SD 2135 SPOILERS DO NOT OPEN IF YOU DO NOT WANT SPOILERS
Jul 24, 2019 21:44:17 GMT -5
Vanimal, walkswithwolf, and 1 more like this
Post by varnles on Jul 24, 2019 21:44:17 GMT -5
I grade this as a middling addition.
Good:
1. Helsin - Loved his art, story and card. I wish he were a little stronger, but I understand why he is not. Had he been +5 in Rahl, there would be no chance the villains could win. So, making his character roughly equivalent to Double Cross (also a solid card) seems fair for balancing purposes.
2. Endgame - While I preferred his 2129 art, this is a great card that makes sense creatively and is a perpetual main eventer. Cosmic Woman is his mom, wife, child or clone reimagined somehow? I would imagine she will assist him in being the ultimate face.
3. Skull - Good storyline and interesting card mechanics. He feels like an arch-villain in the mold of Thantos, Mandrill, Vengeance or Godsend. I'd like to see him get a push and stick around. It almost seems obvious that he'll debut The Killers Four next year to be one of the top heel groups. Some of their mechanics (evil Max Shield?) could be fun.
4. Sunman - As somebody said earlier, he feels like a typical white-meat babyface that needs to be around. I could see him remaining after 2135 to help as a big face.
5. Sudden Death Mechanic - The format is great. It really feels like relegation in soccer with the intensity of early-mid card feuds. I'm actually happy to narratively trim the fat off of some of these teams and shorten the total roster a bit next edition.
Bad:
1. Uprising? - Godsend's Thanos-like "snapping" of Maramus, Vallah, Nightmare, and Witness seems cheap, especially after just reintroducing Maramus and Nightmare in December. Why doesn't Godsend just do that when confronted with any real adversity that isn't amusing? Though I suspect Loyalist is either Nightmare in disguise or a new character that is a Godsend turncoat, it's a bit disappointing. I'm guessing this somehow leads to Avengers style revolt with Guardian, Maramus, Vallah and Endgame/Cosmic Woman all combining powers to again banish Godsend. 2135 feels like another build edition rather than a conclusion in this regard.
2. Buster and Blue Dazzler - Buster's art, story and card mechanic do nothing for me. Blue Dazzler's mechanic and stats are subpar and seem like a throwaway to feed the villains some wins.
3. Stagnant Main Eventers/Upper Mid Carders: Sorry, I can't buy Epoch as a face. Wolf shouldn't be in a mid-card tag team feud and being emo over Lope possibly being restored to become like Wolf himself. He needs to take a hiatus or get an upgrade and shift gears. The Aethrans haven't done anything interesting since before Black Death. My all-time favorite storylines were the initial Sudden Death followed by the Gladiator Civil War. Since we've renewed the first, any chance for a Spike alliance to start some revolts on Aethra that spillover into the GWF? Also time for an uber-Gladiators tag team that has more personality. The remnants of The Three have been shifted, retired, killed?, powered-down, and bounced around so many times that their identities and purposes have been nullified: they need to depart. The Castillex guys do nothing for me as heels, as they lack independent identities or upper level cards.
Despite some negativity, I'm really excited for 2136. I actually hope there is another mini-edition that perhaps explains the transition/new jumping-on point this Christmas because there is a lot to wrap up.
Good:
1. Helsin - Loved his art, story and card. I wish he were a little stronger, but I understand why he is not. Had he been +5 in Rahl, there would be no chance the villains could win. So, making his character roughly equivalent to Double Cross (also a solid card) seems fair for balancing purposes.
2. Endgame - While I preferred his 2129 art, this is a great card that makes sense creatively and is a perpetual main eventer. Cosmic Woman is his mom, wife, child or clone reimagined somehow? I would imagine she will assist him in being the ultimate face.
3. Skull - Good storyline and interesting card mechanics. He feels like an arch-villain in the mold of Thantos, Mandrill, Vengeance or Godsend. I'd like to see him get a push and stick around. It almost seems obvious that he'll debut The Killers Four next year to be one of the top heel groups. Some of their mechanics (evil Max Shield?) could be fun.
4. Sunman - As somebody said earlier, he feels like a typical white-meat babyface that needs to be around. I could see him remaining after 2135 to help as a big face.
5. Sudden Death Mechanic - The format is great. It really feels like relegation in soccer with the intensity of early-mid card feuds. I'm actually happy to narratively trim the fat off of some of these teams and shorten the total roster a bit next edition.
Bad:
1. Uprising? - Godsend's Thanos-like "snapping" of Maramus, Vallah, Nightmare, and Witness seems cheap, especially after just reintroducing Maramus and Nightmare in December. Why doesn't Godsend just do that when confronted with any real adversity that isn't amusing? Though I suspect Loyalist is either Nightmare in disguise or a new character that is a Godsend turncoat, it's a bit disappointing. I'm guessing this somehow leads to Avengers style revolt with Guardian, Maramus, Vallah and Endgame/Cosmic Woman all combining powers to again banish Godsend. 2135 feels like another build edition rather than a conclusion in this regard.
2. Buster and Blue Dazzler - Buster's art, story and card mechanic do nothing for me. Blue Dazzler's mechanic and stats are subpar and seem like a throwaway to feed the villains some wins.
3. Stagnant Main Eventers/Upper Mid Carders: Sorry, I can't buy Epoch as a face. Wolf shouldn't be in a mid-card tag team feud and being emo over Lope possibly being restored to become like Wolf himself. He needs to take a hiatus or get an upgrade and shift gears. The Aethrans haven't done anything interesting since before Black Death. My all-time favorite storylines were the initial Sudden Death followed by the Gladiator Civil War. Since we've renewed the first, any chance for a Spike alliance to start some revolts on Aethra that spillover into the GWF? Also time for an uber-Gladiators tag team that has more personality. The remnants of The Three have been shifted, retired, killed?, powered-down, and bounced around so many times that their identities and purposes have been nullified: they need to depart. The Castillex guys do nothing for me as heels, as they lack independent identities or upper level cards.
Despite some negativity, I'm really excited for 2136. I actually hope there is another mini-edition that perhaps explains the transition/new jumping-on point this Christmas because there is a lot to wrap up.