Boba Fett (SDCC ESB / Kenner Tribute) — Star Wars The Black Series

Overview

The SDCC 2019 Boba Fett is the Black Series Kenner-tribute exclusive — a deliberate homage to the 1979 Kenner Boba Fett figure, the original action figure version of the character that predated his on-screen appearance in The Empire Strikes Back. Released exclusively at San Diego Comic Con 2019 and other conventions internationally. MSRP $24.99, premium pricing vs the standard mainline $19.99 single-carded releases. 22-joint articulation. Four accessories: jetpack, blaster, blaster rifle, plus a bonus Stormtrooper blaster that pays specific homage to the original 1979 Kenner figure’s accessory loadout. Year imprint 2013 — the figure is structurally a repaint of the 2013 Black Series Boba Fett (figure id=2312) in Kenner colours with the bonus weapon.

The 1979 Kenner Origin Story

The packaging text tells the structurally significant story: in 1979, Kenner created a Boba Fett figure based on photos taken of early costume tests, before the character appeared on screen in The Empire Strikes Back. The 1979 Kenner Boba Fett was developed from pre-production material rather than the final film appearance — Kenner needed to ship the figure on the original-trilogy schedule, and the character’s first toy form was based on early-design colour reference rather than the screen-accurate ESB-era appearance.

The entire line was refreshed in 1980, and Boba Fett’s colouring and package art were updated to match the rest of the movie’s line. The 1980 update brought the figure into closer alignment with the screen-accurate appearance, but the 1979 version with its distinctive bright colour palette had already shipped and entered collector circulation. The character became a fan favourite, and Boba Fett’s status as a cult-collector subject was established partly through the visible production-history difference between the 1979 pre-release and the 1980 screen-accurate update.

The 2019 SDCC Kenner Tribute brings back Kenner-inspired colouring and art with Black Series detailing for a premium figure that embraces the legacy of the Star Wars saga. For collectors who appreciate Star Wars action figure historical authenticity, this is one of Hasbro’s most thoughtful Kenner-tribute releases.

The SDCC and International Convention Distribution

San Diego Comic Con 2019 exclusive, with additional distribution at other conventions internationally. The convention-exclusive distribution made the figure structurally hard to acquire at retail pricing — collectors had to physically attend SDCC or one of the international convention partners to purchase the figure, with limited additional online distribution through HasbroToyShop after the convention.

The $24.99 MSRP carries a $5 premium over the standard mainline $19.99 single-carded releases, reflecting both the exclusive positioning and the extra accessory commitment (the bonus Stormtrooper blaster). For collectors, the convention-exclusive distribution and the limited production run kept aftermarket pricing firm. Aftermarket secondary market pricing has consistently tracked above the original $24.99 MSRP.

The Kenner-Colour Repaint

Hasbro painted this Boba Fett figure in Kenner colours to mimic the original 1979 Kenner Boba Fett figure (figure id=1981) — and they did a great job with it. The bright colour tones on the outfit look cool. The repaint specifically captures the 1979 source figure’s distinctive brighter-than-screen-accurate palette: more vibrant blues and greens on the costume, more deliberate primary-colour separation between costume zones, and a cleaner overall finish than the screen-accurate weathered configuration that the 2013 source release carried.

For collectors comparing the figure against the standard Black Series Boba Fett releases, the Kenner colours are immediately distinguishable — the figure reads as a deliberate vintage-toy reference rather than a screen-accurate film-character figure. The colour reading is the primary value proposition for collectors who care about Kenner historical authenticity.

The Bonus Stormtrooper Blaster

The figure includes a bonus accessory beyond the standard Boba Fett loadout: a Stormtrooper blaster. For this release, Hasbro removed Boba Fett’s cape but included a Stormtrooper blaster in addition to Boba’s regular weapons. They did this because the original 1979 Boba Fett figure came with a Stormtrooper blaster — the Kenner figure shipped with what was structurally a re-used Stormtrooper accessory rather than a screen-accurate Boba-specific weapon, and the 2019 SDCC release replicates this historical accessory configuration deliberately.

For collectors who appreciate Kenner historical accuracy, the Stormtrooper blaster inclusion is meaningful — it’s not just a generic bonus accessory, it’s a specific reference to the 1979 figure’s accessory loadout. The figure is able to hold all three weapons beautifully in his hands, supporting display configurations across the canonical Boba weapons (blaster, rifle) and the historical Kenner-reference (Stormtrooper blaster) options.

The Jetpack and Permanent Costume

The jetpack plugs nicely into a hole in the back of the figure — same mounting engineering as the standard 2013-sculpt Boba releases. The rocket in the jetpack is not removable. The soft-goods cape, the chest armour, the belt, and the pouches are not removable — same integrated-equipment design pattern as the standard Boba Fett releases.

A specific configuration note worth flagging from the source: Hasbro removed Boba Fett’s cape for this release. Despite the source describing the cape as “not removable,” the SDCC Kenner Tribute version specifically ships without the cape — the structural distinction here is between “removable from the figure” (no, the standard cape isn’t removable from the standard figure) and “included in the box” (no, the SDCC release doesn’t include the cape at all). This is the cape-less Boba configuration that matches the 1979 Kenner figure, which also shipped without a cape.

For collectors, the cape-less configuration is a meaningful structural difference from the standard Boba Fett releases. The Kenner-reference visual reading depends on the cape-less silhouette — adding the cape would compromise the historical-tribute commitment.

The Helmet and Range-Finder

Boba Fett’s helmet is not removable. The range-finder on the helmet is static — same engineering as the 2013-source body sculpt across all the various re-releases. No reveal-state head sculpt for unmasked Boba display, and no deployable range-finder articulation for targeting-pose configurations.

The Basic Blaster Holster

The basic blaster fits well into the holster — supporting the screen-accurate stowed-sidearm configuration alongside the deployed-combat options across all four weapons.

Articulation

22 joints. Ball-jointed neck, swivel-jointed neck, ball-jointed shoulders, right swivel biceps (the same asymmetric right-bicep swivel as the standard 2013-source body), ball-jointed elbows, swivel forearms, ball-jointed wrists, ball-jointed torso, ball-jointed hips, swivel thighs, swivel joints above the knees, swivel joints below the knees, ball-jointed ankles. High joint count for the line — substantially above the standard 17-joint baseline.

The Boba Fett figure reviewed here had stiff joints which allowed for it to be displayed in more dynamic battle poses. The stiff-joint engineering is consistent across the various 2013-sculpt re-releases — supporting reliable dynamic-pose display without joint drift or balance problems.

Distribution and the Kenner-Tribute Lineup

San Diego Comic Con 2019 exclusive at $24.99 with international convention distribution. The exclusive positioning made the figure structurally hard to acquire — convention attendance was required for primary-market access. Aftermarket pricing has tracked at premium levels relative to the original MSRP.

The SDCC Kenner Tribute Boba Fett joins the broader Kenner-tribute Black Series lineage that Hasbro established with the 2017 Star Wars Celebration Orlando exclusive Luke Skywalker (X-Wing Pilot) at #P4-40A-XW. Both figures use Kenner-inspired packaging treatments and pay homage to specific original Kenner action figure releases. The 2020 4-LOM & Zuckuss 2-Pack at #P4-40A-4LZ extends this Kenner-tribute approach further, paying homage to the famous 1980 name-switch error.

For collectors building the complete Kenner-tribute exclusive sub-line within the Black Series, the SDCC 2019 Boba Fett is essential. The figure represents the most ambitious individual Kenner-tribute release Hasbro has produced — combining the colour-reference repaint, the historical accessory inclusion, and the cape-less silhouette configuration into a single coherent commemorative figure.

Other Boba Fett Figures

Boba Fett has been one of the most-released characters in the entire Hasbro Star Wars catalogue. Other notable releases include the Power of the Force 2 Return Of The Jedi version (figure id=137), the Shadows Of The Empire 2-pack with IG-88 (figure id=204), the Legacy Collection animated Droid Factory 2-Pack (figure id=240), the Legacy Collection ESB-era release (figure id=352), the Clone Wars Rise Of Boba Fett youth version (figure id=518), and the Vintage Collection Rocket Firing variant (figure id=585). The SDCC 2019 Kenner Tribute joins this multi-decade catalogue as one of the most historically thoughtful entries.

Secondary Market

San Diego Comic Con 2019 exclusive in special Kenner-tribute packaging. Aftermarket pricing on the secondary market has tracked above the original $24.99 MSRP — typically $50-$80 depending on packaging condition. The exclusive distribution and the Kenner-tribute commitment maintain firm collector demand. Verify the jetpack, the basic blaster, the blaster rifle, and the Stormtrooper blaster are all included. The bonus Stormtrooper blaster is the most easily-lost component during transit.

Verdict

The Boba Fett SDCC 2019 Kenner Tribute is one of Hasbro’s most thoughtful exclusive releases — the deliberate Kenner-colour repaint captures the 1979 source figure’s distinctive bright palette, the bonus Stormtrooper blaster pays specific homage to the original Kenner accessory loadout, the cape-less silhouette configuration matches the 1979 figure’s visual reading, and the figure stands reliably across multiple combat-pose configurations.

The convention-exclusive distribution makes the figure structurally hard to acquire at retail pricing. The asymmetric right-bicep swivel is the same 2013-era tooling quirk that affects all the body-sculpt re-releases. The static range-finder and non-removable jetpack rocket are the same structural limitations as the standard Boba Fett releases. The 2013 year imprint reveals the figure’s status as a repaint of much older tooling rather than fresh engineering.

Buy this figure if you collect Star Wars action figure history at the Kenner-reference level, if you build the complete Kenner-tribute Black Series exclusive sub-line, if you collect SDCC exclusives, or if you appreciate the depth of historical research that went into the colour-repaint and accessory-loadout commitment. Skip if convention-exclusive aftermarket pricing exceeds your collecting budget — the figure has only ever been available at premium pricing since release.

The Kenner Tribute Boba Fett with the 1979 colour reference. The SDCC exclusive with the bonus Stormtrooper blaster. The cape-less figure that matches the original Kenner toy’s visual silhouette. San Diego Comic Con 2019 exclusive.

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Part of Star Wars The Black Series | Phase 4 40th Anniversary Collection. Related: Boba Fett (ESB) P4-40A-BF3 | Luke Skywalker (X-Wing Pilot) P4-40A-XW | 4-LOM & Zuckuss 2-Pack P4-40A-4LZ.