SELECT
The Select action figure line is Diamond Select Toys' flagship 7-inch scale (1:10) collectible figure brand, launched in 2002 for the specialty comic shop market. Recognized for its detailed sculpts, shelf-ready window packaging with side-spine artwork, and elaborate diorama or Build-a-Figure bonuses, the line covers iconic pop-culture properties including Marvel, The Lord of the Rings, Ghostbusters, and Star Trek.
Cronologia
Panoramica
The "Select" line is the flagship 7-inch action figure brand (1:10 scale) manufactured by Diamond Select Toys (DST).
Originally launched in 2002 in partnership with Toy Biz, the line was created specifically to cater to comic book shops and specialty collector markets.
Positioned as a detailed, high-quality alternative to standard mass-retail toys, Select figures prioritize comic- and screen-accurate likenesses, high-end sculpting, and premium paint applications across iconic licenses in comics, movies, television, and video games.
Storia
Debuting in 2002 with Marvel Select, the line rapidly became Diamond Select Toys' primary action figure offering.
Over the next two decades, DST expanded the Select brand beyond comics into diverse pop-culture media, launching Universal Monsters in 2010, The Munsters in 2011, and Star Trek in 2012.
Throughout the 2010s and 2020s, the lineup introduced fan-favorite licenses such as Ghostbusters, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Lord of the Rings, Invincible, and The Matrix. In early 2025, following Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by parent organization Diamond Comic Distributors, Ad Populum acquired DST's assets and intellectual property, preserving DST as an active collectible brand and continuing production of the Select line.
I PEZZI DI SELECT
Caratteristiche
* Standardized 7-inch scale (1:10 scale) optimized for specialty shelf display. * Detailed character sculpting with comic- and screen-accurate likenesses. * High-end paint applications, including specialty UV-reactive paint used on Tron Select figures. * Signature oversized window box packaging featuring character side-spine artwork designed to display like graphic novels on a library shelf.
* Elaborate environmental diorama backdrop walls and base accessories. * Modular connectable environment sets, such as the 15-figure Gozer Temple rooftop and Halloween Town square dioramas. * Multi-wave Build-A-Figure (BAF) releases, including the 13-inch Dark Lord Sauron and Cave Troll. * Character-specific accessories, including weapon trunks, interchangeable bending effects, and multi-figure character packs.
Wave & Serie
* 2002: Marvel Select (Comics & Marvel Cinematic Universe films) * 2010: Universal Monsters Select (Classic horror films) * 2011: The Munsters Select (1964 TV series) * 2012: Alice: Madness Returns Select (Video game) * 2012: Star Trek Select (Original Series, TNG, DS9, reboot films) * 2014: Pulp Fiction Select (1994 film) * 2015: Gotham Select (FOX TV series) * 2015: Ghostbusters Select (Films & animated series) * 2015: The Nightmare Before Christmas Select (Animated film) * 2016: The Muppets Select (TV series & films) * 2017: Kingdom Hearts Select (Video game series) * 2018: Pacific Rim Uprising Select (2018 film) * 2019: Bruce Lee Select (Films & pop-culture appearances) * 2019: John Wick Select (Film franchise) * 2019: Castlevania Select (Animated TV series & video games) * 2020: The Lord of the Rings Select (Film trilogy) * 2020: Avatar: The Last Airbender Select (Animated TV series) * 2020: Tron Select (1982 film) * 2021: Cobra Kai Select (TV series) * 2021: Invincible Select (Comics & animated series) * 2022: The Matrix Select (Film trilogy) * 2022: All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Select (Pro wrestling) * 2023: Sonic the Hedgehog / SEGA Select (Video games) * 2024: Dungeons & Dragons Select (Tabletop lore & 1980s animated series)
Collezionismo
Diamond Select Toys' "Select" line offers collectors a distinct alternative to standard 6-inch mass-market figures, separating itself through its substantial 7-inch scale, detailed sculpts, and specialty market availability.
For in-box collectors, the uniform window boxes with side-spine character art allow figures to be arranged neatly on shelves like a volume of graphic novels. For out-of-box collectors, the line's major draw remains its intricate multi-figure diorama builds and massive Build-A-Figure sets—such as the 15-piece Ghostbusters Gozer rooftop and the 13-inch Sauron—which drive persistent demand and strong value retention on the secondary market.
Curiosità
* Completing the full Ghostbusters Gozer Temple rooftop diorama required collecting 15 individual figures across Series 1 through 5. * Action figures in the Tron Select line utilized UV-reactive paint to replicate the iconic glowing circuit patterns from the 1982 film.
* The side-spine artwork on Select window boxes was specifically engineered to resemble book spines for library-style shelf display. * Following Diamond Comic Distributors' Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early 2025, DST and the Select brand were acquired by Ad Populum, bringing DST under the same umbrella as NECA.
