Here we have The Flash in-hand. A retool of the blank body used on figures like classic Blue Beetle and Booster Gold, among others. The proportions are already a fit for most DC characters unlike the builds we see for the Sunfire or Vulcan body-type being reused for many characters in Marvel Legends that don't fit well with it. This, being Barry Allen, means that he has asymmetrical belt and no white eyes. There's little in the way of deco beyond the symbol and the zig zags on the belt and forearms. While the red looks fine as it is, the yellow could use a layer of paint to not look. Heap on the boots and antennae, especially to hide any molding imperfections.
The head sculpt is done very well and thankfully has the paint apps aligned where they need to. This is especially with how the flesh tones and the ears are all part of the same sculpt. His articulation is usually for the line, including a double-ball neck joint, ball joints for front and back motion in addition to having them shift around with the rotator cuffs hiding said joint, hinges for outward arm movement, bicep rotation, double-jointed elbows, and double-purpose wrists that can rotate at two pegs, with the connection at the forearm allowing the hands to hinge either vertically or horizontally. The torso includes a diaphragm joint and dumbbell waist, hips can move front and back as well as in and out, slight thigh rotation is included, knees bend with double-joints, and the feet can rotate, hinge, and pivot. Finally, the toes can bend for running poses.
As advertised on the box, he comes with an alternate Barry Allen head and a mask folded away a la Marvel Legends 20th Anniversary Captain America. These pieces further make a figure feel complete, though he could use some alternate hands to boot. Speaking of, he has some giant legs meant for the Cyborg BAF, which makes me almost want complete him in spite of my lack of plans for more Flashpoint figures (at least right now).
As for Captain Cold, this figure is based on his appearance in Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge. It is a retool of his Page Punchers counterpart, who was in a more modern costume used during the Flash relaunch comic, with the arms, torso, and lower legs reused. While it may seem odd that a more classic version of the character has these blemishes and textures that were found on a more modern design, one could say that the design makes sense given they are costumes reused by the same character rather than a case of poor retooling (like using the Knightfall Catwoman mold for the 2023 Target Supergirl). At the very least, I appreciate the wash applied to make the figure less cheap than it would otherwise be, even if it's mostly on the textured areas. The gold on the belt is nice but the banana yellow on the holster is distracting.
His head sculpt is a signature part of the character, with a visor that keeps his eyes from getting fucked over by the increasingly low temperatures with the white eyes etched in rather than be simple tampographs. I also appreciate the wash applied onto the white part of the hood to make it appear worn out and somewhat dirty given his life of crime. With his articulation being the same as the Flash (more or less), he comes with two pairs of alternate hands: one with more gestural hands and another pair meant to hold his metallic purple cold gun. The circumference could be wider for better insertion. He also has one alternate face plate showcasing a smirk with even thinner eyes, with this being a different way of switching expressions rather than using entirely separate heads. Also, the holster is neither able to open nor is it going to fit with the cold gun.
As far as reuses are concerned, there is a Platinum variant of Captain Cold with blue faces, a seemingly more bronze belt, and a white holster that fits better with the rest of the look. I also like the red gun in this case. Flash, meanwhile, has a digital variant that comes with translucent red parts for the legs and lightning effects for when he's running. Be warned: the clear plastic is notorious for breaking apart.
We also have versions of the Flash meant to represent Wally West Flash, though the card art is that of Barry Allen. The figure came with punching and kicking effect parts meant to simulate the motions of the game, and a Darkseid torso piece was included. The wave was notorious for having the characters all in these weird pixelated decoes meant to emulate the sprites of the games, but it comes off as pretty ugly-sweater looking. There is a variant with inverted colors for both parts.
Overall, Flash is generally good in spite of a sore lack of accessories beyond the Barry Allen head and the folded away mask; some alternate hands and/or the lightning effects would have went well with him, but I guess that is more limiting with the McFarlane BAF waves. Meanwhile, Captain Cold is great for anyone who was already a fan of the Collector Edition concept thanks to the many different hands and face plates to choose from. He has his third option which is a more angry look for when the Flash mocks him as always. While Barry is a necessity for your DC displays, Captain Cold is a.more worthwhile figure overall. Get it while it's out there, and you may find the Platinum version if you're lucky! As for the Flash, the digital version may be more available, but be careful with those legs.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (The Flash)
⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Captain Cold)
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