Silver Age Flash Action Figure

DC Comics Toys
Silver Age Flash Action Figure
By Hervé St-Louis
April 12, 2003 - 14:29

Sculptor(s): Tim Bruckner

The Silver Age Flash set, is one of the great design delights produced by DCDirect, before it settled on one manufacturing standard for all its action figures. The set includes Barry Allen, the second Flash revived in the pages of Showcase in 1954 and Wally West, when he was around twelve years old and in his old red costume.

Likeness

The figures have the same look the team of Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson gave them in the pages of Flash's comic books. They have the red costume with the double edge lightning bolt on their chest and the continuous streaks on their belts and forearms. Unlike the modern Flash, they have little wings on their feet and their ear plugs.

Sculpt

The sculpt of the figure is almost perfect. Flash does not have a six pack belly and tight rib cage beaming with chiselled cuts. He only has superficial muscle definition. This Flash is a small guy much in the way Daredevil and Spider-man are. There's a slight bent to the Flash's arms that make him seem like he's ready to pick a fight. However, when posed in a running position, the bent adds to the realism.

The Flash's feet also have a strange bent. However, they are nothing like the modern Superman's. Again they look right if the figure is in a running position. One aspect that looks worrisome, is the thin knees the Flash has. It looks like they could not support the figure for long if posed in a running position. The soles of the Flash have traction ridges, like any good pair of running shoes.

Unlike other Silver Age figures, such as Hal Jordan, there is much details in the Flash's face. In fact, the left eyebrow of the figure is slightly raised. This adds much personality to the figure. Unlike the Silver Age Aquaman, this Flash does not smile. He has a serious stance as if he were thinking about a case.

Paint

The paint job on this figure is simple. Only the yellow elements of the character's costume and his face are painted. The rest of the figure is the plastic's red. There is some bleeding on the streaks on the character's belt, boots and his face.

Scale

Barry Allen is smaller than other DC Direct male figures. In the comic book, it was also like that. He is the same height as the Phantom Lady, slightly higher than Kyle Rayner, shorter than Blue Beetle, the Silver Age versions of Batman, Hal Jordan, Aquaman, Superman and Green Arrow. Metamorpho and the Golden Age Flash look larger. The Silver Age Flash has a standard and appropriate scale.

Standing Upright

Because his soles are not flat, his knees look weak, and his arch legs look frail, this figure look like it will fall. Fortunately, he is one of the sturdier figures. I don't understand this balancing act. For this review, I've put the figure on a four inch tall pack of CD cardboard covers that are on a bunch of papers, plastic bags and the mess of my desk, yet this figure stands!

Articulation

The articulation in this figure is one of its best aspects. The head of the figure has a head rolling feature. You can bend his head sideways. It's perfect to make him wink. His arms have ball rotations. His hip has a unique design that does not intrude on the sculpt of the figure. Yet, his legs can rotate a lot. There are only nine points of articulation. More are not necessary.

Rating: 9/10

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