Figure of the Day: Day 244: Han Solo in Stormtrooper Disguise

HAN SOLO Stormtrooper Disguise
30th Anniversary Collection Comic Packs
Item No.: Asst. 87504 No. 87506
Number: 4
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Includes: Helmet, blaster rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99+
Availability: December 2006
Appearances: Star Wars from Marvel Comics

Bio: In a daring - some would say reckless and ill-advised - plan to rescue Princess Leia from Imperial clutches, Han poses as a Stormtrooper and Chewbacca as a prisoner aboard the Death Star. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: The TV tray of Adam Pawlus. The figure stand was manufactured by P&P Products.

Commentary: The regular Comic Packs were initially mostly just repaints. This Han Solo has new and old parts, with a new (or at least mostly new) head and a modified Shadow Stormtrooper body (check the copyright against the Vintage OTC Stormtrooper). Despite what fans said initially, the head is not swappable with the "Clone" Sandtrooper head that was packaged with the Tin sets-- so for now, you're going to have to wait for Hasbro to make a regular, non-comic version of this figure unless you feel like doing some cutting, sanding, and/or gluing.

So, what's good here? The helmet fits on pretty much perfectly, the articulation is great, and the coloring is unique, to say the least. If the idea of comic-inspired shading doesn't excite you, you can pass on this one. Of course, when you get right down to it, you're going to be hard pressed to find this character with this coloring in the comics, so really, you should only buy this if you like it for what it is-- a freak, pseudo pop-art looking version of a figure that you still don't have as a "normal" release yet. Our sample had a malformed right hand (just like the aforementioned Saga Tin Sandtrooper), but can hold the gun in his left hand just fine. I like this figure because it's weird. But keep that in mind-- it's weird. For collectors looking for things to skip, this is utterly skippable because odds are you a) have a Han Solo Stormtrooper or b) are willing to wait for the inevitable, improved redeco. (Hey Hasbro: take this figure and a Luke Stormtrooper, and package them with an issue of the Dark Horse Comics re-envisioning of Star Wars from 1997. You'll sell tons because people like me will by them by the bushel and leave the helmets on. C'mon, do it. It'd make a great exclusive for somebody.)

Collector's Notes: At this time, the figure is so new it's hard to tell if it's going to be a good seller or not. So far it's doing reasonably well, but it did come out during the holiday season, was priced very attractively ($9.99-$12.99 vs. $6.99-$7.64 for one figure), and was packed at 2 per case. (For the record, the Darth Vader & Rebel Trooper set was 4 per case, and the Tarkin & Stormtrooper set was 2 per case.)

Day 244: January 5, 2007

See you on the other side, Sam.