Inspired by the recent acquisition of a couple of items from Hasbro Pulse, I decided to see how they come together. One of these was the Boba Fett's Throne Room set. Since my canon is limited to the original trilogy, I couldn't care less about Boba's throne room per se, but the fact that the structure (and much of its furnishing) was Jabba's throne room made this a must-buy for me. In fact, it is something I was planning on putting together, partly with custom foamboard and cardboard elements, partly with 3D printed or cast stuff. I have been collecting other parts already, and will cover them at a later date.
The other set I bought was a Star Wars (Return of the Jedi) The Vintage Collection Court Denizens 4-pack special. Three of the figures were new (two of them completely, the third new to this level articulation and quality), so it was another must-have for me. Despite some poor choices and a period of interruption, not to mention distraction caused by newer installments in the Star Wars franchise, Hasbro has done a good job providing an increasingly comprehensive coverage of Star Wars Original Trilogy characters and on giving them much more impressive articulation than the basic 5- (or even 4-) points of articulation that came with the classic Kenner figures. And, of course, there is greater realism and better proportions, in part due to improvements in design and production capabilities. So, what started as an intended review of these four, ended up becoming a summary coverage of all highly-articulated Hasbro 1:18 scale (3.75-inch) Jabba-related figures so far.
First, the throne room (originally Jabba's, which is what counts for me, then Bib Fortuna's, then Boba Fett's). It comes in a big box, within which are stuffed (quite tightly) three smaller boxes, containing the various structural elements and accessories. The back wall, base, front arch, and two ceiling grilles need to be put together, which is not very difficult. There is an instruction booklet, which provides guidance for putting the set together and placing the accessories -- of course that last part is up to you to customize, if you wish to do so. The throne platform is on wheels, and slides into the appropriate slot. It can slide in to be completely flush with the foot of the stairs, but that would likely limit space on top of the platform. The resulting playset is roughly 10 inches (25.5 cm) tall, 11 inches (28 cm) deep, and almost 20 inches (just over 50 cm) wide. Without tucking in under the split level, the throne platform would protrude about 1.5 inches (4 cm) in front.
Let's take a look at it without any figures:
This is the intended set up, with a throne on top of the platform, as well as some pretty fake-looking (or is it that they are alien) pelts. Only the throne, structure, and accessories found on them are included (I have added some other elements to close off the set from the sides and give it a floor in front). The detail on the platform "gargoyles" and the throne is remarkably good in terms of both sculpt and painting. Most other things have a fairly basic paint job.
Of course, to get the desired atmosphere, you would be employing much less lighting, but this is intended to illustrate everything as clearly as possible. Let's zoom in, and get rid of some distractions for a better look:
The playset comes with a single action figure which is not Boba Fett, but his predecessor on this throne, a rather bloated Bib Fortuna. The figure is nice enough, but that is not really how I remember him.
Which is fine, because Hasbro recently released a very good, fully articulated and soft-cloth accessorized Bib Fortuna (2021) based on his appearance in the Original Trilogy. Of course I would be using that.
Of course, Bib belongs by Jabba's throne, not on it, so he'll have to move. Just far enough to illustrate the little wonder that is the barbecue set. The spit rotates with a handle, and you can add or remove the fire effect. There is some place for storing accessories on either side of the fire area... like a trey with drinks. Can you see what was roasting on the barbecue during Bib or Boba's residency? Luckily, they give us an option to swap it out with a more conventional-looking roast. The spit can be pulled out on the side opposite the handle, its end removed, and roast replaced, before putting it back together as before.
This was just the first step in making this more Original Trilogy-like. Next, lets get rid of that throne (cool though it might be), those fake-looking pelts, add some proper cushions, and restore the rightful owner of the throne room to his place and accustomed comforts. Jabba and friends were originally a Shadow of the Dark Side collection Walmart exclusive set (2010), but Jabba in particular has been modified (given a removable tongue from another Jabba figure, and had his body stuffed with cotton balls to be even more pleasantly plump and a bit taller); Jabba's lower body in particular tends to get sticky and nasty, and many have sought workarounds, like replacing it with a resin cast or borrowing the lower part of the original Kenner Jabba; I looked into this, but applying billiards chalk to the body has resolved the issue for me, at least for now. The railing and hookah assembly is partly customized with parts from other sets, but by now I forget the details. I did leave a few of the new accessories on the platform but turning over the blankets didn't produce a very realistic effect, in retrospect. Note that the new platform is quite shorter than the one that came with the 2010 set; that one would not be able to tuck/slide under the split level.
Oola is the only well-articulated figure of her character in this scale (the only alternative is from the horrid second Power of the Force line); Salacious Crumb is identical to the one that was sold together with a C-3PO figure (in 2007). Hasbro should make a 1:6 scale Salacious Crumb, as it had no problem giving the 1:18 version 5 points of articulation, while Sideshow has managed exactly 0. As mentioned, in addition to the throne room set, I got the Court Denizens 4-pack. So I started populating the set with them; more details below.
Now that's more likely, even if far too bright. But we want to see what we're dealing with, right?
Exactly on what basis this collection of fine individuals got labeled "Scum and Villainy" by Sideshow, I am not quite sure... Let's make some introductions all the same...
Let's start with the new arrivals, the Court Denizen 4-pack. The two non-humanoid aliens Ree-Yees (three eyes, really!?) and Tessek (Squid Head) are among my favorites; Ree-Yees is actually a re-release of the exact same figure already made available in 2014 and 2019; on the other hand, this is the first Tessek to be so accurate and so well-articulated in this scale (though there were earlier Kenner classic and second Power of the Force versions). The humanoids are Taym Dren-garen (sleeves) and Velken Tezeri (no sleeves). Both are rendered for the very first time. Velken Tezeri was a skiff guard on the skiff carrying Luke, Han, and Chewbacca to the Sarlacc, while Taym Dren-garen was the guard who shot Luke in the wrist aboard Jabba's sail barge, only to be cut down anyway. In reality, both characters were played by the same stuntman, Larry Holt. The figures of Taym Dren-garen and Velken Tezeri can both have their heagear removed, to reveal completely different head sculpts; here's what the actual actor looks like. While humanoid characters seem to be less favored by most fans, I'm glad those two were made (and we need one or two more for the second skiff), as one of them completes the crew for the first skiff, while the other played a (relatively) memorable role in the fight aboard Jabba's sail barge.
Next up, we have a couple of Klatoonians (as they were later identified). Kithaba (red pants) is from the Original Trilogy, and was on the skiff carrying Luke, Han, and Chewbacca to the Sarlacc. The hooded Klatoonian Raider is from the Mandalorian series; the hood is removable. There is one more significant Klatoonian Hasbro should make (or rather revisit), on which see further below.
Hasbro has given us three well-articulated Green Nikto characters (although they would always remain "Klaatus" to me). Wooof, with the bandolier, is a re-release, but holds up great; Giran, the long-hooded Rancor-keeper, has been made only this one time; Klaatu proper, in the dirty white jumpsuit, is the only one without removable headgear.
Hasbro has produced four different well-articulated Red Nikto characters. Vedain (far left) piloted the skiff carrying Luke, Han, and Chewbacca to the Sarlacc; Vizam (yellowish top) has been released three times; Nikto (Skiff Guard; character name: Lathe), who was aboard the second skiff, has been released twice (and was the only [Red] Nikto represented in the original Kenner line); the Nikto Gunner (character name: Nysad) (far right, with the row of horns on his helmet) has been released only this one time. All four have removable head gear.
Top Photo: Weequay (character name: Pagetti Rook) (dark brown top) was the only one of his species represented in the original Kenner line; this well-articulated Hasbro version is a second release; the other Weequay (Skiff Master) (quilted beige or dirty white top) had been released only once, in any production series. Both were on the skiff carrying Luke, Han, and Chewbacca to the Sarlacc. There is at least one more Weequay character from this fight (but on Jabba's sail barge) that Hasbro has not yet produced.
Bottom Photo: Hasbro's excellent highly-articulated Gamorrean Guards were released twice (or four times, if one counts a close variant), and come with all three weapons that we see the Gamorreans with onscreen: an axe, a heavier axe, and a vibrostaff, allowing one to bring in variety or represent specific characters. The helmets are removable (which I forgot to show), not that one really needs them to be.
Top Photo: Black-helmeted Brock Starsher (the helmet seems a tad small) was aboard the second skiff and has been released twice; Saelt-Marae (Yak Face), has gained some popularity simply because this was one of the rarest characters represented in the original Kenner line; this highly-articulated version seems to have been released three or four times (including with Jabba's sail barge), which means it is not likely to be nearly as rare and as sought-after; voluptuous Yarna D'Al'Garan has some trouble balancing after a few drinks, but is otherwise a remarkable figure; Malakili (Rancor keeper) has a removable hood and a bald head beneath it (which I forgot to show).
Middle and Bottom Photos: Then we have the rebel infiltrators into Jabba's court: this C-3PO has removable panels (including his face), ideally suited for the Empire Strikes Back; Han Solo (with Carbonite Block) is perhaps technically more of an Empire Strikes Back figure too, although he works for both films, and was indeed re-released as part of the Jabba's Palace Adventure Set; Chewbacca is consistent enough throughout the Original Trilogy to worry about matching him to a specific film. This Lando Calrissian (in disguise) is a nice figure, but old enough to suffer from the experiment with swivel elbows and no articulated knees, although his helmet is removable and the likeness good for the scale; this Princess Leia (Boushh Disguise) also has disappointing elbow articulation (if one could even call it that); reminded of these shortcomings, I have ordered new and hopefully much better versions of Lando and Leia.
And then there are the twins. This Princess Leia in Slave Outfit (now to be called Hutt-Slayer Leia) is the only highly-articulated version in this scale; the short chain reflects her appearance after R2-D2 helped her break her it, just after strangling Jabba with it. There is a range of Lukes that could be used here, but I don't seem to have found the one in the proper cape. The one on the left is a modification of Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight), the one the right is Luke (Endor Capture).
Which leads us to a range of character suitable for but not specific to Jabba's palace. Such is the case with the bounty hunters Boba Fett, Dengar, and the saurian Bossk, all first seen in The Empire Strikes Back but also all three present at Jabba's (Boba Fett much more prominently than Dengar and Bossk). Bald-headed Figrin D'an properly belongs to the cantina in the A New Hope, but he can easily substitute for any Bith musician (like Barquin D'an, at Jabba's); my only misgiving is that I'm not sure there were any of these in Jabba's palace before the expanded and changed scene in the Special Edition(s), which I do not consider canon. He comes, by the way, with a choice of three different instruments, which reminds me to note that I have not displayed every single accessory a figure might come with. Zutton (Snaggletooth, Snivvian) also belongs to the cantina, but he can substitute for another of his species, Geezum. Finally, Greedo (far right), who shot second (!), also belongs to the cantina, but can easily substitute for any one of several other Rodians in Jabba's service (like his cousin Beedo).
Then there are figures that Hasbro did not make or made, but before introducing good articulation.
Top Photo: One prime example, and the one I probably wish they had remade the most, is the Klatoonian Barada (blue pants), Kithaba's counterpart on the second skiff, whose most recent iteration (already under Hasbro's watch) was still a re-release of the under-articulated and over-posed second Power of the Force version (by Kenner).
Middle Photo: The stout Pote Snitkin (left), who piloted the second skiff, exists only in such a version, too. The same is true of Ishi Tib, although in that case, this is a different member of the species than the one seen at Jabba's palace (a female named Shasa Tiel). Although made by Hasbro, the massive Hermi Odle (2007) (right) is woefully underarticulated.
Bottom Photo: The shaggy Tanus Spijek (left) and J'Quille (center) have no knee articulation and have swivel elbows. The green-and-yellow Amanaman (2001) was only a slight improvement on its Kenner predecessor. The huge and very hefty Ephant Mon (2002) (right) is similarly limited, in part because of his plastic attire.
Top Photo: slug-like Wol Cabassh!te (character name: Ghoel), the robotic spider-carried B'omarr Monk, and frog-dog Bubo were released together in an "ultra assortment" Jabba's Palace Court Denizens 3-pack in 2004. Of the three, Wol Cabassh!te is soft rubber and is meant to attach to a wall or ceiling with a suction cup (but this requires a smooth surface and that is not the case with this diorama), Bubo can move his legs and open his mouth, and ironically the most articulated, the B'omarr Monk (with individually articulated spider leg joints and poseable pincer), was a re-release of a Kenner version from 1997.
Bottom Photo: Finally, there is the Max Rebo Band (note that I do not consider the expanded band from the Special Edition canon and have not collected the additional characters). None of these have been made by Hasbro, and the most recent version was from Kenner's second Power of the Force (1998), in which the three original band members were each paired with one of three additional band members from the Special Edition. Blue pianist Max Rebo is just as good as the original version, just more vibrantly colored. Droopy McCool (brown shorts) looks better than his precursor, even if he is under-articulated and his hands are fixed in a permanent bent position (admittedly, necessary for his playing his instrument). The real horror in the 1998 release was singer Sy Snootles -- in part because the 1998 version reflected her altered appearance from the Special Edition, in part because of the overly posed underarticulated limbs and posture; consequently, I use the original Kenner version from 1983, reflecting the original appearance -- although the design is still ridiculous, and the posing stiffer, it looks better to me.
There are several figures I've overlooked or failed to highlight (like the Jawa actually pictured above), but there will be place for them in a later installment, alongside other diorama pieces. I think overall Hasbro has gotten us quite far along the way of building up an ample and representative group of Jabba's associates, and placing them within a suitable setting. To be sure, there is room for improvement, with additional or better figures to be made; even the most articulated have common problems, like ankles that, even if articulated, pose in a way that make them want to fall backwards (I did not use stands). While I hope they add to and revisit some of their line, I also wonder how likely that is after this year, which happened to be the 40th anniversary of The Return of the Jedi.
Where to buy?
If you are interested in the two sets that inspired this installment, here are the Hasbro Pulse links. They might be available elsewhere, but likely at a higher price, although it is probably worth checking.
Boba Fett' Throne Room, $230:
https://hasbropulse.com/products/star-wars-the-vintage-collection-boba-fett-s-throne-room
The Vintage Collection Court Denizens 4-pack, $73:
https://hasbropulse.com/products/star-wars-the-vintage-collection-court-denizens
I hope this has been at least somewhat informative or entertaining. As always, what do you think?
Some related items:
Jabba's Tatooine Skiff Review
Imperial Combat Assault Tank Review
Perfect Little Stormtrooper Kitbash
The other set I bought was a Star Wars (Return of the Jedi) The Vintage Collection Court Denizens 4-pack special. Three of the figures were new (two of them completely, the third new to this level articulation and quality), so it was another must-have for me. Despite some poor choices and a period of interruption, not to mention distraction caused by newer installments in the Star Wars franchise, Hasbro has done a good job providing an increasingly comprehensive coverage of Star Wars Original Trilogy characters and on giving them much more impressive articulation than the basic 5- (or even 4-) points of articulation that came with the classic Kenner figures. And, of course, there is greater realism and better proportions, in part due to improvements in design and production capabilities. So, what started as an intended review of these four, ended up becoming a summary coverage of all highly-articulated Hasbro 1:18 scale (3.75-inch) Jabba-related figures so far.
First, the throne room (originally Jabba's, which is what counts for me, then Bib Fortuna's, then Boba Fett's). It comes in a big box, within which are stuffed (quite tightly) three smaller boxes, containing the various structural elements and accessories. The back wall, base, front arch, and two ceiling grilles need to be put together, which is not very difficult. There is an instruction booklet, which provides guidance for putting the set together and placing the accessories -- of course that last part is up to you to customize, if you wish to do so. The throne platform is on wheels, and slides into the appropriate slot. It can slide in to be completely flush with the foot of the stairs, but that would likely limit space on top of the platform. The resulting playset is roughly 10 inches (25.5 cm) tall, 11 inches (28 cm) deep, and almost 20 inches (just over 50 cm) wide. Without tucking in under the split level, the throne platform would protrude about 1.5 inches (4 cm) in front.
Let's take a look at it without any figures:
This is the intended set up, with a throne on top of the platform, as well as some pretty fake-looking (or is it that they are alien) pelts. Only the throne, structure, and accessories found on them are included (I have added some other elements to close off the set from the sides and give it a floor in front). The detail on the platform "gargoyles" and the throne is remarkably good in terms of both sculpt and painting. Most other things have a fairly basic paint job.
Of course, to get the desired atmosphere, you would be employing much less lighting, but this is intended to illustrate everything as clearly as possible. Let's zoom in, and get rid of some distractions for a better look:
The playset comes with a single action figure which is not Boba Fett, but his predecessor on this throne, a rather bloated Bib Fortuna. The figure is nice enough, but that is not really how I remember him.
Which is fine, because Hasbro recently released a very good, fully articulated and soft-cloth accessorized Bib Fortuna (2021) based on his appearance in the Original Trilogy. Of course I would be using that.
Of course, Bib belongs by Jabba's throne, not on it, so he'll have to move. Just far enough to illustrate the little wonder that is the barbecue set. The spit rotates with a handle, and you can add or remove the fire effect. There is some place for storing accessories on either side of the fire area... like a trey with drinks. Can you see what was roasting on the barbecue during Bib or Boba's residency? Luckily, they give us an option to swap it out with a more conventional-looking roast. The spit can be pulled out on the side opposite the handle, its end removed, and roast replaced, before putting it back together as before.
This was just the first step in making this more Original Trilogy-like. Next, lets get rid of that throne (cool though it might be), those fake-looking pelts, add some proper cushions, and restore the rightful owner of the throne room to his place and accustomed comforts. Jabba and friends were originally a Shadow of the Dark Side collection Walmart exclusive set (2010), but Jabba in particular has been modified (given a removable tongue from another Jabba figure, and had his body stuffed with cotton balls to be even more pleasantly plump and a bit taller); Jabba's lower body in particular tends to get sticky and nasty, and many have sought workarounds, like replacing it with a resin cast or borrowing the lower part of the original Kenner Jabba; I looked into this, but applying billiards chalk to the body has resolved the issue for me, at least for now. The railing and hookah assembly is partly customized with parts from other sets, but by now I forget the details. I did leave a few of the new accessories on the platform but turning over the blankets didn't produce a very realistic effect, in retrospect. Note that the new platform is quite shorter than the one that came with the 2010 set; that one would not be able to tuck/slide under the split level.
Oola is the only well-articulated figure of her character in this scale (the only alternative is from the horrid second Power of the Force line); Salacious Crumb is identical to the one that was sold together with a C-3PO figure (in 2007). Hasbro should make a 1:6 scale Salacious Crumb, as it had no problem giving the 1:18 version 5 points of articulation, while Sideshow has managed exactly 0. As mentioned, in addition to the throne room set, I got the Court Denizens 4-pack. So I started populating the set with them; more details below.
Now that's more likely, even if far too bright. But we want to see what we're dealing with, right?
Exactly on what basis this collection of fine individuals got labeled "Scum and Villainy" by Sideshow, I am not quite sure... Let's make some introductions all the same...
Let's start with the new arrivals, the Court Denizen 4-pack. The two non-humanoid aliens Ree-Yees (three eyes, really!?) and Tessek (Squid Head) are among my favorites; Ree-Yees is actually a re-release of the exact same figure already made available in 2014 and 2019; on the other hand, this is the first Tessek to be so accurate and so well-articulated in this scale (though there were earlier Kenner classic and second Power of the Force versions). The humanoids are Taym Dren-garen (sleeves) and Velken Tezeri (no sleeves). Both are rendered for the very first time. Velken Tezeri was a skiff guard on the skiff carrying Luke, Han, and Chewbacca to the Sarlacc, while Taym Dren-garen was the guard who shot Luke in the wrist aboard Jabba's sail barge, only to be cut down anyway. In reality, both characters were played by the same stuntman, Larry Holt. The figures of Taym Dren-garen and Velken Tezeri can both have their heagear removed, to reveal completely different head sculpts; here's what the actual actor looks like. While humanoid characters seem to be less favored by most fans, I'm glad those two were made (and we need one or two more for the second skiff), as one of them completes the crew for the first skiff, while the other played a (relatively) memorable role in the fight aboard Jabba's sail barge.
Next up, we have a couple of Klatoonians (as they were later identified). Kithaba (red pants) is from the Original Trilogy, and was on the skiff carrying Luke, Han, and Chewbacca to the Sarlacc. The hooded Klatoonian Raider is from the Mandalorian series; the hood is removable. There is one more significant Klatoonian Hasbro should make (or rather revisit), on which see further below.
Hasbro has given us three well-articulated Green Nikto characters (although they would always remain "Klaatus" to me). Wooof, with the bandolier, is a re-release, but holds up great; Giran, the long-hooded Rancor-keeper, has been made only this one time; Klaatu proper, in the dirty white jumpsuit, is the only one without removable headgear.
Hasbro has produced four different well-articulated Red Nikto characters. Vedain (far left) piloted the skiff carrying Luke, Han, and Chewbacca to the Sarlacc; Vizam (yellowish top) has been released three times; Nikto (Skiff Guard; character name: Lathe), who was aboard the second skiff, has been released twice (and was the only [Red] Nikto represented in the original Kenner line); the Nikto Gunner (character name: Nysad) (far right, with the row of horns on his helmet) has been released only this one time. All four have removable head gear.
Top Photo: Weequay (character name: Pagetti Rook) (dark brown top) was the only one of his species represented in the original Kenner line; this well-articulated Hasbro version is a second release; the other Weequay (Skiff Master) (quilted beige or dirty white top) had been released only once, in any production series. Both were on the skiff carrying Luke, Han, and Chewbacca to the Sarlacc. There is at least one more Weequay character from this fight (but on Jabba's sail barge) that Hasbro has not yet produced.
Bottom Photo: Hasbro's excellent highly-articulated Gamorrean Guards were released twice (or four times, if one counts a close variant), and come with all three weapons that we see the Gamorreans with onscreen: an axe, a heavier axe, and a vibrostaff, allowing one to bring in variety or represent specific characters. The helmets are removable (which I forgot to show), not that one really needs them to be.
Top Photo: Black-helmeted Brock Starsher (the helmet seems a tad small) was aboard the second skiff and has been released twice; Saelt-Marae (Yak Face), has gained some popularity simply because this was one of the rarest characters represented in the original Kenner line; this highly-articulated version seems to have been released three or four times (including with Jabba's sail barge), which means it is not likely to be nearly as rare and as sought-after; voluptuous Yarna D'Al'Garan has some trouble balancing after a few drinks, but is otherwise a remarkable figure; Malakili (Rancor keeper) has a removable hood and a bald head beneath it (which I forgot to show).
Middle and Bottom Photos: Then we have the rebel infiltrators into Jabba's court: this C-3PO has removable panels (including his face), ideally suited for the Empire Strikes Back; Han Solo (with Carbonite Block) is perhaps technically more of an Empire Strikes Back figure too, although he works for both films, and was indeed re-released as part of the Jabba's Palace Adventure Set; Chewbacca is consistent enough throughout the Original Trilogy to worry about matching him to a specific film. This Lando Calrissian (in disguise) is a nice figure, but old enough to suffer from the experiment with swivel elbows and no articulated knees, although his helmet is removable and the likeness good for the scale; this Princess Leia (Boushh Disguise) also has disappointing elbow articulation (if one could even call it that); reminded of these shortcomings, I have ordered new and hopefully much better versions of Lando and Leia.
And then there are the twins. This Princess Leia in Slave Outfit (now to be called Hutt-Slayer Leia) is the only highly-articulated version in this scale; the short chain reflects her appearance after R2-D2 helped her break her it, just after strangling Jabba with it. There is a range of Lukes that could be used here, but I don't seem to have found the one in the proper cape. The one on the left is a modification of Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight), the one the right is Luke (Endor Capture).
Which leads us to a range of character suitable for but not specific to Jabba's palace. Such is the case with the bounty hunters Boba Fett, Dengar, and the saurian Bossk, all first seen in The Empire Strikes Back but also all three present at Jabba's (Boba Fett much more prominently than Dengar and Bossk). Bald-headed Figrin D'an properly belongs to the cantina in the A New Hope, but he can easily substitute for any Bith musician (like Barquin D'an, at Jabba's); my only misgiving is that I'm not sure there were any of these in Jabba's palace before the expanded and changed scene in the Special Edition(s), which I do not consider canon. He comes, by the way, with a choice of three different instruments, which reminds me to note that I have not displayed every single accessory a figure might come with. Zutton (Snaggletooth, Snivvian) also belongs to the cantina, but he can substitute for another of his species, Geezum. Finally, Greedo (far right), who shot second (!), also belongs to the cantina, but can easily substitute for any one of several other Rodians in Jabba's service (like his cousin Beedo).
Then there are figures that Hasbro did not make or made, but before introducing good articulation.
Top Photo: One prime example, and the one I probably wish they had remade the most, is the Klatoonian Barada (blue pants), Kithaba's counterpart on the second skiff, whose most recent iteration (already under Hasbro's watch) was still a re-release of the under-articulated and over-posed second Power of the Force version (by Kenner).
Middle Photo: The stout Pote Snitkin (left), who piloted the second skiff, exists only in such a version, too. The same is true of Ishi Tib, although in that case, this is a different member of the species than the one seen at Jabba's palace (a female named Shasa Tiel). Although made by Hasbro, the massive Hermi Odle (2007) (right) is woefully underarticulated.
Bottom Photo: The shaggy Tanus Spijek (left) and J'Quille (center) have no knee articulation and have swivel elbows. The green-and-yellow Amanaman (2001) was only a slight improvement on its Kenner predecessor. The huge and very hefty Ephant Mon (2002) (right) is similarly limited, in part because of his plastic attire.
Top Photo: slug-like Wol Cabassh!te (character name: Ghoel), the robotic spider-carried B'omarr Monk, and frog-dog Bubo were released together in an "ultra assortment" Jabba's Palace Court Denizens 3-pack in 2004. Of the three, Wol Cabassh!te is soft rubber and is meant to attach to a wall or ceiling with a suction cup (but this requires a smooth surface and that is not the case with this diorama), Bubo can move his legs and open his mouth, and ironically the most articulated, the B'omarr Monk (with individually articulated spider leg joints and poseable pincer), was a re-release of a Kenner version from 1997.
Bottom Photo: Finally, there is the Max Rebo Band (note that I do not consider the expanded band from the Special Edition canon and have not collected the additional characters). None of these have been made by Hasbro, and the most recent version was from Kenner's second Power of the Force (1998), in which the three original band members were each paired with one of three additional band members from the Special Edition. Blue pianist Max Rebo is just as good as the original version, just more vibrantly colored. Droopy McCool (brown shorts) looks better than his precursor, even if he is under-articulated and his hands are fixed in a permanent bent position (admittedly, necessary for his playing his instrument). The real horror in the 1998 release was singer Sy Snootles -- in part because the 1998 version reflected her altered appearance from the Special Edition, in part because of the overly posed underarticulated limbs and posture; consequently, I use the original Kenner version from 1983, reflecting the original appearance -- although the design is still ridiculous, and the posing stiffer, it looks better to me.
There are several figures I've overlooked or failed to highlight (like the Jawa actually pictured above), but there will be place for them in a later installment, alongside other diorama pieces. I think overall Hasbro has gotten us quite far along the way of building up an ample and representative group of Jabba's associates, and placing them within a suitable setting. To be sure, there is room for improvement, with additional or better figures to be made; even the most articulated have common problems, like ankles that, even if articulated, pose in a way that make them want to fall backwards (I did not use stands). While I hope they add to and revisit some of their line, I also wonder how likely that is after this year, which happened to be the 40th anniversary of The Return of the Jedi.
Where to buy?
If you are interested in the two sets that inspired this installment, here are the Hasbro Pulse links. They might be available elsewhere, but likely at a higher price, although it is probably worth checking.
Boba Fett' Throne Room, $230:
https://hasbropulse.com/products/star-wars-the-vintage-collection-boba-fett-s-throne-room
The Vintage Collection Court Denizens 4-pack, $73:
https://hasbropulse.com/products/star-wars-the-vintage-collection-court-denizens
I hope this has been at least somewhat informative or entertaining. As always, what do you think?
Some related items:
Jabba's Tatooine Skiff Review
Imperial Combat Assault Tank Review
Perfect Little Stormtrooper Kitbash
I am in awe of your knowledge and research as a scholar and historian of Star Wars action figures! The level of information you've provided here is, to me, even more impressive than the actual figures and play sets.
I do purchase 6 inch Black Series on occassion, but only begrudgingly. 
