Yes, I know that a new Star Wars movie coming out next month, but like many fans, it’s the show debuting on the new Disney+ platform that really has me in the midst of the vapors. Yes, kids, The Mandalorian looks positively BAD ASS, and has the look that gives all of those old timey SW feels. Fortunately for us, Hasbro is on the stick and we are already getting toys, and thus a new IG droid has been on our docket, but this time it is IG-11.
Long-form Star Wars is something that has made a lot of sense for a long time. Getting to get even more immersed in galaxy far, far away has done wonders via animated shows like Clone Wars and Rebels. While there were previous attempts, getting live action to the small screen has never gotten off the ground, but in this new golden age of television, and the race for the crown of streaming platforms has created a perfect storm to get this going. The Mandalorian is leading it off, but Cassian Andor and Obi-Wan Kenobi(!!!) shows are also in the hopper. I have been staying away from spoilers for The Mandalorian, but I have been watching the trailers and whatnot, and I cannot friggin’ wait. I will be tuning in on day one to watch and I will have my SWB Mandalorian, Cara Dune, and IG-11 with me.
When IG-11 was first shown off, everyone who knows anything about Star Wars thought that our old from for The Empire Strikes Back, IG-88 was back in tow. That is not the case, but 11 is most certainly his spiritual successor (in a lot of ways), and frankly, I am kind of glad 11 ended up being a new character. As much as long for continuing stories of Obi-Wan and Cassian, I also want new adventures with new characters on new planets. It is all about balance, and I am interested to see how all of these adventures play out, both on-screen and on-shelf.
We have previously covered the titular Mandalorian and Cara Dune, but let’s peek at IG-11 as he rounds out the show’s initial plastic representation (along with the Off-World Jawa). Yes, there Carl Weathers, Ugnaughts, and Werner FREAKIN’ Herzogs to get to eventually, but this triumvirate looks to be taking center stage in the show, so this release pattern makes sense. With no further cinematic releases scheduled until at least 2022, we have some time to go back and mine previous films for toys, but also these news shows. In a sense, that actually has me really excited for the new few years of The Black Series.
So, IG-11 is an exclusive, and honestly, he is my first foray into the world of action figure exclusives at Best Buy of all places, so I was not sure what to expect when that was announced. I got my online order in just to lock it off and cover my bases, but when Robo was here last weekend, we went looking for one for him, and there were four figures in-stock at the first store we went to, so I am calling this an easy victory and having a nice sigh of relief. It will be interesting to see if Best Buy continues to be an unexpected exclusive partner for Star Wars figures, but it has certainly worked out well for Walgreens, I would say.
As I mentioned, many of us thought that this was going to be IG-88 when the first footage was shown and that is because, well, IG-11 looks an awful lot like IG-88. It makes sense since this is the same make of droid, and it eases the action figure process because Hasbro did what we all expected and repurposed the previous 88 figure for this release. From that perspective, I think they have done a good job with the updated and unique paint applications as 11 has a lot more copper tones to him than 88. However, I actually consider IG-88 to be one of the weakest SWB releases due to the articulation scheme and being undersized, so this is definitely a mixed bag.
If you have the original or Archive release of IG-88, you are likely familiar with the limitations and issues. I have both previous versions and aside from some paint (and new accessories, of course) this figure looks to be a carbon copy. So, I have never been a fan of the shoulders on this guy, and the elbows and knees are really limited in terms of range as well. The BIG sin is the lack of outward movement in the hips though, and that choice was curious then, and annoying now. I really wish they would have taken the opportunity to fix some of these things. But maybe it would be moot anyhow because the figure is just too short to begin with, and that is a shame, too. That part my vary depending on how much you care about it, but I really wish he was about a quarter to half inch taller.
The figure also get a new and accurate bandolier that can store both of the included guns (one at a time). The rifle is a carryover from 88, but the other blaster is unique to this release. These changes are small, obviously, but aside from a partial or full rebuild, there is little that you can do to change up a droid of the same series outside of color and accessories. It’s fine as the two will not be standing next to each other on the shelf, but in terms of interesting and new designs, I put 11 behind both Cara Dune and the Mandalorian himself.
This is an important character to get out there in plastic, so I am glad Hasbro got it done, even if the base body isn’t all that great. It is funny to think that we have known IG-88 for 40 years, but we will likely know IG-11 better by the end of the (first?) season of this show. I have a feeling these figures will only get more popular once Disney+ drops, so don’t miss out, go get yours ASAP.
