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Let Cosmic Justice Be Done!

In the time that WizKids released three different Marvel sets for HeroClix, they only managed one for DC. Even now, the DCU lags behind with this week's release of the Cosmic Justice set. If you're keeping score, it's still three to two, with IndyClix and another Marvel set on the horizon.

But it's not a matter of disrespect. Though Marvel pieces may be far more numerous (and may be bigger sellers; at least, Marvel would say so), the appearance of the DC figures are far more satisfying, and the character selection goes deeper into the canon than Marvel, which has been, understandably enough, heavy on the X-Men with a side of ninja.

With each expansion set, too, WizKids keeps tinkering and refining how the figures are presented and how well they play. This time around, flying characters have a notch in their support stand, which should reduce the wear and tear that comes from storing such figures separate from their bases. (Unless you glue them in - we make no recommendation either way.)

And at last, Cosmic Justice fulfills a promise set by Hypertime, activating three group affiliations and filling out a few that had been rather sparsely inhabited. Three founding members represent the Legion of Superheroes. Mystics finally make an appearance with the ever-switching allegiance Circe and Zatanna (complete with fishnets). Despite his occasional membership, however, Starman has no affiliation with the JSA.

An uneasy but sensible fit comes from Sgt. Rock and Easy Company. All of them have the Police team ability, which improves the attack value of adjacent friendly figures. Regardless, it's Easy Company, man. You owe them respect.

From the release of the giant Sinestro figure in January, we knew that there had to eventually be a Green Lantern Corps to combat him. Though Kyle Rayner did not make the cut, John Stewart, the new "official" GL to those who watch TV and buy the toys, is here in all his glory. Even without a Corps around him, he still has the team ability, which allows him to transport up to eight friendly figures.

Let the bloodshed begin.

Stewart also has several enemies in this set, with one miscalculation on the game designers' part. This Green Lantern does not have a base that takes an arch-enemy into account, but John Stewart does actually have an arch-enemy included in this set: Fatality. The Manhunters, failed first attempts at cosmic police by the Guardians of Oa, are represented here, too, but let's face it. Stewart destroyed Fatality's planet; she really has a legitimate beef. Then again, as I've noted before, knowing continuity only gets in the way of playing this game.

With at least three Green Lantern villains now available, it does seem like there's a missed opportunity somewhere for a new team ability. Especially with so many obscure extremely powerful villains also popping up.

You wouldn't imagine Amazo, Despero, Eclipso, and Mordru teaming up (although, hey, Geoff Johns has the last two together in JSA RIGHT NOW!). Frankly, it's just cool that WizKids have put these figures in the set at all. Also from the strangely obscure file: Teen Titans enemy Brother Blood. Granted, all of them are Uniques and therefore extremely rare, but they'll make great additions to your desktop collections.

As will our unofficial Fanboy Planet tally of the three Poison Ivys and Starfires you'll get out of every four boxes.

Mitigating the pain of the many, many duplicates is just how good the sculpts are. Even the painting details have gotten finer; from what we've seen so far, no figure has the look of pained surprise that Mr. Fantastic sports, nor the simply sloppy make-up job that Titania has (both from "Clobberin' Time").

These are cool little figures, and if you have extras you should just give them to kids to play with. Rules? Rules? They don't need no stinkin' rules.

Yes, once again WizKids has found a way of soon parting this particular fool with his money. It will get worse in August, when the company releases a set of DC maps, which will be very site specific. We get to take the battle to the JLA Watchtower, people.

Oh, there will be a Marvel set, too, in case you want to work your way through the Avengers Mansion and take out that punk Jarvis. Hopefully, that will be on one of the scenario cards.

Derek McCaw

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