Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Action Figure Review: The Flash Jay Garrick (Jay Garrick: The Flash Age) from DC Multiverse by McFarlane Toys

 

   
   I've mentioned before that I've never really kept up with the Flash in comics. I'm always happy to see him show up in team books, crossovers, or in Batman centric stories, but the Flash in all of his various incarnations (because there are so many different versions of the Flash) just isn't a part of the DC Universe I've actively kept up with. Now, that being said, I've always just liked the Flash, particularly due to his costume. I also have a real love of the truly classic looks for most superheroes, so this Golden Age inspired take on Jay Garrick, the original Flash, definitely caught my attention. I'm pretty sure I never picked up Jay Garrick in the DC Universe Classics spin-off DC Universe Signature Collection, so this seemed like a nice way to add this vintage Justice Society of America figure to the shelf. The figure is attributed to "Jay Garrick: The Flash Age" which I assume is part of the ongoing Flash series' vol 14: "The Flash Age" storyline. I think it might specifically be based on a story appearing in issue #750 of The Flash. This is just a great, classic take on the Flash, however, so let's check him out after the break...




The Facts:

Height: 7 1/4ths inches

Articulation: Hinged toes, double swivel hinged ankles, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, swivel/hinge hips, balljointed waist, balljointed mid torso, swivel/hinge shoulders w/ ballsockets, bicep swivels, double hinged elbows, double swivel/ hinge wrists, and a barbell jointed head.
 
Accessories: 4 Swappable hands, 4 lightning effects, collector card, and display stand.
 
Non-Scalper Price: $20






The Positives:


* Jay Garrick wears a fairly simple costume as the Flash: Red boots, blue pants, and a red t-shirt with a lightning bolt. on it. That makes this a simple figure with bright colors that are muted just a bit to give them kind of a nostalgic feel, almost like an Alex Ross painting. The lightning bolt on Jay's chest is actually sculpted, not just painted on, and while it's a bit wider than I would expect, it also manages to still look like a lightning bolt in poses where the mid-torso balljoint is shifted. It's a pretty solid design to keep the lightning bolt from looking "broken up" when the figure is posed. 

* Jay Garrick is sporting his signature metal helmet with wings, inspired by the headwear of the Roman deity Mercury. It looks fantastic and just tops off the figure really nicely. So does the headsculpt. It doesn't look like your typical DC Multiverse figure but more statuesque and legendary. Almost like how someone might remember Jay back in his heyday.




* Jay Garrick's boots also have the cool little wings on them, matching the wings on his helmet. 











*  DC Multiverse has some pretty solid figures and the articulation on Jay is just excellent. You can definitely pose him in some fantastic running poses that make for a very dynamic figure. Honestly, I just really like the feel of the plastic quality on McFarlane's recent stuff from the past couple of years and the articulation scheme they use. 









* The Flash has two sets of swappable hands: A pair flat palms for running and saluting and a pair of fists for punching the bad guys. They swap easily and really add a little something extra to running poses.



* I know most other figures of the various Flashes and other speedsters have come with lightning like speed effects, so I don't know if Jay Garrick's are new or not. They're all unique, though, and they fit really well on his arms and legs to show his superhuman speed. They definitely make him look pretty awesome on display. 




* A collectible card is also included with the figure sporting a comic image of Jay Garrick as the Flash on the front and a bio on the back. I love that these are included with the figures. Giving each figure a card makes me feel nostalgic in a very 1990s way for some reason.
 



* I'm still glad that McFarlane Toys includes a stand with each of their releases these days. It's just a simple disc stand with the DC logo on it but it works well and keeps the figure standing upright in most poses, even some dramatic running poses.

The Negatives:


* My only complaint about this version of the Flash is that it seems really strange that McFarlane Toys used black pins for the toe hinge joint when Jay is wearing red boots. That really shouldn't stand out, but it does. 

   This is a mighty nice figure of Jay Garrick, the original Flash. Whether you're building a team of speedsters, a Justice Society of America, or you just want a figure that recalls the Golden Age of comics, this is an excellent figure. McFarlane Toys definitely did Jay Garrick right and seeing him here makes me hopeful for more Golden Age variants in the future. This is a Great and a 1/2 figure that's bright, and fast. He just has such a marvelous shelf presence and feels like such a classic toy. 






This might be the first figure of Jay Garrick I've reviewed, but it's not the first figure of the Flash. I've also reviewed the DC Primal Age The Flash,  the DC Page Punchers The Flash, the standard Mattel DC Comics Multiverse Justice League Flash and the super cool Target exclusive Flash 2-pack, the Mezco One:12 Collective The Flash, the DC Comics Multiverse DK2 Flash, the Super Powers microfigure of The Flash, the Lego DC Universe Riddler Chase which comes with a minifigure Flash, the Lil Bombshells Flash (Jesse Quick), the Nano Metalfigs comics Flash by himself or as part of Five Pack A, and the Nano Metalfigs Justice League Flash.

For more DC Multiverse reviews check out the following:
Harley Quinn (The Suicide Squad)
Man-Bat (DC Rebirth)
Nekron (Blackest Night)








2 comments:

  1. I'd love to see them move towards the pinless joints. I think a couple of the newer figures have them. I usually don't mind so long as the colors are the same, though.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'd love to see them move towards the pinless joints. I think a couple of the newer figures have them. I usually don't mind so long as the colors are the same, though.

    ReplyDelete

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