The Black Series Archive collection was announced at Hasbro's Star Wars panel at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con. Designed to give newer collectors a shot at acquiring the most sought after previously released figures on blister cards. While the Archive editions don't come with new accessories, Hasbro's quest to provide the best products they can has allowed for this special sub-line to utilize current paint applications.
To commemorate a major milestone, Hasbro created
The Black Series 40th Anniversary collection. Revealed in their showroom at the 2017 International Toy Fair, the
40th Anniversary collection features 6-inch action figures based on the original twelve released by Kenner in 1978. The first wave in this special set began hitting shelves at the end of March, 2017 and included Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa, Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi, and Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2). At the same time, Hasbro released the
Legacy Pack which included the sculpt debut of the
A New Hope version of Darth Vader and a display stand that is based on the original 1977 Early Bird Certificate cardboard display. Beyond this intial release, Hasbro has plans on releasing single carded action figures based on See-Threepio (C-3PO), Stormtrooper, Chewbacca, Sand People, Jawa, and Death Squad Commander. Additionally, they will be offering exclusive action figures based on Luke Skywalker: X-Wing Fighter Pilot and R5-D4.
The third packaging design Hasbro created for The Black Series 6-inch collection debuted as part of Lucasfilm's first Force Friday event, on September 4th, 2015. This packaging design is still being used in 2018, and at this point has seen no less than seventy-five individually packaged action figures with more on the way.
After releasing four waves of figures, Hasbro redesigned the packaging for The Black Series 6-inch collection, replacing the orange details with blue and altering the window to better display larger characters. With the new package design, Hasbro opted to renumber the line and the Wave 1 2014 assortment was born and began hitting shelves that September and ran the packaging design until June 2015, offering up sixteen individually packaged action figures as well as four deluxe sets.
Announced in January 2013, Hasbro's The Black Series 6-inch line was a risky move that paid off for the toy makers. When the first wave began shipping the following July, many collectors where reluctant to start collection a new scale of action figures, but great sculpts, multiple points of aticulation, and cool accessories turned heads and made won over. The original orange packaging lasted through four waves and the release of thirteen action figures over the course of the line's first twelve months at retail before the packaging was refressed to the blue design listed above.
