Mezco’s One:12 Collective Taps Into the Speed Force for The Flash

This year is not going to be a great year for my savings account. There are just too many incredible collectibles on the way, and I never learned self-control when it came to buying things I wanted. I guess things like Mezco's One:12 Collective will prove valuable in other ways, such as helping me lose weight since I won't be able to afford to eat in order to keep up with my horrible toy habit.

I've written fairly extensively about Mezco's One:12 Collective and the promise it holds over the past year. With each new reveal of an upcoming character or license, the 6" series grows stronger. This year's Toy Fair showed a number of stunning new pieces that would shine on any shelf in any collection. That's definitely true with The Flash here, who will be joining the DC Comics portion of the line next week.

Mezco's Flash is based on Barry Allen, which doesn't make him my favorite Flash right out of the gate, but because the figure includes an alternate head sculpt with whited-out eyes, I can imagine this is Wally West. The white eye head also has an actual facial expression, which adds some bonus points. The small detail of eye color isn't enough to deter me from enjoying what is arguably the most impressive Flash action figure ever developed. Plus, it sort of hybridizes both Barry's and Wally's costumes to arrive at a uniform that's instantly recognizable but not tied to any specific moment in Flash history.

I love the cloth costume. It's got a great deep red hue, and allows you to enjoy the simplicity of Flash's design. Unlike some of the more complicated outfits he's worn over the years, and even recently, this figure has a decidedly old school vibe, which I think will go a long way in winning over fans. Plus, he's got those cool lightning effects to attach to make him look like he's really running as fast as we know the Flash can. There's also a little tornado effect to slap on there. Though it's a nice, small touch, I'd have rather seen something that would help create more of an illusion of his speed, like a quick-stop dust effect.

The One:12 Collective Flash will be available for pre-order starting on April 18 for $75. The Flash is expected to arrive this fall.