Sculpt--5/5
There is no doubt about it, this is the best-looking Han Solo figure in this scale. Commtech Chip Han Solo? Bespin Capture Han Solo? Death Star Escape Han Solo? Those are caricatures compared to this figure. When I first saw this figure I thought to myself, "He's much too skinny, the neck looks aweful, and the headsculpt doesn't look that great." Now that I have the figure in my hands, I take all of that back. The headsculpt, while not perfect, is definitely better than past versions. There's a decent likeness to Harrison Ford from certain angles, and Hasbro did a good job of sculpting Han's hair. The neck doesn't look as bad as I thought it would. It does look a little strange from the side, but only if you have Han's head tilted upward. The proportions are also not that bad, and comparing this figure to older Han Solo figures, it's a definite improvement.

Detailing on Han's outfit has never been better, with realistic folds and very sharp details. I know some were hoping that his vest would be molded separately, but molding it together has worked well here, not looking chunky like on Commtech Chip Han Solo. However, they did mold Han's belt and holster separately which is something new for a Han Solo figure. I'm not entirely convinced that this was a good idea, as the belt looks a bit chunky in certain areas. On the other hand, it does add to the realism a bit--on older figures, the hip articulation would leave unnatural gaps between the holster and belt. Han's pants also look great with the now requisite textures and appropriate folds and creases. Han's boots look equally nice with subtle textures that convey the leather look of the real thing.

Articulation--5/5
Han Solo has 14 points of articulation: ball-jointed neck, ball-jointed shoulders, ball-jointed elbows, standard wrists, standard waist, standard hips, ball-jointed knees, and ball-jointed ankles. All the ball-joints allow a tremendous variety of poses. The only joints that could have been better are the ankle joints--there isn't as much motion as I would have liked and you can't bend the foot forward too far. Other than that, there isn't anything to complain about! This is truly the Han Solo figure to have if you love creating your own poses.

Accessories--4/5
You can't expect anything more than what the vintage figure came with, and that's precisely what you get--Han's blaster pistol. It's pretty much the same as the one that came with Commtech Chip Han Solo, which is good but not perfect; newer versions of Han's blaster have more detail, so it's a bit of a disappointment to see this old piece come up again when a more detailed one could be made. Of course, Hasbro hasn't made an A New Hope version of Han's blaster since Commtech Chip Han Solo, so they took the cheap and easy route.

Paint--4/5
Paint is generally good, but my figure has a slightly sloppy hairline and the collar area of his shirt is overpainted onto his vest. Other than that, I've got no problems with the paint job. I have since seen plenty of Han Solo's with good paint jobs so if you have a choice, pick a good one.

Packaging--5/5
One of the big draws about these figures is the reproduction packaging they come in. Anyone who grew up with the vintage figures will no doubt love seeing these. I myself have to admit that there is something kind of magical about holding these in my hands. It's like buying a bit of my childhood without paying hundreds of dollars. To make the package even more special, Hasbro encased them in a nice clamshell case which protects the card and bubble. The cardbacks are done well and show off the original figure in it's packaging and also show the other figures in the series. It's too bad Hasbro couldn't continue the vintage recreation to the cardbacks, but apparently there were legal issues with that. Still, it would have been cool if they had at least mimicked the look of the vintage cardbacks.

Overall--5/5
If you are a Star Wars action figure fan then you need to own this figure. It's that simple. Hands down the best Han Solo figure made. Excellent sculpting and articulation and a great-looking package for MOC collectors. This is right up there with the Super-Poseable Clone Trooper. The ten dollar price tag could seem a bit steep, but in terms of this figure, it's worth it. Thankfully, Han is the easiest to find of the A New Hope wave of figures, so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding him at Toys R Us or Target--or you can buy him online via some of the links below.

--Photos and review by Garett Yoshimura
garett@carrotnetwork.com