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Hasbro- Star Wars Black Series: IG-88
So the Mandalorian series has done a lot of things right and some things wrong, but one of the best things was the characterization of an IG robot, almost exactly like IG-88, IG-11. I suppose that means that 11 came before 88 off the assembly line, but as the series takes place after Return of the Jedi it’s not clear if 88 is still alive, or why it wasn’t actually IG-88 in the first place. Regardless of all that, it was AMAZING to see the functionality of the assassin droid in action and I’m sure even the prop designer for Empire Strikes back, who quite literally glued some junk parts together, was surprised how truly efficient this machine really was.
Pros: From the moment I saw IG-88 in The Empire Strikes Back I was very intrigued at the rogues gallery of bounty hunters that were hired by Vader to track down the Millennium Falcon, but somewhat disappointed that only one got the bulk of the screen time. Given what I know about film effects at the time, I understand why IG-88 was more of a lifeless prop, but was still very intrigued. This Black Series figure is likely the most detailed representation of the ‘blink and you miss it’ design that was featured in the movie and overall looks great. The articulation is somewhat limited, but likely matches the rather limited movement of the droid itself. Accessory wise he comes with two blasters that can be attached to his hand/wrist with a peg and a cleaver that fits into a shoulder strap, back bandoleer.
Cons: I’m not sure how or why, but on my version, one leg seems to be longer than the other which makes it decidedly difficult to stand up. Also, and while I understand the design of the droid may prohibit this, a greater range of motion on the hips would really make a lot more sense.
