Halo ActionClix, the new game that's a franchise spinoff from Wizkids HeroClix and HorrorClix games, doesn't hit until September.

Normally a two-pack Target exclusive for pre-ordering Halo 3, the fine folks at WizKids gave me this Spartan and Elite during Comic-Con.

Like their other Clix offerings, these are really nice little sculpts, with a lot of detail and great paint. "E" the "Elite" looks almost life-like lizard like. (And, before I get Emails, yes, I know this is the Arbiter. But there's another joke here.)

I'm looking forward to the game, which promises to be "faster than HeroClix", and implements parts of the video game, like respawning and weapon swapping.

So I present to you what may or may not become the first in an ongoing parodic series:

Halo is wicked hot. The beta for Halo 3 starts Monday. Halo gets a comic book series this summer from Marvel. Captain America was recently shot and killed, and we're not yet sure what up (sorry if I ruined it for you, but it was in the New York Times, kids).

And crossovers are hot. Like the New Avengers / Transformers crossover that's also coming this summer.

And Marvel keeps mentioning Halo and Xbox. Like in Avengers: Initiative #2 (how blatant is that?).

So, I've merged grassy knoll theory with a crossover that should happen, but in my imaginings has gone horribly awry. I'm guessing there's a subset of intersected geeks that will find this funny. That subset will get the additional homage on page 1.

The Captain America is the unmasked variant from the Marvel Legends Face-Off Series 1. This is a great, well balanced and painted sculpt (another great one from Dave Cortes). I can seriously pose him in more positions without him falling over, because of the weighting. I'm not crazy about the lack of mobility of the head (couldn't get it to "snap back" from the sniper shot), and it'd be nice if the waist rotated.

The Master Chief is the original Halo figure from the Joyride Studios Series 1. They know how to sculpt these things (other than the knees, on this particular model; but John's a cyborg, so they get latitude).

I think my theory of a second shooter holds water ...