Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,329: Han Solo (1995 Classic Edition 4-Pack)

HAN SOLO Classic Edition 4-Pack
The Power of the Force Toys "R" Us Exclusive
Item No.: No. 69595
Manufacturer: Kenner
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster + 4 trading cards, 3 figures, and accessories
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99 (or $42.66 adjusted for inflation)
Availability: Fall 1995 (I think)
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: To commemorate the rich history of the Star Wars film series, Kenner presents this Classic Edition 4-Pack in a strictly limited release. Four of the most popular characters have been produced from molds cast directly from the original Kenner action figures dating to the late 1970's and early 1980's. This special edition comes as a new era for Star Wars toys is proudly unveiled. Look for the all-new line of Kenner action figures and vehicles that capture all the detail, authenticity, and excitement of the epic Star Wars tradition. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I somehow never got around to looking at the infamous Classic Edition 4-Pack action figures. Rumor has it this "strictly limited edition" was somewhere around 200,000-250,000, which is mind-bendingly insane by modern standards. 200,000 was a big success for the 1990s when it came to collector lines, but that's also why so many 1990s figures are so cheap today. Not only were they bought by adults who took very good care of them, they were made in incredible quantities. If you want something to be valuable, kids need to destroy the bulk of a very large run. This ensures demand existed, and will exist again. But I digress. Han Solo was one of four figures in this set, which fans largely hated upon its release I liked it for what it was - but the original Kenner figures were still affordable sans packaging around the mid-1990s. Not "cheap." Affordable.

If you read the bio, you got a look at one of very few explainers out of Kenner in that era. These were cast from new molds, which were cast from the old toys. There are signs of generation loss, and the shrinkage that happens when you make a mold from an old toy. Modern The Retro Collection figures are 3D scanned and that's easier to scale. What's harder to do is make the right changes to the mold - 2019 Han Solo lacks a lot of the detail that came from copying an original figure with analog techniques in 1995. 1995 Han has sharper, deeper sculpted details than the later reissue, plus details that got completely wiped out with the 2019 edition. 1995 Han has stitching on the back of his vest, and some wrinkles in his white shirt that seem a little more dynamic. The legs are pretty much the same, but the shirt looks a lot more smoothed-out in 2019.

Part of the reason for this is the paint. The Retro Collection and a lot of other lines have significantly thicker layers of paint in the 21st century. It wasn't uncommon to get a toy like a Battle Beasts figure that was cast in black plastic and painted orange, with mint-in-package samples showing through the paint. 1995 Han has much more detail in his shirt and belt buckle, and sure enough, the white paint is paler and thinner. The hair color is much lighter, and the facial details look more like 1990s-style. It's hard to put into words, but the eyes being brown and the very specific details being shaped differently, it's just not the same as a 1978 original small-head Han. It's similar, sure, but nobody is going to mistake one for the other. Kenner also updated the copyright on the leg, so anyone who does mistake this for a real 1970s release deserves what they (don't) get.

Han 1995 comes with a "Kenner blue" blaster that honestly does not match the specific Kenner blue hue of old. It's grayer, less saturated, and of course smaller. It fits his hand perfectly, and he doesn't drop it over time like the 2019 figure and its rereleases. (Hasbro really needs to retool the hand and/or blaster if that ever comes back.) It's not the same as the original, but it's different and interesting. It's like another variant of the original Han, which I find more and more charming as time goes on.

But how does it play? Great. The 1995-style smaller foot peg holes work with modern stands quite nicely, and I am fond of how he and Chewie sit well in the 1995 Millennium Falcon. While smaller than the 1978-1985 releases (or 2019-2024 releases), it feels more like a real toy that came out of a real toy company. Hasbro's 2019-2024 versions have better eye paint, better coloration, and more accurate sizing, but feel like the "toy" vibes got lost as a copy of a copy. You have to be very careful to get Retro Han to hold a blaster. "Classic" Han requires no such negotiations.

If you're a The Retro Collection fanatic looking for a fix, I recommend picking this set up. eBay prices are quite fair (given inflation), and the unique Topps promo cards in the box are a nice bonus. The set has unique details and accessories that clearly define them as a separate thing, and the set hails from an era when anything Star Wars was exciting and for many fans, still a fresh experience. Kenner stopped making Star Wars in 1985, and they were long gone by 1989, so by 1995 people were hungry for anything Kenner (or Galoob, or JusToys, or In Character) put out. Minds were blown by new action figures back then, and fans were just as nitpicky online about sizes or not being as good as the originals as they are today. Don't let that dissuade you - this is an interesting set unto itself. If you want an original, buy an original, this is nifty as a set that had to walk a thin line between "don't infuriate fans with original figures" and "don't anger fans who want exact replicas." Today, I wish they made more sets like this - but I confess, at the time, I wished they focused on new guys and fans just spent $5-$20 to get the genuine article (loose) at comic shops. Han was a valiant effort, and this four-pack would be the last time Hasbro tried to appeal to the OG figure crowd until mail-in Rocket Boba Fett in 2010. Which would be the last time Hasbro appealed to that crowd until 2019.

Wow, that was long. We'll revisit the other guys in this set soon.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Toys R Us a hair under 31 years ago.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,329: March 19, 2026