Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,983: IG-88 (and Dengar, The Retro Collection)

IG-88 and Dengar, Amazon Exclusive
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. F5561
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Two blasters
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $27.99
Availability: November 2022
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Dengar is an effective bounty hunter preferring firepower and destruction to finesse and style. And IG-88 is a chrome war droid turned bounty hunter who answered the call to capture the Millennium Falcon. (Taken from the figure's outer packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: When I saw the announcement of this retro Kenner-flavor IG-88 I was dying to know if it was just a co-tool with the 2011 IG-11 [FOTD #2,818] and of course, now we know. It was! It's a Droid of Theseus. Or See-Theseus. Or something clever. Just pretend I wrote something witty here. This new 2022 IG-88 is based on the 2021 IG-11 tooling, which itself was inspired by the 1980 Kenner IG-88.

2022 IG-88 has legs and feet that seem to be identical to the 2021 IG-11. How can you tell? The ofter head details remain intact, with shallower, rounder grooves and lights. The legs and feet are the same, and still have IG-11's SKU stamped in them - F2021. Also the year on the foot is 2021, as opposed to the 2022 on Dengar. The torso is unique tooling first seen on this figure, and the arms are very similar to IG-11. They might be the same mold, but if they were, they are clearly retooled. The clamps aren't as thick as IG-11, yet somehow they have a better grip on the blasters and 2021 IG-11 and 1980 IG-88. Hasbro did a good job updating the tooling here. I'd love to know if the to IG droids were developed at the same time or not. It's also worth noting that this means not only do both the Boba/Bossk and IG/Dengar sets reuse existing tooling, but Hasbro and/or Amazon upcharged you $4-$8 per set for their corner-cutting.

IG-88 has the same basic weapons as his 1980 figure. They're the 2021 IG-11 black blaster tooling, just now in Kennerian blue. The Stormtrooper gun has the rounded ammo clip and they look pretty much the same as the originals but aren't as glossy. It's as good as one can expect - just different enough so you can tell them apart from the genuine article.

My figure came with a deformed leg - one foot was bent at the ankle. I thought it was a tooling error at first, but the boiling water trick (dip it in boiling water, pull it out, run it under cold water) straightened it out without a problem.

Is he worth it? Well, you can get a complete unpackaged 1980 original for about $26. This 2-pack is $28 and you also get Dengar. For those wanting a loose figure, I'd say the price difference is negligible and it would certainly be more interesting just to buy the 1980s originals so you have a cool old toy. This new one is pretty good and has much more vibrant orange paint. Most original Kenner IG-88 figures are still in amazing shape due to the lack of paint to wear down, and the fact kids probably didn't play with it much. If you don't want to dabble in old toys, Amazon's exclusive is very good - but the original one has a sharper sculpt with sloppier paint. If I could have the old figure with the new paint job, it would be the best of both worlds. (But that's either a completely different franchise or a title of another kind of movie we won't discuss here.)

Collector's Notes: I got mine at Amazon. It was supposed to be released last week (December 1, 2022) but arrived about three weeks early.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,983: December 6, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,554: IG-88 (Archive, The Black Series 6-Inch)

IG-88 Redux
The Black Series Archive 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. E3253 No. E4040
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #n/a
Includes: Pistol, rifle, knife
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: December 2018
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: A battered war droid who has become a bounty hunter, IG-88 answers Darth Vader's call to capture the Millennium Falcon after the Battle of Hoth.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I don't believe I got to review IG-88 on his debut 6-inch release because mine had uneven legs, and I hated it.   I couldn't straighten them out or get him to stand unassisted so I thought he was awful.  The figure could probably benefit from being a smidgen taller, but for what it is, it's pretty good this time out.  On my sample, both legs are even and he had no problems standing without help.  There are rubbery joints over the elbows which some reported crumbling on the last release (mine have not as of yet), and the knees have double joints.  They're stiff, though, so at least only one set of mine are moving easily.  The ankles title, the thighs swivel, and there are lateral joints on the shoulders as well as swivels.  The original sculpt is pretty nicely jointed, and now that he can stand I'd go as far as to say it's good.

Weapon interaction has been historically challenging for IG-88 figures, and this one manages to cheat in a lovely way.  Each blaster has a tiny hole in it, and each arm has a tiny peg on it.  You plug the guns into the hands, so it looks like he's holding them - it's perfect.  IG-88 also has a holster on the back and a place to store the knife whicih, to this day, I have not seen in the movie when I watched it.

Deco is decidedly different, which I can appreciate - but the paint job looked better before when he was a bit more rusty.  The grime is a bit more golden this time, which isn't necessarily bad - just different.  The head has brightly-colored orange dots on it that seem to be drowned out by the shadows, so in that respect it could be improved.  The articulation is decent given how spindly he is, but I want to draw attention to the ab-crunch joint in the chest.  There's a wheel and the figure can tilt forward on it, which I just love.  It's the kind of clever thinking I like to see in a line like this, where things are largely predictable within the context of what a humanoid figure can and will do.

If you missed IG-88 before, this is a better one.  You might want to paint some changes, but the base figure is definitely better than the one I got a few years ago.   He can stand, and he can hold his weapons - that's mostly what I need these days, so thanks to Hasbro for fixing the legs.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.  

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,554: January 24, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,120: IG-88 (Star Wars Rebels Mission Series)

IG-88 and Bossk
Star Wars Rebels Mission Series
Item No.: Asst. A5228 No. A8933
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #MS11
Includes: Rifle, IG-88 figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: January 2015
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Two of the most feared bounty hunters in the galaxy, Bossk and IG-88 are hired by Darth Vader to track down the Millennium Falcon and its Rebel crew. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Commentary: While Bossk was a little shorter than his 1980s counterpart, IG-88 is shorter still.   Like Bossk he's one of those characters that usually show up as a line continues, and this figure has a pretty good sculpt and a really nice paint job.  And is short.   In the movies, you can tell he's a fair bit larger than the other characters on the set.  In the original action figure line, he's one of the tallest figures.  And here?  He's not all that much taller than Bossk... but that does mean he should have an easier time fitting in vehicles.

This is a weird figure in many respects - the right hand on mine was malformed, and required a dip in some boiling water to go back to the shape in which it could hold a blaster.  It still looks odd - most previous figures have the same horseshoe shape, this one is... erm... ribbed. It's also larger and can clip the gun, putting the claws in the trigger guard.  The figure has only one gun, and lacks the knife we saw on the last Vintage Collection release a couple of years back.  The bandolier is also molded to the body, which is cast in a metallic silver with some rusty red paint on top.  Considering the lack of paint overall, the figure looks quite good - at first glance I'd say it looks as good as any of the many previous versions of the character, but you may disagree.

I wish it were taller and I do appreciate the benefits articulation has given the character over the years, but since this version can stand and sit with no problems I can still say it's worthwhile.  If you're willing to work with the hands to make them hold the gun, that more or less works too - but it is a strange design that, without the gun, really does look ugly.   Get it if you're so inclined and are buying Bossk anyway, or if you need a great figure that can sit in vehicles easily.


Collector's Notes: I got this from Entertainment Earth.  This set started showing up in stores late in January with more trickling out slowly thanks to the dock worker not-a-strike-but-a-strike that has only just recently ended.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,120: March 11, 2015

Figure of the Day: Day 1,275: IG-88

IG-88 Carded Edition
Power of the Jedi Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 84455 No. 84587
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Rifle, Bandolier, Force File
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: 2000
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: The most infamous and feared of all assassin droids, IG-88 has made a career as a ruthless bounty hunter. The tall, slender, gray droid was produced at Holowan Laboratories. IG-88 is equipped with an array of head sensors that allow him to see in all directions at once, and a variety of lethal weapons including grenade launchers, missiles and a flamethrower. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's yard.

Commentary: While generally considered to be the #2 man of the first 6 bounty hunters, IG-88 took quite a while to get much respect (read: a carded figure) from Hasbro. The 1996 release was based heavily on the 1980s figure, and this one builds on the 1996 release with some other changes. Most important of all is the new torso, which has a removable bandolier and some added "junk" wire, panel, and gadget detailing. The added deco really brings him to life, with some silver and black paint making it way more than the mostly-grey figures we tend to get used to when it comes to IG-88.

This figure basically amps up what Hasbro can do with this design, adding some detail to the head and giving fans a more "realistic" robot. With only six meaningful points of articulation and one rifle (the second smaller weapon wasn't included) this figure wasn't a total victory when it was released, but it was still a nice step toward the figure we got a couple of years ago. Which is way better than this one. I would suggest getting this one for kids or fans of figures from this specific era, because while good he isn't nearly the ridiculously super-articulated robot we've come to know and love later.

Collector's Notes: For the longest time, this was the best IG-88 you could get-- and then Hasbro made a "Vintage" version and this one most likely no longer interests you. Pay accordingly if you decide to get this one.

Also take note of his hands. Some releases had a hand which was molded shut in a full circle, and others had open claws. Mine had open claws, so I assume that's the more common but I really don't know. Also, this figure was repackaged in a few multi-packs like the Diamond exclusive Bounty Hunters box and the Toys "R" Us exclusive set of Bounty Hunters which also sported Aurra Sing's swoop bike. Odds are if you're an avid collector, you have three of this one.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,275: May 4, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 1,190: Concept IG-88

IG-88 Concept Art
The Legacy Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87535 No. 91644
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #BD40
Includes: Blasters, droid part
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: November 2009
Appearances: The Art of The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: In the concept art from Ralph McQuarrie, the droid IG-88 has a broader shape than its ultimate appearance. The chrome war droid and bounty hunter still has a menacing presence with its simple lines that evoke its purpose: destruction. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's yard.

Commentary: After a strong showing in 2007 with its McQuarrie Concept Figure program, Hasbro decided to do an encore in 2009 with IG-88. Unlike his forerunners, this figure doesn't have uniquely colored packaging that calls out why it's so special, it really just blends in with the rest of the line. (Which, if you ask me, is the wrong way to go. Anything you can do to call out figures as "special" is probably worth doing.)

The figure itself is pretty much perfect. He has twin holsters, 14 points of articulation, and just enough paint so that it's obvious Hasbro didn't cheap out. The added brown over the silver gives it a somewhat sketchy look, which is nice given that it comes from an old drawing. The range of motion for a bulky concept figure is remarkable, as Hasbro probably could have put out a statue and it would have sold just fine. Instead, this figure is easily as good as any of the best IG-88 toys made by the Rhode Island toymaker, although getting the head to move on my sample was a little tricky. The red eyes and silver body give the figure a decidedly retro look, and if you've been picking up the concept Boba Fetts and Stormtroopers and what have you, this should be next on your list. If you haven't picked up concept figures yet, this is a good place to start.

Collector's Notes: Along with Episode III concept-based Ki-Adi-Mundi and Anakin Skywalker plus a Joe Johnston Snowtrooper, this figure makes up the quartet of 2009 concept figures. IG-88 has the distinction of being the only McQuarrie design.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,190: January 5, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 492: IG-88

IG-88 vs. Boba Fett
Shadows of the Empire Comic Pack Assortment
Item No.: Asst. 69590 No. 69568
Number: n/a
Includes: 2 blasters, Boba Fett, comic book
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $11.99
Availability: Summer 1996
Appearances: Shadows of the Empire & The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: The battered war droid IG-88 was among the bounty hunters commissioned by Darth Vader to hunt down and capture the Millennium Falcon after the Battle of Hoth. IG-88 is one of five droids created by Holowan scientists, who deliberately programmed the units to maximize their freedom of action in combat. This experiment proved tragic when, upon activiation, the new IG prototypes eliminated their programmers and escaped to fulfill whatever mission lie within their distorted metallic intellects. IG-88's programming has caused it to value Imperial credits over organic life, making it a devastatingly efficient hunting machine. It is loaded down with a mass of heavy weaponry such as a heavy blaster and blaster rifle as well as a flamethrower, sonic stunner and grenade launcher. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: Some fans see the concept of two figures and a comic as a new thing-- not so. Kenner did two such packs in 1996, including Boba Fett vs. IG-88. Both figures were based somewhat on older sculpts, with IG-88 here being a modified 1980s vintage figure with a few minor tweaks, like an added waist joint and new deco. Obviously, a new mold was constructed, but most fans just assumed Hasbro tossed in a joint at the waist and added new paint and called it a day. Not so. There's a little more work here than that, although the details are somewhat minor. (It's also worth noting the original figure was pretty excellent for its day.) The newly dirty deco, retooled guns, and companion figure (the first-ever ESB-specific deco Boba Fett action figure) made it a huge hit, and it sold really well upon its initial release. Of course, that's probably just due to people still wanting a Boba Fett, although IG-88 was a really decent figure for its day, and one of a few figures from the films being marketed as what would eventually come to be known as the "Expanded Universe." It's not perfect, but it's neat-- arguably, it's more neat in its packaging, as all it is really good for is standing around and looking cool. Oh well. I like it, but more recent versions in 2001 and 2007 make this one look pretty dull.

Collector's Notes: As the prototype for the hugely popular 30th Anniversary comic pack concept, one might think this set and its companion piece, Darth Vader vs. Xizor, are currently valued collectibles. If so, you'd be wrong. The secondary market prices don't even keep up with inflation of the original MSRP, and you can get this set for about $7 if you play your cards right. The comic itself is just a reprint of part of the monthly/collected Shadows of the Empire comics, so if you have those, this is a comic you can skip.

Day 492: September 10, 2007