After months of rumblings and rumors, Hasbro has officially announced that they-- in conjunction with the sculptors at Gentle Giant-- will producing a 6" Star Wars collector line titled "Star Wars - The Black Series".
As someone who grew up on Star Wars, this is outstanding news. While 3.75" has always been the defining scale for Star Wars since it began back in 1977, I think that 6" figures always display much nicer and definitely serves better than 3.75" if you're collector and not a kid.
I'm sure most hard-core SW collectors will disagree with that opinion, and I still have love for the 3.75" Vintage Collection figures, but it's nice to see Hasbro make a line of larger scale figures aimed squarely at collectors. And certainly the 3.75" figures will always endure, so fans of that scale will never have anything to worry about-- unless Hasbro decides to make that mainly a "kids line scale" and cuts back on the quality and articulation.
Here's some info from the USA Today article that originally announced this new line in conjunction with Hasbro"
"Priced at $19.99 each, eight figures are planned for 2013 — Hasbro will primarily draw characters from the original Star Wars trilogy of films while also bringing in key players from the prequels.
The first wave of four, due out in early to mid-August, includes Luke Skywalker in his X-Wing Fighter flight suit, fan-favorite droid R2-D2, bad guy Darth Maul and an Imperial Sandtrooper.
"We consider them the best figures that Hasbro's ever produced for Star Wars that meets the sensibilities of romancing the character as well as the playability and poseability that fans really appreciate," says Derryl DePriest, Hasbro vice president of boys marketing.
Hasbro has had success with the scale before with the 6-inch Marvel Legends figures based on Marvel Comics heroes and villains. In terms of Star Wars, though, the Black Series will act as a transitional point between the 3¾-inch toys — "which is rooted in the childhood memories of generations of now-grown kids," DePriest says — and the 12-inch Sideshow Collectibles figures for adult collectors.
The current "vintage"-style line of 3¾ figures will also continue under the Black Series banner."
I'd be interested in seeing that last statement clarified a little more since Hasbro recently announced the retirement of the Vintage Collection line.
"The Black Series appeals to those newbies who want to start a series from the start as well as those hardcore collectors who gobble up anything having to do with the words "Jedi" or "Empire" and "are looking for something new and their interest isn't as piqued by the 15th cantina alien we have yet to do," DePriest says. "We realize folks want their iconic characters delivered up in a new way.
Our focus here is the adult collector, the dad," DePriest says. "We know they have their own generation of youngsters they like to share the adventure with. It can be something for dad, and the 3¾ world can be something for the kids to share."
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