-cut as they were with Lois. To simply add Stealth to Wildcards, the Alfred pog is still the best choice. He’s cheap and effective, leaving many other points to add fighters and feats as needed. Looking to add a cheap Stealthy harasser? A variety of Robins still fit the bill, as does the more recent Veteran Spoiler, whose Stealth coupled with Combat Reflexes makes her more challenging to hit than a 22 point figure has any right to be. Want a fighting Stealthy medic? Then Veteran Azrael is the figure of choice. Tipping the Scales at 65 points, Az provides a credible threat on each of his combat clicks before switching gears and becoming an ace medic with an impressive nine (9) attack. No malpractice going on there. LE Alfred Pennyworth adds a couple of things, though, that none of the above can provide. First, he opens with Perplex, and is the only Bat Ally to do so. Adding in his Support, and he’s a very handy back row figure indeed, making figures better in two distinct and necessary ways. Second, thematically, he’s a must for Batman fans everywhere, and his ability to deal a little damage only adds to his appeal. Lastly, however, and albeit intangibly, Alfred’s presence adds an element of class and refinement to any team. It says, “We are heroes, you ne’er-do-wells. Prepare for a sound thrashing! Have at you!” And certainly no other figure brings that to the table. That’s why, point efficiency be darned, LE Alfred will always be my choice, because cool is cool regardless of the point cost. Sometimes that’s all that matters.

ol_Dut’s Rating: 8/10 – Thematically he’s essential and from that perspective, he’s probably the most important chase figure in the group. Even one click of nine (9) attack would have put him at a perfect 10 rating.


QUEEN HIPPOLYTA
Although the name is Wonder Woman, don’t let that fool you. Legacy’s Wonder Woman is actually Queen Hippolyta. The piece reflects the period of time when Hippolyta assumed the role of Wonder Woman, as a punishment no less, and had a variety of heroic adventures, one of which landed her back in the 1940s and earned her a seat at the JSA’s table. Broadsword in hand, here’s how the Queen of the Amazons looked then.

#087 U Wonder Woman
Team: JSA
Range: 0 /
Points: 106

10 10 17 3

9 9 17 2

8 9 16 2

8 8 16 2

7 8 15 2

7 7 15 2

7 7 14 2

6 6 14 2

6 6 13 2

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

The new Queen Hippolyta, elegantly dressed in her regal best, offers a mix of powers old and new.

LE Queen Hippolyta
Team: JSA
Range: 0 /
Points: 119

8 10 17 3

8 10 16 2

8 10 16 2

6 10 15 2

8 9 15 2

8 9 15 3

7 8 14 3

7 8 13 2

6 8 12 2

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

The Queen adds three clicks of Charge, two of Incapacitate, and six of Combat Reflexes to get her into the battle quickly and keep her in the fight. Leadership, fitting for her position, helps to mobilize the troops and Enhancement aids any long-distance shooter at her side. She also has two more clicks of three (3) damage than her sword-swinging counterpart. Key losses include the forfeiting the Unique’s late-dial Flurry, some Close Combat Expert, her two clicks of Invulnerable and a royally huge amount of Toughness. That’s what you get for leaving the palace without your armored bustier.

With Charge, Incap, and three (3) damage on her first click, Stunning Blow is a must. She’ll also get some use out of this later in her dial when Incap returns with that three (3) damage again on her sixth click. Movethrough also amplifies her offensive capabilities by letting her get to the targets that matter most. Her opening Leadership also makes her a prime candidate for Inspiring Command, allowing other lower cost JSAers to push without taking pushing damage. While it is undeniably helpful in the early game, later, when she’s near death’s door, Leadership returns enabling her team to again leverage this feat and press the attack before all is lost. Each of these feats are relatively economical additions that make her eminently useful beyond her point cost.

In spite of all of these losses, when a Hippolyta is called for, I’ll field the Queen that bears here name. The upfront added mobility is very reassuring for anyone prone to push in an attempt to gain an early game advantage. Four clicks of 10 attack are an additional boon to those of us with dice that have trouble rolling better than a six when called upon to do so. Being feat friendly, with excellent damage dealing potential and overall better attack values makes the choice an easy one.

ol_Dut’s Rating: 8/10 – She’s mobile, she’s a bruiser, she’s JSA and she’s got Leadership and Enhancement to support her team. With so much to offer, she should see a lot of play time.


WIZARD SHAZAM
Which leads us to the Wizard Shazam. When last we saw him, the Wizard looked like this:


He was all about Friends of the Devil, Dark Stars, China Cat Sunflowers and Cryptical Envelopments. Now he looks like this.

LE Wizard Shazam!
Team: Quintessense
Range: 10 /
Points: 206

7 11 18 4

6 10 17 3

6 10 16 3

10 10 16 5

10 9 16 4

9 9 15 3

9 8 15 3

9 7 14 2

8 7 13 3

8 6 12 4

KO KO KO KO

KO KO KO KO

The Wizard Shazam suffers from what I like to call the HeroClix Omnipotence Complex. Those who suffer from HOC have amazing, almost godlike powers but have little or no ability to move and attack. Others of the afflicted are Ganthet, Thanos, and to a slightly lesser extent Ares, because very late in his dial stuff like Running Shot finally decides to come out and play. However, to a degree, one has to expect this lack of mobility if for no other reason than the Wiz is hunkered down in a big ol’ comfy chair. Unaffected by Outwit due to the big Q on his base, he’s content to slide out on one turn and blast away on the next, preferably with a single target Pulse Wave for four (4) damage. Other offensive tricks include Incap, Psychic Blast and a dash of late dial Pulse Wave. On the damage side of his dial, the Wizard Shazam is almost never without either Probability Control or Outwit, both of which are especially powerful on his dial as a result of his Quintessence TA since they cannot be countered.

If the Wizard Shazam has any real failing it’s his defense. Tipping the scales at a hefty 206 points it’s very bizarre that he doesn’t have even a single click of Impervious. More troubling is that only three of his 10 clicks have any sort of damage reducer. The bulk of them sport either Energy Shield/Deflection or Regeneration. It’s his lack of damage reducers coupled with his offensive powers of Pulse Wave and Psychic Blast that conspire to be his undoing as we shall see.

If squaring off against the Wizard Shazam the tactic for success is simple. Base him. Base him with a big guy. Base him with a chain if middling guys. Base him with a swarm of figures that dish out three (3) damage. It doesn’t really matter. Just base him with grounded figures and a lot of the Wiz’s fun disappears in a puff of smoke like so many rabbits, doves, or nubile assistants. Basing him with a grounded figure negates Pulse Wave. It negates Psychic Blast. If positioned properly it severely limits his ability to use his PC and Outwit to help the rest of his team. And after those first three clicks of Invulnerable spin by, any respectable close combat figure shouldn’t have much difficulty hitting that 16 or less defense.

Before it’s said, I know what’s coming. The Phasing. Look at all that Phasing. He can Phase away on one turn and PB the next. He can Phase away on one turn and Regen the next. It’s beautiful. Not really. If he Phases away to line up a shot, simply basing him up again dramatically reduces his threat but increases his personal level of jeopardy. If he Phases through a wall to find a nice little hidey hole to Regen, a clever opponent will blast through the wall and base him. This puts him on the horns of a dilemma. Regen or attack? Either way it really doesn’t matter as even the best Regen roll drops him back at a 16 D with ES/D and again, most close combat figures won’t miss that slow, fat pitch over the plate.

In truth, if Captain Comfy Chair is going to have a prayer in a game he’s going to need one thing: Nova Blast to rip out at many clicks as he can in the early game. PC should guarantee a hit. Never mind the pushing damage because there’s always Auto Regen. So if he’s going to have a prayer he needs two things. Nova Blast and Auto Regen. And loads of good support. If there are three things Captain Comfy Chair needs it’s Nova Blast, Auto Regen and good support – like TK and a veritable host of snipers to blast off all of the figures that keep basing him like barnacles on a boat so that he can keep using his Pulse Wave and PB. Actually, there a few more things Jerry Garcia needs, but those are a good start. As cool as the character may be, he’s going to require some work to pull him off with any real degree of efficacy. Drop him your case next to Dormammu. Those two guys have a great deal to discuss. They should start a support group. Is it mere coincidence that they both cost 206 points? I think not.

ol_Dut’s Rating: 5/10 – He could be effective, but he’ll require thought and patience. He’s not as “point and shoot” as some of the figures proximate to his point cost. While he may not be as (ab)useable as Lois, Wizard Shazam’s collectability will be high since this is the only iteration of a fan favorite character that we’re ever likely to get.

That’s all for this one. Next up? More Origin with Supergirl and Detective John Jones! Thanks for reading!

nice review. I love how you tossed jerry garcia in their as well even though i dont think the wizard ever was the absolute awesomness that captain trip was and still is

Great review as always Ol'Dut and I pretty much agree with everything you said! Lois Lane is pretty nice for 17 points and definitely adds to any min/max Wildcard team. Just a couple notes:

Don't forget about all that Combat Reflexes!! As a member of the JSA I'd MUCH rather have a dial full of Combat Reflexes than Toughness...

Ares also has two clicks of Charge after his single click of phasing...so that's five clicks of move-and-attack all together.

I appreciate the reviews, but these are IMO somewhat rushed in that we don't have any photos of the figures, and barely any play time.

For instance, it remains to be seen if the Lois Lane is really going to be contributing that much to 'restricted' wild card teams. Alfred, while great for theme teams, lacks a lot of the mobility that makes the Batman Allies so good. (The Butler-range is much nicer than the 0-range Questions, natch)

The Queen does seem to be a strong addition to JSA, but I'm not sure that she's better than the other 100-ish options: Hourman, Power Girl or a Sandman+Wildcat combo.

The Wizard, with a budget for feats and a Firelord Taxi, should be a "run away and win-on-points" type character for sure.

I pulled Lois out of my case and was uber-excited to say the least. When Wizkids can do this for 17 pts... it made me wonder why they couldn't give Amanda Waller some plastic love (and a TA boost) also.

Then I pulled Queen Hippolyta at a Marque and the phrase "I'm not worthy" quickly was looping through my head. The Leadership and Enhancement are a great combo and she will be a boon to the JSA team. In clix, it seemed a competitive JSA team was a fool's dream. Now, they are one of the most well-rounded teams out there to play.

Great review!

Alfred looks like he's stuck in a fire.


great review.

Great reviews and I think I agree with everything you said except one thing.

Ganthet has running shot on 3 clix of his dial
It may not be at the beginning but when it does show it can cause some nasty devestation, especially since it is mixed with psychic blast!!

Its official. I'm the only one who prefers the old Legacy U, looks, stats, price and all. *gives it a hug*

no, no, no, you're suppose to say they're all carp so that I pick them on on ebay cheaper.

Would that really work? OK. They're all rotten and $5-$10 would be a pretty reasonable price for each. anyone asking for more than that is a crook and a scoundrel.


>>>Do you think they bought it???

I would still use Amanda Waller over Lois Lane ...

Amanda Waller's Ko List:
Origin: Sentinenl x2
Origin: Starman
Origin: Tawky Tawney

More to come after the weekend

Great Review. I'm glad you compared and contrasted the differences in the old versions and the new Chase versions. You're comments on the Wizard made be laugh out loud, glad most of the students are gone for Spring Break...now I'm going to listen to Truckin on my way home!

I think Pummel is a better feat for Hippolyta than Stunning Blow. She can use it on any click other then the first one. Besides the first attack Hippolyta has to land on the Incap, and with CR instead of damage reduces her dial is sure to spin pretty quickly.

My Lois Lane's KO list:

R Hawkman (Origins)
U Vandal Savage
E Triplicate Girl
E Dr. Fate