Who the Clix? is a series of articles featuring information on comic book characters that have been made into figures for the popular tabletop game Heroclix. These articles are meant to help Heroclix players learn more about the characters behind their favorite pieces.
The Starbrand that burns twice as bright, burns half as long: Starbrand (Brandy Selby)
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Appearances in Heroclix: Avengers 60th
First Appearance: Avengers (Vol. 8) #30 (January 2020)
Team Affiliations: Avengers
Powers/Abilities: Energy Manipulation; Flight; Superhuman stamina and constitution
Created by: Jason Aaron – Ed McGuinness
Suzanne Selby is a pregnant woman recruited to harvest grapes in the Shi’ar Empire. During these travels, Suzanne is separated from her boyfriend and ultimately taken into Shi’ar custody for being an unlawful migrant worker. While en route to the Ravenstarr facility, Suzanne becomes the new Starbrand and struggles to control her new cosmic level powers.
The Avengers eventually become involved and help Suzanne deliver her child. Unfortunately, Suzanne dies during the birth and the Starbrand power transfers to the baby girl. The Avengers adopt the baby and return to Earth to help her learn to control her new powers, impulsively naming her Brandy.
Due to the meddling of a Pandemonium Cube empowered Phil Coulson, gifted to him by Mephisto, reality is rewritten so that the Squadron Supreme became Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. As a result, Brandy the baby wakes up in space, since the Avengers never formed to rescue her. She is soon found by Rocket and Groot and raised by the pair. Rocket is eventually hired to kill Doctor Spectrum and though Brandy tried to help him, her power wasn’t enough and Rocket is killed.
Determined to avenge her adopted father, Brandy begins heading to Earth only to be encountered by a Wakandan spaceship. From there, she is eventually reunited with other Avengers that remember the way things used to be. Together, they travel to Earth to fix Coulson’s manipulations. The heroes are able to destroy the Pandemonium Cube, returning reality to its previous state as well as sending Coulson to Hell. Brandy, however, remains at her alternate age with Rocket’s influence on her attitude very evident.
When a rogue Eternal tries to exterminate mutants, the Avengers are forced to resurrect the Celestial that forms Avenger Mountain. The Celestial awakens and reveals its name is the Progenitor and it decides to judge all of humanity. Brandy, being so young, is able to easily pass her test.
Captain America and Carol Danvers decide to take Brandy to her mother’s home to teach her more of her family history and place on the planet. They are interrupted by an attack from the Multiversal Masters of Evil. Brandy uses her powers again to repel the villains only to be transformed into the body of a young woman. Realizing what is happening, the Avengers try to leave Brandy behind so that she does not continue to age from using her powers as well as her mental immaturity. The Progenitor, however, knows she will be needed and transports her with the team.
Brandy helps battle the Masters of Evil at the cost of aging to a withered old woman. This sacrifice seems enough as it is able to connect the modern Avengers to the Avengers from 1,000,000 BC who are able to hold their own against the Masters of Evil. When the villains turn their attention to the God Quarry, the heroes are just barely able to save the day. Firehair (the first Phoenix) and Brandy unite their powers, becoming pure energy to resurrect every reality destroyed by Mephisto’s Masters of Evil.
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