Sneak Review: DC Universe Classics Wave 17 Blue Lantern Flash!

Well, it's a regular Flee Market Sunday down at local toy hub here in Singapore and I'm thinking about not going because I'd woken up late.  The baby was a little restless and kept us both up the night before.  Also, I'd just have maybe over an hour of browsing time before I had to head back towards home for Church.  I also was reluctant to leave the wife and son home alone for to long--I guess I'm terribly fond of them both.;)

But having freed all my unopened my Justice League stuff from their plastic prisons and set 'em up nicely in one of my smaller cubby hole shelves, I was inspired to look for the missing figures I'd forgotten I didn't have.  Guys like the Question, Ice and Fire, Galatea, and most of the bad guys.  But what I found instead was that DCUC Wave 17 (The deputy Blackest Night Lantern wave) had hit the stores.

Well, actually, the loose figures had.  And they were more like tables than stores, really.  Yes, those figs that don't make QC had reached the hands of those regular flee-marketers. And not being particularly keen on the Anti-Monitor Collect n Connect figure, I jumped at the chance to get Blue Lantern Flash and Star Sapphire Wonder Woman for S$12 (US$9) apiece!  I'd also have gotten the rest of the wave loose but those weren't anywhere in sight.  But I also did manage to snag myself a shiny Hal Hordan from the Hal vs Thaal Sinetro 2-pack, as well as a spare Skallox for when my DCUC GL Wave 2 comes in this week (So I'd have a spare body for Night-Lik.)

So how did (QC fail) Blue Lantern Flash turn out?

Like: In this instance, that the QC passed packaged figures won't come with much else other than an Anti-Monitor body part.  It's a big consideration when buying a loose figure for me.  For example, I've had numerous chances to snag Zatanna, but I've passed because she's almost always missing her hat, her wand, or both.  Since BL Flash and SS WW only come with a lantern, I'm all in!

Leap!

Like: The low, low price of S$12 (US$9).  That's a third of the retail here, so it's definitely worth it--but only if there are no major paint issues, all the joints are in working order, and the thing doesn't cause any melamine poisoning.  Hey, hang on!  There's no way I can confirm the melamine...I might've very well been cheated! (Just kidding  No melamine involved.  Or at least I hope not...)

Like: The eyes on Flash are exceptionally well done. They're blue and sharp, with pupils clearly painted on with a touch of white shine.  This guy definitely didn't fail QC for paint issues, or as the Rangerlord speculated, he may have not even failed QC at all! (Meaning he might have been stolen from the factory?...)

Like: The colors of the costumes of these different colored Lanterns are spot on and go well next to one another.  Just look at them!  They're like magic rainbows!...

Dislike: The very neutral facial expression.  Since this guy is a straight up repaint of the Barry Allen figure from way back, I didn't really expect there to be a change. It would've been nice to see a head sculpt with a more determined look, maybe a hint of a frown.  Mattel did it for Sinestro Corp Batman and they could've done it here.  It's not that the current head is bad by any stretch of the imagination but it could be much better.

Like: His ring!  It's round, it's blue, it's sculpted on his right ring finger!  And some it just...fills me with such a sense of hope...

Like: His thicker than usual boots! Yeah, he needs them for all the rubber he burns.  His foot is taller at the toes than other standard feet and the sole has got nice horizontal grooves for better traction at lightning quick speeds.  Also, it gives him slightly better balance than your standard DCUC male figure.  This is a plus because he can balance on one foot as needed for his running poses!

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 7/10 - He may be a straight repaint, but he's a good one.  The Blue Lantern costume is rare (Flash is the first one) but its done really sharply, especially the chest symbol. They've done a great job with the paint on his face and eyes, though his expression is a little bland.  The eyes are the cherry on top for this guy but then cherries grow in bunches, so we'll throw in the metallic blue "wings" on his head and boots, and his blue ring as the little details that make this guy look good

Poseability: 8/10 - You standard DCUC male buck articulation--which is a great thing!  He can do the sideways splits and be put in wide striding poses easily, which is essential for a Flash figure. Add to that a Blue rig and he now not only just run, but run and zap bad guys!

Bound!

Fun: - 7/10 - He looks great, especially next to the other Lanterns.  But the real fun will come when he's got other Blue Lanterns to "Corp around" with.  He'll also look great next to Green Lanterns, which the blue ring needs to fully power up its own abilities.

Hey-O!

It's a pity the MOC version doesn't come with more accessories other than a CnC part and a lantern, because he sure could use a few constructs.  And even if hey couldn't think of anything new to pack-in with him, they could've given him a blue molded fist like the green one that comes with John Stewart.  What's better than running at speeds approach in the velocity of light?  Well, punching with a giant blue fist while running, that's what! ;) 

Value: 8/10 - Considering they'll retail for S$35 (US$27) each, S$12 (US$9) is a steal!  Forget the lantern accessory, forget the Anti-Monitor part.  We've got what we wanted with just the figure!  As with all Lantern-based figures, a construct or two would've been great.


Overall: 7.5/10 - Blue Lantern Flash is not a must-have, unless you're a big Flash fan or a die-hard Blackest Night fan like myself.  If you didn't follow the series or don't like it, you'd probably pass him up.  It's also a pity that there aren't going to be anymore Green Lantern themed waves because lining up other Blue Lanterns like Saint Walker and Warth with the Flash would be way cool!

One can always hope...

DCUC Fun Time: Super Heroes as Friends!

Yes folks, this is what happens when you watch too much of Friends re-runs.

The show's still super funny though!

And here's who the characters of the DC Universe would be if they were characters in the sitcom!

DCUC: Gone in a Flash!

That is what has happened to the week...In fact it happens almost every week!

Between work and all the other things I have on on a week to week basis (including visiting the "flea markets" at China Square Central on Sunday), there is barely any time to actually open up and play with the toys I get!

Yes, I know. Hard to believe, isn't it? And then another Sunday passes and what happens next is that you'll have a whole pile of unopened swag that you can't get to. There's nothing worse than toys that you can look at but can't open. Argh.

But I intend to make up with it starting with this post and this guy:

























I got him together with Shazam! more than a month back and opened him, played around/posed him and even snapped a few shots. After all he is to become part of my DCUC Magnificent Seven collection. But a week went by and I got Fans' Project Powered Commander add-on for Henkei Optimus Prime, DCUC Clayface, and Revenge of the Fallen Leader Class Optimus Prime. And those were just so fun to play with I had to review 'em first. ;)

But here's the Flash now, just in the nick of time as always. :)

Here's a bit of background on the Flash: there has been more than one person to assume the mantle of the fastest man alive, the most famous three (disputably) being Jay Garrick, Barry Allen and Wally West.

This figure is of the Barry Allen version. Check it out:


While Wally West is probably the most popular Flash to the latest generation of super hero fans (Since he appears in the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited Animated series), Barry Allen is no slouch either. 'Cos if you grew u p in the 80s and 90s like me, you'll remember this:



That's right, Barry Allen on the small screen, owning TV. Well at least for all of one season before he was cancelled, faster than you can say "Speed Force". I blame it on the suede muscle suit. :P

But that score sure brings back memories. Come to think of it, it sounds almost Batman-like...

So on to the figure!

It's got your standard DCUC 21 points of articulation and doesn't come with any Collect -and-connect parts. It does come with a figure stand, which helps when you try to pose the Flash running, which is like all almost all the time.



















Not that this figure can't balance on one leg one his own--it can. Such is the beauty of DCUC articulation.



















But if you want a more dynamic pose in which only the Flash can do "with flash," then you'll need that stand.

Now I love that he can do an off centre-of-gravity pose like that. But try as I might, I couldn't get him in a "full-flight" running pose.

Ok, kidding. Here's what I meant.



















Though he doesn't come with any other accessories and has uses the standard DCUC mold, he does have a few nice details on him:




















The eyes are done really well, as are the wings on his head and boots.

The Flash symbol is also very nicely painted.

But what I especially like is that they didn't leave his boots a flat yellow but washed them with a little bit of red-orange. Really brings out the character in the boots, dontcha think? ;P

So here's how I rate DCUC Flash:

Character Accuracy: 10 - Well done, Mattel. But then again, it's tough to get the Flash wrong. May be they could make him look like John Wesley Shipp? Ok, maybe not. :P

Poseability: 9.0 - Would be a 9.5 at least if he were any other character who isn't so, well, flashy. If there ever is a guy that ned his knees to bend more than 90 degrees and hips to go at least 180, it's this guy. But it can't, cuz the stand DCUC mold can't. Oh, well.

Aesthetic: 9.5 - Can't argue with anything here. Extra points for the wash on the boots. Glad that they got in all the yellow lightning without smudging any of it, especially the insignis. :)

Overall: 9.5 - Great figure, and a must have for the Magnificant 7! Now if only they'd make Martian Manhunter soon...

We're all waiting, Mattel...