Imperial Storm Commando - Mini Busts

The dreaded storm commando was the Empire's answer to the increasing victories won by Rebel Alliance guerilla tactics. Rebel successes early in the Galactic Civil War forced the Imperial military to re-examine some of their methodology. While overwhelming numbers and brute force sufficed in many applications, the Empire identified a need for a leaner, more focused fighting force.

The black storm commando armor is based on the lightweight armor of the stormtrooper scout, but is coated with an advanced polymer called reflec which bends light and sensor energy away from the trooper.

Gentle Giant Ltd. has been hit or miss with their Premier Guild exclusive Mini Busts. Some are jaw-dropping like Clone Captain Rex or the Darth Maul [2011 PGM Exclusive]. The intricate detail in both the paint job and sculpts make them very worthwhile collectibles. But what happens if it’s just an all-black Biker Scout with a bent weapon? Well, that’s precisely what the 2011 (even though it didn’t arrive until January of 2012) Premier Guild exclusive Imperial Storm Commando Mini Bust is. When we look at a collectible like this we have to ask ourselves why it appears that the folks at Gentle Giant Ltd. are already scraping the bottom of the barrel for collectors who pay an extra premium to get these types of exclusives. From a certain point of view the Imperial Storm Commando Mini Bust is cool, but in most other lights it seems like a waste of space for collectors who would much rather have more colorful characters like the aliens in Chalmun’s cantina or Jabba’s palace. We digress.

Imperial Storm Commando isn’t new to collectors. Hasbro has made more than their fair share of the them for the 3.75” lineup. Perhaps the most popular version is part of 2009’s LC Imperial Pilot Legacy (Series II) Evolutions set. While he is based on an older figure, Hasbro updated new parts and made him very accurate to the Expanded Universe sources in which he appears. We can all probably thank the Blackhole Stormtrooper for starting this “shadow” trend we see cross-pollinating with other troopers. We’re frankly exhausted from it now and we’d like to see all licensees put a hold on any future ones. Is there something neat about a shiny black Biker Scout? Perhaps, but it’s very tiring now and we’d like to see something new attacked from the Expanded Universe instead. The Imperial Storm Commando doesn’t even have the notoriety or fan base like a Shadow Stormtrooper, so we’re very surprised it’s high on the list for Gentle Giant Ltd. to produce.

So, you know we didn’t really want the Imperial Storm Commando Mini Bust, but how did it actually turn out? Surprisingly, we’re disappointed with the final product. First, it has a very poor center of gravity. This is inexcusable for a Mini Bust. How hard is it to balance a figure on a two to three inch base that covers the “ground” in its entirety? It’s not, yet the designers at Gentle Giant decided that it would suit the Imperial Storm Commando best to be leaning in a forward-aiming pose which makes the piece want to fall forward. It doesn’t of course unless you’re on an unstable surface, but it’s annoying to say the least. Despite this, the sculpt is dead to rights and we probably couldn’t get a more perfect representation of the character. There is one more issue however. The gun is permanently secured in the shoulder of the right arm. But it’s been placed there with too much force apparently because the stock of the gun is bowing. If you even attempt to fix this it’s going to break, so leave it alone. As you can see, the Imperial Storm Commando Mini Bust isn’t ideal. It’s not one of their finest moments.