Star Wars: The Black Series | 4-LOM

Hasbro adds another iconic Bounty Hunter to The Black Series.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen any of the Empire Strikes Back Bounty Hunters in The Black Series. We got Boba Fett when Hasbro’s 6″ Star Wars toy line first launched, and IG-88 and Bossk not too long after… but that was years ago. Thankfully, especially for OT purists, Hasbro is wisely using Solo as a platform to revisit the Bounty Hunters, which will most likely be completed by the end of 2018. That all starts with 4-LOM, the second Droid Bounty Hunter in the posse, who’s making his 6″ debut in the second wave of Solo-era Black Series.

Overall, I really like this figure. He doesn’t borrow nearly as much tooling from fellow Protocol Droid C3PO as you’d think; 4-LOM’s functional elbows call for entirely unique arms, and the torso and head are entirely new, capturing the slightly customized circuitry and plating of the Bounty Hunter. I’ve always loved the weird, bug-eyed head on this guy, and Hasbro’s new sculpt is perfectly on model. The head is painted over translucent green plastic, which allows his eyes to light up when you shine a light on him. It’s a fun little easter egg, and while we never saw 4-LOM’s eyes glow green in Empire, it seems fitting for his character style.

The highlight of this figure, for me, is the paint apps. Obviously, 4-LOM doesn’t feature the facial scan technology seen on recent human figures in The Black Series, but he sports one of the more realistic rust-colored washes I’ve ever seen on a toy, which adds weathering and grime to a Droid who’s obviously used to the seedier parts of the galaxy. It gets lost in photos, but there’s so many subtle tones worked into this finish, it’s a marvel to behold up close.

4-LOM includes his long rifle, which he can hold in one of both hands (thanks to the functional elbows, which– while offering some mobility– are still pretty limited). He fits in quite well with his fellow hunters, and with this release we’re at four out of six in The Black Series.  Dengar is due out sometime later this year, while Zuckuss was intended as a Toys R Us exclusive… who Hasbro is trying to find a new retail home for presently.

Sadly, 4-LOM is part of the second wave of Solo Black Series, which is such an awful case pack that many dependable online retailers skipped it entirely. If you’re looking for this Bounty Hunter at brick and mortar stores, he’s been turning up sporadically at Target right now. If you can’;t find him, don’t fret– Hasbro is offering a make good by soliciting solid cases of 4-LOM to etailers, which will apparently be released around June. Be patient, and this guy will be easy to come by.  As one of the best Bounty Hunter figures Hasbro has done, trust me when I say he’s well worth the wait.