The Tease of Things I Don't Need

Armor Wars - second look
through a fan's eyes

If you're not into the comics the clix are based on don't bother with the rest of the post.

I'd given the set a second look based on character selection, responding to a thread over on HC Realms, which is one of those relaxing comics nerd activities that made for some pleasant unwinding time while listening to a good mix of music. As I'd thrown it together for there, I thought I'd post it here, too, since this is my space. As more details are revealed in the set it'll be interesting (to me) to revisit this and see how the numbers shift.

Armor Wars - based as best I can solely on character selection and what we've seen of the sculpts. 1-5 ranking, Least to Most appeal:

* Iron Man - 5 - We needed a new version, even if I’m not thrilled with E not being Avengers TAed. I have a feeling I'll be flying I.M. over an E War Machine base from time to time.
* Titanium Man - 4 - He lost a point for not being the original, huge, more squared-off sculpt.
* War Machine - 3 - Really more of a grim 'n' gritty spin on Iron Man than a solid hero even if they did build him around Jim Rhodes. I'd rather have seen generic Vault guards/Guardsman armor pieces in this set, but this one's okay.
* Crimson Dynamo - 2 - I wanted a new and more playable Crimson Dynamo... and it appears I got something newer than I'd ever wanted and possibly something less playable than what we got the first time. Awaiting details!
* Captain America - 4 - I still can't believe there are people who actually like this sculpt. Still, a new version of Cap is welcome. Seth gets points for finally giving at least the vet two targets -- Cap's been hurling his shield at multiple targets for decades. Unfortunately, Seth loses points for not putting on at least a click or two of Incap, and loses more points than this scale allows by finally making a version with Running Shot only to give it to the John Walker LE... but none of that's altering my wanting to have another version of Cap.
* Ultron- 5 - The IC version was a beast, so we're counting on some Running Shot to jazz this one up. I'm up for a new try especially since the IC set didn't have Impervious available to it, and if this is anything past Ultron 6 he deserves Impervious along with the kind of Defense values we saw the first time.
* Cannonball - 4 - Nice to finally see Sam Guthrie arrive.
* Wendigo - 4 - While he was someone else co-opted in various mutant titles I always first think of him back from the first appearance of the creature and the legend back in a 70s issue of Incredible Hulk.
* Iron Monger (Unique) - 3 - Not one likely to have made my list of “long-awaited” pieces, but a nice nod.
* Psylocke - 4 - I liked her waaaaaaaay back in her early appearances, but not much in any of her appearances written initially for the US market. The sculpt looks for all the world like a renegade T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agent – not that that’s a bad thing.
* Spider-Woman (Unique) - 4 - Difficult one here. Based on wanting to see the character and on the quality of the sculpt, this would be an easy 4, leaning towards a 5, but from what we’ve seen (the Unique and the LE) her history’s been stunted and we’ve been short-changed... I'll still give her a 4 based on the spirit of this list, though.
* Spider-Man (Unique) (House of M)- 1 - I’m with D.S. “I'd be more excited if he had the Avengers TA” Did we really need this version?
* Mystique (Unique) (House of M)- 1 - I wasn’t looking for another one, and certainly not one given the horse-face they gave the XP Psylocke.
* Wolverine (Unique) (House of M)- 1 - The third of the House of M pieces, and aren’t all three a sort of advertisement for Dull? I'm generally enjoying House of M as a comics event, but these pieces wouldn't draw me towards it.
* Magneto (Unique) (House of M)- 5 - He needed a proper re-do and appears to have gotten one. Imperious!
* Iron Man (Unique) (1960s)- 5 - Having seen the clixbrick LE we know what he’ll look like – just in gold. While I’d prefer him a wee bulkier, this is still one I'd long wanted but actually hadn't expected to see.
* Jocasta (Unique)- 3 - She really is dull as dishwater as a character, but a nice nod to the past and someone fitting to show up with Ultron being redone.
* Sentry (Unique)- 1 - A Superman for the Marvel universe. What a sucktastic idea! Never should have been done. Probably the single worst element in the current Avengers.
* Crystal (Unique)- 5 - Long-awaited, and properly FFed to boot! I still think of her as Johnny’s ex-girlfriend.
* Firebrand- 5 - And the original costume, too!
* Paladin- 4 - Ha! An interesting character from not so very long ago (anything in comics after 1974 is “new stuff” to me) and not one I’d expected, but a fun addition.
* Lorelei- 3 - A nice sculpt and a fairly accurate clix rendition for her. Not one I was really waiting for, but a pleasant surprise.
* Diamond Lil- 3 - They didn’t do her justice in the sculpt, and not a character choice I’m terribly jazzed over, but, hey, I’d like to look into playing an Omega Flight team sometime.
* Echo- 2 - Eh.
* Killer Shrike- 3 - Again, showing my age, I keep thinking of this one as a late-comer. Never really a favorite, but potentially useful, so it's a middle of the road choice.
* Thunderbird- 1 - Oh, goodie. Well, if I come up with a scenario involving stampeding buffalo he’ll be my first choice! Otherwise, well, the original had “dead meat” stamped all over him... and deservedly so! Oh, how we laughed when Nefaria's jet exploded! Good times, good times... That they came up with a later version of the character should have resulted in jail time for someone.
* Banshee- 4 - Hey, he’s a goofy-looking character in a goofy costume with a goofy power, but at least they worked in the original version. A nice enough guy even if he does speak like a charicature of an Irishman and is a big country music fan, boyo!
* Spymaster- 3 - What? No Espionage Elite?! No, I’m just kidding. No, really. Another nice nod and in keeping with the overt theme, or at least what most of us thought the overt theme was supposed to be.
* Ghost- 3 - A later comer than Spymaster, though most seem to remember them both from the ‘80s run.
* Magma- 2 - Someone for Volcana to play with! In the one shot of the sculpt I’ve seen even she looks bored. I never cared for her back in my New Mutants-reading days and age hasn't helped.
* Aurora- 4 - A good choice and one I've kinda sorta been looking for since Northstar came out... in a clix set, that is!
* Thunderball - 4 - Here’s hoping they made him right rather than gave him a dial relative to the stinko one the Wrecker was saddled with.
* Shaman- 5- I’m interested to see the dial (okay, that applies to all of the unknowns on this list) but in any event it’s a nice addition. I likely would've topped at 4 on him, but I really like the sculpt; it captures his nature as a powerful, contemplative character whose nature will be support and guidance but who likely can do some damage if need be.
* Quicksilver- 5 - We needed a remake, so I’ve been waiting for this. I’m happy to see this apparently isn’t an “ultimate” version.
* Sunfire- 4 - The atomic samurai! Japanese ultra-nationalist with a huge chip on his shoulder. Happy to see him finally make it even if the guy’s an ass.
* Marrina- 1 - ::sniff:: Did someone lose a piece of fish, or am I catching a whiff of Byrne? Why, it’s both! Sorry, nice fish-lady.
* Dazzler (Ultimate)- 1 - Ha! Well, Seth managed to make me actually want a real Dazzler by making the wrong one! It’s too late to add negative numbers to the scale, so I’ll stick with the bottom.
* Executioner- 5 - Long, long awaited.
* Shathra (Unique)- 4 - She should be a tough, deadly piece. I’ll be interested in giving her a go.
* Black King (Unique)- 5 - We were supposed to get him a few sets ago! When you’re that rich, though, you’re never really late for anything. The confident pose is character-accurate, but the interpretation’s subtle. Four out of four people I showed the picture to were immediately reminded of Al Jolson (and these weren’t old people.) One mid-twenty-something exclaimed, “Mammy!”