Two New Marvel HeroClix 400: Secret Wars Sets Bring Heroes and Villains Together
WizKids is preparing two new Marvel HeroClix 400: Secret Wars sets, with separate Heroes and Villains releases spotlighting characters including Doctor Doom and Spider-Man.
Marvel fans and tabletop players have two new reasons to keep an eye on the HeroClix line. The upcoming Marvel HeroClix 400: Secret Wars collection will be divided into two themed sets, one focused on Heroes and the other centered on Villains. The announcement puts the spotlight on a familiar Marvel conflict: powerful champions facing equally formidable enemies in a setting shaped by the Secret Wars name.
The two releases are designed to offer distinct ways into the same Marvel-themed experience. The Heroes set is expected to appeal to players who want to build teams around recognizable protagonists, while the Villains set gives the opposing side its own dedicated identity. Characters specifically associated with the announcement include Doctor Doom and Spider-Man, two figures whose presence immediately signals the broad range of Marvel stories represented by the line.
At this stage, the available announcement does not provide a complete checklist of characters, detailed game statistics, pricing, packaging information, or a full release schedule. That means the most important confirmed detail is the structure of the offering itself: Marvel HeroClix 400: Secret Wars is arriving through two separate sets, with the Heroes and Villains labels helping players understand the intended theme of each product.
That division is a natural fit for HeroClix, a collectible miniatures game built around assembling teams of comic-book characters and using them in head-to-head battles. Players can approach a themed set in several ways. Some may be interested in the figures as collectibles, while others will focus on how the characters work together on the tabletop. Separating heroes and villains gives both audiences an easy starting point, even before the full contents of the sets are revealed.
Doctor Doom is one of the clearest signals in the announcement. As a central Marvel villain, he brings an unmistakable sense of scale and drama to a Secret Wars-themed product. His inclusion connects the Villains concept to one of Marvel’s most recognizable antagonists without requiring the announcement to reveal every character or game detail. For collectors, Doom is the kind of name that can anchor an entire release. For players, his appearance raises immediate questions about the role he will play on the dial and how the set will represent his power.
Spider-Man offers a contrasting but equally recognizable presence. His place in the Heroes side gives the collection a character with broad appeal and a long-standing connection to Marvel’s wider universe. Spider-Man is also the sort of hero who can attract players who may not already follow every corner of the HeroClix line. Pairing his name with Doctor Doom makes the announcement easy to understand: the two sets are intended to present the larger Marvel struggle through characters from opposite sides of the conflict.
The Secret Wars name adds another layer of interest. Even without a complete product breakdown, it suggests a setting where familiar characters and competing forces can be brought together under one large-scale Marvel premise. That makes the two-set format especially useful. Rather than treating the release as a single undifferentiated group of figures, the Heroes and Villains labels establish a clear narrative contrast before players even begin opening their products.
For newcomers, the idea behind the release is straightforward. A HeroClix set provides collectible character figures that are used in a tactical tabletop game. Each figure represents a Marvel character, and the game’s appeal comes from placing those characters on a map, choosing when to attack or move, and managing the abilities represented by the figure. The Secret Wars sets will place that familiar play pattern inside a specifically Marvel-focused theme, giving fans a chance to build teams around characters they already know.
Experienced collectors will likely be watching for more information about the final character lineup. The initial details name Doctor Doom and Spider-Man, but the reference to “and more” indicates that additional Marvel figures are part of the planned releases. Until a complete checklist is published, it is not possible to say how extensive the roster will be or how evenly the characters will be distributed between the two sets. That uncertainty leaves room for further announcements to define the scope of the collection.
The absence of a full checklist also means players should avoid drawing conclusions about the exact balance between heroes and villains. The two product names communicate the central themes, but they do not yet establish whether every character will be exclusive to one set, whether the releases will contain matching numbers of figures, or how the sets will interact in play. Those details will matter to both competitive players and collectors, particularly anyone deciding whether to purchase one set or seek out both.
For collectors, the appeal may extend beyond gameplay. Marvel characters have a strong visual identity, and miniature versions of figures such as Spider-Man and Doctor Doom can stand on their own as display pieces. A Heroes set and a Villains set also create an intuitive way to organize a collection. Fans can display the opposing groups separately or bring them together to recreate the kind of confrontation suggested by the Secret Wars branding.
For players, the two-product approach may make team building more approachable. A person who prefers classic heroes can begin with the Heroes release, while someone drawn to Marvel’s antagonists can start with the Villains set. Buying both would provide a broader pool of characters, but the announcement does not state whether either set is intended to be complete on its own. Until the publisher shares more information, players will need to wait before judging how much of the overall experience each product provides.
The announcement also demonstrates why recognizable character names remain important in collectible games. Doctor Doom and Spider-Man are instantly understandable choices. Their names communicate the tone of the release faster than a long explanation of rules or mechanics could. One represents the imposing villain side of Marvel, while the other is among the company’s best-known heroes. Together, they give the upcoming product a clear identity while leaving room for additional characters to broaden the lineup.
Secret Wars is a particularly suitable banner for a release that brings multiple Marvel figures together. The title carries an expectation of major confrontations and unusual combinations, which is precisely the kind of freedom a team-based miniature game can provide. Players are not limited to watching a fixed storyline unfold. They can create their own matchups, decide which characters fight together, and imagine how the battle might change when a familiar hero faces a different opponent.
That creative element is one of the strengths of a themed game collection. A reader may know Spider-Man primarily as a solo hero, while another fan may be more interested in Doctor Doom’s role as a strategic mastermind. HeroClix allows those perspectives to meet across the same game table. The upcoming sets can therefore serve different kinds of Marvel fans, from people interested in character representation to players who enjoy testing unusual combinations and tactical decisions.
It is important, however, to separate what has been announced from what remains unknown. The available information confirms the existence of the two Marvel HeroClix 400: Secret Wars sets and identifies their Heroes and Villains themes. It also identifies Doctor Doom, Spider-Man, and additional unspecified characters as part of the promotional picture. It does not confirm a complete roster, final contents, rules changes, individual abilities, price, packaging format, or release date. Those points should be treated as pending rather than assumed.
That limited information is unlikely to reduce interest among established HeroClix fans. New set announcements often begin with a concept and a few headline characters, then expand through later previews. The Heroes and Villains split gives the collection a strong foundation, and the character names already revealed provide two recognizable entry points. Further details will determine whether the line is aimed mainly at longtime collectors, new players, or both groups at once.
In the meantime, fans can consider how they would approach the two releases. A Spider-Man-centered team could represent the heroic side of the Secret Wars conflict, while a Doctor Doom-led group could provide the opposing force. The exact figures, powers, and team-building options remain unconfirmed, but the basic concept is already clear enough to spark discussion. Which characters belong beside Spider-Man? Which villains should stand with Doom? How large will the conflict become once the remaining names are announced?
The answers will depend on future product information, but the announcement has established an appealing framework. Rather than presenting Secret Wars as a single collection without an obvious division, the new release will give Marvel fans two connected themes to explore. Heroes and Villains can be collected separately, played against each other, or combined into a larger roster that reflects the broad scale of the Marvel universe.
For now, the strongest takeaway is simple: Marvel HeroClix 400: Secret Wars is bringing a dedicated hero set and a dedicated villain set to the table. Doctor Doom and Spider-Man are among the characters tied to the announcement, and more figures are expected to fill out the collection. With the full details still to come, the two-set structure provides a clear promise of opposing teams, recognizable Marvel personalities, and plenty of room for players to create their own Secret Wars battles.