A cool exec with a heart of steel

We got a lot done today... picked up a new bed frame (something we've been trying to do for a few months now), did the laundry, got groceries. All of it mundane, but, you know, it's nice to cross things off the list.

While we were running around, SuperGirlfriend got me two boosters of ARMOR WARS. As always, her aim was true; each booster yielded up a Unique -- one had Crystal, the other, Jocasta. Of course, I already have both of them (bought as singles) but the older two SuperKids will be happy to see the figs on their dresser when we get them back next weekend.

While I'm far from having a complete set of ARMOR WARS, I have gotten things narrowed down to a few maddeningly elusive figures, mostly Vets. This is pretty much where I was at around this same period after the FANTASTIC FORCES release, and in the end, a trade deal with Mike Norton and some careful selection from the local game shops' singles bin got me where I wanted to be. Hopefully, I'll have enough money at the end of the month to pick up another brick of AW, and that will fill in the holes.

It troubles me a bit; even more so than with FANTASTIC FORCES, distribution seems remarkably and consistently uneven. To date, for example, I've gotten a plethora of certain figs, even ones that are supposed to be quite rare, like Vet Iron Man, Wendigo, and Quicksilver, and the Unique Shathra, while I've seen few or none of other REVs -- I got a rookie Cap after buying nearly a case of ARMOR WARS in one way or another, and to date have only seen one of the new Ultrons (an Experienced). I'm drowning in rookie Psylockes but the existence of higher REVs seems pretty much apocryphal in this area. I've never even laid eyes on a Cannonball or a War Machine, although I honestly coudn't care less about the former and could really only care slightly less, with great effort, about the latter.

For now, though, here's what I'm looking for, after opening probably close to a case of boosters over the past several weeks:

Firebrand - V -- I don't care about the character much, but I'm lousy with Rookies and have an Experienced, and would like to upgrade.

Killer Shrike - E,V I don't much care about this character, either, but I'd like to have a complete REV. He seems rare in this area, I've only ever seen the one of him in all the boosters I've bought, and that was a Rookie. Plus, how many characters these days have a big frickin' plume on their head? You got to give him points for that.

Banshee - V I've got a flood of rookies and a few Experienced, but Vets remain elusive.

Magma - V I honestly don't much care about this character, but I have the R and E.

Thunderball - E,V The second member of the Wrecking Crew that WizKids has given us so far, and a must have for me, given how prominently a certain two part IRON FIST story figures in my childhood favorites. He's scarce as hen's teeth around here; I've pulled two rookies and that's it.

Quicksilver - R,E I've gotten so many Vet Quicksilvers since ARMOR WARS came out that me and all the SuperKids have them. But can I get an Experienced or a Rookie version to put into my Brotherhood or Avengers teams? I cannot. It's aggravating as hell.

Psylocke - E, V The Rookie is a nice addition to a SHIELD team, but I'd like to see a few of her higher levels, please.

War Machine - REV, but I'd settle for a Vet. I don't much care about James Rhodes III, mind you, but he's a reasonably important character (if one who seems to have fallen off the face of Marvel Earth lately) and I wouldn't mind having him represented in my collection.

Titanium Man - E,V I'm lousy with Rookies, can't seem to get anything else. I don't much like this version of Titanium Man, but if I have to have one, I might as well have a Vet.

Captain America - E,V The Ultimates Cap still has the best overall stats and dial, but this one is a good second best, and he's wearing the right uniform and has the right TA (and lately, thanks to the Thunderbolts Feat Card, if we really want an Avenger to act like an Ultimate, he can, for 5 extra points). All I've gotten so far is a Rookie, though.

Ultron - R, V I've got an Experienced. I'd like to fill in the REV. The Vet is actually a very useful piece, but I wouldn't mind fielding an Ultron United team some time. I could even send along Jocasta to cook and clean for them.

Spider-Man -- the House of M Unique has an interesting dial, and thanks to SuperGirlfriend, I have all the other Spider-Man sculpts, so I'd like to get this one.

As happened with FANTASTIC FORCES, I've had poor luck generally drawing Uniques, getting pretty much the half of them I didn't much care about -- Wolverine, Shathra (4 of her to date), Sentry, and Iron Monger. Just recently I pulled a House of M Magneto, which was a nice pull, and would be nicer if WK hadn't changed up their flight stands over the past year, apparently just to keep people like me from changing one Magneto sculpt for another. The older Magneto, with the bucket on his head and the big cape, won't fit well on the new stands, so I'm kind of stuck with the boring flying throne Magneto instead, if I want a Magneto with a decent dial (albeit one that is, oddly, without Telekinesis).

The Uniques I've wanted I've bought as singles, and then, of course, once I buy them as singles, I pull them from packs. Such is life.

Since I tend to give all the good extra stuff I pull straight to the older two SuperKids, I don't have much of anything to trade. However, if anyone wants a Sentry, they can have mine for any two of the Vets from the above list. Sentry, bleah. We hates it, we hates it forever.

I'd probably trade my Iron Monger and my House of M Wolverine (with the SHIELD TA and the gun on his hip), too. I don't hate them the way I hate the Sentry, but I can certainly live without them.