No. 50
Black Rider/Ringwraith/Nazgul/One Of The Nine/Servant Of Sauron [Lord of the Rings 016/006/101/102/020] Original rank: collectively at No. 9 of 2011
THEN: Individually, they weren’t hot. Together is where it’s at, even though they’re 100 apiece.
NOW: That 9 AV across the board just sucks, especially at the point level it takes to run them as the Nine they are meant to be and that I still dream of running them as.
NEXT: When I can figure some non-resource theme-y way to give them a +1 AV across the board somehow
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No. 49
Wildfire [Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes 021] Original rank: tied for No. 5 of 2014
THEN: He was the first high-point Legionnaire I consider for the theme. Nice long dial with old-school Stop clicks and all, though he needs a Dawnstar to get his points’ worth.
NOW: His DV is way mediocre for 180 points and his Stop clicks DON’T have immunity to Pulse Wave! He’s really not that great, even though I won’t run a big Legion team without him.
NEXT: I said I WON’T RUN A BIG LEGION TEAM WITHOUT HIM
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No. 48
Alloy [World’s Finest 058] Original rank: No. 6 of 2016
THEN: I liked his split mechanic and the big dude himself.
NOW: I still do, just don’t fit him on many teams since he got retired.
NEXT: I should really fit him on a team or three
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No. 47
Ms. Marvel [Avengers Assemble 055] Original rank: No. 2 for 2015
THEN: Absolutely loved this first incarnation of Kamala Khan, with her size-shifting Embiggen trait. My No. 2 favorite, she was the No. 1 F.U.N. figure of Heroclixin that year (the first we started splitting up the two lists).
NOW: Her 66-point cost ends up putting SO MANY potential teams she could go on 1 POINT OVER. It’s frustrating. Good thing there are a number of new Kamalas to run instead.
NEXT: I want to run an all-Kamala team. ALL the point totals are awkward. I can’t with her
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No. 46
Wasp [Avengers Infinity 044] Original rank: No. 13 of 2018
THEN: She just barely made my favorites last year. She needed higher AV or Willpower or to be 5 less points or something but SHE STILL MADE IT.
NOW: And I still want to use her despite ALL THOSE ISSUES
NEXT: Either all Wasps or an Ant-Man and the Wasp swarm. Or something
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No. 45
Captain America [Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD 049] Original rank: No. 3 of 2015
THEN: Though he’s one Outwit away from losing all his good powers (ES/D, Willpower, Invulnerability, Super Senses), he still wins on the F.U.N. factor.
NOW: He’s still the great 130-point glass cannon, just more overcosted now.
NEXT: On my next big Atlanta Falcons squad for a rematch against the Angels once the remake shows up in February’s Captain America and the Avengers set
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No. 44
Cyclops [Uncanny X-Men 033] Original rank: No. 10 of 2016
THEN: I was just glad to see him in his latest costume. Dial was OK, too — very reflective of his broken-but-still-effective powers at the time.
NOW: He remains a must-play for my Cyclops teams for his SP Leadership that functions with X-Men.
NEXT: I’m running a giant swarm of Cyclopses against every Storm for the right of leadership of the X-Men
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No. 43
The Atom [Superman/Wonder Woman G001] Original rank: No. 5 F.U.N. of 2015
THEN: He’s a giant target who can deal the big F.U.N. in close.
NOW: Kinda for Wonders of the World teams only.
NEXT: When I run Wonders of the World or if I maybe dust off the old luchador theme of bare-armed, full masked bruisers
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No. 42
Hawkman & Hawkgirl [Batman The Animated Series 060] Original rank: No. 4 of 2018
THEN: Super F.U.N. duo offers so much: long life, unmatched mobility, great stats, Empower or Outwit for the team and a lot more.
NOW: Though 125 is a tad hefty for 5 clicks of life per dial, it’s still worth them all on the right team — JSA, perhaps.
NEXT: That JSA #50 Cover team, for sure. (how big IS that team, anyway?)
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No. 41
Dee Dee [Batman The Animated Series 015] Original rank: No. 11 of 2018
THEN: I liked her for the Sidestep+Empower she offers as a pair.
NOW: But there’s so much more the Dee Dee duo does, gaining Shape Change as well. In my Top10 team games, they were instrumental in each win. Love them.
NEXT: Unless I’m just bound and determined that their Future keyword breaks theme otherwise, I imagine a pair of Dee Dee will be on every Gotham Underworld team.
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No. 40
Colleen Wing and Misty Knight [Amazing Spider-Man 044] Original rank: No. 4 of 2013
THEN: Being a wish come true, I liked this fig both as a duo and as solos, even though they were too heavy at 140 points and both anemic at 70.
NOW: All the pros and cons are still true, only magnified after power creep/leap. I still love them.
NEXT: If I ever play a Heroes For Hire theme, they’re on or it’s not getting played
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No. 39
Batman [Batman and His Greatest Foes Fast Forces 001] Original rank: No. 8 of 2016
THEN: So love this version of Batman who jumps in the middle of foes and poses before beating them.
NOW: He’s so hard to use (needed Improved Movement to get in the middle of folks) and there are better Bats out there. But I still love it
NEXT: OHH! THIS was the piece I should have pulled out for a 0 range close combat fight recently
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No. 38
Black Lightning [Batman 045] Original rank: Late bloomer of 2012
THEN: He was not only a fine update of previous Black Lightning designs, but an example of general good clix design.
NOW: Still the best version of Black Lightning, even though he’s been power creeped in general.
NEXT: I need to run an Outsiders team.
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No. 37
Robin [Harley Quinn and the Gotham Girls 030] Original rank: No. 10 of 2017
THEN: Rock-solid dial for 40 points with token-shedding/adding powers, even though I have no affection for the “Thrillkiller” source material.
NOW: Nothing’s changed. Maybe even better than when released.
NEXT: I have an all-Robin squad on tap. He’s a signature piece.
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No. 36
Asuka [WWE 012] 2019 rank: No. 8
THOUGHTS: I love how aggressive she plays, even more than I expected to. Because “NO ONE is ready for ASUKA!”
NEXT: She’ll be in my Top 10 box this year. So I can always be ready.
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No. 35
Apache Chief [Batman The Animated Series 070] Original rank: No. 8 of 2018
THEN: He was a big man on clix-campus with his ability to become ULTRA Colossal Size.
NOW: I had no idea how strong he’d be on a team big enough to allow him time to grow full size. BIG STRONG.
NEXT: He’s been played enough this past year. Time for a rest …
…until it’s time for him to answer the Troubalert like a Super Friend should!
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No. 34
Clayface [Batman The Animated Series 001b] Original rank: No. 7 of 2018
THEN: “He jumped onto my radar with his mix of decent AV and damage, Outwit then Perplex, Improved Movement, wild card TA, the ability to jump on any themed team and the possibility of avoiding KO, all for a very low price.”
NOW: Nothing’s changed. He’s still up there.
NEXT: I’m considering rebuilding my “Mudbomb” theme of Clayface sculpts in all their mucky glory. He’ll lead it.
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No. 33
Angel [Days of Future Past 005] Original rank: No. 3 of 2014
THEN: This great team player brought lots of bonuses to X-Men and Defenders alike.
NOW: He still offers plenty but not quite enough to best later, more modern Angels in the game.
NEXT: A rematch with the Falcon force is forthcoming in 2020.
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No. 32
Shade, The Changing Girl [Rebirth 044] 2019 rank: No. 4
THOUGHTS: Ultimate tie-up with Phasing, Plasticity, Willpower, Poison and dial-long Perplex. It’s just bonkers what she can do for just 45.
NEXT: Aside from the Jamiroquai-inspired Cosmic Girl theme, Shade here simply belongs on teams as that tie-up duty go-to figure.
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No. 31
Batman [Batman The Animated Series 040] Original rank: No. 2 of 2018
THEN: I thought his Batarang equipment made him just good enough to be playable and F.U.N.
NOW: He’s my go-to Batman, being great at fisticuffs and infiltration and all that other bat-stuff.
NEXT: Whenever I need a Batman, even though he’s a retiree from my “Top Figs or 2018” team.
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No. 30
Daredevil [WizKids MP18-007] Original rank: No. 10 of 2018
THEN: I really only liked it because it’s the 1990s “Man Without Fear” costume. The dial was nice, but no Willpower stunk.
NOW: I’ve finally figured out how to use his “Matt’s Got Magical Powers” SP and it’s glorious.
NEXT: Somehow I’ve fallen into a “Collect All Daredevils” thing over the past couple of years, so that’s team that will happen again.
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No. 29
Cyclops [Giant-Size X-Men 008] Original rank: No. 10 of 2011
THEN: He was the first truly solid Cyclops (a favorite character), one with good damage and targeting abilities (Sharpshooter, at the time) along with being a great boon to X-Men teams. I also wanted to try him on an all-Cyclops team.
NOW: He is a fixture on those all-Cyke teams, even if he’s been supplanted otherwise by better versions of the character. That boost to X-Men TA healing is great.
NEXT: I think I mentioned planning a huge Cyclops vs. Storm game? This fella will likely be key to his side winning.
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No. 28
Magma [Wolverine and the X-Men 073] Original rank: Late bloomer for 2013
THEN: She had to be on the team or I didn’t run a New Mutants theme at all.
NOW: Even though she doesn’t really work (too fragile and slow), she has to be on the team or I don’t run a New Mutants theme at all.
NEXT: I’m looking to run a New Mutants squad soon against Generation X in a battle of the x-babies. Magma is on the team.
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No. 27
War Machine [Invincible Iron Man 029b] Original rank: No. 2 of 2013
THEN: So strong. When I want to win, I went for this figure due to its basically having MultiAttack as a double power action. So STRONG. (Did I say that already?)
NOW: It’s so pricey that it’s hard to field him on most teams. Also, running him is loading for bear and I like to keep it lighter than that.
NEXT: I have a half-baked idea to run a team of all Rhodey, and a more solidified idea of an illegal scenario that will stay secret for now…
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No. 26
Nova [Avengers Infinity 032] Original rank: No. 3 of 2018
THEN: I thought he was Nova Prime finally done completely right.
NOW: He’s a bit glass-jawed but still the best version of himself.
NEXT: Two big Nova Corps teams, one where he leads mostly generic Novas and the other with multiple versions of Rich Rider here.
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NEXT: The TOP 25