Contact: Leslee Eldard
Telephone: 703-912-6682
Email: novacomics@verizon.net

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: NOVEMBER 1, 2007

Nova Comics and Games of Springfield, Virginia will be hosting a special Pre-Release game tournament on November 17, 2007 to celebrate the upcoming release of WizKids' Marvel Heroclix Mutations and Monsters. WizKids' HeroClix is one of the fastest growing gaming series today, combining the popularity of action figures and role-playing games. HeroClix are small figures of popular comic book heroes and villains atop bases which have the character's powers and game values already assessed. Unlike traditional role-playing games, there is no need for papers to track the information of each character, as the figure does it for you. Damage, turns, and other information are tracked by clicking a dial on the base, giving the figures their iconic name.

Players amass figures through randomly assorted theme-based booster packs and trading with friends at events like the Pre-Release. Events like the Marvel Mutations and Monsters Pre-Release give players the chance to get a head start on a new series of HeroClix and learn all about the new characters and their abilities well before the rest of the public.

Nova Comics and Games has hosted a regular Friday night HeroClix gaming event for the past year, and it has grown to be one of the more active groups in the area, with some 18-20 regular participants. Many participants are teens, but some are younger children and their parents, who view the game night as a welcome alternative to other distractions. One parent said that with HeroClix, she "knows where he is, who he's with," and that he's guaranteed a safe and good time with his friends.

WizKids, the creator of HeroClix, was recently acquired by the nation's comic book distribution giant Diamond Comics, a testament to the popularity and strength of the game's format and ease of play. With the recent success of storylines Civil War, and World War Hulk, the films Spider-man 3, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and (coming next year) Iron Man, Marvel comic book characters are experiencing a renaissance in popularity. The new Marvel Mutations and Monsters series is certain to capitalize on that popularity.

The Pre-Release event will take place on Saturday, November 17, 2007 at 12:00 Noon, at the Springfield Plaza location of Nova Comics and Games. Participants must register in advance by calling the store at (703) 912-6682 with their WizKids login information. There are 30 slots available at a first-come, first-served basis.

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If you would like more information about this topic, or would like to schedule an interview, please contact Northern Virginia Comics & Games at (703) 912-6682 or email them at novacomics@verizon.net.

Once again, on the first Saturday in May, comic book retailers all across the country participated in FREE COMIC BOOK DAY, an event designed to broaden the exposure of both comic books and the stores that sell them to new readers. NOVA COMICS was proud to not only participate, but to present new and regular customers with an atmosphere that was fun and family friendly. NOVA offered over two dozen titles to customers, plus treats, posters, stickers, Heroclix figures, and the chance for younger readers to meet two comic book icons: Batman and Spider-Man (who was sporting his newly debuted "black costume").

Free Comic Book Day was a great success for NOVA Comics, bringing the store its most successful day ever, along with several new subscribers and many new regular customers and comic book readers - and lots of smiling faces.

Our thanks to everyone who helped make Free Comic Book Day 2007 a successful and fun event for all of us here at NOVA COMICS & GAMES. We look forward to seeing you all throughout the year, leading up to and beyond FCBD 2008.

NOVA COMICS & GAMES had the opportunity to participate in a special pre-release event celebrating the release of WizKids' new Heroclix DC Origins set. The event, which took place on March 3rd, 2007, brought NOVA its largest Heroclix turnout yet, with nearly 30 players. Because of space and product limitations, it was necessary to register for the event in advance, and we were fielding calls up to an hour before the event!

In addition to the normal group of NOVA-Clix regulars, gamers from as far away as Fredricksburg, VA came to play - all for a chance to test out the newest characters and maps. The event was a success on several levels, not only for WizKids but for NOVA's Heroclix judge, George Ward, and NOVA COMICS as well. The store has seen an increase in interest and sales of DC titles since the event, sales of the remaining few booster packs of Origins remains steady, and participation in the regular Friday Night NOVA-Clix gaming has risen.

NOVA's hosting of the pre-release also received extra attention from the local press, specifically the Springfield Connection, whose coverage of the event led to greater awareness of the store and the gaming group. The inclusion of a DC Heroclix figure during Free Comic Book Day 2007 has also given our gaming nights more exposure, leading some of our comic-buying regulars to join in the occassional Friday night Clix game.

With the recently announced GALACTUS event and the upcoming AVENGERS Heroclix series (which will include figures from the Invaders and both New and Mighty Avengers), Heroclix gaming and NOVA COMICS AND GAMES are sure to enjoy continued success and fun.

We at NOVA COMICS want to thank all our loyal Heroclix gamers and all of those that participated in the pre-release event in March. We would also like to congratulate Tournament winner "TKWink," and Fellowship winner "theonlygirl."

To serious game hobbists, ORIGINS is one of the premier annual conventions, rivaled only by the World Boardgaming Chanmpionships. It began back in the 1970s as a convention for wargamers, but it has expanded over the decades into a four-day mega-event that encompass all gaming genres, to include military, sci-fi, and fantasy miniatures; role playing games; collectible/ customizable card games; traditional and family games, and "Euro games."

Since 1996, ORIGINS has found a permanent home in Columbus, Ohio. This year, it officially ran from Thursday, 29 June to Sunday, 02 July, though a few events began on 28 June. Over 13,000 attendees participated!

So what does ORIGINS offer?

• EXHIBITORS/VENDORS: One large hall consists of booths displays by game publishers and retailers. Here, one might find a great bargain on a newly released product, get a demonstration of new games, find that long out-of-print game you've always wanted over at Crazy Egor's, a great trade, and meet hobby celebrities like award-winning designers and publishers.
  
  
• TOURNAMENTS: There are hundreds of tournaments covering all gaming genres (including a number of national championships), and the competition includes some of the best players from North America and Europe. Thanks to the widely used "Swiss Elimination" method, one need not be present for all four days of ORIGINS to enter a tournament. Top finishers are awarded plaques and bragging rights.
  
  
• "OPEN GAMING" ROOMS: If tournaments are not to your liking, one can always find fun in the gaming rooms, where you can meet other gamers to play favorite games, or learn a new one, in a more casual setting. Here's a great place to make new friends, or just rendezvous with old ones.
  
  
• SEMINARS: For serious gamers, the next best thing to playing games is talking about them. At ORIGINS, attendees can participate in discussions with designers, publishers, subject experts, and other hobbyists.
  
  
• AUCTIONS: Hundreds and hundreds of pre-owned games and gaming items are sold at auction. You'll never know just what bargain you might find here!
  
  
• ATMOSPHERE: The festive environment of ORIGINS is a great part of the fun! Gamers of all ages and interests, from across the U.S. and other countries, are gathered to share their hobbies. Role-players often roam the halls in costume, so it's common to see pirates, wizards, knights, damsels, vampires, super-heroes, and alien beings mingle amongst the other conventioneers. Miniatures players gather around elaborate terrain tables realistically and painstakingly constructed to enhance the beautifully detailed painted warriors that maneuver and battle on them. Everywhere you go, large halls and smaller rooms are chock full of games in progress, with the background buzz that goes with people having fun. Gaming goes on around the clock, so there's never a quiet moment at ORIGINS.
  
  
• COLUMBUS, OHIO: One of the greatest medium-sized cities you're likely to find in America. The city is clean and friendly; the downtown and convention areas are very accessible; and there are loads of accommodations and eating establishments of all sorts to choose from. Some city landmarks include:
  
  
  • German Village --- one of the oldest areas of the city, it offers beautiful old brick buildings and homes, brick streets, and local landmarks like the famous Schmidt's Sausage Haus and the Old Mohawk restaurants, and many interesting shops like the wonderful, must-see-to-believe Book Loft.
    
    
  • North Market --- established in 1876 and a short walk from the Convention Center, it's central Ohio's last open market, offering fresh foods for sale, as well as a variety of affordable dining establishments.
    
    
  • Columbus Zoo --- located on the north side of town, this world-class zoo and aquarium is a wonderful way of spending an afternoon.
    
    
  • Columbus Clippers --- The Class AAA minor league affiliate of the New York Yankees, offering top-notch baseball entertainment by tomorrow's major leaguers.
    
    
  • The Arena District ---entertainment, art, and eateries of all sorts, within blocks of the Convention Center.
    
    

My wife (and NOVA Comics store manager) Leslee joined me and two other members of the NoVa Jacks gaming group that attended. This was Leslee's first ORIGINS, while I had attended the Columbus ORIGINS in '96 and '97, as well as ORIGINS '95 in Philadelphia.

We arrived on Wednesday night before the opening of ORIGINS, and departed on Sunday morning, the last day. During our 3.5 days of ORIGINS, we both had a tremendous amount of fun playing in a few game tournaments, buying lots of games and game equipment, making some new friends and gaming with old friends, and spending a pleasant Friday afternoon at the Columbus Zoo.

One of my personal highlights was meeting my favorite Euro-designer, Reiner Knizia, award-winning author of such classic games as Tigris & Euphrates, Through The Desert, Taj Mahal, Samurai, Ra, Lord of the Rings, Money, Royal Turf, Ingenious, and, more recently, Poison and Knights of Charlemagne.

Our accommodations, reserved months in advance, were at the Crown Plaza Hotel, conveniently located directly across the street from the Convention Center. We also enjoyed great dinners at Schmidt's and Max & Erma's, and Leslee was thrilled with her first adventure (lasting 3 hours one evening after dinner) in the amazing Book Loft -- a 32-room book store that's an experience in itself.

ORIGINS was even better this year than my last attendance. Back in 1997, the convention was very much dominated by that amazingly successful customizable card game phenomenon, Magic: The Gathering. Not only did publisher Wizards of the Coast loom large over the Exhibitors' Hall, but the game was seemingly being played on virtually every flat indoor surface one could find.

ORIGINS '06, on the other hand, had a very balanced representation/presence of all the various gaming genres, drawing in a great diversification of gamers! It was truly a convention for all gamers. Checking in was relatively painless, and the tournaments we entered were well-run. All in all, ORIGINS is a lot of fun, and well worth the trip, whatever your game is!

NEXT YEAR?

Leslee had such a good time, we'll certainly be back next year, perhaps with a NoVa Jacks team to compete in tournaments. Let us know if you're going, and we'll see you there!

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