Bib Fortuna - TBS [P4] - Six Inch Figures (ROTJ08)

Those attempting to do business with Jabba the Hutt first needed to maneuver past his pasty-faced majordomo, the Twi'lek Bib Fortuna.

The Black Series 6-inch Bib Fortuna figure isn’t perfect, but you might not care about what keeps the figure from reaching that pinnacle. Like The Vintage Collection line, Hasbro turned its attention to saving on tooling costs wherever possible. And while Hasbro knows a character like Bib Fortuna will require all-new tooling, they attempt to see where they can reuse existing parts to complete their little masterpieces. Bib Fortuna is a kit-bashed figure that utilizes the legs of 2019’s TBS [P3] Dryden Vos (79) figure. The rest of Bib Fortuna is all-new. Choosing Dryden Vos’ legs was clever. That action figure is taller than many others, and since we all know that Bib Fortuna is a character of robust stature and height, the legs of Vos are the perfect complement to the newness brought forth for the rest of the figure. With the long molded robes included with Bib Fortuna, you’re not going to make out the legs that easily, and that’s the point. There is no need to reinvent the wheel when excellent tooling exists and is incorporated into “new” action figures. Hasbro needs to watch its bottom line, so isn’t this an ideal way to bring new characters into the line without sacrificing the tooling budget? The Black Series 6-inch line and The Vintage Collection 3.75-inch will continue to see Hasbro pinching pennies wherever possible. With everything going on, Hasbro must find ways to reduce costs.

Bib Fortuna comes with an excellent portrait, but we’d like to qualify that it isn’t perfect. Something is ever-so-slightly off with it, and we wish we could pinpoint the issue but are unable. That said, the overall likeness is excellent. You know this is Bib Fortuna, Jabba the Hutt’s majordomo from Return Of The Jedi. That’s unequivocal. But perhaps the expression of the mouth or eyes is off that it makes you feel like Hasbro could have refined the details a bit more. The deco is stunning, however. Hasbro accented Bib Fortuna’s pale-pink skin with aqua-colored washes here and there. We don’t necessarily see this overt color on the character in the film, but something about them on the action figure makes them feel necessary and gives the head sculpt texture and detail it would otherwise lack. Most impressive are Bib Fortuna’s hands. Hasbro gorgeously sculpted the long fingernails in a way to look like they’re summoning someone, yet they’re also functional to hold the drinking glass accessories included with the figure. Bib Fortuna comes with a molded robe, and Hasbro chose a beautiful color to form it. Unfortunately, it immobilizes the figure even with the cut-outs for the arms. Collectors can use the plugs designed inside to hold the cloak closed when needed. It looks fantastic, but it’s not a functional piece of clothing.

Once again, we’re disappointed with the accessories Hasbro decided to include with Bib Fortuna. Please understand us. The three unique drinking glasses are nice, but where are the legacy-inspired accessories that came with Bib Fortuna action figures of yesteryear? We’d love to see a “hold out” blaster, a dagger, or the vintage Kenner staff included with these figures. Why isn’t Hasbro thoughtful about these things with the longtime collecting community? Ignoring these larger-than-life/urban legend inclusions doesn’t seem right because they’d make the action figure that much more enjoyable. But despite our disappointment in what Hasbro DID NOT include here, we are genuinely happy about what they DID add. When displayed on your shelf, Bib Fortuna is a nice-looking action figure. And the more characters Hasbro adds to The Black Series 6-inch line based on Jabba’s palace will only enhance characters like Bib Fortuna and the Gamorrean Guard. But Hasbro has A LOT of work to do to start checking off the list of all those aliens from Return Of The Jedi. Overall, we believe that Bib Fortuna will go over very well with the Star Wars collecting community. The Black Series collectors didn’t have to wait nearly as long as 3.75-inch The Vintage Collection collectors for a definitive version of Bib Fortuna, so there is a celebration to be had in that regard.