Set Name: Jim Lee’s C-23 Year Released: 1998 Publisher: Wizards Of The Coast
Cards Per Deck: 40 Decks Per Box: 12 Boxes Per Case: 5
Cards Per Pack: 12 Packs Per Box: 36 Boxes Per Case: 5
Rare: 54 Uncommon: 45 Common: 63 Promo: 4 Arena: 2 Total: 168
Released by Wizards of the Coast in April 1998, Jim Lee’s C-23 was a collectible card game rooted in an original sci-fi concept and comic tie-in created by legendary artist Jim Lee. The game’s narrative takes place in a bleak future where humanity is forced to live in an underground sanctuary known as the Colony, sending cybernetically enhanced HyperShock troopers to the surface to reclaim Earth from a race of monstrous, humanoid insects called the Angelans. Designed as a beginner-friendly entry point to card gaming using a streamlined variation of the Deckmaster framework, the base set consisted of 162 cards divided into four distinct types: Resource, Character, Combat, and Action. C-23 holds a unique place in trading card game history as the debut title for Wizards of the Coast’s ARC System (Action/Reaction/Combat). The ARC framework was engineered as a unified, beginner-accessible rule system that allowed players to cross-compete and mix components with other themed standalone games released under the same engine, namely Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Despite high-profile design talent including Richard Garfield, the game struggled to capture a lasting market. Following disappointing commercial performance and Jim Lee stepping back from self-publishing, a heavily anticipated first expansion set titled Uprising was ultimately canceled and never materialized. To support the launch of the core set, Wizards of the Coast released preconstructed 40-card starter decks configured around specific tactical themes. The game featured six official starter decks: Buzzsaw, Firestorm, Gung-Ho, Steamroller, Swarm, and Time Bomb.
CARD # CARD NAME FACTION CARD TYPE RARITY 001 of 162 Phalanx Busts Down The Door Red Action Common 002 of 162 Barrage’s HE Charge Red Action Common 003 of 162 Fresh Out Of The Academy Red Character Common 004 of 162 Colonial Police Red Character Common 005 of 162 Rebel Sentry Red Character Common 006 of 162 Water Cannon Brigade Red Character Common 007 of 162 Loyal Strike Force Red Character Common 008 of 162 Rebel Rousers Red Character Common 009 of 162 Sniper Crew Red Character Common 010 of 162 Combat Red Character Common 011 of 162 Fanatical Troops Red Character Common 012 of 162 Ekon’s Task Force Red Character Common 011 of 162 Convicts Red Character Common 014 of 162 Burn Squad Red Character Common 015 of 162 Riot Suppressors Red Character Common 016 of 162 Rejected Experiment Red Character Common 017 of 162 Nemesis Crushes Them… Red Combat Common 018 of 162 Electrodart Rifle Red Combat Common 019 of 162 Nemesis Knows Counterattacks Red Action Uncommon 020 of 162 Phalanx Has Just The Thing Red Action Uncommon 021 of 162 Nemesis Mows Down Angelans Red Action Uncommon 022 of 162 Hemlocke Gets His Hands Dirty Red Action Uncommon 023 of 162 Phalanx’s Plasma Barrage Red Action Uncommon 024 of 162 Phalanx Hoses Them Down Red Action Uncommon 025 of 162 Goon Squad Red Character Uncommon 026 of 162 Rocket Platoon Red Character Uncommon 027 of 162 Emp Platoon Red Character Uncommon 028 of 162 Bomb ‘N’ Bash Unit Red Character Uncommon 029 of 162 Cybered Red Character Uncommon 030 of 162 Colonial Division Red Character Uncommon 031 of 162 Corbin’s Expert Touch Red Combat Uncommon 032 of 162 Defensive Force Fields Red Combat Uncommon 033 of 162 Corbin Flashes His Ion Blade Red Combat Uncommon 034 of 162 Desperate Gamble Red Action Rare 035 of 162 Because Hemlocke Commands It Red Action Rare 036 of 162 Corbin Raids The Armory Red Action Rare 037 of 162 Phyla Filches An Ultrasound Rifle Red Action Rare 038 of 162 Barrage’s Tracking Missiles Red Action Rare 039 of 162 Corbin Levels An Outpost Red Action Rare 040 of 162 Barrage’s Homing Missile Red Action Rare 041 of 162 Phalanx Gets Carried Away Red Action Rare 042 of 162 Corbin Leads The Hypershocks Red Action Rare 043 of 162 Panzer Red Character Rare 044 of 162 Elite Special Forces Unit Red Character Rare 045 of 162 Nemesis Red Character Rare 046 of 162 Phalanx Red Character Rare 047 of 162 Barrage Red Character Rare 048 of 162 Corbin Red Character Rare 049 of 162 Tracking Device Red Combat Rare 050 of 162 Climactic Battle Red Combat Rare 051 of 162 Corbin Trashes A Lab Red Combat Rare 052 of 162 Mustard Gas Green Action Common 053 of 162 Phyla Does The Dirty Work Green Action Common 054 of 162 Lethal Purcurchin Green Character Common 055 of 162 Angelan Garrison Green Character Common 056 of 162 Ekon’s Understudy Green Character Common 057 of 162 Tunnel Commando Green Character Common 058 of 162 Angelan Scouts Green Character Common 059 of 162 Angelan Slaves Green Character Common 060 of 162 Ekon’s Recruits Green Character Common 061 of 162 Angelan Guard Beast Green Character Common 062 of 162 Sewer Dwellers Green Character Common 063 of 162 Strafing Drone Green Character Common 064 of 162 Thundering Beetle Green Character Common 065 of 162 Rioting Masses Green Character Common 066 of 162 Lumbering Hulk Green Character Common 067 of 162 Desert Nomads Green Character Common 068 of 162 Wolvern Pack Green Character Common 069 of 162 Sudden Mutation Green Combat Common 070 of 162 Angelan Transport Green Action Uncommon 071 of 162 Corbin Suddenly Remembers Green Action Uncommon 072 of 162 Scouting Mission Green Action Uncommon 073 of 162 Angelan Autopsy Green Action Uncommon 074 of 162 Plague Mosquitoes Green Character Uncommon 075 of 162 Poisonous Snakes Green Character Uncommon 076 of 162 Phyla’s Stoolie Green Character Uncommon 077 of 162 Giant Scorpion Green Character Uncommon 078 of 162 Stampeding Herd Green Character Uncommon 079 of 162 Spies In High Places Green Character Uncommon 080 of 162 Gamelus Corps Green Character Uncommon 081 of 162 Angelan Juggernaut Green Character Uncommon 082 of 162 Phyla’s Stingers Green Combat Uncommon 083 of 162 Hyper Stimulants Green Combat Uncommon 084 of 162 Tactical Instincts Green Combat Uncommon 085 of 162 Gamelus Plots The Approach Green Action Rare 086 of 162 Corbin Needs Help, Badly Green Action Rare 087 of 162 Knockout Gas Green Action Rare 088 of 162 Corbin Questions The Survivors Green Action Rare 089 of 162 Phyla Drums Up Support Green Action Rare 090 of 162 Thruth Serum Green Action Rare 091 of 162 Major Offensive Green Action Rare 092 of 162 Plaguebearer Green Character Rare 093 of 162 Wyland Green Character Rare 094 of 162 Plague Swarms Green Character Rare 095 of 162 Ekon Green Character Rare 096 of 162 Gamelus Green Character Rare 097 of 162 Phyla Green Character Rare 098 of 162 Razorflies Green Character Rare 099 of 162 Sand Worm Green Character Rare 100 of 162 Strength In Numbers Green Combat Rare 101 of 162 Virus Carriers Green Combat Rare 102 of 162 Wyland’s Cocktail Surprise Green Combat Rare 103 of 162 Did You Hear Something? Blue Action Common 104 of 162 Stasis Field Blue Action Common 105 of 162 Councilor Mariah Makes Plans Blue Action Common 106 of 162 Hemlocke Puts His Foot Down Blue Action Common 107 of 162 Carnivorous Plant Blue Character Common 108 of 162 Automated Defenses Blue Character Common 109 of 162 Groundpounders Blue Character Common 110 of 162 Training Cadre Blue Character Common 111 of 162 Forward Command Point Blue Character Common 112 of 162 Colonial Scouts Blue Character Common 113 of 162 Hemlocke’s Investigators Blue Character Common 114 of 162 Councilor Mariah’s Guard Blue Character Common 115 of 162 Angelan Commander Blue Character Common 116 of 162 Mobile Sector HQ Blue Character Common 117 of 162 Colonial Hulkbusters Blue Character Common 118 of 162 Subdue Blue Combat Common 119 of 162 Artillery Support Blue Combat Common 120 of 162 Ambush Tactics Blue Combat Common 121 of 162 Decoy Blue Action Uncommon 122 of 162 Tactical Database Blue Action Uncommon 123 of 162 Outmaneuver Blue Action Uncommon 124 of 162 Delaying Tactic Blue Action Uncommon 125 of 162 Cronus Planned Ahead Blue Action Uncommon 126 of 162 Cronus Consults The Oracle Blue Action Uncommon 127 of 162 Electric Barrier Blue Character Uncommon 128 of 162 Sensor Station Blue Character Uncommon 129 of 162 Medicus’s Lab Workers Blue Character Uncommon 130 of 162 Armored Transport Blue Character Uncommon 131 of 162 Hemlocke’s Secret Police Blue Character Uncommon 132 of 162 Phalanx Provides Suppression Fire Blue Combat Uncommon 133 of 162 Lucky Strike Blue Combat Uncommon 134 of 162 Flank Attack Blue Combat Uncommon 135 of 162 Facade Blue Combat Uncommon 136 of 162 Councilor Mariah Tracks Her Assets Blue Action Rare 137 of 162 Nemesis Spots A Weakness Blue Action Rare 138 of 162 Phalanx’s Images Run Interference Blue Action Rare 139 of 162 The Outcasts Take Point Blue Action Rare 140 of 162 Ekon’s Intelligence Net Blue Action Rare 141 of 162 Indiscriminate Terrorism Blue Action Rare 142 of 162 Wrath Of Hemlocke Blue Action Rare 143 of 162 Councilor Mariah’s Influence Blue Action Rare 144 of 162 Added Incentives Blue Character Rare 145 of 162 Angelan Seers Blue Character Rare 146 of 162 The Outcasts Blue Character Rare 147 of 162 Angelan Hulkbusters Blue Character Rare 148 of 162 Hemlocke Blue Character Rare 149 of 162 Medicus Blue Character Rare 150 of 162 Councilor Mariah Blue Character Rare 151 of 162 Medicus Patches Them Up Blue Combat Rare 152 of 162 Mutual Enemy Blue Combat Rare 153 of 162 Trap! Blue Combat Rare 154 of 162 Weapons Factory Red Resource Common 155 of 162 Hypershock Barracks Red Resource Common 156 of 162 Armory Red Resource Common 157 of 162 Biology Lab Green Resource Common 158 of 162 Breeding Chmanber Green Resource Common 159 of 162 Surgery Room Green Resource Common 160 of 162 The Oracle Blue Resource Common 161 of 162 Angelan War Room Blue Resource Common 162 of 162 Council Chamber Blue Resource Common Promo 1 Corbin Red Character Promo Card Promo 2 Corbin Red Character Promo Card Promo 3 ??? ??? ??? ??? Promo 4 Phyla Green Character Promo Card Arena 1 Nemesis Red Character Arena Prize Card Arena 2 Phalanx Sets A Trap Red Action Arena Prize Card