The other new piece is the important one. Jay Garrick features one of the best head sculpts in the line. The 4H captured Jay perfectly. The slight smirk conveys not just character, but Jay’s character. He’s the super-hero that enjoys doing the work. He’s been around and seen it all and the sculpt conveys that. He looks like he’s just had a long day, but he’s run across some new super-villain that thinks he can take out the old Flash. Jay knows different and thanks to the great sculpt, so do we.
On top of that great sculpt is Jay’s classic hat. It’s done well, to specification really, and it really pops with the vacuum metallization. I was initially hesitant about Mattel opting to do that when it’s not present anywhere else in the line, but it looks fantastic to me. There is a seam running down the middle of the helmet that has bothered some collectors, but it’s not that noticeable to me. I see it, but like most flash lines, it just doesn’t really motivate me to get upset about it.
The paint work on Jay is remarkably sharp. I had some concerns about the paint because of my experience with the retail line, but both Jays that we received here at IAT were pretty good. The yellow paint on the lightning bolt is a little thin in places, but it’s hard to tell in person. I’m mostly just mentioning it here because it showed up more prominently in the pictures. The well-painted face and the little tampo on the belt really sell the figure.
Jay features the standard articulation we’ve come to expect over recent years. The ball-joints at the neck and shoulders, the swivel cuts at the biceps, wrists, waist, and thighs, single-hinged elbows, knees, and ankles, the ab crunch, and the 4H hips. The only issue here is the lack of rocker ankles. In general, not having them sucks, but it really hurts on the speedsters because rocker ankles are crucial for great running poses. I know Mattel can’t afford to bring them back full-on, but if we ever get to Wally, Impulse, Max Mercury, Dark Flash, etc. I implore Mattel to bring back the rocker ankles for runners the way they employ ball-jointed wrists for archers.
Jay Garrick sports no accessories, not even a removable helmet for him to throw or an (admittedly costly) second, younger head. A younger head would’ve been particularly nice as most of the Golden Age figures were done young while Jay & Alan were given slightly older head sculpts. It’s not a big deal, but it is slightly odd in group shots.
Anyway, the lack of something to compensate Mattel stripping the C&C part while maintaining the $15 price ($18 if you didn’t subscribe) has been a sticking point for many DC collectors. I’m not sure how the move to online or the lack of ideal subscribers has affected the cost per unit, but it would’ve been nice to see Jay come with a little “more”. That said, figures placed later in the subscription, figures possibly not scalped from waves like Jay, appear to be receiving that extra “oomph”. Mattel has me more excited for Mirror Master and Black Mask largely because of their accessory complement. I have hope that future figures will continue to get better.
The important thing today though is that we finally have Jay Garrick on our DCUC shelves! The main 8 JSA is complete! The extended GA roster is painfully close to completion. My Flash section is still woefully light (really, Mattel, get on that!), but having Jay fills a big void there too. More important than any of his associations is that we have a Jay Garrick figure in-it-of-itself. I’ve mentioned that I recently had to store most of my DCUC collection in anticipation of a move. As a result, most of Wave 20 went straight to that giant container (and some CIE figures will too), but that’s not the case with Jay. Jay demands to be out on the shelf. That’s partially because he’s a great character, a favorite character for me, but it’s also because he got a great figure. It’s been awhile since I got a DCUC that I had to put on the front of the shelf. Hopefully, it won’t be too long until that happens again.
For more DC reviews, check out our
DC Universe Classics Collector’s Guide.
Great review, as usual. I don’t know if we will ever see any of those ‘Flash Family’ members you call for, but it would be nice. I have the DC Direct Max and Impulse on my shelf for now, but they don’t really fit in well. Looking forward to Mirror Master and hope for another Rogue or two soon.
Time to up-date the DC Collector guide. hint hint
Thanks, Tom! I hate the lack of Flash supporting cast in the line. I always worry that was possibly from DC directly since they seemingly also swept them all under the rug. The Flash is one of my favorite corners of the DCU and it’s one that Johns and Co. have ensured I won’t touch. For every good thing he did for the GL franchise, he cancelled it out with his pre-relaunch work on Flash.
And, yes… I do need to spend some time on all the 2012 collector checklists… I may have to slip into a two reviews and a checklist update mode for a few weeks to get caught up…
To be fair, Johns did some great work making the Rogues awesome again during his run on Wally’s book. Too bad he ruined it all with Barry’s return and the chaos that followed. 🙁
I actually like the artwork with Jay in jeans. You’d have to figure that in ’39 that he may not have been wearing spandex…but a pair of jeans would work. On top of him being the grandpa/mentor type..i always felt he was the working mans superhero too.
I’m hoping we’ll see more Flash Family figures, maybe in the sub. Then again, i can already hear the uproar from a Wally West in the sub made of 90% reused parts. I personally wouldnt mind it tho
The only thing i take exception with in yer review is your treatment of DC Comics. I’m enjoying the New52 and i read almost all of them monthly (minus Liefeld of course hehe). Some people dont like this new direction DC’s gone in, but i feel its really livened up the characters and made them interesting and fresh. We dont always have to be locked into the past to have an identity. We can evolve and go a different path and still keep the heart and soul that brought us to prominence. Will this New52 last? I’m sure lots of elements will stay…the more interesting ones will. But you know as well as i do that what dosent sell will be tweaked again until they get that perfect mixture that will make for a long lasting comic book. Change has been a constant in comics and this is no exception. I like this new direction mainly since you really dont know where they’re going with these characters and its fun to see whats gunna happen next.
I can definitely see that angle on the jeans. Working man’s super-hero is a great descriptor too.
Wally is such a tricky one because he doesn’t really need anything but a new head, if they did make him in the sub, he’d have to come with something spectacular to balance off the part reuse.
As for my opinion of DC Comics, all I can say is that I tried, I really did. You could call me a comic snob because I want beginnings, middles, and ends. I want foreshadowing, tension, emotion – I want them to be more literature than fanservice escapism. And, the funny thing is that I am usually the first to champion a grand deviation from the typical, but I’m just not finding writers who are making me care about these new versions.
They gave too many books to the same people that were producing mediocre work before and the result is the quality more or less stayed the same. To me, it’s transactional – they took away something I enjoyed and I wanted something in return for it. They’re not delivering on making books of a higher caliber and I think that’s why outside of a half dozen or so titles, they’re not seeing they results they wanted with the Relaunch. I think well-written books would trump nostalgic books any day, but for a lot of the titles now? I just find them delivering neither.
For me, half the problem is that DC touted it’s LEGACY for YEARS, and then swept it all under the rug with no warning. Flashpoint was already underway when they announced that it tied into the just confirmed nu52 relaunch, which meant those that hadn’t already been buying the Barry-Flash title and now Flashpoint, would miss out on the reset, to which I decided F It! The Flash book was perpetually late, and lost any steam for me leading into the Event, so I didn’t care. Then to find out the dwindling number of books I was enjoying were now MOOT? My dealer was surprised I kept my pull list, which may be cancelled in a few months with the second round of cancelled books, if I’m hearing things right.
I was a bit surprised to see not only the seam in the helmet but paint slop in the elbow joints. And what’s with that white lettering on the inside of his boot?
Paint slop in his elbows? That’s weird!
The white writing on his boot is the factory stamp indicating when & where he was made. Since he has the Flash boots (with treads) they couldn’t stamp him on the bottom like they normally do.
Nice review, I love the artwork. I hope Mattel keeps it in future years, but I wouldn’t mind if the package is more like MOTU to save a few dollars…
By the way anyone knows if any website will sell SDCC exclusives after the show? (besides Mattycollector or eBay, because sellers are crazy demanding three times their value). Thanks!
MattyCollector (or other manufacturers retail sites) will be your best bet, as the others will all have price increases. Usually, they will have some of the SDCC items available at BBTS, though their price increase can sometimes be rather off-putting…
Thanks, Jare!
Mattycollector is your best bet for the Mattel stuff, they’ve made it pretty easy in recent years (but part of that is also because none of the offerings set the world on fire).
Thanks for another great review! I too was a little bit nervous about signing up for the sub due to all the quality control issues I would run into at retail, but as soon as I opened the box I couldn’t have been more excited to be a part of this club. Mattel hit this one out of the park!
I have to ask one question: When I hear folks requesting a “Wally” figure, can’t we just use the shiny All-Star variant as a stand-in? After the Gray Lantern Flash fiasco, I’m kind of Flashed-out. Just wondering.
He doesn’t quite cut it for me, though i can see him working for others. I want the double lightning bolts and a new head sculpt to differentiate him. That, and I’m just not that big a fan of having a “stand-in” for major characters. Of course, I really don’t want him in the sub, unless they start doing quarterly DC variants like they do for MOTUC. He’d be a good option for retail, imho.
Thanks, TC!
I do like the darker red, but I can’t use that one for my Wally because I do really need the angled lightning and the white eye slits. I’m still cranky that Mattel didn’t take the opportunity to do Wally right there.
I do use “Cherry Barry” as a stand-in, only because the DCD Wally is too lean and “bright” in comparison with the other DCUC Titans. and DCD Donna (Infinite Crisis?) and FA Kyle.
but yeah, a new head and redeco is all Wally needs. Maybe they will add the arm lightning to held reflect his usual signature of lightning streaks? It’s apparently on a separate mold from the S-shield lightning if they were able to re-use it for Black Vulcan.
as much as I’d LOVE to see them do Dark Flash-Walter, I’m not holding my breath if they can’t bother with a basic Wally, but have no problem with half a dozen Barry variants. (Barry-ants? LOL)
Thanks for the review! Always enjoy reading these. I find the reviews here to be well-articulated (even if they’re missing the rocker-ankles) and nicely thorough. Of course, the humour you guys inject into the photos is always a nice touch!
I have to say, after a little unease about the CIE sub, I’m very happy with this first offering, even if he does feel like part of a “lost” wave 21. I also have to note that Jay is currently not standing with the rest of my collection. He’s hanging out in the living room, as my wife is really enjoying him, and is not ready for him to disappear into my den. He’s quickly become her favorite DCUC fig. He’s not the tops of my list, but he certainly is a solid, front-of-shelf offering!
Thanks, Lemmy!
My wife took notice of Jay too! Though Brave & the Bold left quite the impression… Geezer Flash indeed. 🙂
A small typo in the word baloon “Why do the (should be theY) look so old”? Great pics and great review nevertheless.
Thanks, Sir Real! I try to catch the photo ones hardest, but sometimes they get through.
That last picture oh my God…I am dying over here.
Glad you liked it! I thought it might be just a little silly…
Excellent as always!
Thanks, J!
I like the chrome helmet a lot. Had I the spare scratch this is one of the nicest looking DCUCs I’ve seen in a long while.
Definitely. Great way to kick off the sub!
Geezer Flash ha ha ha
LOL I had to do it!
Love the review! Fills a temporary void for me, as Jay seems to be taking the long way to my house. “Fastest Man Alive” is losing to “Slowest Mail Service”.
And of course the pics are hilarious… dish the dirt, Noisy. Do you pose your pics with the captions already in mind, or come up with the ideas after, or both, or neither? What’s the ol’ IAT creative process?
Thanks, Rod! Sorry to hear about your Flash delay. Matty’s USPS ground shipping is pretty pitiful.
As for the pics, I try to plan ahead, but I’m not opposed to changing mid-stream (or even going back for more photos) so it’s really a mixture of all of them. This review is actually a good example. I knew I wanted the “missing Flash family” and “Geezer Flash” reference before I started, but I didn’t think to use the box for the latter until after I started writing the review, so I went back and reshot those two photos into one. Alfred was a spur of the moment decision to throw in there and his captions were kind of organic during the shoot, I can hear where Michael Caine would pase in my head. I also felt I should show the Lego bump he was gettting so no one got the wrong idea! Jay discussing Earth-2 was another one that came up while I was taking the photos, but making the joke about Joan being in college didn’t come up until I was in photoshop and just not finding the right punchline for Alan being gay. It’s basically anything that I think works! Thanks for asking!
This WAS a great figure. I feel you on the lack of Wally. I kind of hope the line survives to next year–Wally with a Cosmic Treadmill would be a GREAT set, in the same vein as Metron with his chair this year.
Man, those pics and captions are awesome as always but they are also heartbreaking. The Jay Garrick Flash alone is such a timeless character. The classic JSA is my favorite DC super team and the main reason I read DC comics for over three decades. I’m really gonna miss those guys…
Couldn’t agree more on the figure, though! That sly grin is 100% pure Jay. I wish Mattel had added his boot wings and made the helmet removable, but the 4H’s masterful head sculpt makes up for everything. Like yourself, I’ve also boxed up about 90% of my DCUC collection in anticipation of a move. All that is left are my JLA and JSA shelves along with a few other faves. It’s looking like Jay will be the last one to go if I ever box up the stuff I have left on display.
Since most of the JSA members are masked, I don’t see much difference in terms of age between Alan/Jay and the others. Dr. Fate, the Spectre, Hourman, Atom, Sandman, Hawkman, Wildcat, Dr. Mid-Nite… I’m looking at them right now and only Starman’s face is fully visible but he looks older as well. Maybe Johnny Thunder will turn out to be the deal-breaker?
Excellent review as always. Jay Garrick is now my favorite DCUC figure of all time. A great character, a great figure and a great feeling to finally have him smiling back at me after all these years.
“you really ought to make you sure up the quality of your product.”
or ‘make sure you SHORE up the quality of you product.’ 😉
Love the inclusion of MM Alfred and is it wrong that in the “Black Forest” picture, I wanted Doohan’s Scotty to be in there? or would that have been in poor taste with his missing finger he lost back in the war? (GL gag?)
(I hope Alfred’s review is up next? and comparison pics with GB and DCUC suits!)
JSA group shot: aren’t we still missing WW-Hippolyta and GA Canary? (which would really be stretching that timeline, these days, for Dinah!) WW just needs a new head and skirt (with “bike shorts” underneath), but do we want a regular skirt or the pleated Xena-type worn in ancient Greece?
To be honest, I got my Jays (2x sub), gave them both a once-over to check for QC…and put them back in the mailer, unopened. I like him, but I’m not feeling him, at the moment, possibly due to other, non-related drama going on in my life? He and Polly still have a space cleared for them on my shelf, but I keep thinking I need to box them all up. I finally gave up on constantly picking up Hal & Barry from the floor, and they took Wildcat and Ray-Atom with them this last time, too, plus knocking others over, helter skelter.
I will say thanks for giving shout-outs to Walter and Jenni in the review. I finally decided to get an extra Stargirl, swap a head, and repaint her to young Miss Ognats. another Flash Family member AND Legionnaire added to my collection! (hint hint, Mattel!) of course, after last wkd, I now need to get a YJ-Kid Flash for Bart…!
of course, no sooner than I finish reading the comments than I check the mail and find GA Hawkman waiting for me! LOL
(custom ideas bouncing through my head, like DCD’s SA Jimmy Olsen for Johnny Thunder or turning Carter into an evil Crime Syndicate “Blackhawk”.)
Great figure, but that box art?
“Anderson Cooper, why are you dressed as the Flash?”
Great review as always Noisy!
I’m with you on the DC Comics. Snyder’s Batman has been great, but beyond that the relaunch has actually gotten me a lot more interested in the X-Men books over at Marvel.
Jay looks great. Can’t wait to open mine and pose him with the JSA! 😉
Just saw your website through Speedforce.org and I have to say that I love the pics and the reviews. Great stuff. If you don’t mind my asking, what kind of camera and lighting do you use for your photos? They are fantastic and I’m looking to improve my work.
Also just wanted to point out that DC Direct has put out at least five versions of Jay with one being a repaint and the other being an Elseworld look. Mattel also released a version of Jay in the Justice League Unlimited line as well. You can see most of them here: http://fastestfanalive.com/post/23304211552/dcdirectjay1
I also covered each of them individually over the last couple of weeks. Again, great review and excellent pictures. Hilarious captions. I could learn a lot from your stuff.
As I’ve said before, DCUC and the old DC universe may be gone, but at least they have managed to crank out a few must-haves right at the end. Jay “almost” completes the classic JSA line-up. Which is a good note to go out on. I always loved Jay’s kind of makeshift costume, the helmet, and his calm, collected elder superhero statesman role. He was there for my favorite Flash runs (no pun intended) by Mark Waid and Geoff Johns, and I’m still a bit sad to see him go. But at least he has a toy fitting in with the rest of the JSA now, and it looks generally good with a few minor flaws (the ankle rockers being the most blatant).
So, without knowing what may manifest in the future for the DCU/CIE figures, the JSA vintage line-up is still missing Johnny Thunder, a golden age Wonder Woman, golden age Black Canary, the Terry Sloane Mr Terrific, golden age Hawkgirl (kind of debatable). Overall that’s not so bad. The lineup feels complete enough to me.
Good review as usual!