Action Figure Review: Lando Calrissian (Skiff Guard) from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

   I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! With all of the cooking I've been doing (and eating) and a house full of family, I took some time away from reviewing stuff. I'm back now, though, and this time I'm checking out another figure from the newest series of Star Wars: The Black Series figures. This time it's Lando Calrissian in his Skiff Guard disguise from Return of the Jedi. Isn't it interesting how Jabba's Palace is pretty much the most toyetic part of the Original Trilogy and yet it's one of the scenes we've received the least amount of product from in the Black Series. What do we have from there other than Jabba and a Gamorrean Guard? Both of Leia's costumes and... that's it, right? I mean, I know R2-D2 came with Luke's lightsaber and Bossk and Dengar are in the background, but Jabba's Palace been pretty underutilized by the Black Series thus far. We need Bib Fortuna and we need him now! Anyways, this release of Lando in Tamtel Skreej's outfit gives us another figure from Jabba's Palace and another version of Lando (we now have half of his OT outfits!). Let's check him out after the break...

 The Facts:

Height: 5 7/8ths inches

Articulation: Swivel/hinge ankles, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, ball jointed hips, ball jointed mid-torso, swivel/hinge shoulders, swivel/hinge elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, a balljointed neck, and a ball-jointed head.

Accessories: Staff and helmet.

Non-Scalper Price: $20 dollars

 The Positives:



* Lando is looking sharp. The dirty, worn skiff guard disguise stands in sharp contrast to Lando's own clothes, which are always impeccably cleaned and tailored. The outfit has many different textures on it, particularly on the metal armored chest piece. Lando's held on to this for a number of years (Tobias Beckett wore it during Solo) so it's definitely appropriately worn and weathered. 

 * Compare this version of Lando with the first version and I think you'll agree the likeness to Billy Dee Williams is much, much better. Hasbro did a solid job here. I do think there's something a bit off, but that's possibly because it captures Lando with a very serious look on his face. He's usually got that winning grin and honestly looks a bit off without it. It doesn't make sense here, but I do hope the inevitable General Calrissian figure includes a smiling portrait. Dang, I'm so glad that we got more Lando in Solo and that Billy Dee Williams will be in Episode IX. Lando is far too underrated.

* The shoulderpads are actually extra pieces hanging out on Lando's shoulders. They're permanently attached but they bend and move with the shoulder joint, giving the figure a much more complex and lifelike feel.

 * As with most other Black Series figures released over the last year or so, Lando's articulation is excellent. Plentiful joints, a solid range of motion, and even the new balljointed neck and balljointed head for extra expressive poses.

* Lando is a bit light on accessories but what he comes with is solid. The force pike has an excellent sculpt and is much more substantial than the pike included with the Phase I Slave Leia.

* The helmet is incredibly sculpted and painted. It's perfect and the figure looks so, so good wearing it. This is an incredible accessory. I'm sure some folks will want two of these figures so they can outfit Beckett with one of these helmets, huh? No one wears it like Lando, though.

 Man, this is a good figure. I was really looking forward to this guy and he delivered. The only thing I wish this figure included that it doesn't have is a DL-18 blaster pistol. Lando uses one during the fight at the Great Pit of Carkoon and it would have made a nice extra (especially considering he has a pistol grip right hand already). Still, you can't beat an Original Trilogy figure that's this well done. This is a Great and a 1/2 figure and another very solid entry in one of the best series we've seen in the Black Series.



Thus far the only two Lando Calrissian figures I've reviewed have been  the Empire Strikes Back Lando Calrissian and the Solo Lando Calrissian.

For more Star Wars: The Black Series reviews, check out the following:

442nd Siege Battalion Clone Trooper, 212th Attack Battalion Utapau Trooper, Coruscant Guard ---(Phase II), and 501st Legion Clone Trooper 4 pack
4-LOM
Admiral Ackbar and First Order Officer
Admiral Piett
Ahsoka Tano 
AT-AT Pilot 
Baze Malbus
C-3PO
C-3PO (Resistance Base) 
Captain Cassian Andor (Eadu) 
Captain Phasma
Captain Phasma (Quicksilver Baton)
Captain Poe Dameron
Chewbacca (Target Exclusive)
Chewbacca (The Force Awakens)
Chirrut Imwe 
Clone Captain Rex (HasCon Exclusive)
Clone Commander Gree
Clone Commander Wolffe 
Constable Zuvio
Darth Revan 
Darth Vader (Emperor's Wrath)
Death Star Trooper
Dengar
Dewback/ Sandtrooper
Director Krennic 
DJ (Canto Bight)
Elite Praetorian Guard
Elite Praetorian Guard (with Heavy Blade)
Enfys Nest's Swoop Bike/ Enfys Nest
Finn (First Order Disguise)
Finn (FN-2187)
Finn (Jakku)
First Order Flametrooper
First Order General Hux
First Order Snowtrooper
First Order Snowtrooper Officer
First Order Special Forces TIE Fighter
First Order Stormtrooper
First Order Stormtrooper Executioner 
First Order Stormtrooper (with Gear)
First Order TIE Fighter Pilot
Gamorrean Guard
General Leia Organa
General Veers
Grand Admiral Thrawn (SDCC Exclusive)
Grand Moff Tarkin 
Guardians of Evil 4-Pack
Guavian Enforcer
Han Solo (Exogorth Escape)
Han Solo (Solo)
Han Solo (The Force Awakens)
Hera Syndulla
Imperial AT-ACT Driver
Imperial Death Trooper
Imperial Death Trooper, Captain Cassian Andor, and Sergeant Jyn Erso (Jedha) 3 pack
Imperial Hovertank Pilot 
Imperial Patrol Trooper
Imperial Shock Trooper 
Imperial Royal Guard 
Inferno Squad Agent
Jaina Solo (Legends)
Jango Fett
K-2SO
Kanan Jarrus
Kylo Ren 
Kylo Ren (SDCC 2016)
Kylo Ren (The Last Jedi) 
Kylo Ren (Starkiller Base)
Kylo Ren (Throne Room) 
L3-37
Lando Calrissian (Solo)
Lando Calrissian (The Empire Strikes Back)
Luke Skywalker 
Luke Skywalker (Jedi Master) 
Luke Skywalker (Jedi Master)- Ahch-To Island
Maz Kanata 
Moloch
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Force Spirit)
Obi-Wan Kenobi (SDCC 2016)
Phase 1 Clone Trooper Commander, Phase II Clone Trooper, Imperial Stormtrooper, and First Order ---Stormtrooper Officer four pack
Poe Dameron
Poe Dameron and First Order Riot Control Stormtrooper
Porgs 
Princess Leia (Bespin Escape)
Princess Leia Organa 
Qi'ra (Corellia)
Qui-Gon Jinn
R2-A3, R5-K6, and R2-F2
Range Trooper
Rebel Trooper
Red Squadron (R2-D2, R5-D8, and R2-X2)
Resistance Tech Rose
Resistance Trooper
Rey (Island Journey)
Rey (Jakku) & BB-8 
Rey (Jedi Training)
Rey (Jedi Training)- Crait
Rey (Starkiller Base) 
Rey's Speeder (Jakku)
Sabine Wren
Sandtrooper Sergeant, Crimson Stormtrooper, Lieutenant OXIXO, and R2-Q5
Scarif Stormtrooper
Scarif Stormtrooper Squad Leader 
Sergeant Jyn Erso (Eadu)
Sergeant Jyn Erso (Jedha)
Snowtrooper 
Stormtrooper (Mimban)
Stormtrooper (With Blast Accessories)
Supreme Leader Snoke (Throne Room)
Tobias Beckett
Tusken Raider 
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X-Wing Pilot Asty