Geez, we’re filling up the front page on one day’s worth of articles! As I mentioned earlier, Anti-Monitor week is running a little long, but I’m still plugging away. Tonight, I’ve got a quick review of the last regular figure in DC Universe Classics Wave 17: Blue Lantern Flash. Yeah, he’s mostly a repaint, but I like him.
First things first, I really can’t talk to you guys too much about Barry Allen. While I can approach toys with a light-hearted and carefree attitude, I’m still trying to cultivate a positive and understanding outlook when it comes to comics. I love comics, and I really love the Flash. I always have. I couldn’t even say that I have a favorite Flash because I really like ’em all. That said, I don’t read Flash comics anymore.
The last few years have been a mess: Wally disappearing, Bart aging, dying, and returning to Barry taking over the lead role. I haven’t enjoyed the editorial decisions, and when I do try and read the comics, I haven’t liked what I read. It just feels forced and out-of-place to me. Heck, I even love the Reverse Flash, but the current stories have all but made me loathe him too. So I avoid the Flash now even though I’ve loved the franchise for three decades. The one thing I’d like to take solace in is the toys, but DC Universe Classics has proven unfriendly to the Flash. We’re well over 250 figures at this point and we’ve gotten 6 figures from the Flash franchise – and three of ’em are Barry.
In Blackest Night, the Flash was merged with another concept that I enjoy: the Blue Lantern Corps. While I love Larfleeze & Atrocitus as much as the next GL fan, I really enjoyed seeing Ganthet strike out on his own and create a new Corps. Walker & Warth are both written particularly awesome in the comics and even Kyle looked good clad in blue (I’d buy a figure, though I’d never want that for him permanently.). So, of all the deputies, Blue Lantern Flash, was much like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup in my eyes. It seems silly giving how killer some of the DCUC17 figures did (or didn’t) turn out, but this was easily my most anticipated figure for this wave.
If you have either of the two previous Flash figures then you basically have this figures. The only differences on the sculpt were a new ring hand and that he now sports the so-called “recession” ankles. Since he has his unique ring hand, this guys gets all the points in any sculpt category because there aren’t any details missing despite being mostly a no frills buck figure. I am annoyed about the ankles, but I’ll save that for a few paragraphs.
Since he doesn’t need many sculpted details, the figure relies more heavily on the paint work than normal. My Blue Flash here is okay in that department. The figure is cast almost entirely in black plastic (the head and a couple of internal articulation pieces are cast in blue) and painted. Though this does make the figure’s colors uniform from head-to-toe, the thicker paint needed to cover the black seems a bit more susceptible to damage. I put a dent in the paint on the shoulder during shooting and he’s got a small black gash up there now.
The little details, like the metallics on the ‘wings’ and the Flash/Blue Lantern tampo, are handled well, but the skin was a bit sloppy on his face. Luckily, since it’s cast blue and the flesh is over-sprayed, I can clean it up and be happy. Though that “shouldn’t have to” specter looms. Continue to Page 2…
I loved the Blue Lantern Flash too. If it weren’t for Scarecrow, he would be my favorite of this wave. I can’t believe with all the push Flash has gotten this past year in the comics that Mattel didn’t have more Flash figures for us to buy up.
I really don’t understand the lack of Flash love in this line. I know it’s *technically* the GL movie that caused this surge in GLs of late, but the Flash and Wonder Woman being ignored so heavily makes me wonder if they simply don’t have friends in the Mattel offices.
At this point I should be begging for Dark Flash or Abra Kadabra, and yet we’re still waiting on an adult Wally or ANY version of Impulse. It’s downright stupid.
This is a solid if uninspiring figure, though after 250+ figures “Solid but unispired” doesn’t really cut it anymore.
And how does Barry Allen represent more than Wonder Woman? Hope that if you work hard enough, you can reset comics to exactly how you rememvber them growing up, regardless of any events since? :p
I kinda disagree. Not every character in every wave has to be inspiring. I think that’s a trap that MOTU falls into coming out as singles – every figure has to be the most awesome for that month and many aren’t.
Coming out in waves, a mix of solid and inspired figures can get you through. It certainly has had to the last few waves too, as I’m rathered GLed out.
this figure is, to me, an stunning example of what’s wrong w/ the mattel DC line… the figs got one new part, and you still got ripped on the ankle artic… that’s just flat out inexcusable to me. the more toy lines adopt this kind of minimalist approach, the less likely i am to stay in toy much longer.
I don’t think it occurs to them to add the ankle articulation back in and that’s a bigger issue than anything intentional. We’ve asked them to make sure the speedsters get their ankles – Flash even has unique feet – and this opportunity came in went and I doubt they even noticed.
That last comic took me a minute to figure about, but it was brilliant! Haha! The question is: when they get to Wally, which version will it be? I like the more recent fully cowled look.
I[ve been struggling with the comics this week. These guys are sometimes cool, but not he most fun. 😛
I should get my DCUC w17 right after the holiday, seeing as I got the first part of the shipment today. Fingers crossed I don’t have any problems with them!
I do agree with you on being on the verge of HATING the character, these days. there was absolutely no reason to bring him back, much less “retire” Wally. Don’t even get me started on Brat or Jay/JSA’s upcoming deletio–I mean, retcon.
After reading Robinson’s JLA #58, I am having serious doubts about staying after for the “Relaunch” and THEN I find out the “War of the GLs” will be delayed until next month, so they’re ending it in a “special edition” and throwing out some inventory issues of GLC? Because Johns is too busy to write for a day or two AGAIN this month?
My monthly comic shipment was TEN books and DCD BD:Green Arrow. yeah. If I suddenly disappear from the boards, I’ve moved on to a new hobby.
But I digress….
I’ve been pretty luck aside from a few paint issues and one stuck joint.
With Barry in the comics, all the issues I picked up are about him being old and out of place. Which, to me, is a horrible message to keep sending to readers. I keep saying it – Wally became the iconic Flash and DC didn’t take that into account when they hit the reset button. Rebirth worked for Hal because he never went away, but we put Barry in a box and left him behind. The Flash book’s sales keep ending up right back where they were before they screwed up the Flash while the GL universe is making tons more money than it was before.
my two sets were good, BUT I did have the same paint rub problem on the LEFT shoulder on both Flashes out of the package. I’m wondering if the arm wasn’t supposed to be in that position or the blue paint needed more time to cure?
I really wanted to custom another Blue Lantern from BL-Barry, but having the lightning bolt over the Blue sigil kinda ruins that. I don’t mind the wrists/belt, but I’m not good enough to repaint that sigil. :/
DCUC Wave 17 is far from being one of my favorites, but when the figures arrived, I kinda liked them. I must admit I loved The Atom and Scarecrow. Even Blue Lantern Flash and Lex Luthor are cool figure, but I really hate Wonder Woman and White Lantern Hal Jordan’s face sculpting (why this guy is so angry? – he should be a peaceful guy, shouldn’t he?). If it will be based again on Blackest Night comics (with Nekron as a C&C), I just hope Wave 20 bring us some cooler and different figures, and it could share figures from Blackest Night and Brightest Day, like Mera (and I would love to see a White lantern Aquaman with her)…
It’s wave like this that can seperate the toy lovers from the curmudgeons. I still wish they’d gone in a different direction for this wave (or at least done Mera; I’m going to hold Mera against them for awhile), but I can enjoy it for what it is instead of being hung up on what it’s not.
Noisy, you cheated, you didn’t include the two newest Hals, but you included the newest Barry. That means Wally is actually four more Barrys away. 😛 😉
Aha! I figured that since Kyle preceded them, it wouldn’t be fair to count them against Mattel. 😀 Though I have a feeling Wally is still more Barrys away than I’d like…
Yeah, Wally and Jay are both on my “why haven’t we already got these figures?” list.
Bringing Barry back hasn’t added anything to Flash, but it’s taken Wally away. There just doesn’t seem to be a reason for it.
Hal went bad (like the story or not) and his return was a story of redemption for a character that was always still around. Barry died a hero, saving the universe. All of a sudden, he’s back. That makes his “Heroic sacrifice” a whole load of nothing.
I’ve said it before though – I will buy any Flash figure Mattel put out, particularly Wally, Jesse and Jay. Get to it