Koona Chuta, Solo? (Vintage Han Solo, Vintage Greedo)
It wouldn’t take much to convince me that Han Solo rates best-in-class among the original 12 Star Wars action figures. Kenner succeeded on so many levels here. Dashing good looks. A blaster arm bent for quick draw in a duel. Excellent detail in both sculpt and paint from head to toe.
At least that’s the way it began.
By the time Empire Strikes Back was released, (and for reasons that utterly escape me) Kenner scrapped the original sculpt you see here and revised smuggler Han Solo with a strange, disproportionately large, not-altogether-flattering new head.
Hey, living with a bounty on your head is tough enough. But to wake up one day completely disfigured? It’s just too much to bare.
This is awesome. you make a great point about the head. I have the Empire version and I never use it in my pictures because he looks so revolting.
I’m a fan of the Empire Han in the Bespin outfit, but could never figure out why they gave him brown pants and a different, lamer blaster, since his original featured so largely in the film when Vader Forced it from his hand. Also, I just realized, after more than 30 years, there was never a Grand Moff Tarkin figure!
Yeah, Kenner made some weird choices back in the day. That Bespin blaster somehow ended up not only on Bespin Han (lame, but understandable since he was actually in Bespin) but also on the AT-AT Commander (ridiculous considering that he was inside a burning heap of AT-AT when everyone else was on Bespin). And I don’t begin to understand why they opted not to make a Tarkin figure. Maybe it was in Peter Cushing’s deal memo — “no toys”?
There is an awesome ‘custom’ Tarkin on this page: http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=125297&sid=2bfaca005af5ba9f7df712753366c33d
I love Kenner Star Wars action figures from the late 70’s. It is a shame that the movie got so commercial and they did not care about the toys. I mean, keeping the toys the way they originally were.
When I stroll down an aisle in any toy store and I get to see Star Wars toys, I get disappointed.
The old action figures were much better than the ones being sold nowadays.
The sad part of my story is that my dad got rid of all of my Star Wars action figures when I turned 12 or so. He gave them to a charitable foundation…I assume.
For the record, Hammerhead is one of my favorite ones.
Officially Inspired!
I’ve been playing around with the idea of using my figures n this manner, but now I have to do it.
You have some great lighting. Love the mood!
Han fired first (and was justified).
Pingback: Pair of Aces. « Star Wars Action Figures Doing What They Do Best.