Figure of the Day: Day 832: Han Solo with Torture Rack

HAN SOLO with Torture Rack
30th Anniversary Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87500 No. 87391
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #3038
Includes: Coin, torture rack
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: November 2007
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray.

Bio: Han and his friends go to Bespin to escape the Empire, but Han's friend Lando turns them over to their enemy, Darth Vader. Strapped to a rack, Han is tortured with no idea why, telling Leia afterwards, "They never even asked me any qestions." (Taken from the cardback.)

Commentary: First thing's first: he doesn't have a blaster. Despite one appearing in the package illustration, this Han Solo has no gun and no holster-- it's simply a distressed man with a torture rack. Surprisingly, Hasbro did a bang-up job with the figure. Wisely reusing the legs from the 2006 Han Solo with Trenchcoat, the figure has a new torso, head, and arms to complete the Bespin ensemble. Like most recently released Han Solo figures, he has 14 points of articulation. Unlike most figures, he can sit-- the lack of the holster allows him to be seated quite easily in the recently released Millennium Falcon, and other vehicles. Handy! The likeness is good, the costume is pretty great, the only real downer here is that without the holster, his lower half looks really scrawny. Perhaps it's the pose, but this is a figure that could definitely look a little bit stronger. Odds are Hasbro will revisit this figure in 2009 or 2010 to create a non-tortured version of the character in this costume.

The torture rack itself is big and fairly impressive. It's also fragile-- those wires decorating its exterior can snap easily and accidentally, so take care when removing it from the package. Molded in a greyish, silvery plastic, the device has lots of highlights on it which give you the sense that it's either rusty or lit up with orange lights. I'm not quite sure what they were going for, but it worked nicely. The straps are glued down on one side, and tabbed in place on the other. Again, be careful when removing the figure so as not to rip them out. The entire package is quite impressive for the money and is well worth picking up at even a slight premium.

Collector's Notes: A super-articulated Han Solo and a giant accessory for $7? It's a fantastic deal. While the tortured look may not be ideal for all fans, I can say that this is one of the first figures I grabbed when I got my new Falcon together and he is an ideal candidate for its many seats and stations. Get one, you won't be sorry. (But hold off on buying a second as it's quite likely a revised Bespin Han will be sold soon.)

--Adam Pawlus

Day 832: August 21, 2008