For many Star Wars fans, an action figure is much more than a collectible. It can be the starting point of a collection, a way to recreate a favorite scene, or even the foundation for an entire diorama.
For decades, Hasbro and Star Wars have been closely connected to the world of action figures and collecting. From the classic Kenner figures of the late 1970s to today’s Star Wars The Black Series and The Vintage Collection, the hobby has evolved considerably while keeping the same fascination with characters, vehicles and iconic scenes from the galaxy far, far away.
At Galaxy Diorama, that evolution is part of our own story. Our journey began with The Black Series 6-inch figures, and over time it grew into a broader exploration of Star Wars collecting, modeling and diorama building.
Hasbro is one of the world’s best-known companies in the toy, games and entertainment industry. Its portfolio includes iconic brands such as Transformers, NERF, Play-Doh, Monopoly, Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering.
But Hasbro’s relationship with collectors goes beyond traditional toys. Over the years, the company has developed products and experiences aimed specifically at fans and collectors, with dedicated lines, exclusive releases and increasingly detailed figures.
This is where Hasbro Pulse comes into the picture.
Hasbro describes Hasbro Pulse as a place where fans come first. The platform brings together products, exclusives, behind-the-scenes content and experiences designed for collectors and enthusiasts.
For Star Wars fans, Hasbro Pulse has become one of the main places to discover the latest releases across the company’s action figure lines, including The Black Series and The Vintage Collection.
The appeal is not simply buying a figure. For many collectors, following new announcements, comparing versions of the same character and discovering new vehicles or accessories has become part of the hobby itself.
And Star Wars has a particularly long history in this field.
The story of Star Wars action figures goes back to 1977, when Kenner introduced its famous 3.75-inch figures to coincide with the original Star Wars movie.
The format quickly became a phenomenon. Characters, vehicles, playsets and accessories allowed fans to recreate scenes from the films at home, while the relatively compact scale made it possible to build increasingly large collections.
The Kenner legacy is still visible today. Modern Star Wars collecting is divided between different scales and product lines, but the basic idea remains the same: bring the characters and environments of the Star Wars universe into the collector’s own space.
Among the most important modern lines is Star Wars The Black Series.
Launched in 2013, The Black Series marked a significant step toward a more collector-oriented Star Wars action figure line.
The figures are approximately 6 inches tall, corresponding roughly to a 1:12 scale, making them particularly interesting for collectors who want a balance between detail, articulation and display space.
The line covers an enormous range of characters. Heroes and villains from the original trilogy sit alongside characters from the prequel era, sequel trilogy, animated series, live-action shows, video games and other parts of the Star Wars universe.
Over time, The Black Series has also expanded beyond individual figures, with vehicles, accessories and larger display pieces contributing to an increasingly varied collecting experience.
For anyone interested in creating Star Wars dioramas, however, the importance of the line goes even further.
The 1:12 scale offers enough room to reproduce architecture, machinery, interiors and cinematic environments while keeping the figures large enough to appreciate their sculpting and details.
That is exactly where our own story begins.
If The Black Series represents a more modern collector-oriented approach, Star Wars The Vintage Collection takes a different route.
The figures are approximately 3.75 inches tall, corresponding to the traditional 1:18 scale used by Kenner during the original Star Wars toy era.
The packaging deliberately recalls the classic Kenner aesthetic, while the figures themselves benefit from modern sculpting, articulation and production techniques.
The Vintage Collection also includes an extensive range of vehicles and playsets, making it particularly attractive to collectors who grew up with the original 3.75-inch format or who want to recreate large Star Wars scenes without requiring the physical space needed by larger figures.
In other words, The Black Series and The Vintage Collection are two different approaches to the same universe.
One focuses on the larger 6-inch collector format, while the other maintains the classic 3.75-inch scale that helped define Star Wars collecting in the first place.
There is no single way to build a Star Wars collection.
Some collectors prefer the visual presence of 1:12 scale figures. Others appreciate the compact format and enormous vehicle selection available in 1:18 scale.
The choice often depends on what you want to achieve.
A collector interested primarily in individual characters may approach the two scales differently from someone planning to build an entire hangar, cantina, Imperial corridor or spacecraft interior.
For diorama builders, scale becomes particularly important because every element has to work together: figures, architecture, furniture, machinery, vehicles and accessories.
At Galaxy Diorama, 1:12 scale remains our main reference point, even though our projects have expanded into other formats.
The Galaxy Diorama story began with collecting Hasbro Star Wars The Black Series figures.
Today, our collection includes more than 200 Black Series 6-inch figures, but the original idea was much simpler: create environments in which the figures could actually live.
At first, our dioramas were designed exclusively around the 1:12 scale.
Later, the project expanded to include The Vintage Collection at 1:18 scale and Hot Toys at 1:6 scale. Each format has its own characteristics, proportions and challenges.
Even with this expansion, 1:12 remains the starting point for our STL projects. Our digital models are designed from this scale and can then become part of larger environments built specifically around the figures.
That approach transforms collecting into something more personal.
A figure is no longer simply displayed on a shelf. It becomes part of a scene.
One of the most ambitious examples of our work in 1:12 scale is connected to the Droid Depot at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Recreating an environment inspired by Batuu meant moving beyond individual figures and thinking about the entire setting: architecture, industrial details, machinery, signs, textures and all the small elements that make a Star Wars location feel authentic.
The result is an example of what happens when collecting and modeling meet.
A Star Wars figure provides the character. The diorama provides the world around it.
One of the most interesting aspects of Star Wars collecting is that there is no need to collect everything.
A collection can focus on a specific character, a trilogy, a film, a television series, a faction or even a single location.
You might build a collection around Darth Vader and the Imperial forces, concentrate on the original trilogy, recreate scenes from The Mandalorian, or simply choose figures because they inspire a particular diorama project.
The important part is deciding what kind of collection you want to create.
Once that idea is clear, the choice of scale becomes much easier.
And from there, the transition from collecting to diorama building can happen naturally.
Our next project takes us back to one of the most iconic images of Darth Vader.
We are currently working on a new 1:12 scale Darth Vader Bacta Tank diorama, once again starting from the world of The Black Series.
This time, the figure will not simply stand inside a scene. The entire environment will be built around the character: a transparent tank, Vader suspended in the bacta, Imperial technology, tubes, connections and the dark industrial atmosphere surrounding one of the most memorable moments in his story.
A transparent tank.
A figure suspended in the bacta.
Tubes disappearing into the darkness.
And the unmistakable presence of Darth Vader.
The project brings us back to the same idea that started Galaxy Diorama: taking a Star Wars action figure and building the world around it.
Darth Vader in the Bacta Tank.
A new Galaxy Diorama project, once again in 1:12 scale.
And once again, everything starts with a Black Series figure.
