TOY REVIEW: Han Solo, Slave Leia, other action-figures of Star Wars Black Series Wave 2

For decades, fans had to make do with tiny, three-inch Lukes and Darth Vaders.

Given the proliferation of taller miniatures like DC Unlimited and Marvel Legends, it was a wonder why Hasbro didn’t follow suit by giving the venerated Star Wars license its own six-inch action figure line.

 

Then last year, Hasbro revealed their new Star Wars Black Series. Finally, here was the Star Wars action figure line everyone had been waiting for. At six inches, each character of Wave 1 had more articulation, better paint apps, and vastly improved sculpts compared to any other previously-released three-inch toy inspired by the beloved sci-fi epic.

 

Hasbro’s Star Wars Black Series Wave 2 has been gradually trickling onto Philippine shelves for the past few months, and these figures are looking better than ever… well, for the most part.

 

This review examines all four figures of Wave 2: Han Solo, Boba Fett, Greedo, and Princess Leia in her slave outfit.

 

 

Han Solo shoots first

 

First up is loveable rogue, and smuggler-turned-rebel-hero, Han Solo. Solo appears as he does in “Star Wars: A New Hope”, with his signature black vest over a beige, long-sleeved shirt, dark blue pants and tall, shiny boots. The sculpting on these clothes are fantastic, featuring numerous wrinkles on the shirt, pockets on the vest, and creases on the pants.

 

The face sculpt, while good, is not a perfect likeness of actor Harrison Ford’s mug. Certain characteristics – such as his enormous nose, stern gaze, prominent brow, thick lower lip, and rounded chin – were slightly exaggerated to make him recognizable. And while the sculpture does succeed in attaining this level of familiarity, it also ends up making the figure’s face something of a caricature rather than an exact replica of Ford’s.

 

The paint job is sort of a mixed bag across the line. I’ve seen some terrific ones, but also a number of sloppy ones, including a cross-eyed Solo and one with an unintentional beauty mark on his cheek. Buyers are advised to be extremely selective when making a purchase.

 

Accessories include an extra pair of gloved hands and two excellently-detailed weapons, including a Stormtrooper blaster and a pistol. Solo comes with a white Stormtrooper belt decked with pouches, which can be replaced by a beautiful brown belt replete with studs, latches, straps, even more pouches, and a holster that provides a wonderful fit for his pistol.

 

With more than a dozen points of articulation, Solo’s range of motion is just awesome. Ball joints can be found in his neck, shoulders, and hips. He has cuts on his biceps and thighs. His elbows and wrists make use of pins and discs for swiveling movements. His knees contain double pins, and his ankles feature a rocker joint, enabling him to keep his feet flat on the ground whatever his pose. These joints are also delightfully rigid; no wilting arms or floppy legs on this figure.

  

Boba Fett – from Sarlacc stomach to plastic heaven

 

Next is bounty hunter, Boba Fett. Standing just slightly taller than Solo, Fett is perfection in plastic as far as the sculpt and paintjob are concerned. 

 

You will find crinkles in the “fabric” of his outfit; appropriately-placed weathering and damage on his armor; and magnificently-detailed belts, pouches, and electronics. As for his helmet, it is huge, and as menacingly cool as expected.

 

Fett’s accessories are just as nicely done. One is a blaster that fits snugly into both hands and the holster by his right leg. He has, however, somewhat of a tougher time holding the larger rifle. Even when you do manage to get him to wrap his fingers around its handle, the positioning looks awkward, as if peppering his foes with plasma bullets is the last thing in his Mandalorian brain.

 

Of course, Fett never leaves home without his jetpack. This has a peg that inserts tightly into a hole in his back, so now you can enact make-believe scenes in which Fett escapes the Sarlacc pit through flight powered by lips-induced whooshing noises. 

 

Where Boba Fett suffers is the articulation department. Though he possesses all the joints the other figures in the Black Series have, his bulky sculpt hinders a lot of movement. The massive belt pouches hanging from his belt, in particular, prevent him from fully swinging his legs forwards. The thick armor gracing each upper arm also limits shoulder movements.

 

Lastly, Fett is a bit top-heavy. Standing him can be frustrating, as he has a penchant for falling over. One of the more stable poses you can give him is one in which he keeps his torso in line with his legs, and his entire form leaning forwards slightly; an awkward look for such a beautifully-rendered figure.

 

Greedo survives his 15 minutes of fame

 

Despite an appearance in “A New Hope” that lasts barely two minutes, Greedo remains one of the most recognizable faces in Star Wars, and perhaps also one of its most important. He is, after all, the vehicle through which we are first introduced to the epic badass-ness that is Han Solo shooting first. Of course, that depends on which version of that fateful Mos Eisley Cantina encounter you consider canon.

 

Regardless of whether or not you’re a fan of the verdant Rodian’s design, Greedo is actually quite a pleasant surprise in figure form. Sculpt-wise, he looks marvelous. His clothes have more rumples than you can count, and they’ve even been painted to look grimy – as if he’s been left under the couch for a decade, collecting dust and rat urine. 

 

Did Greedo spend some time wallowing in the Tatooine sand before confronting Solo in the Cantina? I don’t know, and I don’t care; this figure is amazing. 

 

Greedo’s head is a spot-on rendition of his live action counterpart’s, from the warts dotting his scalp and the scales riddling his brow; his fleshy mohawk; the weird snorkel-like antennae on his dome; the cute, bulbous, hamster eyes; and his stunted proboscis.

 

Greedo only has one accessory – a cool pistol that’s a nice fit in his right hand. Maybe it would’ve been cool if he’d have gotten an interchangeable, burnt head, too, for laughs. C’mon Hasbro! Make it happen!

 

Articulation-wise, Greedo is just as awesome as Solo. Taut joints and superior flexibility make him a blast to play around with, so now you can have as many fantasy grudge matches between Greedo and Solo as you desire.

 

 

Slave Leia is depressed

 

Last is the eagerly-anticipated yet grossly-disappointing Princess Leia in her classic slave outfit.

 

The challenge with a near-naked figure is balancing aesthetics with articulation. The more articulate a figure is, the more noticeable its joints, and the greater the sculpt suffers. And sadly, this is the case with Slave Leia.

 

The hips are particularly ugly. I know they were going for an hour-glass figure for this, er, figure, but the ball joints that connect the upper thighs to the pelvic region are just plain awkward-looking. Thankfully the other joints don’t look as bad. Hasbro cleverly positioned the chest articulation under her lower bra straps, so the cut, though not exactly hidden, is less conspicuous.

 

Sculpting on Leia is good to sub-standard. The detail on the hair and hair ornaments are nice, but the bra, belt, and shoes are lacking. Her loin cloth is made of real cloth, which would have been fine, expect that its edges are frayed. Some trimming might be necessary, here.

 

The head sculpt is what is most bothersome. The truth is the figure’s face bears a remarkable resemblance to actress Carrie Fisher’s; the bad news is that it looks like they modeled it after a picture of said actress having a very lousy day. There is no fire in her expression, none of the rebellious resolve her character is known for, only a leeching kind of sadness that drags all her features down. I suppose it makes sense for her to be depressed given her predicament, but a compelling figure it doesn’t make.

 

Leia is the shortest of the bunch; next to Solo, she looks like a child.

 

The paintjob is adequate on Leia, but again, like Solo, the quality differs from one figure to the next. On my particular piece, they painted the inside of her boots the color of her flesh. The result is that her calves look much thicker than they should. Has she been doing squats or something?

 

Leia comes with two accessories: a halberd and what looks like a staff/gun. Both are nicely detailed, and the rusty metallic paintjob on the staff looks sweet.

 

As for articulation, Leia is on par with Solo and Greedo.

The force is strong here 

 

With the exception of Slave Leia, Star Wars Black Series Wave 2 is utterly fantastic.

 

For me, excellent sculpts, paint jobs, and articulation make Solo and Greedo the clear winners this time around. Solo may not be Ford’s perfect plastic incarnation, but the figure gets the job done. As for Greedo, he just looks really cool.

 

As is stands, Star Wars Black Series is shaping up to be one of the best mass market toy lines out there. Perhaps one day it will even rival industry greats such as the aforementioned DC Unlimited and Marvel Legends. With an abundance of unique and memorable characters, the Star Wars universe is ripe for the picking.

 

The force is strong with this one, indeed. — KDM, GMA News