'Star Wars' Collectibles & Toys Review: Hasbro Star Wars: Black Series Han Solo Action Figure

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Han Solo (from Solo: A Star Wars Story). Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL)

 In April of 2018, a month before Lucasfilm's Solo: A Star Wars Story premiered in theaters, Hasbro officially released Star Wars Black Series: Han Solo as part of one of its "waves" of action figure assortments. This figure represents the first sculpt of the young Han Solo as portrayed on film by Alden Ehrenreich; Hasbro has made at least one more variant (Han Solo - Mimban) in his Imperial infantry gear, but this one depicts everyone's favorite Corellian orphan-turned-scoundrel as he appears in the latter half of Solo: A Star Wars Story. 

  Han Solo reinvents himself after leaving behind his old life. Now, Solo is growing increasingly comfortable traveling with law-benders and scoundrels. - Hasbro character description

 Although Solo: A Star Wars Story was not successful at the box office, it's still part of the overall Star Wars canon. and Han - no matter if he's played by Ehrenreich or Harrison Ford, is still a fan favorite, so I was happy and grateful when I received Star Wars Black Series: Han Solo as one of four Hasbro figures for my birthday a few weeks ago.

The Black Series 6-inch action figure of the young Han Solo. Photo Credit and © 2018 Hasbro, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL)



If you're a regular visitor to A Certain Point of View, you know that I've been collecting Star Wars action figures since Kenner Toys belatedly introduced them early in 1978. I was 15 then, and I have seen how the toys/collectibles have evolved over time in every area imaginable. Thanks to computer-assisted design and manufacturing methods, improved sculpts, and an awareness that many (if not most) buyers of Star Wars figures now are adult fans who love them for their nostalgia value, modern figures are more detailed and life-like than their Kenner vintage precursors.

Kids and fans alike can imagine the biggest battles and missions in the Star Wars saga with figures from Star Wars The Black Series! With exquisite features and decoration, this series embodies the quality and realism that Star Wars devotees love. - from Hasbro's website page for Star Wars Black Series: Han Solo

Star Wars Black Series: Han Solo is, like the other figures in Hasbro's unexpectedly successful 6-inch scale line, nicely detailed and, thanks to its 20 points of articulation, can be posed in a more lifelike fashion than the original Kenner figure of the character as played by Harrison Ford from 1978. (That figure only had five points of articulation and didn't bear much resemblance to Han as he appears in the original 1977 Star Wars movie.)

Kenner's original Han Solo (Big Head variant) action figure from 1978. Photo Credit: www.entertainmentearth.com. © 1977 Kenner Toys and 20th Century Fox Film Corp. 

 This 6-inch-scale Han Solo figure is carefully detailed to look like the character from Solo: A Star Wars Story. Figure features premium detail and 20 points of articulation.

 • Includes figure and accessory. 

 • Detailed, 6-inch scale Han Solo figure from Solo: A Star Wars Story
• Premium design and detail
• Expand and enhance Star Wars collection (Additional products sold separately) - from Hasbro's website page for Star Wars Black Series: Han Solo

Photo Credit and © 2018 Hasbro, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL)

My Take

As a Star Wars `77 Generation fan and long-time action figure collector, I must say that Hasbro's 21st Century figures are, in the words of a certain Dark Lord of the Sith, "Impressive. Most impressive." 

Star Wars Black Series: Han Solo comes in Hasbro's now-familiar black-and-red box packaging with a see-through window on the front panel. Inside: the Han Solo action figure depicting the character as seen in Act Three of Solo: A Star Wars Story and a DL-44 BlasTech blaster pistol. The figure replicates costume designers David Crossman and Glyn Dillon's "look" for Solo's outfit, which itself is based on the late John Mollo's work for Star Wars. The character is shown wearing a pilot's jacket over a black undertunic, blue military-style trousers with a red "Corellian Bloodstripe" piping, a quick-draw holster for Han's DL-44 blaster pistol, and black knee-high boots. 

The 20 points of articulation allow collectors to display the figure in life-like poses, something you could never quite do with the original vintage figures from Kenner. Of course, if you look at the figure too closely, so many POAs do make Star Wars Black Series: Han Solo look like a toy rather than just a miniature sculpture, but it's still a nicely done collectible. 

All in all, Star Wars Black Series: Han Solo is a superbly-done depiction of an iconic Star Wars character, and it's definitely worth adding to your collection of action figures. 

Until next time, Dear Reader, may the Force be with you. 

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