George Ward stood over a mass of crowded tables at Nova Comics Saturday, March 3. He gave the OK to the 30 people standing or sitting at tables strewn with maps, and everyone began opening the boxes in front of them.
“I got a Cyborg Superman, Dad!” a girl in the front of the room said excitedly.
“I got Hulk!” said someone from a middle table.
“Oh, Shazam!” someone yelled above the ripping of paper and rustling of plastic.
“It’s like Christmas,” Ward said.
Nova Comics in Springfield hosted a HeroClix prerelease tournament Saturday afternoon. HeroClix is a collectible miniatures game in which two or more players choose teams of superheroes and battle each other, trying to “knock out” the opponent's characters. It is akin to a game of chess where everyone’s team is different, Ward explained between policing rounds. “It’s 3D, choose your own pieces," he said.
Ward was the organizer and judge for the tournament, a prerelease so that players can play with the new set of heroes and villains before they arrive in stores. The new set everyone is excited about is called “Origin,” said Ward. “This set is old-school DC Comics figures, 40’s style,” he said.
Past sets have included characters from DC Comics like Wonder Woman and Batman, and Marvel characters like Fantastic Four and the X-Men.
“They got Hellboy, Superman, all the big ones,” said Connor Rodriguez, a regular at Nova’s Friday night HeroClix gatherings.
FOR THIS TOURNAMENT, the players made their superhero — or super villain — teams from what they received in their three booster boxes with four figures in each pack. After determining that everyone was happy with his or her choices, players found their first opponent and the first round began. Dice rolled and the superheroes fought each other, "clicking" the base of the figure to track damage. In a few minutes’ time, Austin Summers attained the first victory.
“You finished in 10 — less than 10 minutes,” said Ward, checking the timer.
“Martian Manhunter kicked butt,” Summers said. “He’s a beast.” His team of Martian Manhunter and Animal Man beat Jason Salisbury’s four-man team in less than a third of the time most games take. In the next round, however, Summers’ Martian Manhunter was knocked out at the hands of Superman.
“It’s all about having fun,” said Ward, who has been hosting events at Nova since September. “As long as you can see parents and kids playing, it’s a good thing.”
In fact, the crowd at Nova was split evenly. About a third of the players were around 8 or 9 years old, and another third were teenagers, the rest were parents and adults playing. The groups intermingled and everyone played and traded figures with everyone else.
Sean Duval brought sons Robert and Steve to play. Robert, 7, knew the rules and played by himself, but Duval was close by to help 5-year-old Steve with the intricacies of HeroClix. “That's one reason I really like it as a parent,” says Duval. “It's introducing him to math and strategy and sportsmanship." Steve cannot add up the damage each character does yet. “He’s only on ones and 10s right now,” said Duval.
Duval’s whole family plays HeroClix at home and he brings his children to the game nights at Nova Comics. “The HeroClix is perfect because they're relatively inexpensive and durable," he said.
AFTER FOUR ROUNDS of superhero battles and numerous knock-outs, Tim Winkle was declared the winner. His team of Mirror Master, Copperhead, Johnny Quick, Mr. Mind and Mister Tawkey Tawney scored the most points. Prizes were more packs of characters, three for the winner and second place and one each for third place and the best sportsman.
“I was really happy to finally win,” Winkle said. “I don’t win a lot, I often come in second.”
Winkle became interested in HeroClix through his interest in comic books. “This is the set I’ve been waiting for,” he said about the classic-themed set. “I consider myself a comic historian.”
For Winkle, as for many at Nova, playing is not about being first. “I like to play teams accurate to the comics,” he said. “Whether they win or lose, just watching them play out is fun.”
Then he looked down at his winnings. “But it was great to get these extra packs,” he said.