Han Solo (Bespin) - TBS [TESB40] - Six Inch Figures

Hey Hasbro! It’s not Han Solo (Bespin). It’s Han Solo (Bespin Outfit). How hard is it to compare the vintage Kenner figures’ card art and apply it to your modern figures’ packaging? Goodness, gracious. Regardless, Hasbro wisely chose Han Solo (Bespin) to start The Black Series [The Empire Strikes Back 40] lineup with a placement in the first wave. In all honesty, the first wave of figures isn’t terrible. Still, perhaps characters like AT-AT Driver and Yoda should have been reserved for wave 2 in favor of getting pivotal characters like the Snowtrooper (not currently part of the line) and bounty hunters (also not part of the line) instead. The original Han Solo (Bespin) figure from 2018 entered the line with Photo Real deco, so aside from a few slight paint operation variances, it’s safe to designate 2020’s TBS [TESB40] Han Solo (Bespin) version as a straight repack of the first release. Han Solo (Bespin) is a stunning release. It captures the likeness and attitude of actor Harrison Ford’s on-screen character of Han Solo beautifully. And it’s a privilege to have to the opportunity to purchase this action figure in vintage Kenner-inspired packaging, the way that all Star Wars toys should arrive to collectors.

Thank goodness that 2020 provides reasons for Hasbro to brace the Original Trilogy again by releasing a ton of products focused on The Empire Strikes Back's 40 glorious years! These characters are the bread and butter of the 6” line. Han Solo (Bespin) is a character that collectors of the 6” line have waited for much too long. How excellent is it that they have another chance to grab this character less than two years out from its original release? Hasbro focused on the many characters from Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, but they kept overlooking the main characters for much too long. Now the line is refocusing on them once again. Like many other Han Solo action figures before this one, Han Solo (Bespin) is loaded with 28 points of premium articulation. The articulation system that Hasbro employs for the figures in The Black Series 6” line is consistent, albeit unsurprising at this point. But no one can argue that it doesn’t provide adequate movement for the figures that receive it. Han Solo (Bespin) attains a ton of interesting positions thanks to strategic and functional articulation. And the parts are tooled in a manner that can accurately accompany the included accessories.

In particular, Han Solo (Bespin)’s right-hand fits the included blaster pistol like a glove. The functioning holster works well, holding the blaster, but the snap potion that locks it in place doesn’t work as well on our sample. (It doesn’t stay closed.) It’s likely a one-off issue, so there is probably no need to be concerned with your sample. The jacket shell is removable, but like most shells, the figure doesn’t look “right” once it is removed. Right now, it’s the only way that Hasbro can add “jackets” to figures, so this is something we’re going to have to deal with for the foreseeable future. We don’t see Hasbro adding premium and fitted soft-good jackets to their figures ever. Perhaps if they made them nonremovable (and part of the torso tooling), things would be more streamlined here. To our shock, Hasbro chose the correct frame still from The Empire Strikes Back for the figure’s card back. There are many similar images available online, but the placement of Han Solo right hand differs on them. Hasbro utilized the original Kenner reference image for this 2020 update, and we’re thankful they didn’t phone it in as they did with Luke Skywalker (Bespin). Still, we prefer 1981's ESB Han Solo (Bespin Outfit) better. Han Solo (Bespin) is a wonderful re-release.