I am a fan of HeroClix, both the figures and the game that uses them. Okay, I like the figures more than the game. I also love the Legion of SuperHeroes (LSH) comics. I have every issue. It is therefore natural for me to start buying the indivudal figures to set up my own dioramas. Off I went to the online shops to buy little $0.50 pieces of plastic.

Some of the designs are extremely cool. As a completist, I want them all, but the cool ones will avoid the eternal fate of the ugly mini (being shoved in the back of the display case or locked in a little box). Look, here is the HeroClix Legion in their temporary clubhouse!

Second worse LSH clubhouse ever.

And yes, Colossal Boy is selfishly taking a nap and using more than his fair share of space. His power is 'can get big'. His counterpart is Shrinking Violet, who-- like everyone from her home planet of Imsk-- can shrink all the way down past 'doll-sized' to 'sub-atomic size'. She's in the box somewhere, too. Ah, here she is!

Shrinking Violet #008. Yes, she's the dot.

Indeed. At the time of shopping, I was so devoted to getting a complete set, I didn't really examine the actual photos too much. As a result, I blew $0.50 on a bare HeroClix base with a painted white dot, representing 'Shrinking Violet, who is currently so small you can't see her'.

This is not a mistake in shipping or a figure error, the official Shrinking Violet #008 is just a white dot on a base. Well, that is her power, I suppose it makes sense.

Neverless, my first response was anger. How could I tell she was really there! Maybe they cheated me. Maybe they really put Micro Lad or some random Imskian instead! After all, there's no way (short of using an electron microscope) I can tell it's really her and not some imposter!

But once my anger settled, I realized the cleverness of this figure could lead to an entire new HeroClix series. The LSH had its own subgroup, the Legion Espionage Squad, and there are other supergroups in the LSH world, such as the Heroes of Lallor.

Thus inspired, I present to you my new set of "The Legion Espionage Squad, plus allies". They are, in order:

Legion Espionage Squad, plus allies (1st and 2nd rows), villains (3rd row) and the planet Angtu (4th row)

1. Shrinking Violet
2. Invisible Kid II
3. Chameleon Boy
4. Duplicate Boy (currently duplicating Violet)
5. Wildfire (suit destroyed)
6. Quislet (outside of his ship)
7. pre-LSH Mon-El (in phantom zone)

In the third row are some of their foes, including:

1. Micro Lad
2. Chameleon King
3. Nemesis Kid (power countering Violet)
4. Earth Man (duplicating Violet)

And, in the fourth row, my largest figure yet:

1. the planet Angtu

I'm still hoping to acquire the rare 'time-traveling Supergirl visiting Kandor', which I hear is an outstanding figure for any collection. I can't wait to see what it looks like!

Long live the Legion!
Sandy (sandy@rpg.net)