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

So Hasbro can release an exclusive accessory from a 2013 San Diego Comic-Con exclusive for The Black Series 6” collectors, but they can’t re-release The Vintage Collection’s Salacious Crumb (VC66) and Mouse Droid (VC67) exclusive micro figures from the 2011 TVC Revenge Of The Jedi [Death Star II] release? Sigh. We’re happy for you sixers, but come on, Hasbro. Don’t keep punishing 3.75” collectors with your indifference to the line. Han Solo (Carbonite) gets its single release in The Black Series [The Empire Strikes Back 40] line as an Amazon exclusive. When announced, Amazon couldn’t get their product page for this exclusive up in time, so Hasbro Pulse came to the rescue and pre-sold a small batch of them for collectors to help take the pressure off Amazon. For seven years, 6” collectors begged Hasbro to reissue this “figure” since so many people missed out on the 2013 release. It took them much too long to get it out, but now it’s here, and The Black Series 6” collectors appear to be happy with this accessory’s availability. The 2020 version is a repaint of the 2013 release. It looks a little bit better this time around, but other than the paint operations, it’s the same piece, complete with the 2013 date stamp. The card art is disappointing. Hasbro was lazy and used the front-facing graphics of the carbonite block from Jabba’s Palace as the central image. Then they “airbrushed” some Cloud City orange smoke behind it to give collectors a false sense that you’re looking at a still from The Empire Strikes Back. (Spoiler alert: you’re not.) There are PLENTY of Han Solo (Carbonite) images from Episode V Hasbro could have used. So we don’t understand why they approached the artwork in the way that they did. We find it egregious that this “figure” is called Han Solo (Carbonite), and there is no fully-articulated Han Solo figure behind the carbonite block. A carbonite block is an accessory, not a character or a figure. And yes, we would have happily paid $24.99 for a figure with carbonite block. It’s a genuine shame that Hasbro released this highly-desired accessory the way they did. This item could have been combined with other things to make it an exceptional release. Then again, we imagine most collectors are just happy to have the opportunity to purchase this. So, we’ll leave it at that.