It didn’t take long after The Mandalorian’s first episode for Baby Yoda mania to sweep the nation, and ever since fans have been clamoring for not only more Mandalorian but also more Baby Yoda. Now you can get a brand new look at Hasbro‘s prototype Baby Yoda figure from the Star Wars Black line courtesy of The Pop Insider’s new issue, with Mando and the adorable Baby Yoda gracing the issue’s cover. As you can see in the covers below, the figure is looking stellar, and the photo was taken by the talented Mitchel Wu. Both figures are from the Star Wars Black Series, and while Disney decided to wait until after the reveal in The Mandalorian to get the toys in production, it looks as if they will be worth the wait.
Videos by ComicBook.com
You can check out both covers in the images below, and you can pick up the full issue of The Pop Insider (complete with a full interview all about Baby Yoda’s new figure) at Toy Fair New York, C2E2 in Chicago, and Emerald City Comic Con in Seatle. You can also find it online right here. You can also find more of Mitchel Wu’s work right here.
Editor in Chief of The Pop Insider Marissa DiBartolo couldn’t be more pleased with the cover, and she revealed how all this came together.
“Toy Fair New York is such a huge event in the toy industry, and we knew we wanted a really special cover for this issue that would resonate with all of our readers,” DiBartolo said. “There was no bigger toy craze at the end of 2019 than Baby Yoda. Fans were rabid for toys featuring The Child, and once we saw Hasbro’s incredible line of products, we knew we wanted to feature one of them on our cover. We’ve worked with Mitchel Wu in the past on the cover of our Holiday Gift Guide and even past issues of our other publication, The Toy Book. We were so happy he was interested in taking this photo for us. His artistic talent is truly unmatched, and we knew he would do something totally unique.”
“We are so thrilled with this cover of the Pop Insider,” DiBartolo continued. “Honestly, I think it’s the best one we’ve ever had. There’s truly something special about this one. The Child really breathed new life into the Star Wars fandom, I think this image really captures his innocence and adorableness in a way that will really resonate with our readers. I can’t wait to see everyone’s reaction to it.”
As for the image itself, Wu wanted to capture the character’s charm and child-like nature, and we think he pulled it off beautifully.
“‘The Child’ is just that, a child,” Wu said. “Sure, The Child can draw incredible powers from ‘the force’ which leads to an immediate nap time, but The Child is still just a toddler. So I wanted to capture a more playful moment with The Child and The Mandalorian, one that would be reminiscent of a Father playing with his child. I looked at several different scenarios before deciding though, including Mando pushing The Child on a swing, The Child using The Force to levitate something, The Child playing with the chrome gear knob, and others. But the idea that resonated the most, and had the strongest visual appeal, was the one you see on the finished cover. I liked this image because of the playfulness and intimacy, and how the Child being tossed into the air adds a bit of action and fun. It’s a really fun, engaging story that’s supported by a dynamic visual.”
You can find out even more about the issue on The Pop Insider’s official site, and you can find the Baby Yoda figure here and Mando’s figure here. Here’s the full description of the issue.
“The Pop Insider’s upcoming issue, released ahead of New York Toy Fair, is putting Baby Yoda in the spotlight! Readers can learn about how a 50-year-old toddler united a fandom, mobilized a creative force, and spurred a massive craze for toys and merchandise. Other features explore the effects of environmentally sustainable initiatives on the collector community, the increased interest in high-end limited-edition merchandise, and the expanding world of toy photography. Discover the latest and greatest in merch from a wide range of buzzy fandoms and properties like DC’s Birds of Prey and Back to the Future. Plus, get the inside scoop on all the hottest new action figures and more that will be on display at Toy Fair New York, well before they release on store shelves this holiday season.”
So what do you think of the Baby Yoda figure? Let us know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MattAguilarCB for all things toys!
