New HeroClix

RRARRR, Black Lantern Azrael here again with some seriously good news for all my fans. In the same way that I and the other forgotten heroes of the DCU have risen from our graves, WizKids' HeroClix game also seems to have been reborn.

Why does this matter? RRARRR! I'll tell you. I only got one HeroClix to represent me, while guys like Hawkman, Booster Gold, and Aquaman got two or more. What are the chances that we'll be seeing HeroClix representing the legions of Black Lanterns? Pretty good, no? And don't you think they're likely to include most of the Lanterns who got lines in the mini-series?

Black Lanterns like me. Don't deny it: when you see those new Azrael HeroClix you'll be feeling avarice. RRARRR!

Gen Con Report

Hello everybody; I'm back. As you all know I spent most of last week and weekend in Indianapolis at this year's Gen Con. Gen Con's primarily a gaming convention, but there was enough comic goodness going on to warrant a post here.

For starters, my very presence there was thanks to a comic connection. I wasn't supposed to go at all; I was in Japan when pre-registration went on, and I didn't know anyone who was going (or so I thought).

But fate has a way of intervening in these things. And it seems that I was meant to attend Gen Con '08. I got a message from a college friend who works for Devil's Due Publishing. He needed someone to help him at DDP's Gen Con booth and I needed something constructive to do with myself. And all were pleased with the results.

This wasn't my first Gen Con by any means. Before I moved to Japan I used to go often. I attended every Gen Con from 1999 to 2003. That was when the convention was still in Milwaukee. So this was my first time attending the con in Indianapolis. It wasn't that different -- the convention center is a lot bigger, that's all.

We arrived in Indianapolis on Wednesday and went right to the exhibit hall to set up. Devil's Due publishes a lot of good stuff, but we'd brought mostly comic adaptations of the work's of fantasy author R. A. Salvatore. This year is the twentieth anniversary of Drizzt, so you can imagine how big that all was.

Or maybe you can't. You may know as little about Drizzt Do'Urden as my friend does. Which was one of the ways I was able to contribute at the booth. I'm a comic fan and a gaming fan. I'm pretty much half and half. So I got to do a lot of "translating" back and forth from gamer speak. The average gamer doesn't know what a trade paperback is and the average comic fan doesn't know who Artemis Entreri is. So I was useful for something.

I didn't spend my entire time at the con at the booth, though. I took some time off to go around the exhibit hall. One of the first places I hit up was the Wizkids booth. I'd seen huge pyramidal stacks of a certain convention exclusive Heroclix figure. Before long it was mine:

MWAHAHA! It's a pretty sweet figure, and there was an unexpected bonus... Something I'd completely forgotten. Since I spent over $50 at the Wizkids booth I received a second con exclusive figure: Azrael! As Batman!

Watch me dance a happy jig. I'd been told that it was a con exclusive this year, but It had slipped my mind entirely. It was a very welcome surprise.

With such luck on the Heroclix front, I decided to browse the various booths selling Heroclix singles to see if I could find a specific figure. As I'm sure you've already guessed, I was looking for Doctor Polaris. Unfortunately, I didn't find him. Not a single booth at the show had him. And I checked them all. Twice.

But that's the way the ball rolls, sometimes. I wasn't too disappointed, all things considered. I'll find one of them eventually.

Back at the booth, I had the exceptional luck of being able to meet James Lowder, the author of one of my favorite D&D novels. That was a great treat. Mr. Lowder is a amazingly cool guy, and it was great having a chance to talk with him for a bit. He edits some of DDP's collected editions, so he came by the booth a few times. It was awesome.

I also had the chance to meet a fellow comic blogger, Tom Foss. It was great meeting Tom, who is also an amazingly cool guy. I feel like I know so many comic bloggers simply from posting and commenting and reading their blogs... It was nice to be able to meet one of those people in person.

So that's basically the rundown of my Gen Con experience. Most of my time was spent at the booth, so I don't have any awesome gaming related stories to tell. At least not this year. Next year I hope to actually play some Heroclix...

Second Time's the Charm

Thanks to the illustrious Scipio I have learned that the WizKids 2008 convention exclusive DC Heroclix will be none other than me:

It was the darkest time in the Dark Knight’s career. Broken and beaten by the super-humanly enhanced Bane, Batman was replaced by Jean-Paul Valley (who eventually became Azrael). Valley became far darker than Bruce Wayne ever could and the Knightfall Batman was feared by criminals as never before. The DC HeroClix: Knightfall Batman will be offered at WizKids attended conventions in 2008 with the purchase of $50 in DC HeroClix product.

This means that there will be a second Heroclix verson of myself. To say that I am excited is an understatement. Any exposure I receive can only be a good thing. It increases that tiny chance that I might come back into comics -- even if only by a tiny bit.

I mean, there are a lot of characters that have gotten a Heroclix. And there are probably a lot that have gotten a second one. But how many people can claim that they were a convention exclusive?

I must acquire money, go to a convention, and purchase a tiny plastic version of myself. It is now my sole reason for living...

Re: My Miniature Avatar

My good friend Scipio has just recently directed my attention to this.

I am not entirely sure how I should feel about it. It would appear that my avatar is considerably enraptured by that which is above him. But what could be there that this miniature version of my glorious self finds so fascinating?

Despite what I may feel about his stance, I am pleased that the sculptors got my boots right. However! I am less pleased that they made a grave error when it came to painting my gloves.

Know this: The gloves of Polaris keep the vital first and fourth fingers uncovered! You may ask why this is so. Fools! You could not possibly comprehend the inner workings of my genius brain!

Know that the brilliant fashion of Doctor Polaris can only be understood by the truly exceptional! Polaris has spoken!

Coming Soon

It has recently been brought to my attention that I am featured -- perhaps prominently -- in the new set of DC HeroClix miniatures.


This pleases Polaris. Though not on the scale of a massive statue, these miniatures will still feature my likeness. And they will last forever! Though I fully intend to live for eternity, perhaps there will come a time when even I pass away. But even in that grim, dark future I will not be forgotten! For when all of mankind's other creations pass away the Doctor Polaris HeroClix will yet remain!

But this is idle speculation. Of immediate importance is the quality of the sculpt. So far, images of this miniature elude me. I wish to gaze into the eye of eternity and see myself gaze back. I want to know that the sculptors have done my form justice.

I suppose there is also the matter of the gameplay. I myself have not yet taken part in a game of HeroClix. Will my astonishing powers of magnetism be appropriately depicted? And most important of all: will my Heroclix figure be able to beat the crap out of Magneto's?

I demand answers!

Heroclix, Round Two

So yesterday I played my second game of Heroclix ever. And this time, I used my own figures! Yes, I was lucky enough to find a brick of the DC set Collateral Damage at the local hobby shop for an obscenely cheap amount. It seems superheroes just don't sell it Japan. Their loss is my gain.

Anyway, my team consisted of Blue Devil, Ragman, Red Tornado, Doctor Mid-Nite, Manhunter, Speedy, and Azrael! This team of mighty heroes was forced to fight... More X-Men. Also, a team of ragtag Justice League rejects led by Green Arrow.

The first few turns went swimmingly for me. Ragman and Azrael hid in the bushes while Blue Devil cut a swathe through the Justice League. He picked up a piece of heavy machinery and whacked Green Arrow over the head. And then, in a fit of poetic justice, Speedy finished him off.

Things went downhill later when the X-Men joined the fray. Storm nearly took out Red Tornado, but Doctor Mid-Nite is actually a doctor and got him all fixed up the very next turn. Then Colossus beat up Azrael.

We had to cut things short, but if it had gone on for the full number of turns I think I would've won. Regardless, I got a few good hits in and enjoyed the heck out of myself.

Today's MVP: There's no question that the Most Valuable Player on my team was Blue Devil. He never took a hit (as my enemies rightly fear the "Mystic" team ability) and delivered more than his fair share of poundings. Go Blue Devil!

Coming tomorrow: Title Undetermined's first ever Theme Week!