Review of Lando Calrissian - Star Wars Black Series
Solo: A Star Wars Story action figure

Introduction

While some nerds have been disappointed in the Star Wars releases of the last few years, I've been pleased. They haven't risen to the level of the very best in the series, but they are far superior to some of the crap we've seen. And Rogue One stands in my top three, not an easy feat.

The latest installment is Solo: A Star Wars Story, a prequel for Han. Reviews are generally positive, and I have my tickets all set for the perfect seats at the local IMAX. I have my fingers crossed that it will be good, but I'll admit that I'm not anticipating it like I am Deadpool 2...or Teen Titans Go To The Movies.

The 6" Black series of action figures has hit on several of the new characters...or new looks for old characters...and one of the more impressive ones, at least in the box, is Lando Calrissian. Played by the extremely talented and much in demand Donald Glover, early reviews peg him as a standout in the film. His figure is currently shipping, although its one of those that tends to sell out pretty fast. Expect to pay around $20 or so, depending on the retailer.

Packaging - ***1/2
The collector friendly box has the artwork I like so much, and the portrait they selected captures the essence of the character extremely well. This is number 65, which will be printed on the right side, making it easier to find it among the leftover Kylo's.

Sculpting - ***1/2
Glover is bringing lots of swagger and attitude to Lando, channeling Billy D all the way. Hasbro went with a very expressive portrait, and considering the scale - remember, this guy is just 6" tall - they did an admirable job.

With one eyebrow raised and squinted eyes, he oozes attitude. The likeness isn't quite perfect when it comes to accuracy to Glover, but it's close, and if you were to pop off the head and hand it to someone who had seen the movie, I have no doubt that they'd recognize him immediately.

The body is sculpted in his film costume, and a highlight are the boots. They have a Chelsea vibe, a perfect match to the rest of the ensemble.

There are a couple negatives. The hands are a little oversized, and the head can look that way because it's been scaled to look best when he's wearing the cape. When it's off, he looks a bit bobbly, but it's a minor nit overall.

Paint - **
Unfortunately, the paint work on mine is pretty sloppy. There's a bunch of stray marks - see that black dot right in the center of his forehead? - and edges are pretty weak. The eyes are straight, but the printing was inconsistent, and the few costume details (like the top of the pocket) are wonky and uneven.

I love the yellow color of the tunic, but here there are a bunch of stray marks as well. They are all the more obvious on a bright backdrop like this. 

Worst of all, while I was working with the figure, the paint started flecking off his nose. Yep, rubbing right off with basic handling! In a couple of the photos, like in the Articulation section, you'll see an ever expanding white dot on the end of his nose. This is not a reflection, but the paint coming off. Gah!

I do like the use of a gloss finish on the black boots, which makes them pop against the matte finish on the pants.

Articulation - ***1/2
He's very well articulated, more so than most of the Black Series.

There's a ball jointed neck of course, and the high collar on the shirt does interfere with it a bit. The shoulders are rotating hinge joints, as are the elbows and wrists, and you can get some decent arm poses, particularly with the gun.

The torso has a rolling ab joint, and two way hinge hips, cut thighs, double pin knees, and rotating hinge ankles (with plenty of rocker movement) round out the legs.

You should be able to get these joints to work well together to create fluid natural poses, and they work in concert better than expected on figures in this style and scale. It's not about to rival a One:12 Collective release, but it's right up there with the Marvel Legends in usefulness and realistic posing.

Accessories - ***
There's technically four, although most people will really only consider one.

The one that's obvious is his blaster. It's a two piece affair though, with the barrel section looking a bit like a silencer of sorts. Getting the gun in the holster can be a bit tricky, but I think I got it right in the photo below. I left off the barrel extension on purpose when in the holster - it falls off quite easily and can get lost. The sculpt is a bit soft on the blaster, made more obvious by the bright silver paint job.

The other two extras are actually costume pieces. He has his cape - capes are just so damn cool - and his scarf. These fit over his neck and shoulders neatly, and look great in place. He looks equally as great without them however, making this a very versatile figure.

Fun Factor - ****
He might have his issues, but this is a really fun figure. The articulation works great, and he's got all the swagger of Lando, wrapped up in a tiny, plastic package. Hasbro is doing an excellent job of making toys that will appeal to both kids and adult fans, walking that fine line where fun and aesthetics are both served.

Value - **1/2
Twenty bucks or so is the going rate these days for mass market 6" action figures. While I would be happier about $5 lower, I have to admit that companies like Hasbro took the money they saved when oil prices dropped and put it into better overall quality. I can live with that trade off.

Things to Watch Out For -
If you have a choice on the pegs, find one with the best possible paint.

Overall - ***
This guy would have been worth another half star easy, if not for the paint issues. I'm really disappointed that the paint on the nose flaked off so easily, and the quality right out of the box (with the sloppy edges and random spots) is not up to the standard we've come to expect in the line.

But the portrait and sculpt are great, and there's plenty of useful articulation. I bought mine from an online retailer, so I didn't have an opportunity to compare against others on the peg, but I'm hopful I can replace this guy with one I pick out myself once shipments of the series to local stores get more prevalent.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***1/2
Sculpting - ***1/2
Paint - **
Articulation - ***1/2
Accessories - ***
Fun Factor - ****
Value - **1/2
Overall - ***

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth has him at $22.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Two other Star Wars Black 6" figures in this assortment are the new Han Solo, and the Range Trooper. I also recently reviewed the terrific Dewback and Sandtrooper. And if you're looking for some old school Lando - and I mean old school in every way - check out the Sideshow sixth scale release from almost ten years ago.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

Discussion:
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