{"id":18960,"date":"2012-06-05T06:30:16","date_gmt":"2012-06-05T11:30:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=18960"},"modified":"2012-06-05T06:30:16","modified_gmt":"2012-06-05T11:30:16","slug":"dc-classics-com-golden-age-flash-jay-garrick-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=18960","title":{"rendered":"DC Classics.Com Golden Age
Flash Jay Garrick Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>DCUC is dead. Long live\u2026 DCUC! Last year, Mattel took my collector heart and crushed it with six little words: \u201cwill no longer be at retail\u201d. Summer 2011 will not soon be forgotten by DC fans. The toyline imploded. The comics disintegrated. It was a bad time to love DC Comics. <\/p>\n

Nearly a year later, it\u2019s still not the best time to be a DC fan. The retail line, while planned with more nU figures than Classics, was re-imploded and we\u2019re still not quite sure what Mattel has planned for us beyond a couple figures later this year. My DC Comics pull list continues to shrink as titles are cancelled, writers are shifted around, Rob Leifeld is assigned to the book, etc. etc. I love DC, but there\u2019s been little to no improvement in quality in the books. Here’s a tip if you ever find yourself in charge of a large comic book company, when you remove the nostalgia, the reader investment in the shared history, you really ought to make you sure up the quality of your product. Otherwise, you’re bound to take lifelong JLA readers and hook them up with Avengers. <\/p>\n

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But there is one bright spot for me as a fan of ye olde DC Universe. After a rocky start, ranging from the threat of cancellation to some delays, Mattel\u2019s Club Infinite Earths has finally begun. Now I\u2019ll be receiving not only some of my favorite MOTU characters in figure form every month, but they\u2019ll be a DC figures in the same box (hopefully) along with it. <\/p>\n

The subscription kicked off with a fantastic choice: Jay Garrick, the Golden Age Flash, or \u201cFlash One\u201d as the folks at Mattel like to refer to him. Jay Garrick was a cornerstone of the classic DC Universe. Jay, the creation of Gardner Fox & Harry Lampert, first appeared in late 1939 and his success with a relatively simple super power, super-speed, inspired the creation of many more speedy characters over the years. <\/p>\n

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My favorite thing about Jay, which DC has since discarded, is that he was the good-natured, \u201cgrandpa\u201d superhero. He never had to \u201cget with the times\u201d or update his look, he was just a great mentor character for several generations of future Flashes and other young heroes. Some of that may just be luck, that no \u201caspiring\u201d writer or editor tried to make the mark or leave their stamp on ol\u2019 Jay (until now anyway), but whether he was with the JSA in the 1940s, the JLA in the 90s, or just a supporting character in the pages of Flash, Jay was a steadfast part of the DCU from early on, through when I started reading as a kid, and until I was in my thirties. <\/p>\n

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This isn’t Jay\u2019s first figure. DC Direct churned out two, both with nice sculpts, but limited articulation and Mattel previously made Jay in their 4\u201d DCIH line also with limited articulation. As anyone that reads IAT regular knows, I\u2019m not fan of limited articulation. And while Jay is missing one crucial articulation point, this is exactly the figure I\u2019ve been waiting for. I can’t tell you how excited I was when this guy showed up at my doorstep!<\/p>\n

Since this is a “new” line, let me take a minute to explore the packaging. Mattel has redesigned the packaging for Club Infinite Earths, or DC Universe: Signature Series \u2013 I\u2019m not sure exactly how to use Mattel\u2019s terminology here anymore. We\u2019ll see what they\u2019re calling everything when they make the 2013 pitch. Anyway, like MOTU Classics, the figure arrived in a white mailer. <\/p>\n

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Inside the mailer is a boxed setup instead of traditional carded we\u2019ve been getting at retail. Honestly, I don\u2019t really need all this packaging for my subscription, but I\u2019d hate for a packaging designer to go hungry (in the arms of the angel… fly away from here…<\/em> oh, sorry) Further, I can\u2019t say no some to great Mike Thompson<\/a> art in my mailbox. If the art looks familiar to you, that\u2019s because we\u2019ve seen Mike\u2019s work before on GI Joe (check out some cool unused head shots at Kastor’s Korner<\/a>) and numerous projects outside of the toy industry. Now, I\u2019m not a fan of every choice Mr. Thompson made, namely the standard blue jeans, but I do love the look of the art overall and I expect to see some even cooler pieces as the year goes on. And hopefully, Mattel will bring Mike back for 2013. I may not keep all the pacakages, but I do so enjoy when things match. <\/p>\n

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Moving onto the figure, for the most part, Jay utilizes the standard DCUC buck with Barry Allen\u2019s boots, new lower legs, the standard plain belt, and a swanky new head sculpt. Strictly speaking, you could say that Jay belongs in some looser fitting clothes and I could kinda see that, but plenty of artists have drawn Jay in more of a spandex look over the years and the figure looks sharp just like it is.<\/p>\n

To get his details right, Mattel had to have the 4H sculpt new lower legs, but they didn\u2019t quite get the details right nonetheless. Jay nearly always has little wings on his boots and those are absent on the figure. I\u2019m not sure if those were overlooked or simply left off intentionally to allow the shoes to have re-use possibilities, but it does stick out to me when I look at him. That said, I\u2019m glad Mattel went this route and gave him more accurate boots instead of simply repainting the cuffed boots previously used in the line as they would\u2019ve been too high and even more off-putting. Continue to Page 2…<\/a><\/p>\n

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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\u2019s character. He\u2019s the super-hero that enjoys doing the work. He\u2019s been around and seen it all and the sculpt conveys that. He looks like he\u2019s just had a long day, but he\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n

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On top of that great sculpt is Jay\u2019s classic hat. It\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019s not that noticeable to me. I see it, but like most flash lines, it just doesn\u2019t really motivate me to get upset about it. <\/p>\n

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\u2019s hard to tell in person. I\u2019m 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. <\/p>\n

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Jay features the standard articulation we\u2019ve 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\u2019t 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. <\/p>\n

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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. <\/p>\n

Anyway, the lack of something<\/em> to compensate Mattel stripping the C&C part while maintaining the $15 price ($18 if you didn\u2019t subscribe) has been a sticking point for many DC collectors. I\u2019m not sure how the move to online or the lack of ideal subscribers has affected the cost per unit, but it would\u2019ve been nice to see Jay come with a little \u201cmore\u201d. That said, figures placed later in the subscription, figures possibly not scalped from waves like Jay, appear to be receiving that extra \u201coomph\u201d. 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. <\/p>\n

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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\u2019ve 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\u2019s not the case with Jay. Jay demands to be out on the shelf. That\u2019s partially because he\u2019s a great character, a favorite character for me, but it\u2019s also because he got a great figure. It\u2019s been awhile since I got a DCUC that I had to put on the front of the shelf. Hopefully, it won\u2019t be too long until that happens again. <\/p>\n

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For more DC reviews, check out our
\n DC Universe Classics Collector’s Guide<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/center><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DCUC is dead. Long live\u2026 DCUC! Last year, Mattel took my collector heart and crushed it with six little words: \u201cwill no longer be at retail\u201d. Summer 2011 will not soon be forgotten by DC fans. The toyline imploded. The comics disintegrated. It was a bad time to love DC Comics.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_options":[]},"categories":[6,34,10],"tags":[1166,378,665,244,1277,1285,259,270,20,1546],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pObc6-4VO","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":17905,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=17905","url_meta":{"origin":18960,"position":0},"title":"Truetorial: Mattel Rips off the DC All-Stars Band-Aid (Updated)","date":"April 11, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"News of the (ideally temporary) demise of DC comic-based figures at retail has been circulating for a few days. With Young Justice canned, the DC Classics line moved almost entirely online, and DC Comics\u2019 basic inability to market their wares, it\u2019s not the best time to be a DC collector\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Truetorial"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14679,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=14679","url_meta":{"origin":18960,"position":1},"title":"Ask Matty October 1st Edition","date":"October 1, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Ask Matty - October 1st Edition DCClassics.Com: Have all accessories been revealed for the announced DC Subscription figures? Is there still time for subscribers to campaign for Starman & Jay Garrick to receive alternate heads? At this point the Starman and Jay Garrick figures are close to final, but we\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ask Matty"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":13651,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=13651","url_meta":{"origin":18960,"position":2},"title":"SDCC ’11 Armchair Coverage: DC Universe & Ghostbusters","date":"July 23, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"If you\u2019re waiting on some overall Day 2 Coverage, it is still coming. We had a tremendous spike in traffic for DCClassics.Com & MOTUClassics.Com and I made the call to get those updated with the latest information. Still, I have some more Armchair Coverage ready to go for DC &\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Event Coverage"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":24337,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=24337","url_meta":{"origin":18960,"position":3},"title":"DCClassics.Com Club Infinite Earths Wally West Flash Review","date":"July 31, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"","rel":"","context":"In "DCClassics.Com"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":15651,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=15651","url_meta":{"origin":18960,"position":4},"title":"Ask Matty December 1st Edition","date":"December 1, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Ask Matty - December 1st Edition DCClassics.Com Asks: We're ecstatic about Starman's alternate noggin', but now we have to ask what about Jay Garrick... y'know, ol Flash 1? Will his value be kicked up a notch like Thom Kallor with old and young heads? Although Jay Garrick will not include\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ask Matty"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22868,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=22868","url_meta":{"origin":18960,"position":5},"title":"DCClassics.Com Club Infinite Earths Saint Walker Review","date":"March 3, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Two St. Walker\u2019s walk into a bar\u2026 ah, I forget the rest. Some collectors consider the overlap in character selection between DC Direct & Mattel to be a joke, but I try to look on the bright side - it's an opportunity to choose the better of two figures. Too\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "DCClassics.Com"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18960"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18960"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18960\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18982,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18960\/revisions\/18982"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18960"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18960"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18960"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}