Custom-Made Plastic Playsets

September 12, 2014 – Look at the pictures below and see if you don’t do a double- or triple-take:

At first glance, these photos appear to be vintage Star Wars playsets produced by Kenner. But look again: They are custom-made (and not for sale) one-of-a-kind dioramas made by an individual (username: Jrnyfan on Yakface.com / Email:jrnyfan@nc.rr.com ). He writes:

“I’ve been making diorama type playsets over the last year and a half and finally getting around to sharing photos around some of the different SW [Star Wars] sites. Mine are entirely (or mostly) made of plastic. I’ve been using something called Instamorph, shape-able plastic. I’ve recently entered into 3-D printing, too. While my playsets themselves aren’t for sale, I do have a small diorama parts store on my website, along with galleries of these and other playset creations…”

You can check out the incredible pictures and descriptions on his website: PlasticPlaysets.com

The meticulous attention to detail is incredible. After marveling at these custom-made models, fans and collectors are pointing out Hasbro’s shortcomings and asking, “Why can’t Hasbro produce these?”

The Hasbro toy company, successor to Kenner, has been suffering over the years from inconsistent quality control (some bad paint apps, shoddy or questionable packaging); poor production decisions (too many pegwarmers and too few of the obviously popular characters, such as Boba Fett); and many missed opportunities. If Hasbro were wise, the company would consult with custom modelers, such as Brian (jrnyman@nc.rr.com). In the meanwhile, we’ll continue to enjoy perusing the photos and descriptions at plasticplaysets.com and fantasizing about what could have been.