Tag Archives: s.t.a.r. labs

DC Dice Masters: Green Arrow and The Flash Review: Cosmic Treadmill and S.T.A.R. Labs

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In September, the latest DC Dice Masters set, DC Dice Masters: Green Arrow and The Flash will be released. Wizkids hooked us up with ten booster packs and after an unboxing video, I’m now going over groupings of the cards to discuss their playability and how they stack up to previous versions of the characters.

Up next, the common Cosmic Treadmill and rare S.T.A.R. Labs

DC Dice Masters The Flash Green Arrow Cosmic Treadmill Star Labs

Cosmic Treadmill: Antique Shop Discovery (common)

Team: None

Purchase: 4 FIST MASK

Die – Generic / Fist & Mask / Fist & Mask

Level: Treadmill/Treadmill*/Treadmill**

Character Previous Set: None

Reroll up to 2 target dice in your Reserve Pool. For each FIST or MASK rolled, deal 1 damage to target opponent.

Thoughts: On its own, this is an interesting card that I’m still going back and forth about. Doing damage is a good thing, but you’re also rerolling dice, so who knows how well it’d do. Where I can see this being a key is on teams focused on just FIST and MASK energy.

This one really is up in the air as to its usefulness until we see what the rest of the set is like, especially dual energy cards.

 

S.T.A.R. Labs: Science and Technology (rare)

Team: None

Purchase: 2 BOLT SHIELD

Die – Generic / Bolt and Shield / Bolt and Shield

Level: Test Tube/Test Tube*/Test Tube**

Character Previous Set: None

All your BOLT character dice gain Fast. All your SHIELD character dice get +2D (until end of turn)

*/** Instead, all your BOLT and SHIELD character dice get +2D and gain Fast (until end of turn). (Character dice with Fast deal combat damage before non-Fast characters.)

Global: Pay BOLT SHIELD. Move a Sidekick die from your Used Pile to your Prep Area and field another Sidekick die from your Used Pile.

Thoughts: The ability for the card is good for those using BOLT SHIELD teams and may be a must. What’s interesting to me isn’t the die itself, but the Global which is similar to Prof X in Marvel Dice Masters: Uncanny X-Men. That Global is pay a MASK and move 2 Sidekick dice to the prep area from the Used Pile.

This moves one from the Used Pile to Prep and the other is fielded from Used. While it’s a bit more costly, it also may limit its use by your opponents. Pay a bit more, get a similar ability that works well for BOLT SHIELD teams.

Expect to see some builds featuring this instead of Prof X.

 

Final thoughts: These are two interesting cards that I can see both getting play. How much will largely hinge on what’s in the rest of the set due to their each focusing on just two energy types. We’ll have to come back for a second look once the full set is out.

Review: Doomed #1

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doomed001The Truth story line from the Superman comics is one that is meant to make the character more approachable to the average fan, while also giving long term fans something more to read as the character’s fundamental meanings are laid out to be more apparent.  While it has only been partially effective in doing so, the intention is evidently there, to make Superman more of a likable hero than superpowered alien god.  That being the case, it makes one wonder why a different approach was not taken for this examination of the archetypal superhero, and Doomed serves as an example of a different route which could be equally effective.  This series is also interesting as DC has played at the idea of a Hulk rip-off before, notably with the new 52 version of O.M.A.C. but it has never really worked.  The dynamics of the Marvel characters are such that they are hard to replicate, but perhaps DC has found its green goliath after all, except in this case as one that can kind of turn into Doomsday.

The story here follows Reiser, a bit of a scientific prodigy who has gotten himself a job at S.T.A.R. Labs.  Although he is first introduced in his Doomsday persona, it is is not Doomsday which really defines this first issue.  The character is shown as a fish out of water, as the Metropolis, the City of Tomorrow, is seemingly replaced with New York City.  The character has to fight transit to make it to work, is hired basically as an intern, and has to squeeze an extra roommate into an already cramped apartment.  As these sequence of events take place he is accidentally exposed to something which causes that he has some kind of powers, although they are not powers that he seems to be interested in.

If there was meant to be a shake-up in Metropolis, then this is evidently a better route than the story arc that is dominating the other Superman titles.  This is s fresh take on the city and its superheroes, and the first real bit of something different for the city in a long time.  The character feel real and they are approachable, and his supporting characters even beg for more panel time as they themselves seem to have interesting stories.    Although this might be a little low on some people’s reading list, it probably shouldn’t be.  It was a fun read and it leaves the reader waiting impatiently for the next issue.

Story: Scott Lobdell Art: Javier Fernandez
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy