Here we have Jay Garrick Flash in-hand, who is a retool of the 2023 version we got back when the DCEU was on auto-Gunn mode with a movie based on Ezra Miller's misadventures flopping harder than a flaccid happy space. It's funny how this was a look that almost doesn't scream "The Flash" because Jay looks like a normal dude with an upside down lightning bolt on his shirt, but we have to keep in mind that apart from Superman, Batman, and Captain America, most superheroes in the Golden Age weren't exactly known for being like the characters that shaped the Silver, Bronze, and modern ages as we know them. I like the shades of red and blue we have here, but I have to admit that the belt buckle being painted on once again is bothersome since you could easily sculpt it on there. The lightning bolt looks good from a distance yet there are some slight alignment errors here and there. At least the boots have the wings on them, though given their placement near the ankles, they sort of make him more like Namor compared to the lightning bolts used on any other Flash title bearer. Also, the body build for the character is a good balance between comic book exaggerations and lean/mean for a runner.
Head sculpt is the same from what we got before, and I appreciate that the wings on his flying saucer head have a bit of sharp detailing in them, though given how much older Jay became by the time Flash of Two Worlds popped up, shouldn't this also be aged up? Articulation is the same as before, though with superhero costumes like this, be ready to make sure his lightning bolt is aligned since some torso joints tend to feel more stuck on some copies than others. The biggest complaint I have about the figure is the severe lack of accessories. If this guy had an unhelmeted head or more alternate hands, that would be one thing. If he had the same reused lightning effect parts we got in the past, that would be fine even if they didn't stay on that great for my Snyder Cut Flash. But to come with nothing but a stand and a card is always an L when it comes to McFarlane standards. Even the Barry Allen reissue came with alternate hands, which makes up for the lack of an unmasked head somewhat.
I know he is a Page Punchers release, and therefore the comic book would be the main selling point, but was it hard to give him SOMETHING to swap? Anyways, for his comic book, it is the first of an uncountable number of multiverse crossovers within DC, even predating the Crisis on Infinite earths and the continuity reboot fetish they keep doing. After a weird molecule vibration quirk took him to Earth-2, Barry Allen encounters Jay Garrick, this allowing the Silver Age hero to go between worlds. More of these crossovers popped up before they ended with COIE.
For a comparison with the Flashpoint version of Barry Allen, we can see how much costume design philosophy changed between the Golden and Silver Ages. Yet the use of red and lightning is at least consistent between the two. I also have a stock photo of the 2023 version with brighter colors, a yellow belt, and more modern-superhero gloves and boots. He even came with alternate hands and lightning parts, so why can't this one?
As for the other versions of the Jay Garrick mold, we have the Flash Age version which gives him even darker colors with an outline of a lightning bolt. If not for the head, he would have been mistaken for the Rival, whose colors are closer to the Page Punchers version but with brown boots and an evil face that screams unlimited power.
Now for anyone new to the school of McFarlane repaint sublines: the Jokerized line is self-explanatory yet is often described as either the characters being corrupted by the dude himself or just vandalized as he tends to do in-universe. It's like the many glow in the dark/black & white/frostbite repaints that come out where they expand on a year's worth of repaints. Some like them, some hate them, I find some cool and others needless. Like why would Joker Jokerize himself beyond line completion? I would like to see a Jokerized Batfleck like what was intended for the Suicide Squad movie? By the way, WB and Ayer are cowards for not doing anything with the Ayer Cut.
In this case, many collectors would probably want to get Jokerized Superman because his changes are not only reduced to the face and hands, but he uses he COIE body we first got with Earth-2 Superman. It is based on how he appeared in Superman #9, which also adds some proper justification to pick this up if you want to recreate that story. The colors are almost close to Silver Age, but there is no logo outline as many complained about. With the red and yellow already standing out among the sea of his costume's blue, that black outline isn't needed at all, even on the light blue. Thankfully, the shades of blue are slightly different, at least in my pictures. Furthermore, JS has Kryptonite chains that can wrap around him for some further display potential, seeing regular Superman weakened by those chiseled space rocks.
This figure also comes with playing cards equally vandalized after the Joker himself, all too appropriate for someone like him in addition to his use of cards. If you get many other figures in the line, you can easily get a whole deck to do any solitaire games. By the way, anyone still play those Windows card games? I'm more likely going to play those than get more Jokerized figures.
Taking the thumbnail from none other than Brad the DC Universe Geek, this figure can have the parts swapped with Silver Age so we can have a proper classic Superman without a black outline on his logo. The hands should be easy to swap (though switching the wrist joints will be harder to do), but while the necks should be swapped to complete the look, you will need to use a heat gun of boiling water. The former is easier to prevent getting the cloth goods wet. Do this at your own risk, because I may do just that. Unlike Brad, the other parts will not go to waste. So while Jay is left behind for missing accessories, Joke gets the last laugh for having more, being based on actual DC history, and containing custom potential.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Jay Garrick)
⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Jokerman)
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