Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Road to The Rise of Skywalker: IG-11 from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

   I write my reviews a day or so in advance usually so while today is November 13th, and I probably have watched The Mandalorian, I'm actually writing this on Monday the 11th. I'm really looking forward to the show, though, and I hope it turned out awesome. I don't actually have the Mandalorian himself yet, which is definitely frustrating me. He's been tough to find! He's actually been the only standard figure from the Triple Force Friday launch that's been hard to find, so I'll still be eagerly searching for him for the near future. Today I'm not checking out the Mandalorian, though, but IG-11. IG-11 is an IG unit programmed to follow Bounty Hunters Guild protocols and, thus far, that's all I know about the character. Well, other than the fact that he's voiced by Taika Waititi, the director of Thor: Ragnarok and the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder and the voice of Korg. IG-11 was very easy to find as he is a Best Buy exclusive, you can easily order him from their website or have him set aside at a store, and they seem to have plenty in stock. Since he's an IG unit, like IG-88, Hasbro reused the body from the 2015 IG-88 figure from the Black Series Phase II. That figure had some flaws that feel like they are only amplified here. Let's take a look at IG-11 after the break...



 The Facts:

Height: 6 7/8ths inches

Articulation: Hinged ankles, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, swivel hips, swivel/hinge mid-torso, swivel/hinge shoulders, swivel/hinge elbows, and a swivel head.

Accessories: Modified E-11 blaster rifle and modified BlasTech DLT-20A.

Non-Scalper Price: $20 dollars 


 Comparison:

* On the left is IG-11 while IG-88 is on the right. Other than the paint applications and the bandoliers, these two guys are the same figure with the same flaws. Unless you use something like a doll stand, IG-88 tends to wilt over time and I fear that IG-11 will suffer the same fate.


 * IG-11, just like IG-88, is a nice looking figure. He's as detailed as the original figure with better paint applications. Well, maybe I should say more interesting paint applications as IG-11 has a greater range of colors on him including lots of copper and bronze highlights. His bandolier isn't removable but it does look cool (it's a separate piece over his torso) and it nicely differentiates him IG-88.


 * The back of the bandolier is cool as IG-11 is toting around what appear to be mines of some sort. He's also got a holster for his DLT-20a rifle. It slides right in the holder and looks fantastic.

 * Like IG-88, IG-11 comes with two rifles: The previously mentioned DLT-20A and a modified E-11. They're a bit smaller, which means they weigh less and can work nicely in IG-11's smaller, spindlier arms. They're also specially design to fit in the proper hands: The E-11 (Stormtrooper blaster) fits in the right hand while the DLT-20A (longer rifle) fits in the right hand. There are pegs on his wrists which plug into the weapons to add extra support.
 The Negatives:

* IG-11 has the same articulation as IG-88, which is both a blessing and a curse. There are some interesting joints that are really integrated into the sculpt but the hips are basic swivels, the elbows are quite frustrating, and the ankles are simple hinges. He's just not a terribly fun figure to pose or play with, which is a shame.


* Also like IG-88, IG-11's legs are molded in a softer plastic that arrived bent in the package. This makes it really, really tough for him to stand up properly. In addition to him being tall and thin, the softer legs really add to the danger of him tipping over. I'm going to be using one of my smaller Kaiser stands to help keep him upright, just like I had to do with IG-88.
   I was really hoping that Hasbro would redesign some of the problematic parts of IG-88 but, alas, they didn't make any changes to the structure of the figure at all. IG-11 isn't a terrible figure, and I'm sure he'll still look awesome on the shelf with Cara Dune and the Mandalorian, but he definitely is flawed and a less interesting figure than his predecessor thanks to coming with fewer weapons. He's still a Good figure, but considering how Hasbro has been knocking there releases out of the part lately I can't help but be disappointed by an average figure in this line.



This is the first figure of IG-11 I've reviewed. For more Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III reviews, check out the following:
0-0-0 (Triple Zero)
442nd Siege Battalion Clone Trooper, 212th Attack Battalion Utapau Trooper, Coruscant Guard ---(Phase II), and 501st Legion Clone Trooper 4 pack
4-LOM
Admiral Ackbar and First Order Officer
Admiral Piett
Ahsoka Tano 
AT-AT Pilot 
Battle Droid
Baze Malbus
BT-1 (Beetee)
C-3PO
C-3PO (Resistance Base) 
Cal Kestis
Captain Cassian Andor (Eadu) 
Captain Phasma
Captain Phasma (Quicksilver Baton)
Captain Poe Dameron
Chewbacca (Target Exclusive)
Chewbacca (The Force Awakens)
Chirrut Imwe 
Chopper (C1-10P)
Clone Captain Rex (HasCon Exclusive)
Clone Commander Gree
Clone Commander Fox
Clone Commander Wolffe 
Constable Zuvio
Darth Revan 
Darth Vader (Emperor's Wrath)
Death Star Trooper
Dengar
Dewback/ Sandtrooper
Director Krennic 
DJ (Canto Bight)
Doctor Aphra
Dryden Vos
Elite Praetorian Guard
Elite Praetorian Guard (with Heavy Blade)
Emperor Papatine and Throne
Enfys Nest's Swoop Bike/ Enfys Nest
Ezra Bridger
Finn (First Order Disguise)
Finn (FN-2187)
Finn (Jakku)
First Order Flametrooper
First Order General Hux
First Order Snowtrooper
First Order Snowtrooper Officer
First Order Special Forces TIE Fighter
First Order Stormtrooper
First Order Stormtrooper Executioner 
First Order Stormtrooper (with Gear)
First Order TIE Fighter Pilot
Gamorrean Guard
General Grievous
General Leia Organa
General Veers
Grand Admiral Thrawn (SDCC Exclusive)
Grand Moff Tarkin 
Guardians of Evil 4-Pack
Guavian Enforcer
Han Solo (Exogorth Escape)
Han Solo (Mimban)
Han Solo (Solo)
Han Solo (The Force Awakens)
Hera Syndulla
Imperial AT-ACT Driver
Imperial Death Trooper
Imperial Death Trooper, Captain Cassian Andor, and Sergeant Jyn Erso (Jedha) 3 pack
Imperial Hovertank Pilot 
Imperial Jumptrooper
Imperial Patrol Trooper
Imperial Shock Trooper 
Imperial Royal Guard 
Inferno Squad Agent
Jaina Solo (Legends)
Jango Fett
K-2SO
Kanan Jarrus
Kylo Ren 
Kylo Ren (SDCC 2016)
Kylo Ren (The Last Jedi) 
Kylo Ren (Starkiller Base)
Kylo Ren (Throne Room) 
L3-37
Lando Calrissian (Solo)
Lando Calrissian (The Empire Strikes Back)
Lando Calrissian (Skiff Guard)
Luke Skywalker 
Luke Skywalker (Death Star Escape)
Luke Skywalker (Jedi Master) 
Luke Skywalker (Jedi Master)- Ahch-To Island
Mace Windu
Maz Kanata 
Moloch
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Force Spirit)
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Padawan) 
Obi-Wan Kenobi (SDCC 2016) 
Padme Amidala
Phase 1 Clone Trooper Commander, Phase II Clone Trooper, Imperial Stormtrooper, and First Order ---Stormtrooper Officer four pack
Poe Dameron
Poe Dameron and First Order Riot Control Stormtrooper
Porgs 
Princess Leia (Bespin Escape)
Princess Leia Organa 
Princess Leia Organa (Hoth)
Qi'ra (Corellia)
Qui-Gon Jinn
R2-A3, R5-K6, and R2-F2
Range Trooper
Rebel Trooper
Red Squadron (R2-D2, R5-D8, and R2-X2)
Resistance Tech Rose
Resistance Trooper
Rey (Island Journey)
Rey (Jakku) & BB-8 
Rey (Jedi Training)
Rey (Jedi Training)- Crait
Rey (Starkiller Base) 
Rey's Speeder (Jakku)
Rio Durant
Sabine Wren
Sandtrooper Sergeant, Crimson Stormtrooper, Lieutenant OXIXO, and R2-Q5
Scarif Stormtrooper
Scarif Stormtrooper Squad Leader 
Second Sister Inquisitor
Sergeant Jyn Erso (Eadu)
Sergeant Jyn Erso (Jedha)
Snowtrooper 
Stormtrooper (Mimban)
Stormtrooper (With Blast Accessories)
Supreme Leader Snoke (Throne Room)
Tobias Beckett
Tusken Raider 
Val (Vandor)
Vice Admiral Holdo
X-34 Landspeeder & Luke Skywalker (SDCC Exclusive) 
X-Wing Pilot Asty 
Zuckuss

2 comments:

  1. I've been really annoyed with Hasbro not getting enough Mandalorian out there. I mean, the show is named after him, you'd think they'd ship enough out. Hopefully they'll repack him in a future wave.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, he needed to be repacked in the most recent cases with Wedge, Luke, Cara Dune, Jannah, and the Jet Trooper. I think those cases have another Kylo Ren and Rey. One of those, probably Kylo, should have been another Mandalorian.

      Delete

What'chu talkin' 'bout?