Teen Titans Kid Flash By Hervé St.Louis Jun 30, 2005 - 12:26:00 PM

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Originally going by the name, Impulse, Bart Allen came from the future where his speedy metabolism aged him into an adolescent. The grand son of the Silver Age Flash, Bart Allen joined Young Justice and then the Teen Titans. In the current Teen Titans, Bart Allen has decided to call himself Kid Flash and sport a costume inspired by the first Kid Flash. Created in Flash 91, in June 1994, Bat Allen became Kid Flash in Teen Titans Vol. 3 # 4 in 2003.

Likeness

This figure captures several trademarks of Kid Flash. First, are the big feet Bart Allen has always had. Second is the vibrant design updated by Barry Kitson when DC Comics rebooted the Teen Titans’ comic book. Unlike the Flash, his logo has a red circle around the white one. The lightening bolt is red. His belt is black, giving him a belt, unlike the first Kid Flash’s yellow costume.

Sculpt

Kid Flash really looks like a fourteen-year-old teen. His cheeks are plum and his face smiling. Yet his body is not too beefed up. As a runner his body is leaner than the other Teen Titans. It’s easy to pose him in a running stance, although he lacks the proper support to hold him place. He looks like a prankster making fun of his opponents. The soles of Kid Flash’s boots have ridges, like all the DC Direct Flash action figures.

Paint

There’s a shiny coating on all the yellow coating similar to car paint on Kid Flash. It’s the same type DC Direct used on the JLA Flash. As the first Kid Flash action figure lacked any paint and coating, one could see through him when he was put over a light source. DC Direct learned a lot since and know how to make a yellow coloured action figure look good. There is some shading in Kid Flash’s hair, but they are subtle.

Scale

Kid Flash is the smallest Teen Titans’ action figure. As all the Teen Titans are in scale with one, another, this is alright. He looks great next to the Silver Age and the JLA Flash too. He’s taller than the Silver Age Kid Flash and smaller than the first yellow Kid Flash, his cousin. He doesn’t look good next to DC Direct’s Impulse as the first was based on an artist’s rendition. In fact, they don’t look like they are the same characters at all.

Stability

Kid Flash is stable, but one needs to find the right angles to bend his knees to balance him. Although he comes with a Teen Titans’ styled action figure stand, its peg is so small that it doesn’t hold the figure still very well. He’s better of without it. Because Kid Flash’s feet are large, and his torso light, his body’s weight is well distributed.

Articulation

Kid Flash has eleven articulations at the neck, the shoulders, the elbows, the forearms/ wrists, the hips and the knees. A ball joint head would have been cool, as the Silver Age Flash and Kid Flash and the JLA Flash had them. Shoulders have ball joints too. As the gloves reach over the forearm, it seems that the articulations are higher than the wrists. It’s a good thing that DC Direct resisted doing ankle articulations as they are not good with them.

Plastic

Kid Flash’s plastic is soft and not as sturdy as other DC Direct toys such Vandal Savage’s. So far, the plastic has persevered in the warm weather and the figure did not bend. Bolts hold Kid Flash’s elbows and knees. His torso is a single piece into where the head, the shoulders and thighs tie.

Packaging

The packaging is the same for each Teen Titans figure in this wave. It’s a cardboard with comic book illustrations of the Teen Titans. There’s a sticker on the front with the character’s name. DC Direct’s packaging has improved as it doesn’t take much space, and the figure is artwork nicer than older DC Direct action figures.

Cost

Bought as a pack with the other figures DC Direct released him with, Kid Flash should cost less. However, not all retailers pass on these savings to their customers. Retailers purchasing master cases or inner cases get greater discounts than those ordering the figures individually. Yet, because DC Direct has improved its packaging, these figure cost less than they did a year ago.

Availability

Kid Flash is one of the most popular characters from this wave, along with Superboy. As the sculpt is great and impulse had a great following and his own series before, he has lots of fans. Don’t expect this figure to remain available for long. DC Direct action figures are made to order. That’s why DC Direct solicits them months in advance. Once they are gone from stores, they are only available through trade or auctions.

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