Star Wars stamps unveiled in [USA]

BBC ^ | Thursday, March 29, 2007

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

			The stamps were launched by Star Wars characters

Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia are among the characters featured on a set of US stamps marking 30 years of the Star Wars films.

A set of 15 stamps is being issued as a poster, and members of the public will be asked to vote for their favourite.

The set will go on sale on 25 May, shortly after the basic US postage rate is raised to 41 cents (21p).

Earlier this month, 400 postboxes were decorated to look like R2-D2, the robot from the landmark sci-fi saga.

The US Postal Service (USPS) launched the stamps at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, where the first Star Wars movie was screened on 25 May 1977.

'Blockbuster status'

The winner of the public vote will be reissued later in the year on its own sheet.

USPS Stamp Services director David Failor said the stamps could be as popular as Elvis Presley stamps issued in 1993.

"We believe these stamps have the potential of reaching the blockbuster status of the Elvis stamp, a milestone only the 'Force' could attempt to surpass," he said.

More than a million people voted by mail to choose their favourite Elvis stamp 14 years ago.

According to the financial magazine Forbes, director George Lucas's Star Wars franchise has generated £20bn (£10.2bn) in sales around the world, including films, videos and spin-off merchandise.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

First the R2-D2 post boxes and now stamps. It seems there is a Star Wars fan someplace high up in the Post Office leadership.

At least that's a guess. As the article mentions, it is also an anniversary.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

The missing picture in the article.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

The "preview" should be used more often.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

There's no stamp for Artoo?

[Sybeck1]

No Jar Jar?

[Corin Stormhands]

I can't wait to get my first day of issue from Naboo.

[Tax-chick]

I'll get some next time I order stamps from USPS.gov.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

So that angry people can burn dollars worth of them?

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

There's one with Leia and Artoo (still, Threepio gets his own stamp).

[mainepatsfan]

I like to pretend that character never existed.

[Vaquero]

quote:comic book guy
"Oh jar jar everyone hates you but me"

[gridlock]

There's no stamp for Artoo?

The only reason C-3PO was given a stamp was because of extraordinary pressure from certain special interest groups, which will remain nameless...

[period end of story]

Stock up!

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Threepio gets such a bad rap (wrap?).

He's not homosexual--sort of odd to consider for a robot.

[cb]

is it just me? or,

Is there a disproportionate representation of evil characters in the stamps?

Bobba Fett is popular but appears about 3 minutes in the entire 6 film series.

It been a long time since anything public like this was something I would agree with!

[LIConFem]

Star Wars stamps?

Next up: Sponge Bob on the $1 bill.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Personally count 10 "decent" and 6 "bad" guys, if Stormtroopers are considered bad guys.

Not a Boba Fett fan, but Lucas could have taken the Star Wars EU (Expanded Universe--Star Wars novels, etc.) in account. In that case, there is an entire subdivision of Star Wars fans called "Fandalorians" (Boba Fett is a Mandalorian), and they even have one of the more developed languages in Star Wars (sort of the counterpart to Star Trek Klingon).

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

If you think the above comment is "dorky," keep your opinions to yourself--or at least be polite about it.

[rock_lobsta]

Hmmmm... the cost is high with this one...