Rebelscum.com: Photo Archive

IG-88 (Bounty Hunter)

Source:
(The Empire Strikes Back)

Date Stamp: 1980

Carded Availability:
The Empire Strikes Back
Return of the Jedi
Tri-Logo

Assortment No. : 39770

Retail: $2.49

Weapons and Accessories:

Stormtrooper Blaster

IG-88 Rifle

Point of Interest:
This figure fist appeared on 31 back card as IG-88 (Bounty Hunter). The name was shortened to simply IG-88 when it was packaged on Return Of The Jedi and Tri-logo card backs.

Comments: The vintage IG-88 (Bounty Hunter) action figure was all about three things: Details, details, and details. Even by today’s standards, this figure is one of the most accurate Star Wars figures ever produced. To date, for the 3¾” collector, this figure is the best rendition of the robot bounty hunter.

Major Variations: Though all vintage figures have minor variations, the IG-88 (Bounty Hunter) figure only has one major variation. Though easy to spot stricktly by the colour alone, the two versions of this figure are actually entirely different sculpts.

The first version is commonly known as the Silver IG-88 and was sculpted with no detail spared. Even by today’s standards this version of the figure stands as a major accomplishment in action figure sculpting, moulding, and mass production. Oddly enough, as the plastic aged, many Silver IG-88’s have developed a gold hue. Like the Green limbed Chewbacca this is not a true variation.

The second version, referred to as the Gray IG-88 looks very much the same as its counterpart, but lacks many finer details. This is especially obvious when comparing the heads of both versions. Unlike the Silver version, which is hyper detailed, the Gray figure was only designed to give the necessary features.

When comparing the right legs of both of these figures, one can notice a piece of the Gray figure’s sculpt missing. Judging by the design on both figures, this seems to be an error in the moulding of the figure, but it is consistent with all known examples of the Gray version. There seems to be no indication that one version is truly scarcer than the other.

Text & Photography by D. Martin Myatt.

Back To Basic Figures