Pros : Well sculpted and painted Boba Fett figure with good articulation. EE-3 Blaster Rifle is one of best weapons created in the line.
Cons : Exclusive set making it hard / expensive to add to your Black Series Collection. The K-11 pistol looks out of place in the set.
One of the first releases of the Star Wars 6" Black Series from Hasbro was an exclusive set released at San Diego Comic Con in July 2013. The set remains one of the most sought after sets on the market. The Boba Fett and Han in Carbonite set took the upcoming Boba Fett figure, who would be single released in Wave 2, and added in an exclusive Han in Carbonite block. The Han piece remains exclusive to this day, although there is an extensive secondary market of casts of this piece.
The figures were packed into a presentation which was a sleek black affair with a Mandalorian helmet design built into the cover. There was a slip on sleeve on which we first saw the Black Series logo and the grey lined artwork. Around the back was a shot of Boba Fett on Bespin taken from the Empire Strikes Back, but converted to Greyscale. Above this sits a very short bio explaining how "the notorious bounty hunter Boba Fett prepares to deliver the carbon-frozen Han Solo to Jabba the Hutt".
The sleeve and rear of box are trimmed with a green line trim. This would move to orange on the standard releases and this colouring has never been repeated in the line.
After sliding off the sleeve the box lids slides off to reveal the figures underneath. Boba and Han sit into individual trays with Boba's accessories to his right. Each accessory has its own shaped tray and around this are printed some very nice technical diagrams and labels.
All the parts are attached into the box with very subtle elasticated ties. These can be removed and the figures taken out without damaging the packaging
The first tray containing the figures lifts out to reveal a second tray underneath holding a three piece display stand. Beneath this is the inner decoration of the box. This carries more of that Boba Fett blueprint type artwork in grey lined - an impressive addition considering this segment of the box will rarely be seen.
If we also look back at the cover piece we lifted off to reveal the figures, there is a large Star Wars Black Series logo printed on the inner of the lid.
Boba Fett stands dead on 6" tall and is nice weighty piece in hand. The helmet, the key to a good Mandalorian figures, is well proportioned and more importantly for Fett includes the trademark dent and a good paint decor with the gloss black visor trimmed then in burgundy and the green on the helmet with yellow markings. On top of this are a good level of weathering with silver scratches to show where the paint has worn off in one of Boba's many battles.
Like the helmet, the armour too is well sculpted with the chest piece and shoulder armour moving down to arm gauntlets and knee armour. The undersuit is grey with washes to darken and weather this around the knees and ankles. A soft goods cloak hangs from the shoulder with a tan base material and a light brown stripe. This comes out ragged and frayed at the edges, but over time has seen little deterioration which is good. My one criticism of the cape is it hangs a little flat.
The other details including soft plastic Wookiee braids hanging off the shoulder and the Mandalorian iconography applied as decals on the shoulder and again on the chest piece.
Of course Boba also comes with his jet pack. This is cast in a green plastic and then painted with silver and black detailing and more of that silver battle damage. The backpack slots into a socket on Fett's back and holds in place well enough.
Fett is articulated with 16 points of articulation. The legs carry 4 points each with ball jointed hips, a thigh swivel, double jointed knees and an ankle rocker. Because of his belt and various pouches you won't get Fett to do much more than wider action stances, but he does hold his posing very well.
The arms are ball jointed at the shoulder with the shoulder armour withdrawing into the chest when the arms are raised, making the arm fully poseable. The elbows are single jointed with a rotation and the hands are a pivot swivel on the wrist. The final joints are on the truck of the figure, the first in the waist with a ball joint that will allow both rotation and some leaning motions. And we end with the head which is ball jointed with a good wide range of movement.
The first of Boba's weapons are the Sacros K-11 Disintegrator Pistol. This is named on the box, and originates to the Holiday Special when Boba Fett uses the weapon to fire at pursuing Stormtroopers when he is trying to gain Chewbacca's trust.
The cast of this is quite basic with very few details. It is cast in a red brown tone with silver barrel.
The Pistol fits into either hand with both right and left hands having a flexible trigger finger.
And when not in use the pistol slots into holster on the belt.
While the K-11 was a pretty poor sculpt and decor, the other weapon is a masterpiece. The EE-3 Carbine Rifle is an exquisite cast - capturing the weapons proportions extremely well. The decor is then second to none with a brown stock with silver details. Cream handle, black barrel and dry brushed silver on the barrel end and the sights.
The accuracy has to be applauded here also as the EE-3 is specifically the Empire Strikes Back version with slimmer barrel and more forward located sights - the weapon (prop) would be remodeled for its appearance in Return of the Jedi.
Like the pistol, the rifle will fit in either hand with the trigger finger in place. The rotating elbow joints also facilitate a two handed weapon pose - crucial if you are replicating the procession out of Bespin with the Han in Carbonite floating alongside.
Moving onto the Carbonite accessory, this is a hollow piece which is quite light. In order to display the piece you need to tackle the stand first which is engineered to do two difference jobs. We start with the upright position and to do this the stand is clipped together and then around the base of the Carbonite block. A peg then fits into the lower of two holes on the reverse.
NB. Our Set is a European release so is printed on the reverse with the large CE mark. This set went to Celebration 2013 as an exclusive also, and was picked up by a few Far East retailers like Robot Kingdom.
Round the front and the look of the Carbonite panel is spot on. Han is instantly recognisable with that fixed grimace in place. Down each sides are the various controls panels with silver buttons on some of them and a green display panel on the top right section. The Carbonite piece is cast in grey, but dark grey washes and silver dry brushing brings out the detail and makes it look pretty screen accurate for a 6" Toy.
The block can also be displayed in a horizontal position, the way Boba took it out of Bespin escorted by Stormtroopers. The stand now has to be connected to the oval base piece, and then the clip and plug fit at the top of the block - giving it a repulsor-lifting effect.
It is clever engineering that allows one stand to do the same job with the Carbonite panel, although I suspect for most collectors the upright display will take preference - and here maybe the preference would be for it to sit at a full right angle as though hung on a wall rather than the backward lean.
When we put the two pieces together the beauty of the set is enhanced as this is the start of a fantastic Empire Strikes Back diorama.
I am surprised that after all this time, Hasbro have not re-released the Carbonite block as a tweaked piece. It would fit really well in a Jabba's Palace diorama or with a Jabba's Palace Han? While I appreciate the need for exclusives, this is one of those that seems to frustrate fans as it is a key piece of Star Wars lore locked up at a hefty price tag and very limited numbers.
While scoring the set I will work on the original RRP which was $44.99 at SDCC and circa £45 in Europe. For that you get a full Boba Fett figure and accessories, and a well realised Carbonite block and stand. For this price the set is easily a 4 out of 5, with the only gripes around the way the soft goods cloak hangs and that blaster pistol that looks like its from a completely different line when put alongside the EE-3 rifle.
