Hey Speed Readers,
Unless you’ve been living underground for the last six months or so you have to be aware that SDCC 2012 officially began today and while there isn’t a ton of Flashy news on the collectibles front, one awesome thing stands out!
Wally West will finally be released as a Mattel Action Figure:
Picture via Actionfigureinsider.com
Picture via Toyark.com (Thanks for the heads up, Kyer)
Yep, that is the Wally West that we know and love. From the eye lenses, bold crimson coat and gold accents it looks like we are getting something more akin to the excellent, Greg LaRocque designed suit from Flash v2 #50 as opposed to Ethan Van Sciver’s updated design from Flash: Rebirth. Thank you, thank you, thank you. The only annoying thing about this is it took about six Barry Allen variants before they gave us Wally West and in fact another will be released before we see Wally West. But I’m not going to complain; We finally have what even DC Direct couldn’t give us all these years (even with the excellent JLA Series 1 Flash). I’m grateful. The one downside is that the figure will be a part of Mattel’s 2013 DC Club Infinite Earths Subscription and is scheduled for release May of next year (so far away).
I can’t say for certain if this will factor into whether or not I buy into the DC Club Infinite Earths Subscription. It was quite surprisingly easy for me (even using my mobile phone) for me to get in on Sale day, buy Jay Garrick and be done with it. Yeah it was a little pricier than if I had bought into the sub but since I don’t want 90% of the figures featured in the sub this works out better for me.
The kicker of course is that the scale from last year is back. The scale was Mattel’s way of gauging public interest before going ahead with the sub last year. I’m not sure exactly how many it took last year but they did decide to finally go ahead with it. On top of that the gauge will feature a second part to it this time around. The first level will determine whether the sub will go forward or not as planned and the second will determine whether fans can expect a new fully-tooled (meaning all brand new parts) figure in 2014. Some advantages to subscribing this time around will be early access to all Mattycollector.com releases and of course the guarantee of receiving all of the items in the sub.
So with the announcement of Wally West does anyone plan on buying into the sub this time around? Who else can’t wait until May 2013 and will be buying more than two? Let us know in the comments below!
For the uninitiated, what is the DC Club Infinite Earths Subscription?
DC Universe Classics weren’t cutting it at retail so Mattel decided to repackage the line as an online-only subscription program. Essentially you sign up for the program and it locks you in to receive all of the figures released as part of the subscription that year plus bonus figures that aren’t available to non-subscribers. They also release the figures the same day but for a higher price to non-subscribers.
They weren’t cutting it on retail because Mattel (for some godawful reason) kept sending the same figures to the same stores time and time again. ( I never even got to see about half of the wave figures in each set and I was at this store 5x a week every morning!) The rare single figures would sell like hot cakes while the four or five of the same figure languished on the shelf for months.
Agreed. Not to mention toy scalpers who would buy ’em up and then put them on evilBay. I can’t lie though I order the vast majority of my stuff online so I guess those scalpers were kind of helping me out. Still depressing.
Yeah Mattel have managed most of their DC lines extremely poorly. Infinite Heroes, Young Justice, Batman: Brave and the Bold, and DC Universe Classics are just a few that come to mind that have been affected by their poor decisions and now all cease to exist. Even Young Justice, despite the show being a huge hit. Poor pack caseloads, poor choices in character releases and selection, really bad 4″ sculpts and ridiculously expensive to boot was what did that line in.
I really want to seem them succeed because I really want to see more figures but they can’t seem to get it right. Unfortunately I know I’m going to be purchasing at least Mirror Master and Wally West next year. I would love to vote with my dollar but I have a weakness for the collectibles. I can ignore the New 52 comics just fine (and have quite successfully for the most part) but when it comes to Flash figures I can’t help it.
Sigh.
Ah.
I’d gotten all excited until you reminded me that Mattel no longer sells through brick & mortar and the sub thing.
Will appease my weary, mournful soul by pretending I just got in DC Direct JLA 1: Wally today rather than two years prior. Which I do love.
Apparently more than DC does.
about time something for the wally fan
Who is Wally West?
Seriously though, this is awesome!
Excellent News! Keep up the Pro-Wally support Flash Fans we may get him back yet!
2nd goal for a 100% new tool figure to be included. $18 each or $20 Day Of Sale (DOS) + 1 oversized club exclusive. Saint Walker (Cornboy says it’s for a kid from the Mattypalooza panel 2 years ago who asked for him), Phantom Stranger, Elongated Man, Larfleeze, Wally West Flash circa ’95 (no applause), ovesized Monseiur Mallah with Brain
http://www.oafe.net/blog/2012/07/sdcc-2012-panels-mattel-mattypalooza-2012/
Um….either Wally’s popularity is waning or it’s been so darn long that no Wally fans were in attendance because they figured “Why bother?”
Or maybe they were just in shock?
I guess it’s hard to applaud a figure that’s 95% identical to one that’s already been released. I’m excited for it, and Mattel have said that it’s been one of the most requested figures from hardcore fans, along with Elongated Man.
I admit that between the sub thing and the main body I was ready to pass…but the “I am about to spout Wally Wisdom at some idiot villain”-smile did me in. (God, I am pathetic.)
http://comics-x-aminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Mattel-DC-2012-2013-081_1342213251.jpg
Aw…dangitdarndagnabbit! I just now ran across this clear photo of the Mattel Wally and…
NOW I WANT HIM.
Crap. This is so not in my budget. I’m supposed to be pinching pennies until payroll improves if it ever does. Expendables are for older books and some dvds.
But I WANT HIM. *decisions*
Thanks a *lot* Devin. You and your toy notices.
Sheesh. ;P
Thank YOU for the clearer pic. Yeah I can’t say no to this figure. We’ve been inundated with so much Barry stuff (even before he came back, he had quite a few action figures) that it is refreshing to find something that is purely Wally.
While I’ve yet to be “OMG” about anything DC52 (save for some of the artwork) this version of Wally is something that immediately made me want it. Yeah, the head looks to be a tad small in proportion to the beefy shoulders (joint hardware?), but that smile. That cocky little smile is just so Wally it’s making my heart go pitter patter. Sorry, guys, but Barry doesn’t do that for me as much as he’s likable and all.
Your welcome on the pic. Nice to know my unbreakable habit of Google searching stuff is not only being for my sole benefit. Also I was joking earlier: I adore your posts; all the posts at this site.
BTW, Devin, I saw this earlier in the morning, but personally thought it looked creepy. The Tumblr poster said her friends got it in Brighton, but it’s not clear whether it’s fan made or licensed. I also think its of Barry and not Wally as the poster thinks.
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m74doyPrQq1qkvt2xo1_100.jpg
That looks like a Little Mate:
http://fastestfanalive.com/post/4106268057/flash-squatz-and-little-mates-flash-squatz-are
The one on Tumblr is definitely a plushie….when I click on it (before opening to the page) it enlarges just enough to make out the fabric exterior.
The Squatz makes Barry look like he had one dozen too many bean burritos. Just sayin’. (I’m real particular on figures. 😀 If shown four of the same kind, I’ll spend a good fifteen minutes in the store comparing paint jobs. One eye pupil not just so and that one doesn’t make the cut!)
Ooooh I thought I saw some furriness on that guy. So a new Little mate product. Interesting. As far as the squatz and action figures go in particular I’m the same but at the same time I order online more often than not so I lack the chance typically to do such comparisons. The squatz in particular are doubly difficult to deal with because they come in some kind of tablet that dissolves in water to reveal the figurine. I need to find that plushy. Any idea where the poster got it?
Only that the poster said her friends got it for her while they were in Brighton, so England. They may even have got it in a thrift. Try the usual Amazon Marketplace, Ebay and so forth. Oh hey! If you have the plastic version, try contacting the company for a date of manufacture and a name.
btb, I did a Google image search for Flash and Plushies and got all sorts of images of all sorts of the little guys, some hand made, vast majority not Flash, but…found There are Super Friends ones at Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Super-Friends-Buddies-Electronic-Figure/dp/B000ZHSAW8
Gah.. Images….plushie cuteness/weirdness! Even Frankenstein’s Monster looks cute. This is so not fair.
Okay, changed the search to Flash and Plushie. Last post for now because, Holy Hannah! The cuteness….I can’t survive another Xtreme Cuteness hit like THIS! =>http://saint-angel.deviantart.com/art/The-Flash-Plushie-169223936
If they ever market such a Flash Tribble or a Mr. Potato Head Superhero Series I am going to be declaring bankruptcy or end up in Emergency. This last is definitely my fave of all plushies.
I forgot to come back and tell you, I found it on Evilbay last night. It is on it’s way. :/
That plushie is definitely adorable. Hmmm that gives me an idea for FastestFanAlive. Plushie week anyone?
The more I think about it the more I want The Fastest Tribble Alive. It fits so perfectly: both Wally and tribbles eat like crazy, are cute as a button even though you know they are dangerous as heck in a non-hostile way….
“….”
I wants it, My Precious. 😀
Yes, Plushies. And Bobbleheads. I wish I had a camera and a photo dump website, but yes, do this.
The figure looks great! Glad they went with a Greg LaRocque look. I hope the 2013 club goes ahead.
I’m pretty much done with collecting figures, but I will definitely come out of retirement for this! It looks PERFECT! So glad it’s getting ade and made right, apparently!